Grandparents Raising Grandchildren While Parents Serve

Raleigh, N.C. — In some military families, both parents are deployed at the same time. It causes challenges for child care and often times families are forced to come up with creative solutions.

“They made a huge sacrifice. They left two babies to do what the country asked them to do,” Donna Ferguson said.

Ferguson's 18-month-old granddaughter has become her responsibility for the next year and a half. The toddler's mom and dad are Fort Bragg soldiers – deployed in Iraq. They called upon Donna and grandfather Ron to take care of daughter Catie – while other relatives care for her baby sister Brianna.

The Fergusons volunteered because they know their daughter and son-in-law have volunteered as well.

“A lot of other young people can be at home with their family at Thanksgiving because there is a volunteer force in place,” Ron Ferguson said.

Fort Bragg was unable to tell WRAL just how many married couples are deployed at the same time, but they did say it was not unusual.

“We all want the same thing for the babies and that's the most important thing,” Donna Ferguson said.

The Ferguson family said they keep in touch through a lot of phone calls and the Internet.