--- title: Parents far away: the army, work abroad, prison — a lesson of Mova's school · trees and pragmatics description: «Parents far away: the army, work abroad, prison», a lesson of the everyday course of Mova's primary school, sentence by sentence with dependency trees and pragmatics. It begins: Some parents are alive and loving and still far away: in the army, working abroad, or in prison. --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/519-parents-far-away-the-army-work-abroad-prison/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [school](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/) / [Everyday](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/) / Parents far away: the army, work abroa… # Parents far away: the army, work abroad, prison Lesson 519 of the everyday course of Mova's primary school: 51 sentences, each with its syntax tree and pragmatics. The lessons are written for Mova, and their agreed trees are part of Mova corpus 0.4 (CC BY-SA 4.0). How Mova does on its tests: [the lesson at school](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/school-run/everyday/519-parents-far-away-the-army-work-abroad-prison/). - [0](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/519-parents-far-away-the-army-work-abroad-prison/0/) — Some parents are alive and loving and still far away: in the army, working abroad, or in prison. - [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/519-parents-far-away-the-army-work-abroad-prison/1/) — Cody's dad is a soldier on a long posting. - [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/519-parents-far-away-the-army-work-abroad-prison/2/) — They FaceTime on Sundays when the signal works, Dad's face freezing mid-laugh. - [3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/519-parents-far-away-the-army-work-abroad-prison/3/) — On sports day all the dads are lined up by the rope except his. - [4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/519-parents-far-away-the-army-work-abroad-prison/4/) — Cody wins the 60 metres and looks straight at the empty spot. - [5](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/519-parents-far-away-the-army-work-abroad-prison/5/) — His mum filmed the whole race, and Dad watches it three times that night: «Proper rapid, son!» At Cody's school there's a club for forces kids, where everybody knows what an empty spot feels like. - [6](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/519-parents-far-away-the-army-work-abroad-prison/6/) — Jaya's dad works in Dubai to earn more for the family. - [7](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/519-parents-far-away-the-army-work-abroad-prison/7/) — He sends money and presents: a tablet, gold earrings, sweets. - [8](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/519-parents-far-away-the-army-work-abroad-prison/8/) — «I'd rather have him than presents,» Jaya mutters. - [10](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/519-parents-far-away-the-army-work-abroad-prison/10/) — He comes home a week early. - [12](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/519-parents-far-away-the-army-work-abroad-prison/12/) — He listens before bed, every night, even the boring ones about the weather. - [13](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/519-parents-far-away-the-army-work-abroad-prison/13/) — Some jobs mean coming and going. - [14](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/519-parents-far-away-the-army-work-abroad-prison/14/) — Oisín's da works on an oil rig: two weeks away, two weeks home. - [15](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/519-parents-far-away-the-army-work-abroad-prison/15/) — When he's away the house is quiet; when he's back it's loud. - [16](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/519-parents-far-away-the-army-work-abroad-prison/16/) — «Ah, the craic is back,» Mam says («craic» is Irish for fun and chat). - [17](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/519-parents-far-away-the-army-work-abroad-prison/17/) — Mia-Rose's mum is on a Navy ship for six months, and Mia-Rose crosses off the days on the calendar. - [19](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/519-parents-far-away-the-army-work-abroad-prison/19/) — «It's like he's a visitor,» she says. - [20](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/519-parents-far-away-the-army-work-abroad-prison/20/) — They talk it through, and now on his first day home they always go to the servo (petrol station) for a pie, just the two of them. - [22](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/519-parents-far-away-the-army-work-abroad-prison/22/) — He can't shoot hoops like before, and Bryce misses the old Dad. - [23](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/519-parents-far-away-the-army-work-abroad-prison/23/) — They're fixin' to (about to) start chess instead. - [24](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/519-parents-far-away-the-army-work-abroad-prison/24/) — It isn't the same. - [25](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/519-parents-far-away-the-army-work-abroad-prison/25/) — It's still something. - [26](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/519-parents-far-away-the-army-work-abroad-prison/26/) — When a parent is in prison, children miss them and may feel ashamed, but it is not their fault. - [27](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/519-parents-far-away-the-army-work-abroad-prison/27/) — Ellis visits his mam once a