Help your child understand military life and deployments by sharing the books that follow. All children experience a range of emotions when a parent is deployed, but gifted children tend to be very emotionally sensitive. These books can be a wonderful way to start a conversation and help children deal with some of the feelings they may be having. The author switches the gender of the service member since both mothers and fathers get deployed. It also switches pictures so that the different branches of the military are depicted. For ages 5 to 10 (depending on your child’s level of maturity). It is definitely helpful when a child misses a deployed parent. They can just give the string a little tug and feel a little tug back. For ages 3 and up. There is also a mom’s version. For ages 4 and up. The book includes an address where children can send their stories, poems, drawings, and songs. The material will be placed on the Rainbow Reach website. The book even has ideas on how children can stay positive and eliminate some of the stress that they experience. For ages 4 to 14. The book includes a picture of the constellations that make it easier to find Polaris. There is also a spot at the beginning of the book for a picture of the parent being deployed. For ages 4 to 8, although some younger children might enjoy it. It also has military-focused rhymes for each letter. Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the baseOnly sentries were stirring—they guarded the place.The soldiers were sleeping and snoring awayAs they dreamed of ‘back home’ on good Christmas Day… You’d need two books, of course, one for your child and one for your military member to read. Ages 2 and up. Each one represents a thought or memory the service member has about the child: pretending to fly, swinging on a swing and even being grumpy! Ages 3 to 9. The journal can be shared with the parent when he or she returns home or kept private. It can also be saved forever to remind the child of what he or she was thinking and feeling during the parent’s deployment.
