HOW DO STUDENTS REACT TO DEPLOYMENT?
Emotional reactions vary in nature and severity from student to student. Previous experiences or lack of experience with deployment, temperament, personality and the student’s assessment of danger to their family member determine the child’s reactions. Nonetheless, some commonalities exist when lives are disrupted by sudden separations and dramatic family changes. ® Loss of Stability: Deployments interrupt the normal order and routine of daily life. Lack of stability is very threatening. Deployments can upset the equilibrium for extended periods of time. In the mind of the student, if this sudden change can occur, then it is possible that other unpredictable events might also transpire . ® Loss of Control: By their very nature, deployments represent events over which the child has no control. Lack of control over happenings that impact daily life can produce an overwhelming feeling in children . ® Individual Reactions: Children’s immediate reaction to deployment often includes a fear f
