Recently FLO along with MHN presented a seminar on Parenting
during an Unaccompanied Tour. A
record number of people were able to dial in and attend the seminar. We hope to repeat the session soon (it was
too early for some and too late for othersJ).
Here are some of the
tips from the seminar:
·
Use indirect questioning to allow kids the
opportunity to talk
·
Use stuffed animals to act out
scenes, so children can explain their feelings
·
Play manicurist-mother/father paints nails while
asking questions
·
Teens – may take them an hour to ‘warm up’; ask
them “what do your friends think?”
·
Use effective communication strategies and
mechanisms- Skype, YouTube, phone, web, FaceBook,
·
Watch same TV shows or read same book/magazine
·
Child writes to parent; parent keeps letters and
puts in a letter box to give to the child at end of tour
·
Parent at post brings pre-stamped post cards to
post (tip: You or your kids can also create personalized postcards USPS has
site to make photo postcards: http://www.usps.com/createmail/welcome.htm
·
If you have employee’s cell phone or other
number, make sure kids know that it’s for emergencies only; set time limits on
using phone; if kids want to ‘vent’ or complain about parent at home, encourage
them to email absent parent instead of picking up the phone. (Good advice for adults too!) That way you won’t say something you regret.
·
Let children’s teachers know what’s going on.
·
Homework help – find a local tutor or older
student; work as a group before employee goes to post so child has continuity
and does not feel that the tutor is a replacement for employee parent. Use Skype so away parent can help with
homework.
·
Validate other parent’s experience
·
Have something to look forward to, like your
onward assignment, and learn the language, read about city…but remember,
sometimes things don’t work out the way you hoped/planned.
Current events can be scary…. especially to children. Here are some websites you may find
useful:
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