Devon Edick's dad salutes the flag

After noting that most of our sales lately at We Serve too! are the reunion book, we say Welcome Home to those who have been serving in Iraq and other places in the world!

We are thankful for your safe return and your family has waited patiently and long for this day. We know things that are good do not necessarily mean that they are easy, so we are offering you the link to our reunion book parent guide. Even if you do not purchase the book, the guide is yours to use as you see fit. You can download it and perhaps at the very least know that you are not alone, that the things you are going through are common to many Military Families. Children love our colorful hardback books that come with a dog tag that says” I will be strong and courageous“, a fitting sentiment for those strong Military Kids!

This link http://weservetoo.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/Reunion-Parent-Guide-letter-size.pdf will take you to the pdf, for coping with reunion. Again, Welcome home, thank you for all you do for our nation; for the protections, sacrifices and hard work.  We pray you will now find joy in your Homecoming!

No Comments »

Hi!

There has been nothing new on this blog for awhile, I have been at the drawing board, literally! I am going to post the cover and two pages  of our upcoming book on relocation…I think you all have stories about PCS (permanent change of station, for those of you outside the Military)

This is the cover…as you can see, moving can be difficult. The tone of this book is to help kids know they are not alone in not wanting to leave behind what they know, but that good things can come of it. Paula has written this in her famous rhyming style, and it is fabulous!

The story title is Little Daisy’s Worst/Best Day! I don’t want to give it all away, but do want to let you know that is a true story, that the author Paula Johnson experienced, as Daisy had to leave her home full of foster kids (social services said too many dogs,) and Paula and Barry took Daisy to live with them on the farm.

All the feelings of sad , mad, getting used to things, and finally acceptance, good memories and positive outcomes are there for parents and kids to discuss.

What kids can resist wriggling, soft, sweet puppies? The story begins with 9 of them!

The long scary ride to a new place far away. Not only far, but also different! You can see that Daisy is not too thrilled, but as it does in real life, the new that we resist, can be the best!

Well, that is all I will share right now! I have lots of painting yet to do! We would love to hear your stories of kids and PCS adventures if you want to share!

We are hoping to publish by early March! We will keep you posted!

No Comments »

Dear Families,

Before I start this post, please know that whatever a good parent chooses as education for the child they love is just that, a choice. It is not that one things is better than another, in fact what works for one family may not work for another. This post is just something that I wanted to explore with you, something to think about and consider.

I started to write this post, because I have been thinking through this for quite some time now.

I am the product of those who used to feel that children needed public education. As one with a child development background and an elementary teaching certificate, I now have a better idea of the joys and the wonder of homeschooling children. If I could do it again, I would wade into this adventure wholeheartedly.

One question people like me asked was “How do children socialize with no other children?” I have come to understand, that they don’t, homeschoolers are not isolated in a bubble, there are others doing this too. Childhood is not lost, but instead enriched. Our society is unsure of the parental role in the life of a child, and we have been taught to be suspicious of things that are not organized on the level of public school, but that is something that can be challenged. It does not mean that you will choose it, just that it is a viable choice to make if you want to.

For Military Families, I am wondering if  this may be even better, if you can do it, since you will not have to start at new schools, where children have to repeat things they already have done, or have to rush ahead without the foundations laid by an earlier educational experience. Here is what I now know, in part thanks to my partner Paula, who has walked this adventurous road herself, that children thrive, and parents do too, if they want to teach their children about the world.

I came upon a blog,  written by Ann Voskamp, to which I offer you the link here. The beauty of the things she says, the reality of her children’s freedom and depth of learning, moves me. I could not address this as well as she does. I do not have the experience , but if I could do it over, it would inspire me to set out .

I know that we cannot all do this. That would be unrealistic. If you are sending your child to school ( as I did)  do so happily, and stay in touch with the teacher and encourage what they are learning. If you are on the edge of considering Homeschool, perhaps this will help.

What ever your family chooses, have a beautiful and productive school year!

Homeschool?

Pros and Cons for Christian Parents

from this link you can find other blogs by Ann on Homeschool.

1 Comment »

Hi!

