How to Support Local Military Moms

Military Spouses face a unique challenge in the already demanding job of being Mom. We all know that this job requires a lot of time, patience, love, sweat, and well, this list could go on. Military spouses are often required to do this alone for some of the time, often in a new place, with little to no friends or family around, and sometimes added stress from their loved one being sent away to a dangerous place.

Granted not everyone is deployed or sent away. As a military spouse I have met a few who have been lucky enough to avoid this. But it is very rare to avoid at least one deployment. The thing you can’t avoid is moving. You can always count on packing up your house, kids, and pets and moving to wherever the military sends you. If you have a career, friends, or family, it can be difficult to adjust to living without those things. It can be even more difficult for your children. Add in a deployed husband and you can only imagine the stress on a spouse. There is also added stress on children as well. If you have kids, encourage them to meet and interact with the new kids in school. It is hard on military kids who have to move a lot, make new friends, and learn to adapt to new surroundings.

There are several things you can offer to a Military Mom or Spouse to help her transition or get through a deployment. Having been through both, moving and deployments, I put together a list of things you can do for military moms and spouses in your area. Maybe you know someone at your church or in your neighborhood that could use an extra hand? Maybe you have overheard a girlfriend at the salon talk about how stressed out she is with her husband being deployed? Take this opportunity to reach out to them and give them a helping hand.

If I’ve left something off the list below feel free to leave a comment with something you think would help.

1. Offer to Babysit. If her husband is deployed she may need some time alone just to get away. If her husband isn’t deployed and they are new to the area, they may just need a date night.
2. Invite her out for lunch or a girl’s night. It is hard making new friends, especially when you have children or haven’t found a job yet. She may also want some adult conversation if she is stuck at home with small children.
3. Offer to help with household chores. I swear that everything breaks as soon as the husbands deploy. It happens every time. See if you, your husband, or someone you know can help fix anything that is broken at her house.
4. Help her connect with the community. See if she would like to join a church or if her kids are into soccer. She may want to get involved with community activities but just doesn’t know where to start.
5. Take her on a tour of the town. I remember coming to San Antonio for the first time and being completely overwhelmed. Our sponsor only sent us a packet in the mail and it in no way prepared us for how big this city was. Even after being here two years I still need a GPS to get around. Offering someone a tour will make them feel more comfortable with their surroundings. That’s one thing I wish we had when we first moved here.
6. Offer up a double date if her husband isn’t currently deployed. Her husband may be looking to meet new people too.
7. Listen. Sometimes she may just want to vent about all of what is going on in her life. Just be the one to listen.