The at-home parent may want to protect the child from building hope only to have the absenting parent leave again. Go slow, be observant, and be flexible. Take time with each member of the family to let each one know they are special and appreciated. Take it easy on disciplinary actions. Be united with the at-home parent on this issue.
Children benefit when they have a chance to rebuild a healthy relationship with a returning parent.
The relationship must be rebuilt gradually to allow trust to develop. In the family field, there are many opportunities to assist families in long-distance parenting. Professionals may be working with the at-home parent, the absent parent, or the children. Delayed childbirth is a common theme in research on working and traveling wives. When there is an absent parent, the family's source of stress is the change in family structure occurring at the time of absence and again upon the return of the parent.