We would like to make you aware of the parents guides available for We Serve Too! A Child’s Deployment Book , and We Serve Too! A Childs’ Reunion Book. Deployment and Reunion bring up many questions for children and concerns for the adults who love them. With our free parents guides, you get the story word for word,page by page. There are suggestions of ways to  respond to questions. I want to give you a peek at what you can expect when you go to the link I will post here and access the guides. One of the first pages of our deployment guide goes like this:

Daddy’s unit was deployed his work is far away, and though we are not overjoyed a soldier must obey. The Army said we couldn’t go and Dad said wait right here and wait for me till I get back in just about a year.~ What does it mean that a soldier must obey? A soldier takes an oath, a special promise that he will go wherever the military sends him to protect our country. This is an important promise that every soldier makes. ~ How long is a year? Use the picture   to explain that a year is the time from one birthday to the next ( a child’s birthday is an important date for them) Use the seasons to go through it, e.g. the birthday is September you could say that is in the fall, ~ What things do you like to do in the fall? Winter? Spring? Summer? ~ What do you think the people in the story are feeling? ~ How did you feel when you were told how long your parent would be gone? ~ What things will the family miss doing together? ~ How can they make it easier to make Dad a part of the things they are doing?

A Page in the Parent Guide 2 or the

Reunion Book goes like this:

We all need some time for our family to mend, but I promise you things will get better again. I was not here for Christmas, it broke my heart too. (He picked up Ted Teddy and matched a lone shoe.) But our country called me and it hurt little dear, to know I would be gone when you needed me here. Let children know there is a bigger picture. You are serving your country and though you wanted to be there, your job is important for the Family (it is how they get what they need), for the people of the country where you deployed (you protect and defend people wherever you serve), and for our country (this nation cannot maintain its freedom without you).It is important to let children know you did miss them and the pain of separation is not only theirs, but yours too. This is a sacrifice you all make as a family. You might promise each other you won’t indulge in self pity and resentment. Make a team pact. Use this teachable moment to train them to think outside themselves toward the needs of others too.Discuss mending, what it means- and some ways that your family can mend. Incorporate your ideas naturally into your daily living as much as possible. As you model being OK, they will be OK  too.

This is just a small sample. You may go to our page http://weservetoo.com/parentsleaders/and get the free download.  Click on Book Guide 1(deployment) or Book Guide 2(reunion) . From our home page, click on resources, then parent/leader and you will get to the same page, scroll down to the book downloads. You can use it to talk with kids, open some discussion and help you to think through these things as well. We hope you find them helpful and that you and your little ones will enjoy the resources at We Serve Too!

No Comments »

The other day I was pursuing two  blogs written by Military mothers raising little ones as a spouse is deployed. This is something I do occasionally, to keep in touch with what people are experiencing and especially what the littlest members of the family are going through.

In these two blogs, each family had more than one child. In both families the children were very connected to the father, who was the deployed parent. Both mothers stated that the children had a very hard time with the separation, and the anticiaption of it before it happened. They also shared the children’s behaviors, of crying, searching for daddy, and angry oubursts.

Then came the differences. Parent A,  summarized with saying that her children would be forever wounded by this absence and that she was having a hard time accepting her role as single parent while her husband was away.

Parent B,  looked for creative ways to make the deployment a focused time of keeping the father in the children’s’ lives. She did things like placing pictures at child eye level and making a jar with daddy’s picture on it and giving them  a kiss goodnight from daddy before bed (a sweet Hershey kiss). This family was able to settle in, and though deployment was hard, it became manageable. The children were able to go on and be happy most of the time.

It was not those little things she did that grabbed my attention though. This parent stated something profound …the children in family B were proud that Daddy was a soldier. Mother B was too, and let them know  in no uncertain terms, what an honor it was to be a Military Family. Now I am not saying the parent A was not proud of her husband, just that it was not the focus, as it was in family B.

No one will argue that the military life is ever changing, but we do not believe it is unstable just because there is an absence for a time (sometimes a long time) . The attitude of the parent directly effects the children.

