Parents, how do you get through deployment while being separated from your children?

It is tough but keeping them in your thoughts and prayers helps you get through it. Just don't let it get you distracted keep your mind on the tasks and keep them in mind so you stay focused and get home safely to them. Good luck and keep safe if you are deployed or are fixing to be deployed.

I try to FaceTime them every night, go over their homework with them, talk about their day, admonish them when needed, talk about stuff we'll do when I get back, explain why I am gone, watch their dances, run races "with" them... and anything else I can think of. Especially try to give them something to look forward to when I return though.

Oh yeah. The USO had a program where you could make a video of you reading to your kids too.

If it is still available, I highly recommend it!

I mostly focused on my job, and other responsibilities.

In my down time, Skype, writing letters, sketching, and coloring pictures to send them.

Lots of correspondnace. I used to read to them on video and send to them about twice a month. My commands had a video system set up in the library. But Communication is what got me through. I have to tell you that the first time I was deployed after my daughter was born she was a bout 2. The first port we hit I found a payphone and called my wife and talked to my daughter. She started to cry and told me that she wanted me home. That brought tears to a guy who didn't cry much. After that I made sure that I communicated with them as often as I could. It's not easy being away but it made it barable.

Underway at sea is a bit different than deployed overseas. Internet and technology isnt as fast or available at sea as on land, dependent on sattellite location, usage amount, etc. One ship i was deployed on was great, since it was a fleet command ship and naturally had lots of comms. Another ship, when we got a day from land, we dropped to almost zero internet. Just, no sattellites. So, for me, my PC, tablet, digital photo frame, etc. had a series of pictures that were very important to me (about 1000) that cycled through. I wrote letters, lots of letters, and mailed them at interesting port calls. A Chief had bought a sattellite phone, and let some folks use it (even then, there was very little service). A countdown, not only til the end of the deployment, but with significant days (x days to McMurdo, x days til crossing the line, etc.) Videos of the kids and wife. Those were only for the end of the day, so I wouldnt be pining away and useless. And honestly, just kept busy. At least for my style of ministry, there was always something to do. And vowing that my son wont have to follow in my footsteps. Now that we have another kid on the way, alot may be different, and i’ll have to find something else, but theres a few thoughts.

Although I haven't been deployed, I've been away from my son for about half of his 5 year old life due to his mother and I living in different parts of the country. I think being on a deployment for me wouldn't be as hard since I've already experienced long periods of separation from him. Hope that helps.

Back in the 80's and 90's we didn't have the technology of emails for everyone on the ship and letters were the only communication really. And not to sound crass but I didn't really think too much on them because I knew that between my wife, her sister and my mother in law that everything was going to be okay at home. Post deployment is the hardest because of having to reintegrate and not change up the routine.

It's your children that motivates you to make it through, as with any love one you leave behind, we do all in our power to make it back to them.

I give my best effort to do some sort of video call every day. Glide, Skype or something

It so much easier to keep in contact now than it was in the beginning of the war, depending on where you are located. In the beginning, mail was slow, the satellite phone only came around every few weeks, and there was no Internet (and when there was, it was always unreliable and definitely not fast enough for more than email and IM). Now, there is Skype, Facebook, Twitter, reliable call centers and mail systems, and sometimes even cell phones. You have to remember to use these tools, which can be hard when the mission is in full swing, but they definitely help to make the time away not as bad. I would recommend still writing letters, though. It gives the kids something to look forward to, or it is a pleasant surprise when they get a letter. Besides, it is something they can pull out and read whenever they wish, something tangible.