NAVAL WARSHIP HIDDEN TREASURE

When anyone serves our great nation, far from home, the rest of their family must be resilient --especially the children. Unique –Not Weird! is the first book in a series about speaking with children about a difficult situation – race and ethnicity. Naval Warship Hidden Treasure is the second book about the contributions and sacrifices made by military children and their families. We rarely encounter stories about the challenges experienced by female Sailors as they simultaneously balance military obligations with parenting. Here, we share some of our family dynamics, parenting philosophy, and authentic dialogue with our 5-year-old daughter as she relates with her daddy and reacts to her mother's absence because of frequent ship underway or overseas responsibilities. In our house, my husband Eric retired after 26 years of faithful military service. And, I am still active duty, serving as a military chaplain. Many women deployed, or going underway on naval ships, are also wives and mothers. The entire family serves when a military member serves. Yet, there were times outside of the military community, where these sacrifices are deemed admirable when made by "hero" dads. Moms, however, don't always enjoy that praise without some questioning: "How could a mother choose to leave her children?" I've even heard that criticism from well-meaning acquaintances. Together, my husband and I constantly work to teach our daughter we value her sacrifice and appreciate her contributions. Strategically, we seek ways to include her in the decision-making process and let her voice be heard. We're empowering our Little Doo-Doo to make better choices, cultivating a family culture of respect and kindness. It's to the brave active-duty female Sailors that this book is dedicated to. I honor your sacrifice in service to your country. You are amazing! Hopefully, this first book will give you and your families' new insight and inspiration. You are not alone!