This is the core of the matter. We all need purpose in life. To know our purpose is a gift that allows us to endure sacrifice with honor and courage.  Spouses who are proud of the service thier loved one provides this country, are more likely to stay married and to find the adventure in being a  Military family. Those who are fearful, unsure of  the relationship and unhappy, generally do not survive.

Divorce in the Military has high numbers because we live in a “me first” time ,and are encouraged to find ourselves outside the marriage relationship. Sadly this is transfered to our children who are told they are “being cheated’ while a deployment is under way, rather than honored by a larger purpose outside themselves.

If the family can feel and embrace this larger purpose, they will weather the deployments, the changes, the reunions, and find a stronger and more bonded life within the Miltiary.

Paula and I have a mission statement :We Serve Too ! Honor and Courage for Military Kids! We hope that our resources help children and their parents embrace that badge of courage and honor they most bravely earn.

No Comments »

The month of the Military Child is coming to a close. We have thought of ways to celebrate the resiliency of kids who learn to wait for a parent to return, who move frequently from friends and extended family, who can’t feel roots, though they test their wings in ways most children never do.

They sleep with bears that speak with the voice of a deployed parent, on pillows with that parents picture. They wear dog tags that say “I will be strong and courageous” and strong and courageous they are.

We cannot forget the children. April is a great month to celebrate them, but please remember, parents are deployed every month of the year, and children wait at home.

If you know a Miltiary Family, look out for the kids. Offer to help with homework, take them for ice cream, tell them you know it is not easy.

Kids are resilient, but not made of stone. Tears are good sometimes and a listening ear a comfort to the heart.

If you are a teacher and have a Military child in your class, perhaps you can make a point of having the class send notes, or artwork occasionally to that child’s parent. It will please the parent,  and create a belonging and sharing in your class that can  help that child feel less alone.

If you are a parent, remember that though your children are very close to you, you need to talk about problems and difficulties with another caring adult. You are the rock while your spouse is away, and children need to feel secure. The temptation to share too much with a child is there, as you feel alone too, but there are many people willing to help you if you reach out to your church, your friends, family or other Military Families who know what you are going through.

Children need to stay connected. There are many good resources to help you guide a child in creative and fun ways to stay in touch with a deployed parent. The resources at We Serve Too! are designed with this in mind. These resources can be found at  at http://weservetoo.com/

Lets remember to celebrate these wonderful kids, and not just in April!

No Comments »

I have recently been made aware again, the power of writing , and the power that comes from that kind of expression. To talk about this way of making ourselves known, is one that we as parents ,grandparents , and teachers ,should ponder.

As a child ,writing became important in my own life, as I found a voice through those marks on paper. I found that I could move a heart, change an opinion, awaken an idea, explain the world from my own perspective (sometimes to myself!).

Here is a  poem written by : Leslie Slutzkey when she was in the 8th grade. As a young girl, her desire for freedom can be felt by many a young heart:

No Comments »

My grandson just turned 6. His daddy, who is far away in Germany, asked me to find the perfect gift. You know how that is, the parent is far from home and wants the gift to be spectacular, since they are missing all the festivities. There is something about it too, that we think we have to make up for the lost time with something memorable.

I noticed when I got to the store that most of the toys I saw would last about 5 minutes. Our boy is like his dad used to be, full of energy and likely to toss something just to see what happens when it hits. I think that most boys fit this description. Toy manufacturers also know and it too and it seems they create toys that will require you to replace it with another one, the very day of the birthday party!
As I crusied the aisles of Target, I finally came to the conclusion that the child would have to get something real.

The end result of all this,was a real two man tent (29.95) and a canteen (5.95), along with a set of tupperware containers to make collections in (3.95) (you know, rocks, cool other stuff and with a few holes in the top …bugs!) So for about 40.00, (the cost of any of the plastic breakables) my grandson got a gift that could be used for years and would make a fine thing to sleep in when Dad gets home!

Our grandson was thrilled with the tent which was set up in our living room. He and his sister slept in it. Now I have to figure out what wonderful gift from Daddy my granddaughter will get for her birthday!

