{"id":56856,"date":"2015-12-09T14:21:03","date_gmt":"2015-12-09T14:21:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/native\/uncategorized\/dealing-with-deployment-during-the-holidays\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T09:13:02","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T09:13:02","slug":"dealing-with-deployment-during-the-holidays","status":"publish","type":"native","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/native\/pioneer-services\/dealing-with-deployment-during-the-holidays\/","title":{"rendered":"Dealing with Deployment During the Holidays"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This story is provided and presented by our sponsor Pioneer Services, the military division of MidCountry Bank, which has provided financial services to the men and women of the Armed Forces for nearly 30 years. For more information, visit <\/em>PioneerServices.com<\/a>.<\/em>.<\/em>When you think about the holidays, what kinds of emotions are evoked? For many people, the season brings a whimsical feeling of warmth, comfort, and good vibes. After all, it’s been dubbed the most wonderful time of the year for a good reason.The holidays offer a unique opportunity for families to connect and spend quality time together having fun. But for many military families dealing with a parent’s deployment, the holidays can often amplify the stress and emotional impact of dealing with that loved one’s absence.Those feelings aren’t easy to deal with for anyone. Parents and kids alike can experience loneliness, anxiety, frustration, and all sorts of stress. That’s true of any deployment situation, and it’s only amplified during the holidays.So how do you deal with it? Whether you’re a parent who’s been through deployment before or a newlywed couple experiencing your first holiday apart, focusing on the positives and keeping communication open and honest can go a long way. Here we’ll outline some ways you can manage stress and stay connected to your loved ones.For the Deployed Service Member<\/strong>Ok, so you’re away on deployment without your family. Maybe it’s your first time, maybe you’re a seasoned veteran who’s been down this road before. Either way, you’ve got a job to do, and it’s stressful enough without having to worry about what’s going on back home.Whatever you’re feeling, know that it’s normal \u2013 some days are going to be tougher than others. But it’s how you respond to that adversity that truly matters. You may find it necessary to take a break from communicating with your family back home. You might even choose to isolate yourself from your friends in your unit. And maybe you’ve noticed them doing the same. We all need space sometimes, and there’s nothing wrong with that.However, being around other people and socializing with your friends and family are key steps for maintaining mental health and wellbeing, especially if you’re a parent. Every family has its own set of traditions and you can still participate even if you’re far away from home. Here are some things you can do with your kids to help them enjoy the holidays and deal with the stress of deployment:<\/p>\n\n\n\n