IT'S HARD FOR KIDS TO SAY
GOODBYE TO THEIR MOMS AND DADS
SERVING IN THE MILITARY
OVERSEAS.
BUT AS 22 NEWS STATE HOUSE
REPORTER CHRISTINE LEE FINDS
OUT, THERE ARE RESOURCES OUT
THERE TO GIVE THEM SUPPORT..
A NEW PROGRAM IS SERVING THE
FAMILIES WHO SERVE US, SO THAT
THEIR CHILDREN CAN BETTER
UNDERSTAND AND COPE WITH
SEPARATION.
THERE ARE ABOUT 13,000 CHILDREN
IN MASSACHUSETTS WHO HAVE A MOM
OR DAD SERVING IN THE MILITARY.
SO WHEN THEIR PARENTS LEAVE FOR
DEPLOYMENT, IT CAN BE DIFFICULT
FOR SOME KIDS TO UNDERSTAND.
AS A RETIRED GENERAL WITH
MULTIPLE DEPLOYMENTS TO IRAQ AND
AFGHANISTAN I WAS VERY MUCH
AFFECTED BY THIS .I MISSED MY
DAUGHTER'S FIRST DAY OF HIGH
SCHOOL .REGARDLESS OF HOW STRONG
A FAMILY IS, THESE DEPLOYMENTS
HAVE A VERY SIGNIFICANT IMPACT
ON CHILDREN ESPECIALLY.
SEPARATION FROM A PARENT CAN
AFFECT DIFFERENT CHILDREN
DIFFERENTLY
CHILDREN MAY ACT A LITTLE BIT
YOUNGER THAN THEIR ACTUAL AGE,
CHILDREN WHO ARE ON THE SHY SIDE
MAY BE MORE TIMID, CHILDREN WHO
ARE MORE OUTGOING MAY BE A
LITTLE MORE ASSERTIVE OR
AGGRESSIVE.
IN RESPONSE, A MILITARY SUPPORT
PROGRAM CALLED HOME BASE IS
LAUNCHING THE STAYING STRONG
INITIATIVE. IT GIVES MILITARY
FAMILIES RESOURCES TO COMBAT THE
STRESS OF RE-INTEGRATION AND
DEPLOYMENT. IT CONNECTS MILITARY
FAMILIES WITH SCHOOLS AND OTHERS
LIKE THEM IN THE COMMUNITY SO
THAT THEIR CHILDREN HAVE A LINE
OF SUPPORT.
LETTING THE KIDS KNOW THAT THEY
WEREN'T ALONE, THAT SOFIA OUR
DAUGHTER WASN'T ALONE, THERE
WERE TWELVE OTHERS JUST LIKE
HER.
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