LONG DISTANCE

Since I have returned home from Iraq, I have been asked this question from everyone that I have met outside of the military. “How do you handle being away from your family?” Mainly my kids, for some reason people seem to assume that the wife is usually  able to handle the separation.. not always and most definitely  not my wife; More on that subject in another post.

It’s hard enough having to leave your family behind when deployment time comes. The hardest thing for me is having to walk away from my kids especially when your 5 yr old is crying and asking mom why does daddy have to leave again. That kills me every time, what can you really say to a child that young to help him/her understand. I know I speak for every dad in the military when I say …That day is the hardest and most stressful day ever.

Fathering long distance really blows, trying to  discipline your kids over the phone really doesn’t work well. “You better listen to your mother or else I’m going to get you” …really; What kid is really going to take you seriously when they know that it will be at least another 3-6 months before you come home for R&R. Then there is the 11 yr old daughter who has discovered  boys and she wants them to notice her. At this point you are ready to pull your hair out, but in my case I’m bald so I can’t pull any hair.

Finally!!! Deployment is over and Dad is back home, by this time the kids are use to doing what mom says and it’s like dad is invisible… aaggghhh!!! So, After about 2 weeks everything  smooths out and back to normal, well as normal as it is going to get cause the next year will be spent trying to make up for the missed birthdays, holidays, and yeah all the missed just hanging with dad days….