This picture book explores customs and courtesies of military culture through a child's eyes. A winner in the Children's Fiction Category of the 73rd Annual Writer's Digest Writing Competition, 'My Air Force Mom' is unique. This picture book explores customs and courtesies of military culture through a child's eyes. Author Mary Lee takes your child along with her fictional character Susie on a journey of discovery. From military uniforms through a military child's ?rite of passage? full circle to Susie's development of a sense of pride and patriotism in our country. 'My Air Force Mom' shows children that the military offers careers to women as well as men. It gives military moms and dads a book to help their young children begin to understand military life. 'My Air Force Mom' gives civilian parents a tool to explain mysteries of military life to their children. Answers to a child's curiosity are found in 'My Air Force Mom.
This essential guide for all military families provides helpful advice and reassurance on topics ranging from boot camp, to deployment, to PTSD, from a former "Army brat" turned mother of four military kids. When you enlist in the United States military, you don't just sign up for duty; you also commit your loved ones to lives of service all their own. No one knows this better than Elaine Brye, an "Army brat" turned military wife and the mother of four officers-one each in the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps. For more than a decade she's endured countless teary goodbyes, empty chairs at Thanksgiving dinners, and sleepless hours waiting for phone calls in the night. She's navigated the complicated tangle of emotions that are part and parcel of life as a military mother. Be Safe, Love Mom braids together Elaine's own personal experiences with those of fellow parents she's met along the way. She offers gentle guidance and hard-earned wisdom on topics ranging from that first anxious goodbye to surrendering all control of your child, from finding comfort in the support of the military community and the healing power of faith to coping with the enormous sacrifices life as a military mother requires. With hard-to-come-by information and encouragement that is like advice from a wise and trusted friend, Be Safe, Love Mom is an essential handbook to membership in a strong and special sisterhood.
This is a book dedicated to military mom's and their children. As a female service member leaving for a deployment, I found a shortage of books geared toward mothers leaving their children behind and trying to help them understand the importance of what their moms were going to be doing. Enjoy!
Have you ever had a little one question the meaning of deployment? Join the very brave and loyal family dog, Ace, as he smuggles himself aboard his dad's deployment-bound aircraft, seeking to discover answers for himself and the family left behind. Air Force Ace brings reassurance to any child facing the deployment of a loved one that their service member is happy and proudly doing important work for us all.
Like 75% of American women, Ronnie Citron-Fink dyed her hair, visiting the salon every few weeks to hide gray roots in her signature dark brown mane. She wanted to look attractive, professional, young. Yet as a journalist covering health and the environment, she knew something wasn’t right. All those unpronounceable chemical names on the back of the hair dye box were far from natural. Were her recurring headaches and allergies telltale signs that the dye offered the illusion of health, all the while undermining it? So after twenty-five years of coloring, Ronnie took a leap and decided to ditch the dye. Suddenly everyone, from friends and family to rank strangers, seemed to have questions about her hair. How’d you do it? Are you doing that on purpose? Are you OK? Armed with a mantra that explained her reasons for going gray—the upkeep, the cost, the chemicals—Ronnie started to ask her own questions. What are the risks of coloring? Why are hair dye companies allowed to use chemicals that may be harmful? Are there safer alternatives? Maybe most importantly, why do women feel compelled to color? Will I still feel like me when I have gray hair? True Roots follows Ronnie’s journey from dark dyes to a silver crown of glory, from fear of aging to embracing natural beauty. Along the way, readers will learn how to protect themselves, whether by transitioning to their natural color or switching to safer products. Like Ronnie, women of all ages can discover their own hair story, one built on individuality, health, and truth.
