Military Parents' Involvement in Children's Education During Deployment

Study Overview and Participant Profiles

The purpose of this qualitative transcendental phenomenological study was to explore the perceptions and lived experiences of deployed military parents regarding active involvement in their children's education. Chapter Four begins with an examination of the experiences of the twelve participants as revealed through questionnaires, interviews, artifacts, and focus groups. It then identifies the three themes that emerged through analysis of the collected data. These themes are developed with references to the participating sources, with the aim of answering the central research question and three sub-questions. The main question was: What are the perceptions and lived experiences of deployed military parents regarding active involvement in their child's education? The three sub-questions were:

1. How do military parents describe their involvement in their children's education while deployed?

2. How do military parents perceive the impact of their deployment on the family and particularly on their child's academic performance?

3. What challenges do military parents who are deployed face while trying to stay involved in their children's education?

Of the twelve participants, half were currently deployed and half were not deployed at the time data was collected. Nine participants were male and three were female. The median age was 35.75. The average number of children per participant was 2.5. Four participants were Caucasian, six were African-American, and two were Hispanic. In terms of education, four had attained only a high school diploma, five had attained a bachelor's degree, and three had attained a master's degree. Eight participants came from the Army, one from the Navy, one from the Marines, and two from the Air Force. Ranks ranged from Corporal to Major. The sample demonstrated suitable diversity reflective of the overall character of the military in terms of race, gender, rank, and branch. However, with the median age of 35.75, the sample did skew toward older service members.

For confidentiality reasons, participants' names have been changed to protect their identities. A brief description of each participant, identified by pseudonym, is provided below, followed by a description of the themes that emerged from the data.

Participant A was an Army officer, male, Caucasian, age 40, married, holding the rank of LTC with an M.A. He had two children, one in high school and one in middle school. His perspective on involvement in his children's education while deployed centered on logistical challenges:

"The biggest challenge I would say is not being able to communicate with my kids at a convenient time. Unfortunately, due to time zone differences, they're normally asleep when I'm up, so in order to communicate I would have to stay up late or ask them to stay up late — neither was ideal, but I think we did our best to make it work."

Overcoming the challenge of distance required, in his view, a strong support system. He regarded financial and social support systems as helpful for reducing tension and anxiety that might otherwise arise for his family during deployment. On the behavior of his children, he explained that "they seemed to be more independent, and you feel like you're not really part of that movement or process." By viewing his children as increasingly autonomous, he was able to reduce his own anxiety regarding their educational needs during deployment. He identified communication technology as crucial for keeping dialogue open: "Internet, email, Instagram, social media, FaceTime, phone calls — all that stuff. Sometimes they like to send letters to keep it fun. When I'm home, I'm just with them as much as possible, going to their school for things, helping with math and reading." He relied on his wife's support and acknowledged that it was no replacement for his presence: "The kids don't like that I'm away, and I can't be there like I want to be, and they feel that, I think. It's hard for them and they struggle."

Participant B was an Army officer, male, African-American, age 42, divorced, holding the rank of SGM with a B.A. and one child. He noted that while he likes to be "hands-on," deployment denies him that opportunity, and divorce has made it harder still. He relied heavily on his child's teachers for guidance: "I think teachers in military schools tend to be a little more empathic towards students with deployed parents." He identified the two main challenges of deployment as the lack of physical interaction with his child and the stress arising from a broken family. On parental involvement, he stated: "Just trying to have the time to sit down and be there for the kid. It makes it hard when one person doesn't want to help, and then if you're deployed, it's like you don't even have that opportunity — parental involvement is exactly what it sounds: being involved."

He also noted that the instability of home life leads the child to rely on others, which he felt undermined the father-child bond. That bond, he believed, only worsened with divorce: "Everything is kind of upside down after a divorce and even before — so everything is always kind of tense and uncertain, whether I'm deployed or not. In some ways it almost feels like being deployed is easier." He described his interaction with teachers as having dropped from one or two times per month to zero due to time zone differences, and he concluded that the best solution for deployed parents is to ensure a family support system is in place at all times.

Participant C was an Army officer, male, Hispanic, age 38, holding the rank of ISG with a high school education and two children, ages 6 and 10. For him, the main challenge of deployment was the lack of constant communication. Despite having nearly two decades of military service, he loved spending time with his family. Because he had complete faith and trust in his wife — who also had more formal education than he did — he did not feel overwhelmed by his children's educational needs during deployment. He noted that speaking to the children via phone or instant messaging could encourage them by letting them know he remained involved and expected great things from them.

Because of his trust in his wife's support, he felt that deployment did not have a significant effect on his children's academic performance. The only challenge arose when traveling across locations made consistent communication difficult. He acknowledged that phone communication is less ideal than face-to-face time, and concluded that the best solution is to maintain as much constant communication with spouse and children as possible.

