November honors the military family

November is the month of the military family, and to celebrate, the
Ramstein Family Support Center will hold events ranging from a mobility
line for kids to a parents’ night out.

“It’s important for the military families to know they are appreciated
and the military wants to salute and honor them at a specific time of
the year,” said Tracy Snider, 435th Mission Support Squadron Family
Support Center community readiness consultant.

The personnel deployment function line for kids shows children of
deployed or soon-to-be deployed parents what a mobility line is like.

“This gives children the chance to experience what a parent will
experience – it gives them a special connection to a parent who is
absent from home,” said Ms. Snider. “It’s also a time for children from
all school districts to meet other children who have deployed parents.”

The line will include a mock humanitarian deployment with briefings,
mobility bags and lunch. The line is 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at the FSC
for children ages 10 and older.

Baby items are available at the Bargains for Babies flea market, which will feature only baby items.

“This is a great opportunity for those selling and those needing items for their new family member,” said Tracy Snider.

The event is 9 a.m. to noon Wednesday at the Vogelweh Skate Express. Free tables are available for vendors; sharing is allowed.

Children with deployed parents can prepare a gift to send to their
deployed parent at “Smiles Across the Miles” 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday at the FSC.
Stepfamily education is available noon to 1 p.m. Thursday at the FSC.

“Strengthening your Step family” covers the emotional stages of stepfamilies and the stepparent and stepchild relationship.

Parents’ Night Out offers parents free childcare and a free candlelight
dinner 7 to 9:30 p.m. Nov. 18 at the family support center.

“This will be an opportunity for parents to appreciate the gifts each
of them bring to the marital relationship,” said Ms. Snider.

Wrapping up the month of the military family is Parenting Alone, an
exclusive event for single and divorced parents, noon to 1 p.m. Nov. 30
at the FSC.

The class will focus on establishing a new life for the parents and
children, managing stress and loneliness and how to handle dating
situations.

For more information or to register for the classes, call the FSC at 480-5900.