No Comments »

Though September 11th is burned into the consciousness of nearly every adult American, our young children were not here then. Unless they were about 5 or 6 in 2001, they will have no recollection of the national grief and fear that you and I know all too well.

What should they know? What do we tell tender little ones that will not frighten them, but give them a sense of the weight of the day, but more, the questions of honor, protection, and what is worth fighting for?

Remembering is something that we need to do as a nation. In Biblical times, the nation of Israel would build piles of stones to remember things that were important so they could tell their children. The reason they did that is because human beings have fairly short memories, and life moves forward quickly. Without teaching our children that memorials are important, they will lose their history and some meaningful pondering of life. Memorials are important to bring together people who have shared an experience and then the question, what can be learned from it, what does it mean to us?

Children can be told more with age. For our little ones I suggest that you stay on the positives, and not detail too much of the fear. Answer the questions children ask honestly, but simply. You do not need to go into the politics, or the graphics with kids. Do not ignore the bad part, but don’t accentuate it. A simple answer to what happened on 9/11 might simply be that some bad people made some big towers fall in New York City, then tell them that there were many people who were there to help.

Here are some things that you may want to share with your little ones:

*Talk to them about the heroes of 9/11. Here is a website to help you with that: www.9-11heroes.us

*Talk about resiliency and that we bounce back after bad things happen. Here are plans for the site of the towers http://www.national911memorial.org

*On September 11th, we remember the people who work to keep us safe. They are soldiers and airmen, they are marines and sailors, coast guard and policemen, they are fireman and doctors. Our country is made up of many kinds of people, they are all Americans and they are the ones who are there when you need help, or when we all need protection.

*Today we remember that sometimes when bad things happen, we learn to come together and fight for what is right. We learn that we are America, and we have a long history of being there for others in the world. We protect others as well as our own people.

*Do something to help your children with expressions of gratitude. Make some cookies and bring them to your local firehouse, draw pictures of police, firefighters, and others who are protectors and give them your pictures. Send a letter to a soldier overseas and express your thankfulness for the sacrificial work they do. Here is a website where you and thank a soldier right now! http://action.uso.org/action/sem-thank-you?sc=OM-google-p_Support-search_ThankyouLetter

Children can understand honor, courage. Help kids to appreciate what it means to be an American. The gifts that we have as a people, and the wonderful country God has given us. Teach them that there are people that want to reach out, that being brave does not mean we are not scared, but that we push through it and help anyway.

No Comments »

I have not written in quite a while, mainly because the summer has demanded that hot days be dealt with by a dip in the pool, a bike ride under some shady trees, travelling to see family, or watching grandchildren run through the sprinkler. I know that the days are short and another summer has nearly slipped past. My little ones are getting ready to return to school far too soon.

The heralding of school still puts me in mind of the future and change. Remember when that meant new school clothes, unsharpened pencils and that pink eraser in a little zippered pouch? Then the clean notebook paper, that would become a burden later to fill, but right now held only the pristine whiteness that said we would learn something new and would write things that we could not yet imagine?

I know the calendar has not yet even turned to August, but our two go back the 16th!

I need to learn to live in the moment. To realize that I should now be intentional about what last things I can eke out these passing summer days. I want to make a trip to the mountains, to see the streams and smell the pine. I want to get the kids to do a couple of new art projects (Devon won first place in our local art show this summer!)

What things are your children experiencing in these final summer days? Things do not need to cost money, so here is a list of low cost ways to make those days a little more festive:
A walk in the park, a free dog show, or petting zoo.
Our town has free movies in the parks, see if your town has a schedule of events
Lay on your back in the yard and imagine pictures in the clouds…then make up a story.
Read a story in the shade
take a ride in the wagon after dark and listen for crickets
we filled our hot tub with cool water and left the heater off, makes a nice pool!
Take some little cars out under the trees and make a town with roads in the dirt
Go to the farmers market and let the kids pick a vegetable they have never tried.

I hope the rest of your summer is full of great memories. The kids will remember the little things more than even the big things, don’t believe me? Do you remember the sound of the Popsicle truck? Check the rest of your childhood summer memories, I think you will be surprised!

No Comments »