How to Create a Deployment Countdown

TweetShare via email

Being a military mom you have to find positive and creative ways to involve the children deployments. A good way to get the kids involved is to create a deployment countdown. This is literally just counting down the days in an interactive and fun way.

How to start a deployment countdown

• Get two containers, they can be anything you have around the house.
• Take the kids outside to a park, beach, forest, or anywhere else you can go to collect rocks. A typical navy deployment is 180 days, so if you’re Navy (hooyah), collect 180 rocks.
• Place all the rocks in the starting bowl.
• Once dad deploys, take one rock and place it in the empty bowl. Transfer one rock every day until dad gets home.
• You can transfer the rocks in the morning to wish dad a good day, at dinner to reserve a place for him at the table, or at night to wish him a good night.

What to do in between rock transfers?

• Say a prayer. Put prayer cards between the two containers and read a new one each day.
• Count the rocks in the first container to see how many days are left.
• Count the rocks in the second container to see how many days have passed.
• Do a little dance.

Alternative options for a deployment countdown

• Use coins. When the deployment is over, roll them and put the money into you child’s college fund.
• Use toy soldiers.
• Use marbles in glass containers
• Use mini pom-poms in tupperware containers if you’re worried about knocking over rocks or marbles.
• Instead of transferring items, place 180 jelly beans, M&Ms, or other candy and eat the deployment days.

Get as creative as you can. Its a fun, productive way to count down the days. After dad gets home, you can use the rocks to create a kids garden in the backyard. The kids will be thrilled to use their special rocks for another project.

Carmen Grant is a proud combat military wife and mother of two toddlers. She is the Family Readiness Group President for her husband’s command, and volunteers at the Navy Marine-Corps Relief Society as a financial caseworker. She also writes about foreign policy, parenting, fundraising, and fitness at Suite101.

Print PDF

Related posts:

1. Deployment Survival Tips for Working Military Moms
2. Holiday Deployment Survival Tips for Military Moms
3. Communicating with Your Military Spouse During Deployment
4. Create Your Own Nursing Nest
5. How to Create a Professional Online Presence