month. - [28](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/519-parents-far-away-the-army-work-abroad-prison/28/) — There are guards, lockers and plastic chairs bolted to the floor. - [29](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/519-parents-far-away-the-army-work-abroad-prison/29/) — Mam hugs him for as long as she's allowed. - [30](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/519-parents-far-away-the-army-work-abroad-prison/30/) — He loves the hug and hates the place. - [31](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/519-parents-far-away-the-army-work-abroad-prison/31/) — Tegan-Rae writes her dad letters about school; he writes back with drawings of her dog. - [32](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/519-parents-far-away-the-army-work-abroad-prison/32/) — At school a kid sneers at Dakota, «Your dad's a criminal, that's well sus» («sus» = dodgy). - [33](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/519-parents-far-away-the-army-work-abroad-prison/33/) — Dakota says, «He made a mistake. - [34](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/519-parents-far-away-the-army-work-abroad-prison/34/) — He's still my dad.» Then she tells her teacher. - [35](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/519-parents-far-away-the-army-work-abroad-prison/35/) — UK charities like Children Heard and Seen help children with a parent in prison. - [36](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/519-parents-far-away-the-army-work-abroad-prison/36/) — Grown-ups sometimes hide prison to protect children. - [37](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/519-parents-far-away-the-army-work-abroad-prison/37/) — Dayo was told his dad was «working away». - [38](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/519-parents-far-away-the-army-work-abroad-prison/38/) — Then he overheard his aunties talking. - [39](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/519-parents-far-away-the-army-work-abroad-prison/39/) — He felt lied to and furious. - [40](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/519-parents-far-away-the-army-work-abroad-prison/40/) — His mum sat down with him: «I was scared of hurting you. - [42](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/519-parents-far-away-the-army-work-abroad-prison/42/) — Ask me anything.» It took weeks before Dayo stopped being angry. - [43](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/519-parents-far-away-the-army-work-abroad-prison/43/) — Being told the truth gently is usually easier than finding out by accident. - [44](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/519-parents-far-away-the-army-work-abroad-prison/44/) — Some parents live far away because they are in the armed forces, work abroad or in another town, or are in prison. - [45](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/519-parents-far-away-the-army-work-abroad-prison/45/) — A parent who is far away is still a parent; calls, voice notes, letters and videos keep families close. - [46](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/519-parents-far-away-the-army-work-abroad-prison/46/) — Children of soldiers and sailors often feel proud and sad at once; many schools have clubs for forces children. - [47](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/519-parents-far-away-the-army-work-abroad-prison/47/) — Some parents work abroad to earn more for their family; children can tell them they miss them. - [48](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/519-parents-far-away-the-army-work-abroad-prison/48/) — Some jobs, such as on oil rigs, ships or fly-in fly-out mines, mean parents are away for weeks and then home for weeks. - [49](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/519-parents-far-away-the-army-work-abroad-prison/49/) — Small rituals for the days a parent comes home help them feel less like a visitor. - [50](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/519-parents-far-away-the-army-work-abroad-prison/50/) — When a parent is in prison, it is never the child's fault, and the parent is still their parent. - [51](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/519-parents-far-away-the-army-work-abroad-prison/51/) — Prison visits have guards and strict rules, but children can still talk and hug. - [52](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/519-parents-far-away-the-army-work-abroad-prison/52/) — Teasing a child about a parent in prison is bullying and should be told to a teacher. - [53](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/519-parents-far-away-the-army-work-abroad-prison/53/) — Being told the truth gently is usually easier than finding out by accident. - [54](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/519-parents-far-away-the-army-work-abroad-prison/54/) — An injury can change what a parent can do; families can find new things to do together. - [55](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/519-parents-far-away-the-army-work-abroad-prison/55/) — «Craic» is Irish for fun and chat, «prepone» is Indian English for move earlier, «servo» is Australian for petrol station, «sus» means dodgy, and «fixin' to» means about to. - ← previous: [When a parent has died](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/518-when-a-parent-has-died/) - next →: [Living in a children's home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/520-living-in-a-childrens-home/) - ↑ back to [Everyday](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/)