(DOVER, Del.) - Officials at Dover Air Force Base made sure deployment was a little easier for children to understand Wednesday. Their "Kudos Tudos" event teaches families and teachers how to better cope when a member of the family is deployed overseas.
11-year-old Annsley Oelrich said she knows what it is like to miss her Dad.
"It was hard because I never got to see him," she said. "I only got to talk to him on video chat."
Today Oelrich participated in each station to learn what her dad goes through as an airman.
"I got to see the courses he does and see what he eats," Oelrich said. "Now I know if he gets deployed again."
Sergeant Nicole Howley said this event is meant to help families get through the difficult process of deployment together.
"It's all set up so the kids can have fun," Howley said. "We don't want anything to come across as scary. When a parent might be deployed we can look back to this day and the kids can know a little bit more about what it's like."
Kids got to go through stations including an obstacle course, medical station and they got to try on the airmen's gear.
Local teachers also participated. Howley said it is also important for the teachers to help children cope with the anxiety ans stress of deployment.
Jennifer Torgerson teaches 6th and 7th grade on Dover Air Force Base. She said as a language arts teacher she can incorporate her lessons when helping students cope with deployment.
"I encourage them to journal," Torgerson said. "I use reading and writing resources to help with express their feelings. I also encourage them to get creative and write poetry if they are feeling stressed."
Sergeant Howley said this event started as a way to help the kids get ready to go back to school. She said they hope to continue "Kudos Tudos" to educate families about deployment.