“Good Night Captain Mama…“
Good Night Captain Mama is a bilingual picture book of approximately 850 words, created for children between the ages of three and eight. The main character is a young boy in pajamas. As he passes by his mother’s bedroom, he sees her in her olive-green Air Force-issued flight suit. The child is curious about the colorful patches on the uniform and asks questions as he pulls each one off. His mother’s answers teach him, and young children everywhere, why women serve in uniform too. [peek at illustrations here]
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I am always excited to see books for young children to help them understand why their parents serve America in the Armed Forces. In this case, Good Night Captain Mama… helps youngsters with a more difficult question of mom wearing a uniform each day for work… It might be easier to understand dad leaving home to serve in the military, but still a challenge especially when parents leave for long deployments. All moms who serve in the military and wear a uniform should get this book for your child. Children are often confused and feel alone in military families. I know this from my own childhood. I never felt like the other kids, and we relocated to strange and new places sometimes more than once during the school year. Help your children understand your military service as early as possible so talking about it and hearing others discuss the subject is well received. Children should be proud of parents who serve, and not ever feel isolated or different than their peers…
Steve Sparks
Author
Reconciliation: A Son’s Story