Three men in uniform. Three spunky ladies. Three fairy tale-themed happily ever afters. 1. My Little Rock Airman Jessie: As a strange silence settles in the car, I find myself increasingly unsettled by the man beside me. Which is stupid. Derrick torments me for half of our relationship and spends the other half begging me to help him avoid his boss. Besides, I don't date airmen. So why do I feel like I'm just now meeting him for the first time? And why does it suddenly feel like maybe...maybe it's time to rethink my dating rules after all? Derrick: It has to be the uniform. Women are weird about uniforms. It's just something I wear every day. It has function and utility. Usually, when Jessie sees me, she meets me with a scowl. But today, she doesn't look annoyed. She looks...intrigued. And though that would have concerned me two months ago, now I can't help but think that I like it. 2. My Carolina Airman Alexander: Once upon a time, Carly smiled a lot. Even in her pain now, I can see hints of that girl I loved so much. She was smart, adventurous, and had the snarkiest sense of humor. And, based on the way she nearly grinned at me earlier, I can only guess...or hope, rather, that all of that is still inside. As I leave the base to head to the nearest pharmacy, a plan begins to form. It's perfect, really. I could nurse Carly back to health. She’d get insurance. She’d be independent of her relatives’ care, and I could spend the rest of our lives making up for my mistakes. My heart begins to hammer in my chest, and with each passing second, I can see it unfolding perfectly in my head. The only problem will be convincing Carly. Saying she can be stubborn is like saying winter is chilly. But I can be stubborn, too. Especially when it comes to the girl I love. Carly: I don’t know what I expected from the kiss, but it wasn’t this. My eyes are closed, but colors flash behind my eyelids like fireworks. In this kiss, I see glimpses of two kids who fell in love and all the dreams they’d painted in those bright Carolina sunsets. Then he's gone. I open my eyes in confusion to see him pulling back as the crowd bursts into cheers and whistles. “I present Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Calero,” the judge announces. Alexander's eyes smolder as they meet mine, and we both know something has changed. If only I knew what it is. This is supposed to be a fake marriage, just a way to get me the medical care I need until Grandpa comes back. So why does kissing Alexander feel like waking up? 3. My Las Vegas Airman Chris: I play life safe. Order, determination, and hard work serve me well, and I'm about to take the next step toward my dream: becoming an Air Force officer. Unfortunately, the experimental officer training program I've been accepted to is at a university in Las Vegas. Even worse, the college student I've been assigned as a “university guide” might be charming and adorable, but she’s also the most scatterbrained person I've ever had the misfortune of working with. The more I get to know misadventurous, bubbly Skylar, however, the more I realize that there might be more than my strict adherence to rules on the line. I might be in danger of losing my heart. Skylar: I don't mean to get into scrapes. But thanks to my unfortunate...tendencies, I'm about to flunk out of one of my foundational hospitality courses. So when I'm offered the chance to earn extra credit by helping a new student for a semester, I jump. I quickly realize, however, that Sergeant Chris Brooking, while absurdly handsome, is one of the biggest squares I've ever met. In my attempt to unlock his secrets, however, I end up discovering my own truths that I’d rather not face. So when the broody airman offers to help, I must decide whether I can bear to let him see the insecurities I try so hard to hide...or push him away forever.
"Military Fly Moms is a stupendous collection of true stories by women who shared the same two dreams - becoming a military aviator, and being a mom. These stories and their accompanying photographs weave a beautiful tapestry, passing on a lasting legacy to inspire future generations to reach for their dreams." -- cover
A single parent is suddenly called to serve in the Persian Gulf War. In early August 1990, eleven-year-old Jasmyn Williams is shocked when her mother, a member of the Army Reserve, is called to active service. Within thirty-six hours, she is gone. Jas and Andrew, her baby half brother, are left in the care of her mother's boyfriend, Jake, who has never been responsible for Andrew, much less Jas. At first Jas is filled with anger. Then, despite the sacrifices she must make, including precious basketball practice, Jas comes to understand that her mother has to do her job. Still, she wonders, should a mother have a job that might require abandoning her children? Alice Mead, always an advocate for children, takes a firm stand on their behalf even as she creates a heroine who could probably adjust to anything.
"...an excellent resource for families of deployed mothers with young children." -- Midwest Book Review The activities in this fun 112-page activity book reinforce concepts young children are already learning and give them a safe way to ask questions, talk about their feelings, and feel connected to a deployed parent. Four sections (Getting Ready for Deployment, Deployment, Getting Ready for Reunion, and Reunion) provide appropriate activities for each stage of deployment, from packing and saying goodbye to welcoming Mom home. Includes mazes, dot-to-dots, counting, matching, coloring, crafts, telling time, and other activities familiar to preschool and elementary children. A fun book for children and an excellent resource for parents, teachers, counselors, and other caregivers to help young children feel a part of the deployment process and prepare them for what's coming next. This book is specific to a mom deploying. A version for deployed dads is also available.
