Deployment
My husband left not too long ago on another military deployment, and we are in the season of separation. I wish I could say that it gets easier. It doesn’t. When my husband left this time around it was tough. Saying goodbye pregnant with a two-year old in tow has a way of pulling at the heartstrings. Our apartment felt a bit lonely. [...]
MilSpouse LifeHow to Help Kids Feel at Home After a PCS Move
Moving with kids is a difficult transition. Even if you spend your days cross-checking a moving overseas checklist or a regular PCS checklist, moving remains a big life change. When we moved to Japan, it took our son a good month to fully transition back to normal everyday life. Between night-waking and behavioral issues, I know the move [...]
Schedule / RoutineThe Easiest Way to Teach Toddlers to Pick Up Toys
One of the things that really changed for me after motherhood was the perpetual state of disaster that seemingly took over my house time and time again. I would clean, tidy, and clean some more. And yet, everything was a bit of a mess shortly thereafter. This is what I like to call the perpetual state of disaster that is [...]
Raising KidsHow to Survive Road Trips with Babies and Toddlers
We’re a family who road trips. We live 1000 miles from family, and so far our record for driving to visit them is four times in one year. That’s 8,000 miles of road. That’s a lot of Raffi. We started the kids young -- I think the earliest long trip was a 13-hour drive to Arizona when my son was barely two months old. It’s [...]
Military Resources6 Ways Military Families Can Financially Prepare for Civilian Life Transition
When you or your spouse are in the military, it is easy to become accustomed to some of the financial benefits: a secure job, housing, insurance, and the use of the commissary. Regardless of whether you are separating voluntarily, involuntarily, or retiring, your finances will be affected by your transition. As you prepare for the [...]
What It’s Really Like for a Military Family Giving Birth Overseas
When my husband and I moved to Italy a few years ago, courtesy of the Air Force, having a baby wasn’t even a blip on my radar. I wanted to see Europe, travel to new places every weekend, and enjoy time with my husband. As far as I was concerned, you couldn’t do all of those things with a kid in tow. The irony is that after living there [...]
Preparing Toddler for New Baby? 10 Easy Ideas to Try
As you inch your way into the third trimester, you start thinking about how you will parent a demanding toddler and newborn simultaneously. I mean, you could go cold turkey and give your toddler the surprise of a lifetime, but there's a chance it could go horribly wrong. Our son will be approximately 27 months old when our [...]
What and How Much Should Your Really Toddler Eat?
Most parents want to feed their children a healthy diet but when it comes to toddlers, it can be difficult to balance their somewhat uncivilized behavior with healthy food. With a little patience you can teach even your toddlers to eat healthily, dare I even suggest in a stress free way? Related: 25+ Easy, Healthy Lunches for 2 Year [...]
4 Awesome Strategies for Parenting Toddler Boys
Parenting toddler boys is an adventure. The other day I heard the toilet flush and my heart sank. After all, I was home alone with my son and I was not the one in the bathroom flushing the toilet. This meant only one thing was possible—my toddler was flushing the toilet and I was praying it wasn’t my iPhone circling the [...]
5 Things You Miss Most Living Far From Family
When we first moved to Japan, I knew it would change us forever. So much of the change I anticipated was good. Honestly. We wanted to come here. We volunteered. And we are really pretty happy here. People often ask us if we will extend our tour in Japan when our time is up. Countless military families do this, and funny enough, some stay [...]
