MSU Extension 4-H Military Family Programs

A Yellow Ribbon for Daddy

• Title: A Yellow Ribbon for Daddy
• Author: Anissa Mersiowsky 
• Illustrator: Rey Contreras
• Publisher: Veritas Media, Inc., Phoenix, Arizona 
• Date of Publication: 2005
• Audience Age: 4 to 8 years

Summary 

A Yellow Ribbon for Daddy, written for the children of deployed service members, explains why daddy has gone to war, but more importantly, gives children a sense of pride in their parents’ role.

Pre-Deployment Activities 

Record special messages on the computer, tablet, smartphone or other electronic media for important events such as birthdays, holidays or other special days the service member will miss. Play them for your children on that special day. Do the same for your service member and have your children record messages they can send to him or her. Make a paper chain with a special memory of your service member on each link. Each day, remove a link in the chain and read the memory on the paper to help count down the days until your service member returns.

During-Deployment Activities 

Make a collage using photos of your service member and family members. Hang it in a common area. During family time, talk about the photos and favorite things about your service member. Make a scrapbook or memory book of events that take place while your service member is gone. Small children can color or draw on
the pages. Encourage older children to keep a daily journal. Have them write about the worst and best thing that happened each day.

Post-Deployment Activities 

Share the scrapbook or memory book with your service member. Discuss only a few pages at a time to avoid overwhelming him or her. This allows giving each event a special focus. Create family placemats to use during meal times. Decorate with your family’s favorite things such as favorite sports, school subjects, foods, colors, holidays or memories. Include themes the family finds important such as family, school, sports or friends. The placemats can serve as a basis for discussion during dinner to help everyone reconnect with each other.

Supporting Military Families During Deployment with Books & Activities

Deployment involves moving an individual or military unit within the country or to another country. A mission or task might include training, supporting communities during times of disaster, helping foreign countries or fighting in a war. The many changes happening with each departure and return create difficulties for both service members and their families.

Michigan State University (MSU) Extension and Michigan 4-H are committed to supporting the more than 20,000 Michigan military children and youth, and their families, through programming and community education. 

Programs for Military Families Include: 

• 4-H clubs on installations and in communities
• "4-H 101" and "4-H 201" training for military staff
• Operation: Military Kids (OMK) - supporting children of deployed soldiers
• Speak Out for Military Kids (SOMK) - preparing teens to speak on military life and deployment 
• Hero Packs - saying thank you to military children and youth
• Military 4-H Club Grants - supporting 4-H clubs for military youth and integrating them into county 4-H programs
• Community Awareness Training - educating the public on issues facing military families experiencing a deployment
• Special recognition events during Month of the Military Child and Month of the Military Family 
• Educational and recreational events and opportunities for military families 

4-H Military Family Book Sheets

The 4-H Military Family Book Sheets help parents and guardians find books and activities to help their children during various stages of their service members’ deployments. Each book sheet contains a summary of the book, author and publication details, and activities that they can use with their children pre-, during or post-deployment to extend the message of the book. To find each book, check with your local library, bookstore or online retailer. 

• Before reading: Show your child the front and back cover of the book. Ask him or her to guess what the book is about. 
• While reading: Stop at any time if something comes up that you or your child would like to talk about. 
• After reading: Spend time talking about the story. 

Learn More! 

Connect with us on Facebook: Search "Michigan Operation: Military Kids" and "Michigan 4-H." 

For more information on supporting military families, visit the following websites: 

• MSU Extension: (msue.anr.msu.edu)
• Michigan 4-H Youth Development: (www.4-hmilitarypartnerships.org)
• Operation: Military Kids: (http://www.operationmilitarykids.org)