First off,
I am not trying to imply, infer or insinuate any parent would consciously force their kids one path. I was saying, that to be cognizant of your opinion at this point and back away is something that as a parent you deserve a second of recognition.
There are kids here every yr asking how to convince their parents to let them go this route. It is heartbreaking that a child feels the only way to find support for their dream is not their parents, but honestly strangers on a forum. That is where I am coming from when I talk about swaying and resentment.
I get the fear Future, but replace that with how you will now learn new things, see new places when he becomes an AD Army officer.
People always asked me if I was worried Bullet would die...comical because you think it is safer and he was AF. I wasn't worried at all. That included his 2 yr stint jumping out of perfectly good airplanes with the 82nd AB.
The reason why I wasn't worried? Bullet, like your DH reminded me of the facts.
More people die in car accidents every yr than military members killed in action. People assume there is a higher risk in the military, but it isn't true. Imagine if the news lead off everyday how many people died that day in a car accident compared to AD Army. Army would seem safe if the news did that. Would people stop driving cars? However, there are parents that fight their children because the same assumption you had regarding safe, they don't or won't look at the big picture. Hence, my position believe in FATE.
That is why again, I say GOOD ON YOU for getting it now, and come next yr when he leaves for college, 4 yrs from now when he leaves for AD, you will smile between your tears, and love the path he chose, because his smile, hugging you saying thanks, will be that unspoken word. The thanks is not about paying for college, doing his laundry and being a Mom. The thanks is for biting your lip, and letting him go to follow his dream, be it the college or be it the branch he will serve in. They get it, they know it and they love you that much more for biting your lip, not arguing and being their cheerleader when it came to their decision even if in your heart you wished they chose a different path.
