I-Day

Dad2020

5-Year Member
Joined
Aug 5, 2015
Messages
165
We aren't attending I-Day. I know a lot of people will gasp in shock and horror, but frankly our DS is grown up enough to handle it himself. He went to NASS and his CVW alone. We're just dropping him off at the airport and letting him start this adventure without mom and dad.

We will see him on PPW, but it's time to kick him out of the nest.
 
I went by myself too. For me, it worked well. It was nice to have the byes behind me the day before and then focus on the other parts. Made I Day less emotional for me.

As one grad to a future one... I would tell him to take up the offer of the Alumni Association to call home after he swears in, have them snap a photo or two of him in his new stiff white works and Dixie cup and get a drink of water. It's the last few moments he has of just him for 6 weeks. He will want those photos when he is old! Plus it lets Mom and Dad know you are safe and see the shaved head. Good luck to your DS!
 
Last week our DS came up to my DW and I and said he had decided he wanted to go to I day by himself. Told us to save it for PPW where everyone would have more time beyond drop-off and the 20 minure meeting at the end of processing on I day. Sooooooo, a few cancellations later and a one way ticket in hand, off he will fly week after next.

When its their decesion it is all so much easier. Only seems like last week I had to tie his akates up before his squirt game.....

We'll check out the photo op with the AA. Thanks Navyhoops.
 
We sent our son to I Day on his own. He was fine. When someone offered him a phone after the oath ceremony, he didn't even call us. He just had her take a picture of him in his white works and send it to me. I joined the Alumni Association for $75 and got to see lots of photos. We all went to PPW and enjoyed that time.
 
I assume you did not go to I-day due to distance and travel cost; which is understandable. We said goodbye to my son in the morning and then saw him for only 25 minutes after the oath. During the day my wife saw the yelling of the detailers and then my sons shaven head: it seemed like a cold tough environment. I was not as bothered due to my experiences. While waiting my wife met an incredibly nice lady, she was not a mom but a sponsor and was there to say hello to a third classman. She is his sponsor mom. You could tell they have a close relationship. Even though it's only been a few days the lack of hearing about our son and being close is a bit unnerving, perhaps you feel the same. I wanted to share with you that if she is an example of a typical sponsor family, then our midshipmen are very lucky because she is a wonderful, caring and a good hearted person. Meeting a sponsor has eased my wife's concerns, at least a little, about not being close and to be around to give a hug and be a caring person who is sometimes needed by everyone.
 
We also chose to attend I day. The best part was that he was still upbeat when we saw him after the ceremony. He said he liked his room mates. That also eased our minds. He even laughed because at one point early on he had mistakenly sat with those by the letter N sign because his last name starts with N when he should have gone to the group at the A sign because that is his company. He said he got laughed at for that but a lot had made similar blunders. He also said he was tired of standing at attention and was ready to "do stuff". I bet he has done stuff by now. For us, the 30 minutes did my DW and I more good than him. He was fine and excited.
 
I went by myself too. For me, it worked well. It was nice to have the byes behind me the day before and then focus on the other parts. Made I Day less emotional for me.

As one grad to a future one... I would tell him to take up the offer of the Alumni Association to call home after he swears in, have them snap a photo or two of him in his new stiff white works and Dixie cup and get a drink of water. It's the last few moments he has of just him for 6 weeks. He will want those photos when he is old! Plus it lets Mom and Dad know you are safe and see the shaved head. Good luck to your DS!

That's exactly what he did. He went to the Mexican monument and met with his BGO who, he was surprised, was there. They gave him a bottle of water, let him call us, and then they texted us a few photos of him in his white works. His cover was goofed up for the pics, but we were just glad to see that he was there and smiling. Also, by staying in Bancroft the night before, he met his roommate and talked to some napsters and had some of his stuff unpacked from the boxes already when I-Day arrived. It's a good idea, and I highly recommend that parents do this for their kids: leave them to their own devices. They will be fine. If they weren't great and responsible people, they wouldn't be there. They will be ok. Send them alone.
 