Participant D was an Army officer, male, Caucasian, age 30, married, holding the rank of SSG with a high school education and two children, ages 15 and 12. During deployment, he was able to maintain consistent communication with his children. He felt satisfied with the collective effort made on their behalf: "I think it's a combination of all of the above. Family, educators, and my community all played a major role in assisting my children in their education while I was deployed. I did what I could from afar, but these systems stepped in and filled in where I couldn't, and I'm extremely grateful for that."

He relied on his wife for information about his children's academic progress, while acknowledging that managing parenting responsibilities alone was not easy for her. He was grateful for teachers and community members who provided positive examples. He also knew his children understood the challenges involved and had taken on increased responsibility for their own education. He noted that the most significant anxiety came during the pre-deployment period, but that once deployment arrived, everyone found a way to balance things out.

Participant E was an Army officer, male, Caucasian, age 36, married, holding the rank of Major with an M.A. and three children. For him, faith in God was the most important element in coping with deployment and keeping his children focused on education. He explained: "Not being able to communicate as often and as much as I would like was definitely a challenge, not just for me but for them as well. Our family is pretty tight-knit; my wife and I have always encouraged our kids to communicate with us about everything. While deployed, I wasn't able to provide my kids that opportunity."

He compensated by turning distance into a learning opportunity and went through his wife to reach teachers, unlike when he was at home and could engage them directly. He emphasized that parental involvement does not require physical presence at all times — a parent can pray and seek divine support. He stated that his children, because of this faith-based framing, had learned to become more responsible and step up to meet expectations even during his absence.

Participant F was an Army officer, male, African-American, age 44, holding the rank of SGM with a B.A. and three children. He had no complaints about deployment, viewing it as part of the job, and did not believe it should serve as an excuse for disengagement from one's children's education. He credited strong family bonds and financial stability as major factors in his success: "I have a pretty big family, and for the most part, we were in a pretty good financial state, so those two factors definitely played a major role. I would say that the strong bond I share with my wife and kids really made things go smoothly."

The primary challenge he identified was that more was expected of his wife during his absence, as she had to serve simultaneously as both nurturer and disciplinarian. He aimed to teach his children personal accountability so that they could manage their academic affairs independently. He noted that during deployment, the method of parental involvement changes: disciplining from a distance becomes difficult, and parents must be flexible and ready to adapt to shifting dynamics.

Participant G was an Army officer, male, African-American, age 34, married, holding the rank of 1LT with a B.S. and three children. During deployment, he worried about his children's education and made calls only on weekends to avoid disrupting school nights. He viewed parental involvement as encompassing not just academic development but also moral and emotional development. Deployment limited his connectivity with both his children and their teachers: "The biggest difference so far is not being able to check in with teachers as much as I would like. Most schools are now virtual because of the pandemic, so that does help, because I could access my kid's progress online, but if I have any questions, I'm not always able to contact teachers for a quick response because of the time zone difference."

To compensate, he used [WhatsApp](https://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/WhatsApp) and other social media platforms to enhance interaction, reduce feelings of distance, and prevent depression. He also used FaceTime to read to his daughter at night, helping to develop her comprehension skills while maintaining their bond. He emphasized that a deployed parent must maintain realistic expectations regarding children's education.

Participant H was a Navy officer, male, African-American, age 34, married, holding the rank of CPT with a B.S. and five children. He felt uncertain about the effects of deployment on his children's education, especially during the pandemic. He identified communication as the main barrier: "Not being able to communicate as often and as much as I would like was definitely a challenge, not just for me but for them as well. Our family is pretty tight-knit; my wife and I have always encouraged our kids to communicate with us about everything. While deployed, I wasn't able to provide my kids that opportunity."

He also missed out on the basics of parental involvement, such as picking children up from school, supporting extracurricular activities, and helping with assignments. While deployed, he used Skype and instant messaging to check in and review homework with his children. He noted that knowing his wife was there gave him confidence that the children would fulfill their academic obligations, and he stressed the importance of maintaining an open line of communication.

Participant I was an Air Force officer, female, African-American, age 32, married, holding the rank of SSG with an MBA and three children. Having grown up in a military family, she had firsthand understanding of what it is like for a child to have a deployed parent. For that reason, she did not try to do too much on her own; instead, she relied on her husband and relatives, who played a crucial role in supporting her children's education. Her biggest challenge was aligning her schedule with the children's for communication purposes, as she viewed being present for them as a core element of parental involvement.

