by R. Brian Williams
It’s hard when your Mom or Dad is in the military and they are deployed. You miss seeing them every day, having them tuck you in bed or talk with you about your day at dinner.
Guess what? Your Mom or Dad misses those things with you, too.
So much.
Care packages can help bridge the distance between you and your parent overseas. They can be fun to make and I promise, they are awesome to get! But what should you put in your care package?
The best care packages combine both practical and fun items. Get some flat-rate boxes from the Post Office and leave one out to fill throughout the week. Make it a weekly (or bi-weekly, whatever works for your family) event to take the package to the Post Office to send.
Have fun with your care packages, and just remember that your Mom or Dad will love anything you send, because it is from you.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
Pictures of you at your soccer game or dance recital, or just of you and your family eating dinner or making silly faces. You can send a few printed photos, but collect a bunch from your phone and camera and send a bunch on a USB drive. That way, Mom or Dad can take their time just going through them all, and there is less for them to bring home with them.
Local or Homemade Treats will remind your Mom or Dad of home. If you make cookies or brownies, put them in an empty chips canister to help keep them from crumbling.
Movies and Music are always fun to get. If you can, download digital copies to your computer and put a few movies and/or albums on a USB drive—they’re small, and you can send a lot of data — and your Mom or Dad won’t have to worry about a disc getting scratched.
Baby Wipes are a top desired item on many military care package wishlists,so include a container of those. And go ahead and throw in some hand lotion, lip balm and lens cleaning cloths for glasses or goggles. All will be appreciated! Just be sure that if you include lotion or other liquid-y items, place them in a sealed plastic baggie to keep the liquid from possibly ruining your other items.
