The lived experience of military wives with children during multiple deployments

In this qualitative research study, 10 military wives with children were interviewed. The participants were between the ages of 18 and 45 and had experienced a minimum of two deployments. The information obtained through the interviews answered the research question, “How do military wives with children perceive and describe their experience during their husbands’ multiple deployments?” Each participant identified her experiences raising children in the absence of her husband. Five themes emerged from the research: (a) deployment differences, (b) communication, (c) stability, (d) support networks and (e) spousal relationship. All of the participants in this research study reported being able to adjust in the absence of their husbands. They were also able to focus on the well-being of their children by providing and maintaining stability within the household, in addition to ensuring that the children remained in constant communication with their fathers to provide a sense of connectedness even in their absence. Despite missing their husbands, these participants continued to find the resources and the solutions needed to continue to balance their lives during multiple deployments.