On The Need For Badges ...
I'm sorry to be obtuse, but I still don't fully understand the necessity of purchasing badges for parents' weekend.
If it is a question of making a donation to cover costs, I'm OK with that. I'm not out to be stingy. However, if I'm to assess the value of the badges to me and my family, I need more info.
I guess my specific question is this. If my wife and I were to simply show up to KP on Friday, 9/3 with no badges, would this limit our access to our DS in any way?
Any enlightenment on this score would be greatly appreciated.
KingsPtDad:
I'm confused you don't indicate the price or total cost of the badges will be a hardship for you to bear and this point has been covered several times before but I'll go though this in a direct manner from my perspective, of course if you want it from the "horse's mouth" I'd contact Mary Jane and/or Rocco Fuschetto the National Co-Chairs or Suzanne Grabowski.
That said:
Point/Question 1: "If my wife and I were to simply show up to KP on Friday. 9/3 with no badges
(and not share the burden of the cost of the event and in effect freeload on the good will of those who do so freely and willingly - additional details added by jasperdog), would this limit our access to our DS in any way?" Short answer: Yes but only slightly in that you would not have access to your DS during the period when lunch is served in Delano Hall and you'd have to scare up you own "vittles" at the Seafarer Cafe' aka "The Canteen". I don't off the top of my pointy head think there's anything else you'd be precluded from seeing/doing with your son but I could be wrong. Further these days Lunch is "the big meal" at the USMMA and seeing the event transpire is interesting as is eating with the Regiment, though the ranking as the worst college food in America is still deserved IMHO. I've covered this elsewhere.
Point/Question 2: You state: "If it is a question of making a "donation" to help cover costs, I'm okay with that. I'm not out to be stingy. However, if I'm to assess the value of the badges to me and my family, I need more information." I know you're not stingy, just intelligently frugal, right? You clearly don't want your participation in this event, to erode in any way, the good sense, and clear understanding of the value "of a buck" you've spent the past 18 years instilling in your son. He's going to need all the grounding in financial realism he can get upon graduation when he is part of the 95% of USMMA graduates that are well within the Top 5% of wage earning taxpayers in the nation. It's not really a donation, it is however, you doing your part to pick up your and your family's share of the cost of attending the event. For example, should during the day you or your family want to meet up someplace out of the blaring sun, rain or whatever, if you suggest doing so in one of the tents in the common grassy area by Barney Square - well that tent is not always there, it's rented for the weekend by the Parent's Association, etc. Look if you have a hardship or for whatever reason it's an afford ability issue I'm sorry for being harsh. If you don't then just go on-line and buy the badge - your kid is getting an education that will be worth over $200,000 for what will likely be a total of ~12,000 of midshipmen activities fees over the next four years. That's a good deal, if you want to share the full range of the day and do the right thing assuming you can afford it as you imply, the right thing is doing your part in ensuring the midshipmen and families that come after your have a similar opportunity. - That's paying for the badges and not acting like we're all at the Bazaar in Istanbul so we need to "haggle" to make sure we understand we got proper value for the price.
If you're still "confused" after reading all the responses and the information on the National Parents Association, I'd then contact the folks who are "the Horse's Mouth".