How to help kids deal with husband's deployment?

My husband is deployed and my children are old enough to understand that he is gone but still too young to understand how long he will be gone (they are 5 and 3). It has never affected them like it has this time and I am not quite sure how to explain to them when he is coming home. I have done the whole calendar routine and we have pictures up of him everywhere but every night at bedtime they tear up an start to cry for at least 30 minutes. I think it is because he would always make sure no matter what he would kiss them good night. Any advice?How to help kids deal with husband's deployment?
Ask your husband when you have the chance to talk to him, if you can send him some of the kids' favorite bed time books and a tape recorder. Ask him to read the books and record his reading and then send it back. He will love it and so will they.


It won't make the time go by faster, but it will give your kids something to look forward to.How to help kids deal with husband's deployment?
Well this is what my husband did he read my son a story on a CD in Iraq! Contact your FRG/Rear detachment and they should point you in the right direction on how to get this done. Or ask him to ask his superior where he could go to get this done,if there is no where to do this at when he comes home for R%26amp;R make sure he makes them one. Also,while he is home on leave put them to bed I know its rough but its what we do and it will be easier on you in the long run good luck!
I think a recording is a good idea like the others have said. You can buy little uniformed recordable bears in Aafes. Your husband may be able to get a couple or you could send them to him and have him record a message and send them back.
When I was a kid, one of my best friend's dad was in the military. He gave his girls (he had 3 kids, all girls) each a stuffed bear and he kept three little bears, one for each kid. He said that the big bears represents him, and the little bears represents each child.





He hugged the bears for his kids real tight and gave each a kiss and gave them to his kids. He said that every night if the girls hugged the bears, it would be like hugging him, and he would hug his bears each night so it would be like hugging them back.





I thought it was super sweet, maybe you could try something like that.