sandnnw
5-Year Member
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2012
- Messages
- 140
Dad,
First, congratulations. After reading your background and ups/downs with DS, you and I sound very similar in background. I will chime in here, while signing is a relief, let me add some history of my DS as well.
Even more frustrating and concerning for me over the past three years are the lows. At times I wondered, did he make the right decision? As with any college and military experience, there will be periods of time where your child will fail and not progress in their major or OML as you had hoped. You know your child better than anyone over the past 18+ years and you know what they are capable of and what their weaknesses are. My son and I are a lot alike, and so I know what to watch out for: procrastination, distraction and intermittent laziness. I however, did not have an iPhone, social media nor endless video coming at me thru way too many screens throughout my day. So, occasionally, not daily nor weekly, I would ask "how are things going, what are you doing, how far are you behind and tell me more about..." to try and keep him talking and on task. Some of this was self-serving of course, it did help my anxiety as his dad.
While my son wasn't the best in his high school, not much of an athlete, he was better than most and like me suffered from distractionitis. He far more than I due to his multiple toys, one you mention you bought your son. We at times had "knock down, drag outs" regarding his studies. Some how, Navy wanted him and like your son, waited until the last few days to accept vs going to a southern ivy that I'm fond of. He wanted to major in ME, whew! I knew he would struggle.
Fast forward through three years and I will mention: there will be moments that give you pause, phone calls of DS tearing up regarding "putting my all and barely making a freaking C!" Or, "I hate this class" and "they just don't like me!" I thank God these are few and far between. As I look back, I can think of moments, like him where I made a C (or worse), hated classes and well, far well knew that some in my Battalion did not care for my mediocrity.
I told my son, over and over: "your greatest chance of success will be at Navy, your greatest chance for failure will be at Vandy," so consider this while making your decision. Now going into his senior year, that statement hold so true. Again, he has not been the best student, not the top 1/2 on the OML and still tells me of some who "just don't care for me." But last weeks call regarding the flight exams, 7/7/7 kinda just makes me ga-ga as a Dad, knowing that he is probably headed toward aviation in some fashion.
Again, congratulations, enjoy the moments, because there are so many waiting to happen and don't get too caught up into the lows. I have learned he needs to take a few punches to be a better boxer!
First, congratulations. After reading your background and ups/downs with DS, you and I sound very similar in background. I will chime in here, while signing is a relief, let me add some history of my DS as well.
Even more frustrating and concerning for me over the past three years are the lows. At times I wondered, did he make the right decision? As with any college and military experience, there will be periods of time where your child will fail and not progress in their major or OML as you had hoped. You know your child better than anyone over the past 18+ years and you know what they are capable of and what their weaknesses are. My son and I are a lot alike, and so I know what to watch out for: procrastination, distraction and intermittent laziness. I however, did not have an iPhone, social media nor endless video coming at me thru way too many screens throughout my day. So, occasionally, not daily nor weekly, I would ask "how are things going, what are you doing, how far are you behind and tell me more about..." to try and keep him talking and on task. Some of this was self-serving of course, it did help my anxiety as his dad.
While my son wasn't the best in his high school, not much of an athlete, he was better than most and like me suffered from distractionitis. He far more than I due to his multiple toys, one you mention you bought your son. We at times had "knock down, drag outs" regarding his studies. Some how, Navy wanted him and like your son, waited until the last few days to accept vs going to a southern ivy that I'm fond of. He wanted to major in ME, whew! I knew he would struggle.
Fast forward through three years and I will mention: there will be moments that give you pause, phone calls of DS tearing up regarding "putting my all and barely making a freaking C!" Or, "I hate this class" and "they just don't like me!" I thank God these are few and far between. As I look back, I can think of moments, like him where I made a C (or worse), hated classes and well, far well knew that some in my Battalion did not care for my mediocrity.
I told my son, over and over: "your greatest chance of success will be at Navy, your greatest chance for failure will be at Vandy," so consider this while making your decision. Now going into his senior year, that statement hold so true. Again, he has not been the best student, not the top 1/2 on the OML and still tells me of some who "just don't care for me." But last weeks call regarding the flight exams, 7/7/7 kinda just makes me ga-ga as a Dad, knowing that he is probably headed toward aviation in some fashion.
Again, congratulations, enjoy the moments, because there are so many waiting to happen and don't get too caught up into the lows. I have learned he needs to take a few punches to be a better boxer!