I assume you did not go to I-day due to distance and travel cost; which is understandable. We said goodbye to my son in the morning and then saw him for only 25 minutes after the oath. During the day my wife saw the yelling of the detailers and then my sons shaven head: it seemed like a cold tough environment. I was not as bothered due to my experiences. While waiting my wife met an incredibly nice lady, she was not a mom but a sponsor and was there to say hello to a third classman. She is his sponsor mom. You could tell they have a close relationship. Even though it's only been a few days the lack of hearing about our son and being close is a bit unnerving, perhaps you feel the same. I wanted to share with you that if she is an example of a typical sponsor family, then our midshipmen are very lucky because she is a wonderful, caring and a good hearted person. Meeting a sponsor has eased my wife's concerns, at least a little, about not being close and to be around to give a hug and be a caring person who is sometimes needed by everyone.

Yes. Expense of the travel was part of it. I just can't drop $3k to go see him. Airfare alone was $1.2k on the cheapest airfare we could find if it was just the parents and plebe. Another $1k for meals, hotel, rental car, it just seemed like a huge expense. We are going to be there for PPW and already looked at a budget of the $1.2k for airfare, $500 for the hotel, then we have to get a car, and pay for meals. It adds up. And then there is the Army/Navy game. Again airfare, hotel, food, car, and add another $300 for tickets to the game. I guess it's nothing but pocket change for some, but I can't afford $10k for three trips to see our son. Plus, he's been traveling on his own for years now. So he's fine. We know that there isn't much we can do by being there and we'd get a total of maybe 25 minutes with him after the ceremony. It just seemed wasteful.
 
We flew out for IDay. Our Plebe is pretty young and had never traveled alone before. Reporting at 6:00 am for a 6:30 start, add in 45mins after the in oath before marching into Bancroft I think we had a total of 80 minutes with her on IDay.

IMO the thing you missed in not going was the opportunity to meet and talk with so many awesome kids and their really great parents. My Plebe chose the USNA because of the Mids she met on a recruiting visit. I thought she made a "good call". After meeting the young people she will be going to school with myself, I get what she was saying about the Mids. So many awesome kids; she made a "great call". IDay made a huge difference for my wife, who wasn't so sure about her daughter jumping in for "adult swim" from the 9meter board. You can check the Meeting the Classmates box on PPW. Figure on talking to a whole bunch of parents. Everybody is in the same boat with a Plebe at USNA; conversation comes easy.

We are taking a pass on the Army/Navy game. A Dec. 10 game day is just too close to finals, and her trip home for Christmas. We also figured that with a win, Liberty is still just the remainder of the weekend. I assume there will be plenty of fellow Plebes w/o parents present to share Sat and Sun with. Are my assumptions, off-base?

PS: I'm looking forward following USNA football closely. That said, if I'm gonna drop 3-5 grand to see a football game around Christmas time. it's more likely to be a trip to Pasadena on Jan.1.
 
I assume there will be plenty of fellow Plebes w/o parents present to share Sat and Sun with. Are my assumptions, off-base?

I don't think your assumptions are off base at all. We went to the Army Navy game last year - DD's Plebe year. You would not sit in the same section with your Plebe and unless you go out to dinner or something after the game, you probably won't see your Plebe much. For us, DD had made a lot of new friends by the time Army/Navy came around and wanted to be with them to experience the game. We let her call the shots with regard to how much time to spend with us and didn't try to make her feel guilty if she wanted to be with her friends. For the rest of the game weekend they are focused on catching up on homework and studying for finals, so may not have much free time anyway.

So, IMO, I think if anyone has an interest in going to the game they should plan on doing it for their own experience and if you see your Plebe much, consider it a bonus. We had a great time at the game and it's really something to experience if you've never been, so I recommend going if you can, but I would say your Plebe will be fine if you don't go.
 
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