Last day of indoc

[deepsea]

yes, you can go to mass after indoc. and 'visit for an hour'. when i was a plebe that's what our CTO told us, but peoples' parents stay until like 4pm every sunday. i highly doubt their CTO will call for a muster one hour after mass every sunday. in other words, you will be able to spend at least an hour after church with your p/c.

I usually keep my opinions to myself on here, and just try to deliver the facts-(and a lot of plugs for and pics of our midshipman on the water) but I have to chime in on this. Family visiting a plebe after chapel or anytime was not allowed when I was a midshipman, and I see this privilege abused constantly with parent orchestrating elaborate lunches on the deck of Yocum and by the pool that go late into the afternoon. Part of why you are not allowed to see your mid until Acceptance day is because being away from family is part of what we do as merchant mariners. Just as I teach them knots and seamanship to "Indoctrinate" them to life at sea, so they must also be "Indoctrinated" into the other aspects of the life and the career that that have chosen. Better to see that they can make that now, than worry about homesickness and missing family when they are on the other side of the world on their first ship. My other gripe on this is what does it have to do with church?? A plebe can see his family, but only if he goes to church?? My sailing team members who sail on Sundays are not allowed to see their family after they come back from sailing.......

Just my 2 cents..........

 

[jessibee2013]

Thank you for that post! I totally agree and have been annoyed by this practice ever since I learned about it.
I admit that I was a little envious last year when I found out that families were doing this (when DS was invited to particpate with another student). But it is more than envy ... it is circumventing the process the way it was intended to be.

Ok ... I did get some pleasure when one of "those" parents shared that Parents Weekend was sort of anticlimatic for them, and they wished they felt all the pure joy the rest of us were experiencing finally getting to see, hug (and hug and hug again) and talk to our kids for the first time since July 8th.
Just a teeny, tiny Nanny nanny boo boo.

 

[jasperdog]

My other gripe on this is what does it have to do with church?? A plebe can see his family, but only if he goes to church?? My sailing team members who sail on Sundays are not allowed to see their family after they come back from sailing.......

Echoing and amplifying items:

1) For a good number of years, sailing was my version of religion - so to me back then sailing was going to Church - given that as a nation, statutorily, we don't favor one religion over any other, if sailing were my religion why couldn't my parents visit me for an hour after I got off the water. Of course, it would not have applied any way since I wasn't a FLID (Fashionable Long Island Dude - that is), but I think you see I couldn't agree more with deepsea - what's it got to do with Church, either give all the prisoners who have exhibited good behavior during the past week their visitation hours or give none of them the privilege.

2) As of Sunday August 1st, it will been less than 3 full weeks since you dropped them off at KP; a single voyage on the GCX Express takes 35 days and the only regular voyage I know less than that is Long Beach/San Francisco - Honolulu and back. It's really time for them to start getting used to going it on their own for at least 60 days at a clip --- which would take them out to basically beyond acceptance day/parents weekend. Of course if this is about withdrawal for the parents vice the children well ....

3) Of course it sounds like the Class of 2014 parents won't have the opportunity to cheat and see their children at the Mets Game --- at least that's what I surmise from this thread....

 

[KP13Mom]

DeepSea,

Bravo! Excellent post.

My DS would have been MORTIFIED if we had shown up before Parents Weekend.
When he was little, he would often say: "I can do this all by myself!". I have heard it again this last year: "Mom, I've got it covered. I can handle it." Warms my heart. Jessibee2013 has got it right~that hug at PW was awesome!

 

[dblomomkp2013]

Seeing your DS/DD

I must compliment deepsea, jessibee2013, and jasperdog on their comments to this thread. They are right ON with their thoughts!!
I remember the eagerness of wanting to see our DS as soon as INDOC was over but we decided not to until Parent's Weekend. There was a need for all to become a bit more independent (mainly me).
Looking back at this past year~DS surviving INDOC and not seeing his family right after was a cake walk compared to when classes began and ESPECIALLY the dreaded 2nd trimester. That was when the motivational speeches and the talking the DS from jumping 'off the ledge' came into full play. I feel that our DS's newly found independence paid off many times with the obstacles he faced through out the year and solved on his own or with his classmates. He grew up!!!
To the Parents of 2014~welcome to the craziness of Kings Point. You will survive (forget the kids they're resilient) but have a little faith. The phone calls, the Skype, the emails, the visits will come all in due time. There is a method to the madness that you are induring. Next year, you all will be giving the same advice that you are getting.

 

[deepdraft1]

I see this privilege abused constantly with parent orchestrating elaborate lunches on the deck of Yocum and by the pool that go late into the afternoon.

so if there's 'constant abuse' it begs the question.. Why doesn't the school step in and take that privilege away?

Just as I teach them knots and seamanship to "Indoctrinate" them to life at sea, so they must also be "Indoctrinated" into the other aspects of the life and the career that that have chosen. Better to see that they can make that now, than worry about homesickness and missing family when they are on the other side of the world on their first ship.

Well put..

the only regular voyage I know less than that is Long Beach/San Francisco - Honolulu and back

The Horizon Lines Jacksonville to San Juan PR run is a one week turn around.. It may be the only exception for dry cargo companies. Most everyone else is at least on a 'fortnightly' schedule.

FLID (Fashionable Long Island Dude - that is)

That's not what I heard the F and D stood for..

 

[jessibee2013]

DeepSea,

Bravo! Excellent post.

My DS would have been MORTIFIED if we had shown up before Parents Weekend.
When he was little, he would often say: "I can do this all by myself!". I have heard it again this last year: "Mom, I've got it covered. I can handle it." Warms my heart. Jessibee2013 has got it right~that hug at PW was awesome!

Oh yeah, mortified... that too for our DS. No way he would have wanted us visiting- and even during his lowest points during the year, he didn't want anything more than for us to listen, sympathize, and tell him to keep it all in perspective... Now he says those things to me!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[KPMum2012]

thank you for your understanding. So happy for you that your DD was able to get an internship at home(what a treat)...how can that be done, any tips

Mids usually do their internship during their second sea year. DD decided to make it a priority to do early - she wants the extra time to try to squeeze in a flight internship and some other fun things during the sea year. All of the mids pretty much find their own internship (with some help from their ATR) and the types of things they do vary widely. My DH (dear husband) is retired Army, working as a contractor in one of the project offices at NATO HQ. So he was able to start talking to people he knew to see if they could take her on. He had the benefit of being able to talk to them in person. He found one office in his own building that was delighted to take an unpaid intern who already had a secret clearance.

For DD it was a great time to decompress and be taken care of. For us, it was an all to rare visit. If she doesn't have at least a week off, there's no point in flying her home. So we don't get to see her for holiday weekends, etc. And she was at sea over Christmas (& will be again this year).

That said, the support network around the world for those on their internships is amazing. Need help finding a place to stay - just ask. This is one tight-knit family your child has joined!

 

[Mindy G]

Wait until Parents Weekend to see your DS/DD, they will be fine. You DO NOT want to be known as the hoovering parent. That being said if we had known about the parade we probably would have gone just for a peek. Even though no contact would have been very hard, we would have followed the rules.

 

[kpmom2013]

I agree with Mindy. Wait until Parents Weekend to see your DS/DD. Give them time to bond with their classmates and companymates. Those who do not have family visits during August sometimes resent those who do and see it as wimping out. The visits can end up hurting your DS/DD more than helping. You will have many opportunities to visit later.