At SOFAR:Strategic Outreach to Families of All Reservists, we believe children are deeply impacted by deployment and reintegration whether the service member is a parent, an aunt or uncle, sibling, cousin or grandparent. Children’s needs and reactions change based on their age and their level of development. Over multiple deployments and returns, the same child will react differently each time. For this reason, SOFAR has published a FREE “SOFAR Guide to Helping Children and Youth Cope With the Deployment of a Parent in the National Guard or other Military Reserve”. The Guide is written for parents, teachers, school nurses, and pediatricians. We consider these people first responders in the lives of children. In addition, our website (www.Sofarusa.org) contains helpful resources to help kids and parents address the multiple challenges of military life.
Thank you so much for sharing this resource! I work with early childhood professionals who provide child care services to military families. I especially appreciate letting them know about resources for families of Guard and Reservists. These community-based child care providers may not even realize that a child in their care HAS a family member in the military, let alone know about resources that are available to them. Keep the good info coming!