Announcement Party!

kamajama

kamajama

10-Year Member
5-Year Member
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Jul 16, 2008
Messages
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While my son was at USNA for a visit last weekend, the letter came. His final qualification-dun dun dunnnnnn-The Nomination. We didn't open the letter though. I wanted it to be more special than just opening the daily mail. I made sure it was good news online, and then I planned a catered dinner and invited everyone who was a piece to the puzzle...teachers, coaches, friends, family, registrar, etc. He showed up at the house totally surprised and had no immediate idea why everyone was here. Then we gave him the letter and his official blue folder to read aloud. It was very emotional and memorable. He will never forget the moment he got the good news. Good luck to all of you who are still waiting.
 
cool! i wish i could cater out (with some chinese!)...
 
Congratulations! It's a special moment that you and your future mid will never forget.

My suggestion: Between now and I-Day really focus on spending time together as a family and enjoy time with your son. The real shocker for parents at I-Day is that your child is no longer yours and belongs to the Navy. Your acess, communictions to your mid after I-Day will be severly limited. The next six months are golden moments you will never get back use them wisely.
 
Also remember that your Son needs to spend time with his friends. He will be the first of the gang to leave for college. He will get melancholy about that more than leaving you. Understand it is their way of letting go.

What you did was very nice for you and your about to be Midshipmen. It sounds like it was a very nice event and very special for your Plebe to be and guests.

On the flip side: For others that see this and want to follow suit make sure that it would be what your son or daughter would want. Mine would not have. He would have been a sport at the event but he would have been disappointed that we stole his thunder, that we told people before he had a chance to digest the information, before he had time to celebrate with his family, that we informed those who played a part and he did not get the opportunity to announce his success to the world. We all support our applicants, appointees and Midshipmen differently, just make sure that you take the lead from the one who applied, earned the appointment and is living it.
 
kamajama said:
While my son was at USNA for a visit last weekend, the letter came. His final qualification-dun dun dunnnnnn-The Nomination. We didn't open the letter though. I wanted it to be more special than just opening the daily mail. I made sure it was good news online, and then I planned a catered dinner and invited everyone who was a piece to the puzzle...teachers, coaches, friends, family, registrar, etc. He showed up at the house totally surprised and had no immediate idea why everyone was here. Then we gave him the letter and his official blue folder to read aloud. It was very emotional and memorable. He will never forget the moment he got the good news. Good luck to all of you who are still waiting.
Click to expand...

Congrats!!!

Tumwater??? like in Washington State???
who did he get his nom from?

my daughter got hers from Congressman Smith's office, but still havent heard from Senator Cantwell...
 
Agree with NativeTexan. MY son, if and when that appointment package comes would not be too thrilled if we opened it before he did or withheld this news to plan any sort of celebration. Even if he was out of town. I thought some sort of surprise celebration would be cool, he definitely did not!
 
Wow. Way to deflate kamajama's enthusiasm.

Congratulations on giving your son a great celebration, kamajama. Each of our kids is an individual, and I bet your kid loved your event.
 
I don't think anyone intended to deflate her enthusiasm. Just reminding everyone that sometimes what we want, the kiddos are less enthused about. I would love to do a big party. All of us have different kids, different families, etc. Hearing about how everyone celebrates, whether Mamma hugs the mailman or the kid hears at school or a big party is fun for all of us. And I for one, would love to hear how the news arrived and was celebrated at other homes!

I told hubby I wanted to put a banner on the gate at the highway ( we live in rural west Texas) that son would see on the way home from school IF his dad or I got the appt package first. He mentioned one day before leaving on an out of town trip that we had better not withhold this news should it arrive. A banner would require a day or two to do, so, maybe not!
 
I am going to let my son get the mail from now on so he can be the first to see the envelope if and when it finally comes.
 
This is always an interesting topic. We all do want to share the excitement. This will come up a lot when we get towards the honors assemblies.

All of us have different families and parenting styles and they work for our families. I am sure the event was a lot of fun and appreciated by every one including the Plebe to Be. For all we know, this young man did not mind as in the end the news was he has an appointment, he just received it "differently."

