My son is on his first deployment.  He entered the Navy straight out of high school. After eighteen months of schooling, he called to say he was being deployed. Due to the nature of his job, he cannot say when he is leaving, where he is going, or exactly when he will return. When others ask for updates about him, the typical conversation goes something like this, "How horrible for you. How are you holding up?" My response, "I'm excited for him. I think he has an awesome opportunity to see the world, gain valuable work experience, and serve his country." Their response, "You're so strong." Strong? I'm not strong, I'm prepared. See, my husband and I raised him with an end game in mind. We wanted our son to become an independent, capable, good citizen. How did we accomplish that? With leadership parenting. Leadership parenting begins with putting our marriage first. By making marriage the primary relationship, we teach our children that they are not the center of the universe, which is necessary for good citizenship. It also models what a relationship should look like - unity, mutual respect, love. Bonus - it prevents empty nest syndrome. Next, we disciple our children by establishing clear, consistent boundaries and expectations. We teach our children that in the real world, there are consequences for actions. We establish chores enabling our children to be contributing members of the family, another good citizen necessity. As our children enter into adolescence, we become mentors, helping them experience limited independence. This is a trial and error time period that encourages our children to stand on their own two capable feet. Finally, we let go and allow them to stretch their wings and fly away. Does the process work? Yes. Is my son perfect? Nope. But, then again, neither are we. We're just prepared.