Helping Military Children Understand Separations

Separation for children at any time of the year can be difficult, but the holidays are often even harder.

How does a parent in the U.S. Armed Forces explain to a young child the concept of service to country and about why they are away so often? Dear Baby, I'm Watching Over You written by Carol Casey and illustrated by Mark Braught, is a warm and beautifully illustrated story of enduring love across distance and time that will help children understand all the tender ways a parent remains connected to family while deployed to another country, to another state, or away for training exercises. Whether the child is a baby, toddler, or teen, they want to know that they remain a priority to their absent Mom or Dad and that their parent continues to watch over them from afar.

There are over a million servicemen and servicewomen on active duty. Many of them have had long and repeated tours of duty creating a challenging situation for military families. The 2005 U.S. Census Bureau estimated there are more than 25 million veterans, many who faced similar challenges in keeping close bonds with their children while away from home.

This book is for all the military personnel and for their spouses and families who have sacrificed along with them. It is a love letter from a parent to a child that puts into words the small and precious moments keeping that bond alive through distance and hardship. It also addresses the larger issue of patriotism and duty felt by all those who serve.

Each Dear Baby book comes with a unique yearbook feature that will help preserve precious memories. In this book, it is a "Roll Call" page where the person who has read this to or with a child can write their name and the date.

"A delightfully illustrated story with meaningful passages offering a depiction of the many ways our military moms and dads are watching over their families....Dear Baby, I'm Watching Over You was developed for military families, but it's a book that is suitable for any child's bookshelf. I highly recommend this book for every child, classroom, and library."                 Barb Webb, Country Bookshelf Book Launches with Author's Tour of Military Bases
Author Carol Casey begins a tour of military bases this month stretching from Camp LeJune in North Carolina to Camp Pendleton in California.