I think though that NT and jenny have good points that we all should remember. This is really our kids news and we need to respect that it is. Each of your kids that receive the blue folder will have a different reaction. Some ecstatic, some relieved, some excited with apprehension, and everything in between! Do not be disappointed if your kids reaction is not what you had dreamed it would be.

Mindy that is exactly what we did as the civilian colleges like to announce it on the outside of the envelop!
 
Now I see where you posted. (I am new at this) Of course I considered my son in the planning of the event. We are very close and I knew he would love it. He was very honored to have everyone here and take time for him. All of the parents obviously need to take their child into careful consideration and make sure it is how they would want it. To each his own. My son had his appointment in July and his medical clearance in July, so the nomination was all he was waiting for. He also just had total faith that he was going to get the nomination. There was no question in his mind. So, the nomination wasn't really a surprise to him, it was the fact that everyone was here. Every candidate will have their own story and there is no right way to do it.
 
It was a good idea. If a kid was ever mad about that....you should just spank him in front of everyone...
 
Yes I know about the family time. My oldest son is 2500 miles away and we cherish all the time we get with him. Now they will both be 2500 miles away. I think I have to move to the East Coast! We have already scheduled a trip to Hawaii with the whole family in the ever so small window of time that we have with him. We have a special needs child so we have always put family on the top of our list. Plus being a 3 sport athlete, all of our time is spent with him at competitions already.
 
I am confused now too - Appointment in July but nomination not until now?
Did you mean LOA in July?

How does this work when the first admissions board was in the end of August? The director of admissions stated this at the Parent Club Conference in September.

Just curious...
 
Actually a kid would have every right to be upset. To put them on a public pedestal and present them with their appointment that would have been address to them and not allow them the opportunity to make a decision about the how and when to tell everyone. Why would they not have a right to be upset. Are they not afforded the same right to privacy as we are - including opening their own mail?

I also have a question - if it was the nomination that just had arrived how did you already have the blue folder? Typically that is the last thing that arrives, after all the boxes are checked on the LOA.
 
I didn't open his mail. He did. It was a LOA sorry...don't have the lingo down. His LOA was dated July 25th. His interview was in December, so the nomination letter came mid-January. Once the nomination was posted online I was told about the blue folder that would be coming by a father whose son is a plebe this year. The envelope with the folder happened to arrive the day before the party. You know this is ridiculous. It wasn't a public pedestal...it was him surrounded by all of those who love and adore him. We are from a very tight community. I am surprised that you all have such negative things to say to someone whom you don't even know, nor do you know the kid. It was a great party, he loved it...and duh...I would never have had the event if I knew he wouldn't love it too. Enough said. Seriously!...Good luck to all of you, and I am sure that you will all do what is appropriate for your child.
 
Until they are 18 years old and living on their own, I would put too much stock in the "their privacy like us". If the kid is paying the $3,000 on his own, sure, and if he's paying rent to live in his house, sure, but come on people, do you really think his mother did not know what he was going to pick?

This is turning into a Lifetime Special "you never respect my privacy...I want to go to Hippie School! You ruin everything! I hate you" and then the 16 year old girl runs into her room and slams it shut.

If you don't like pedestals, I would suggest not attending a service academy. The very fact that "ServiceAcademyForums" exists create a "pedestal" for both the institutions and the cadets/midshipmen who attend them. CNN, Fox, MSNBC cover the graduations, and commentators talk about "blah blah this class enters wars, future leaders, heroes, blah blah".

It's part of wearing a uniform. That pedestal will exist, people will give you weird looks and you'll feel some of that pressure.

Here we are, as if people here are the experts on Academy Acceptance, ripping apart a parent's plan to celebrate, with those who had a hand in making it possible, with her future service member. I suspect some of this arrises because some people are still waiting to find out and feel the pressure, and maybe annoyance that someone else is able to celebrate. Don't take it out on her.

Some, many even, would love celebrating their #1 pick with the guidance counselor who helped make it possible, the teacher who provided a recommendation, a coach who assisted in the physical preparation. I would hope that at that point, when all of that work culminates into the first step (of many steps) to attending a service academy, someone wouldn't forget all of those important people who supported them and invested their own personal time and energy in making it possible.

Good job Kama. I think it sounded like a great event, and I'm sure your kid won't forget it. :thumb:
 
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