To precut or not to precut, that is the question.

Detroit2023 said:
tough crowd I see. New here....
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You can take it that way of you wish and feel free to do so. My comment:

Dad - relax! You're overthinking here. Time to step back. I can't remember any problems with head-sunburns and more importantly, you need to STOP trying to "help" with every decision at every turn. Your new plebe will not have you around to watch over and will need to make these sorts of decisions constantly. This is a really, really minor decision with little impact pro or con.
If you really want to help, keep on encouraging physical prep as in running, push ups, etc right up to leaving for Plebe Summer.
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Was intended to be gentle. If I had not intended to be gentle, I'd have led off with some commentary such as
. . . I've been associated with USNA for well over 40 years now as a Mid, Grad, Midshipman Training Officer in the Fleet, BGO and Parent and throughout all of it, what I've seen is the mids who have never had to do their own thinking/deciding tend to have a much tougher time then those who have made more of their own decisions before I Day. I certainly get that it is hard to let go but in my experience, holding on too tight will hurt them more than it will help them.
.
And on reflection, I'm still choosing my words carefully to try to not stomp on people's feelings and beliefs. I actually feel a lot more strongly about this. :director:
 
Just my two cents, no question on here should be considered beneath another one. I would hope this could be somewhere to ask questions without getting a lecture or talked down to as that could make many not want to ask any questions including me. Thankfully after looking at many threads almost all give thoughtful answers, even if it has been asked hundreds of times before. I look forward to learning many things here to help me during this long process and thank the many parents and former military who provide the answers here. Even about haircuts. Thanks
 
Detroit2023 said:
Just my two cents, no question on here should be considered beneath another one. I would hope this could be somewhere to ask questions without getting a lecture or talked down to as that could make many not want to ask any questions including me. Thankfully after looking at many threads almost all give thoughtful answers, even if it has been asked hundreds of times before. I look forward to learning many things here to help me during this long process and thank the many parents and former military who provide the answers here. Even about haircuts. Thanks
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Even what you may consider cold hearted responses serve a purpose. [emoji3] In the end we're all family and like every family, there are some at the reunion that you might consider avoiding but all have the best intentions. With that said, hair is overrated anyway. Welcome to the family.
 
OldRetSWO said:
I'm still choosing my words carefully to try to not stomp on people's feelings and beliefs. I actually feel a lot more strongly about this.
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I'm with you SWO. Your initial response was very similar to mine, and my initial reaction was a lot harsher and I throttled it back. If OP's initial intent was levity, there's a reason that many interpreted it as a serious question. I am often surprised by the level of parental involvement here at times. I understand the desire to see our kids succeed-- but part of success is watching them face life's struggles and get through them on their own. One of my pet peeve's is the Parent of a Candidate calling me with questions that Candidate should have been calling me with (or worse, the Candidate who handed her phone to Mom so she could schedule her BGO interview (no kidding)).
 
Old Navy BGO said:
I'm with you SWO. Your initial response was very similar to mine, and my initial reaction was a lot harsher and I throttled it back. If OP's initial intent was levity, there's a reason that many interpreted it as a serious question. I am often surprised by the level of parental involvement here at times. I understand the desire to see our kids succeed-- but part of success is watching them face life's struggles and get through them on their own. One of my pet peeve's is the Parent of a Candidate calling me with questions that Candidate should have been calling me with (or worse, the Candidate who handed her phone to Mom so she could schedule her BGO interview (no kidding)).
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You're saying that having helicopter parents don't actually qualify you for an aviator's slot? [emoji23][emoji23]
 
I was a team manager for a high competitive boys soccer team for several years.
I have seen LOTS of Apache, Kiowa, Huey and Chinook Parents. (My job was to keep the parents away from the coach). :bang:
 
AROTC-dad said:
I was a team manager for a high competitive boys soccer team for several years.
I have seen LOTS of Apache, Kiowa, Huey and Chinook Parents. (My job was to keep the parents away from the coach)
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I coached my daughters soccer teams for years...not because of any great skill, but because someone had to do it.
It was easy to keep those parents away from me -- " if you don't like what I'm doing, you're more than welcome to the job !"
 
Try teaching in the closest public school from DC. The 10th largest district in the country with progeny from senators and former governors. If it weren't for the parents, my school would be a great place to work.
 
Devil Doc said:
Try teaching in the closest public school from DC. The 10th largest district in the country with progeny from senators and former governors. If it weren't for the parents, my school would be a great place to work.
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Senior, you ain't right son. [emoji23][emoji23]
 
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Things this Soldier would never do regarding my son's process to enter an academy:

1. Turn over all guidance reference the process to a complete stranger.
2. Open an application.
3. Enter a single item into a portal.
4. Communicate with teachers/counselors.
5. Tell him to cut his hair. :)
 
This started out as a question about whether a kid should get a haircut before arriving, which some might like to know, and has devolved into helicopter parents...and application openings? Too funny.
 
I think that these things go off the rails here because so many of the original posts seldom get even a single reply back from the OP.
This one wasn't quite like that, in that the OP responded back that it was a "tough room" and never posted again.

I get why he might have thought about it that way.
Most of the long-time posters (like @OldRetSWO - 5 year member but goes with quality of posts over quantity) will try for a little levity now and then, but it doesn't come across all the time in text.
If you've ever been in any military branch for any length of time - you can read the levity - but if you're new to this, it may seem a bit terse.

Collectively, I think we're at least a little sorry about that.
It's difficult for a lot of us to see the standard civilian point of view, even though many of us have been civilians longer than we served.

Back to our regularly-scheduled program.

I think that if they want to cut their hair right down to the scalp, then they should.
If they want to go to I-Day with a glorious mane - worthy of Woodstock- then they should.
Whatever they do, it should be what they want to do.
 
THParent said:
I think that these things go off the rails here because so many of the original posts seldom get even a single reply back from the OP.
This one wasn't quite like that, in that the OP responded back that it was a "tough room" and never posted again.

I get why he might have thought about it that way.
Most of the long-time posters (like @OldRetSWO - 5 year member but goes with quality of posts over quantity) will try for a little levity now and then, but it doesn't come across all the time in text.
If you've ever been in any military branch for any length of time - you can read the levity - but if you're new to this, it may seem a bit terse.

Collectively, I think we're at least a little sorry about that.
It's difficult for a lot of us to see the standard civilian point of view, even though many of us have been civilians longer than we served.

Back to our regularly-scheduled program.

I think that if they want to cut their hair right down to the scalp, then they should.
If they want to go to I-Day with a glorious mane - worthy of Woodstock- then they should.
Whatever they do, it should be what they want to do.
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Thanks for the post. There were some responses that certainly answered the question posted and for that I'm appreciative. I included the "that 70's show" reference to tip off readers of the actual levity of the question. The topic has not seriously been discussed between myself and DS. It's a bit of a running gag between us. I know that he reads these forums now, and figured he'd get a kick out of it, and maybe some good advice in the process. I'm so damn proud of him I couldn't care less about the length of his hair.

To the thread itself, I decided to let it die out after it devolved into helicopter parents, thin skin, and other meanderings. (So much for letting it die out, huh?).

These message boards have been a wealth of information since I found them. To be completely frank, the posts that seem to be the most trivial or off the wall, tend to have the best insights.

Thanks for all of the replies. Now, DS, if you're reading this, Cut That Hair!!! (I'm totally joking).
 
If he does decide to stay shaggy until I-day, he will have a better chance of making the highlight video. The photographers love it when a kid with a bushy surfer mane or a big fro gets buzzed!
 
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