The spouse at home may begin or end a job. Personalities will definitely change, especially those of the children. By the time the service member returns, goals may have changed for either or both of you. Instead of wanting to learn to change a tire, for example, you may be ready to rebuild an engine. But it takes a special skill, one you can easily develop, to write a letter during a family separation.
Some spouses send letters about how great everything is, and how angelic the children are.
They know things do not run that smoothly even when they are home. In time, they begin to believe that you do not need them around anymore. It is full of complaints about how they must come home immediately to change a flat tire or discipline a child for a minor infraction. This kind of letter writer can make a family separation a living nightmare for the service member. Handle your letter writing with the same tact and understanding you want your spouse to have for you.