She found that when returning from deployment, her children had adjusted and progressed well with their schoolwork in her absence. She observed that deployment actually had a positive effect on her children by motivating them to work harder to make her proud. She did note that the post-deployment stage was challenging because of the process of reintegrating into routines established during her absence. She advised military parents to be proactive in preparing children for deployment in order to reduce anxiety.

Participant J was an Army officer, female, Hispanic, a single mother, age 43, holding the rank of CW2 with a B.S. and four children. She was deployed at the time of this study. As a single mother, she had to look outside a traditional nuclear support system for help: "The kids are currently staying with my mother; she has been a huge help and support system for us over the years. Not sure how I would be able to do what I do without her help. I'm extremely grateful for her. I also hire a tutor to help out as well, since my mother isn't always able to understand their school assignments."

Distance was the major obstacle to her involvement in her children's education. Her children demonstrated mixed reactions to her absence, and she sometimes felt they were not performing at their best because she was away. Without a full support system in place, she had no choice but to disrupt the children's normal routines, which prevented them from focusing on school as she would have preferred. She was nonetheless grateful for the support her mother provided.

Participant K was a Marine officer, male, Caucasian, age 26, married, holding the rank of CPL with a high school degree and one child. Being a young, newly deployed parent frightened him; he worried that his child's education would be significantly affected. His only support system was his newly married wife and relatives. Deployed at the time of this study, he noted: "The major challenge is that I find it difficult to engage with teachers and educators as I would love to. It is bad for me because I am still new in parenting, and now the pandemic has hit the world. Most schools are now virtual because of the pandemic, so that does help, because I could access my kid's progress online — but if I have any questions, I'm not always able to contact the teachers for a quick response because of the time zone difference."

He wanted to trust the process and avoided negativity so as not to make things harder for his family at home. He stated: "I just wish we had more understanding of how to do this — but we are both new to this, so we are kind of learning on the go." He viewed teacher support and understanding as critical; without it, he did not believe his child could make adequate academic progress.

Participant L was an Air Force officer, female, African-American, age 30, married, holding the rank of TSgt with a high school degree and two children. At the time of this study, she was anticipating deployment. Her main concerns were relying on her husband and relatives to keep the children focused on schoolwork and maintaining communication through social media. She had taught her children to be self-motivated and trusted them to stay on course. She noted, however, that with one parent away for a sustained period, anything could happen. With pandemic-related changes in schooling, she observed that "given these new changes, I would say my interaction with teachers has been altered, but more so because of the pandemic and not necessarily because of deployment." She trusted that the school, her husband, her children, and community relatives would all accommodate her absence, and she recognized this support as sufficient to ensure her children would receive adequate help.

Theme One: Job Satisfaction in the Military Environment

Data collected through questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, artifact analysis, and focus groups were analyzed using Moustakas' (1994) transcendental phenomenological method and coded using NVivo software nodes. Prior to coding, data were analyzed to create appropriate codes capturing all four collection methods. To reduce the risk of bias, the bracketing technique was applied — stating upfront the researcher's expectations and then accepting the data produced by the research (Smith & McSweeney, 2017, p. 292). Meaningful statements derived from the sub-questions were developed into patterns guided by shared attributes. All transcriptions from the twelve participants were subjected to repetitive analysis.

The three major themes and their associated subthemes and codes were as follows:

Theme 1: Job Satisfaction — Subthemes: Dependency (27 codes), Shared Experiences. Total theme codes: 36.

Theme 2: Education Support — No subthemes. Total theme codes: 48.

Theme 3: Communication with One's Family/Social Support System — No subthemes. Total theme codes: 12.

Note: Deployment encompasses three stages — pre-deployment, deployment, and post-deployment — and the use of NVivo in code generation utilized three nodes aligned with this multiplicity.

In the data collection phase, it was evident that participants were satisfied with the nature of their military jobs. All participants indicated that the nature of their work was not itself challenging, but that difficulties arose specifically when deployment took place. When deployment occurred, parents looked for ways to address the resulting issues, and difficulties intensified only when support systems were not in place. Participants who were divorced or single parents expressed the most anxiety about deployment, while those with support systems expressed less anxiety and maintained an overall positive view of their work. Even in complex deployment environments, participants consistently sought alternative methods to bridge the gap created by separation. The following responses illustrate some of their perspectives:

"I really enjoy my experiences in the military thus far. I don't think there's any other career field with the same amount of opportunities. I initially joined for the benefits, but I continue to serve because of the people and the organization."

"For me, it's like any other job — you can complain about it, or embrace it. So far, I've embraced it, and that seems to work fairly well."

"Overall, my experience in the military thus far has been good, but sometimes challenging, especially in moments like this, when I'm deployed and away from my family."

