Man soooo many post I want to respond to so sorry for the long post from me in advance!
I saw that FB post as well! But since I've learned so much from this thread I laughed and moved on! But to be totally honest my fingers did twitch to post something helpful mind you, not condescending, basically saying he'll figure it out with cadre just give them time.
I was not around for that one! If I remember right your cadet is a C3C now so mine was in Prep when that happened so I might have missed that one! That would have gotten under my skin because I box!! And taught my son how to box at an early age. If fact he got old enough and big enough to do a little damage and we were sparring and he hit hard. I went into full boxing mode hit him back just as hard. Then he went into full boxing mode and my wife (his step-mom) had to break us up and told us we couldn't spar any more. I'd hate to box him now he'd more than likely lay me out if I didn't box smart.
On top of that my DS had got a concussion at BCT playing handball maybe I should start a petition
Jcleppe makes an excellent point. There is a huge grey area when it comes to helo parents. I wouldn't consider what he did being one while others may and did. On top of that with my thirst for knowledge joining all these groups, including joining this one 5 years ago, could I be considered a parent with his helmet and flight gear on running to the pad to jump into my own helicopter? I wouldn't think so but some of the old guard might think so. As generations change so must the definition of a helo parent?
Once again I would like to thank everyone for posting on this topic as a parent with some personal enlisted AF experience and zero academy and officer experience it has helped me a lot.
Boozebin, I know you started this thread based on the AP test "waste" the parent complained about, but come on, what about the mom who got a call on Doolie Day Out about her DS losing his retainer and the mom wanting to know how he could get out of Jack's Valley to go to an orthodontist and get a new one? I thought the responses were surprisingly very kind but predict a very LONG 4 years for that mom.
I saw that FB post as well! But since I've learned so much from this thread I laughed and moved on! But to be totally honest my fingers did twitch to post something helpful mind you, not condescending, basically saying he'll figure it out with cadre just give them time.
Were you around for the "got to do something about boxing because it is unsafe petition" that some parents pushed because they heard of another kid getting and/or their kid got a concussion during boxing? Eventually, a letter regarding boxing, its purpose and how it is run was distributed via news letters and parent groups. I can't remember if this response was from General Johnson or Williams.
I was not around for that one! If I remember right your cadet is a C3C now so mine was in Prep when that happened so I might have missed that one! That would have gotten under my skin because I box!! And taught my son how to box at an early age. If fact he got old enough and big enough to do a little damage and we were sparring and he hit hard. I went into full boxing mode hit him back just as hard. Then he went into full boxing mode and my wife (his step-mom) had to break us up and told us we couldn't spar any more. I'd hate to box him now he'd more than likely lay me out if I didn't box smart.
On top of that my DS had got a concussion at BCT playing handball maybe I should start a petition
I relayed this story in a thread on this board regarding Helicopter Parents a few years ago and was chastised for being one of the worse Helicopter parents because I messed with his orders. I only bring this up because there are times when you may be able to help that doesn't cross any lines. To be honest this is something I would have done for anyone, had nothing to do with being a helicopter parent. Had we waited and not called they said they would not have been able to get him back to school by air, it is a small college town. Once he commissioned we were out of the loop completely, heck we barely know when and where he's going anywhere and he's on his own if anything is messed up.
To be honest I'm glad we never had a parents group or facebook page, it was much better to just hear it from our son, give what little advice we could and wish him luck. I must say though that some of the stories he would tell us would make us either laugh or simply shake our heads, but we always understood there was nothing we could or should do about it. In the end, most of the best stories came from being in the Fraternity.
Jcleppe makes an excellent point. There is a huge grey area when it comes to helo parents. I wouldn't consider what he did being one while others may and did. On top of that with my thirst for knowledge joining all these groups, including joining this one 5 years ago, could I be considered a parent with his helmet and flight gear on running to the pad to jump into my own helicopter? I wouldn't think so but some of the old guard might think so. As generations change so must the definition of a helo parent?
Once again I would like to thank everyone for posting on this topic as a parent with some personal enlisted AF experience and zero academy and officer experience it has helped me a lot.