Red, White and Blue Ribbon on I-Day

NewNavyMom

5-Year Member
Joined
Dec 13, 2009
Messages
93
From a previous thread, several parents have been talking about wearing a Red, White and Blue Ribbon I-Day so we can spot one another. It will fun to find each other and identify ourselves to one other! So...Men and Women, find a ribbon and pin it on for I-Day! See you there!
 
I'm in - if I remember. So much to do in the next 27 days. :eek:
 
That's for sure! I have a running list of things to do/bring for I-Day...add to the list: red/white/blue ribbons for 2! Can't wait to meet all of you!
 
That is such an awesome idea!!!!! It will give me something else to think about rather than watching for our son all day long. :redface:
 
PS. Wouldn't it be fun to all meet up for lunch somewhere? (or am I taking this too far????) :shake:
 
My son says we are going to look like the Beverly Hillbillies because my entire extended family is coming to I-Day. Even my brother from Nevada with his family! Their neighbor and good friend has two sons currently at the academy. They watched these boys grow up and have heard about the academy for years. They can't imagine their nephew going and not seeing his induction. Others coming are my sister from PA with her family, my other sister and her family from NOVA, my mother from Nevada (Already here in VA for graduation as well) and the other grandparents and Uncle from NOVA. And...his JROTC Col is coming for the private oath. 17 people total to see my boy take his oath. Crazy. He was the only grandson for 10 years so he has a special place in the hearts of everyone in the family.

So, meting for lunch would be a stretch for me unless you want to dine wit the Clampetts! I'd love to say..lets meet at Tecumseh at 3PM or something but not knowing how the day will go for everyone makes it difficult. We could try?
 
I know I-Day is exciting and I don't want to discourage anyone here, but please remember that it's just the beginning and there is VERY LITTLE for parents and families to do. So bring the family if you want, but there are much better events over the next 4 yrs for them to attend. Starting with PPW. Also, just coming up/down/across for a football game WE. Much better use of your time.

And while the personal swearing in is nice, please folks think about your plebe. While you're cooling your jets for ~10 hours, your plebe's day is filled with new people, new activities, new clothing, new haircut, new place to live. The day is overwhelming for him/her.

Too much parental/family expectation and excitement can put a lot of unnecessary pressure on your child. In trying to be supportive, friends and family can end up having the opposite effect -- it's hard to explain unless you've lived through it on the other end (as a mid).

So, please try to temper a bit of your enthusiasm and save it for days in the future when you are celebrating the tremendous accomplishments of the next four years and beyond.
 
Wow, way to rain on our parade. Certainly there are other events to attend but my extended family hasn't even seen the academy. So they want to come and be part of a patriotic event, take the tours and buy a t-shirt. They won't even see our son except to say good-bye in the hotel the night before. After that everyone knows that they are touring and observing. As for PPW, I would not bring anyone but me, his dad and two sisters. We have a house and will give him down time and just hang out. I would think that bringing lots of people to that time would be exhausting as opposed to I-Day when they won't even interact with him.
 
Don't mean to rain on your parade. PPW is about relaxing but it's also about "showing off" all you've accomplished in the ~8 weeks since you last saw your family. There are lots of events -- some required of the plebes (e.g., parades) and some optional (e.g., tours of the ship in the yard, eating in King Hall), along with plenty of free time for you and your mid to hang out.

I-Day is really a day of nervous excitement mixed with a bit of fear of the unknown, unexpected, etc. interspersed with a few brief moments of being with your mid. USNA offers certain activities, such as the picnic and Supe's talk, for families but, unlike PPW and many other WEs at USNA, it's purpose isn't sharing USNA with your family and friends.

It's not my place to tell you what to do or not do. And, if your extended family wants to see USNA and be there for I-Day, go for it; I'm sure everyone will have a great time. I just want to ensure you're realistic in terms of what to expect and especially what your mid will be going through that day vs. the time that PPW rolls around.
 
Well you have given me some good comments. The Nevada and PA parties have been sitting on the fence about coming so I am going to send your comments to them. May help them decide to come another time. I won't be able to keep the proud VA grandparents away! We have a house for PPW so that may well be a better time.

Thanks for your input.
 
IMHO, I would not invite large crowds of family for PPW. My plebe wanted to chill out in hotel room. Most of the families I talked to did the same. Yes, there is a parade, but there are plenty of those over the years. Mine walked to the hotel with me, shed his uniform for PT gear, watched tv, slept, got on my laptop and facebooked the world to tell them he was still alive.......we ate out......he would not have wanted a bunch to entertain or have to answer questions.

When his Dad and I went for a football game, we got to meet son and two friends in DryDock Friday evening. We learned volumes listening to them talk to one another. Without grilling them with questions.
 
As far as you forum parents meeting on I-Day, I think that is an excellent idea. But not T-Court: it is covered with chairs for the swearing in ceremony. Meet at the Visitor Center, that way some can wait inside out of the heat. Or the Bill the Goat statue. Shortly after noon. That way you parents can plebe watch near the mid store, attend the picnic, then get together.
 
As new navy moms, (and dads, and granparents, etc.) planning these things makes us feel like we still have some control over the day, when deep down, we know we don't. My parents want to come as well, and will cherish every moment. We all know that we won't have much time with our boy, but just feel that we want to be part of such an exciting and historic day.Every family deals with saying goodbye to sons and daughters differently. For our family, planning and assembling care packages and wearing ribbons gives us something to look forward to.
 
No. No picnic for us. My husband is thinking we should stay on the yard and go to the eating place there. I would try to spell it, but am having a brain freeze right now!! :rolleyes:
 
As new navy moms, (and dads, and granparents, etc.) planning these things makes us feel like we still have some control over the day, when deep down, we know we don't.

Absolutely true. However, you WILL have many opportunities to plan events over the next 4 yrs -- culminating in June Week. But you're right that, come I-Day, the USN and not you will be "in control of" your child's life, probably the first time that someone other than you has ruled the roost. That said, you have every right to be proud that your efforts helped bring your child to this point in his/her life.:thumb::thumb:
 
No. No picnic for us. My husband is thinking we should stay on the yard and go to the eating place there. I would try to spell it, but am having a brain freeze right now!! :rolleyes:

Isn't the class of 2014 picnic on the yard? A tent on Worden Field, I believe. Great place to meet more parents and local hotels, Graul's Market, etc have booths and information on discounts, etc. They give you a free "Proud Parent of a USNA Midshipman " tote bag. To accompany the ones you will want to buy in the mid store.

Oh, the tee shirts and tote bags with the class members all listed....if you need small or medium, get 'em early or the day before I-Day. They run out. The totes are neat. When I flew out for Herndon, there were a number of Class of 2010 parents lugging their totes, headed to Annapolis for Commissioning Week.
 
Last edited:
How is it possible to be so excited about something and to be dreading it at the same time!?! By the time PPW arrives, I'm going to be certifiable. :stretcher:
 
Back
Top