From job search advice to disaster relief, our Expert bloggers have something for everyone. We have a whole Brigade of military spouse support resources all on one page. Maybe you are looking for rental advice as you PCS, or maybe you need mental health resources. Perhaps you just need a pep talk from a career expert, or maybe you just want to lace up for the Army 10 Miler and need a plan! Find your Expert and let the resource recon begin. Want to know more about the empowering experts behind-the-screen? All of our Expert profiles are listed on our Band of Blogger page.
Dear Mr. Dad: I’m a newly divorced single father. I hear a lot about how children in divorced families have all sorts of behavioral problems, do worse in school, abuse drugs, are depressed and anxious, and on and on. It’s scaring the heck out of me and makes me think that no matter what I do, my kids are doomed. I want to be an amazing dad and give my kids the best possible life. Isn’t there something I can do?
One of the only certain things for a military family is uncertainty. Building a sense of community is an essential part of military life, especially when other family members may be hundreds or thousands of miles away. Strong communities are a place where your family can feel safe and supported and thrive.
The summer season is sweating our way, but for many military families, summertime is not evocative of sandy beaches, or big boats, or even over-glamorized stay-cations. Rather, the approaching summer months herald the arrival of the 18-wheeler moving truck. The truck itself is neither problematic nor challenging; it is the effort required to engage with the truck at both the departure and the destination locations that is duly daunting to military families—most often, the military spouse.
Being a single parent has its challenges, but when you are also a service member in the midst of PCSing, the challenges are compounded. Frequent moves can be tiresome, and one way to make PCSing more fun is to find the adventure in the moment.
Here are six tips to help ease the stress of relocating to a new duty station.
First, you make the decision to sell your home. This decision is generally made after many thoughtful, analytical, and emotional conversations.
Then, you must determine whether to sell with or without a realtor’s assistance–another decision requiring careful consideration and reflective dialogue.
“The taxi is here!” I screamed to my husband, feeling stressed.
“It’s here already? We’re still packing!” he answered. Clothes were on the floor and not in suitcases. Appliances were still plugged in and not packed. You name it, and it was not ready. We were not ready.
My husband and I had been lucky enough to receive an overseas assignment, but the PCS back to America was the first big move we made together since getting married. Looking back on that day, we had no idea how to PCS as a couple. I got into the cab in tears.
“What’s wrong?” my husband asked.
“I’m so stressed!” I said.
We survived the international PCS and two more moves that year for a grand total of three moves in 11 months. I’m happy to report that each time I shed fewer tears. Instead, I felt more prepared, less stressed, and more excited.
Here are 12 tips to help you during your next move.
Mission: Milspouse is a
501(c)3 nonprofit organization.
EIN Number: 88-1604492
hello@missionmilspouse.org
P.O. Box 641341
El Paso, TX 79904