By: Ben Bush
Military careers often include being away from loved ones due to ongoing deployments or spouses preparing to leave. Emotional support is crucial for the well-being of service members, children, partners, and spouses. It is important to remember that the little things can make a big difference. Here are two common ways of spreading and showing love that anyone can include: Handwritten Letters and Care Packages!
Get Connected Through Handwritten Letters
Service members only have so much space for their items, and letters take up no space since paper folds flat. Writing letters also provides physical reminders of affection, and after the deployment, you can save the correspondence for future deployments or memories. Writing letters allows you to take time for yourself. Often, spouses tend to put their families and service members before themselves, but they also need some downtime and self-care. As an added bonus, you can have kids work on projects to send to their parent, spending quality time bonding and working creatively.
Send a Care Package
Service members really like to receive items that they cannot get from the store on the ship or order online. Often, the best thing to send is baked goods! To keep goods fresh, consider putting them in smaller zip-up bags. This cuts down on the amount of air exposure when the bag is opened to grab that delicious snack, keeping them good longer. Recipes that involve a lot of chocolate may not be the best, as chocolate will melt and re-solidify several times during transport. Something like a peanut butter cup may not be ideal as it may turn inside out in the process. Chocolate chip cookies usually hold up pretty well.
Enclosing any zip-up bags in a Tupperware container will help prevent baked goods from getting smashed and provide an extra layer of protection for maximum freshness. The form of the goods can make a difference. For something like cookies, bars hold up better and are easier to pack and store.
Don’t be afraid to reach out to your Ombudsman or Family Readiness Group (FRG) if you need support, resources, or even the address to send your letters and packages!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ben Bush has worked with respite care for military families for the last 2 years. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from University of San Diego. His father served in the Navy for over 30 years.
About Military Care Respite Program (MRCP)
The Y partners with Child Care Aware® of America and the U.S. Navy to provide Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) Respite Care to eligible families. Together, we have established a quality respite child care program for families with children (birth through 18 years) who have special needs and are enrolled in the Exceptional Family Member Program. Learn more.