"So far it's been good. I enjoy what I do, and the benefits are great, especially the medical. The only downfall is having to be away from my children for an extended period of time."

It is through high levels of job satisfaction that many participants continued to pursue their careers by furthering their education in order to attain higher ranks. By furthering their own education, they felt better situated to tend to their children's needs. As one participant noted: "I'm a Staff Sergeant in the Army and I'm looking forward to being promoted soon. My goal is to go back to school in order to continue my education. I'm married and I have two amazing children, who I would do anything for."

Negative views of the military environment were not apparent among the participants and cannot, therefore, explain why children's education might be negatively affected. Participants consistently identified separation from family — not dissatisfaction with the job — as the main challenge leading to reduced parental participation in children's education. One participant, for instance, expressed genuine affection for the soldiers he served alongside, viewing them as a kind of family and deriving a positive outlook from his work that sustained him through the challenges of parenting from a distance. By contrast, one participant dealing with divorce felt that his situation at home negatively colored everything around him. His case stands out as an outlier among the rest and suggests that family bond may be the most significant factor in determining a deployed parent's ability to remain engaged.

Within this theme of job satisfaction, subthemes help answer the research sub-questions. On sub-question 3 — regarding the challenges military parents face in remaining active in their children's education — the subtheme of dependency became evident. Military parents primarily addressed this challenge by relying on spouses or close relatives. Military parents who were single or divorced applied different techniques to maintain positive interactions with their children, even if this was easier said than done. The following responses support these observations:

"I have a pretty big family, and for the most part, we were in a pretty good financial state, so those two factors definitely played a major role. I would say that the strong bond I share with my wife and kids really made things go smoothly."

"My wife and relatives have been very supportive in raising and helping the children with their studies."

"The kids are currently staying with my mother; she has been a huge help and support system for us over the years. Not sure how I would be able to do what I do without her help. I'm extremely grateful for her. I also hire a tutor to help out as well, since my mother isn't always able to understand their school assignments."

"I am divorced. Just had some hard times being deployed and keeping the family together. We weren't on the same page."

Military parents also demonstrated shared experiences in how they established involvement in their children's education. They adopted technological methods that aided in bridging the gap created by physical distance, often turning to social media and video calling. They aspired to deliver affection and support at levels comparable to when they were not deployed, regardless of how that affection and support was channeled. The following participant responses show a high degree of correlation in shared experience:

"I'm usually pretty active and engaged with my kids' education while not deployed. Unfortunately, due to the distance between us, things have changed slightly. Some methods I've learned so far include communicating through FaceTime, WhatsApp, and other social media networks."

"I can't think of a specific time, but generally, communication, network issues, and time zone differences made it hard to communicate."

"There was a time recently when network connections were down and we could hardly communicate with our families back home."

"I tried to communicate as much as possible through phone and FaceTime. But that wasn't always enough, so at times I would also send emails or mail letters home."

"I'm a very hands-on person, so not being able to physically be there to demonstrate certain things is very frustrating. There are certain things I was able to teach or instruct over the phone or through FaceTime, but it wasn't the same as being there in person — that was definitely a challenge."

"When I'm not deployed, I am talking to them about everything, and when I am deployed I am communicating with them via emails and letters because that contact has to be maintained."

The correlation derived from participant responses was consistent with the Epoche approach — that is, phenomenological reduction combined with imaginative variation, resulting in the derivation of shared essence.

Theme Two: Education Support During Deployment

On the theme of education support, military parents used all available methods to take part in their children's education despite deployment. Some parents received their children's assignments and helped in reviewing and correcting them. Some maintained consistent communication with educators to ensure their children were demonstrating appropriate academic progress. This was particularly evident among five of the twelve participants, as supported by the following quotes:

"The experience was reassuring. I got the impression that they were staying on top of their school work. Plus, I've emailed their teachers a couple of times and their feedback was positive."

"I felt I could have done more when it came to communicating with teachers. In retrospect, I probably should have emailed them more often, but at the time it just didn't seem very personal. I would probably say my interaction went from one to two times a month to zero. I tried a couple of times to touch base with a few of their teachers, but because of the time zone difference, it just wasn't possible."

"The biggest way I participate in their education is through Skype, instant messages, or sometimes — when not able to synchronize our schedules — I ask them to email me their assignments to review for errors. When not deployed, this would be done in person."

"The kids are currently staying with my mother; she has been a huge help and support system for us over the years. I also hire a tutor to help out, since my mother isn't always able to understand their school assignments."

"The biggest challenge I would say is not being able to communicate with my kids at a convenient time. Unfortunately, due to time zone differences, they're normally asleep when I'm up, so in order to communicate I would have to stay up late or ask them to stay up late — neither was ideal, but I think we did our best to make it work."