I am LMAO off right now.
My warrior is 49! He flew fighters for 20 yrs! I was the one that took his blues, or mess dress to the cleaners for 20 yrs. That meant I was the one that made sure all of the pockets were emptied before handing it over. I was the one washing his bags when he was home.
~ What is so wrong with that? Are you going to say that the guy that flew F15 E's wasn't a warrior? The same guy that did Gulf I, ONW, OSW, OIF and OEF was not a warrior because of a laundry issue?
OBTW, I also had a career during many of those yrs., but not a career that demanded 12 hr days, unless you count being Mom in the home, and a career outside of the home too. Don't forget to add on being Dad when he deployed too. So don't try the 40 hr day, because that is a Mom''s job, 365 days a yr. Not whining, just stating the facts.
Now granted he could have done it by himself, but out of love, I did it for him to lighten his load. Did I place on the ribbons, and insignia? Did I shine their shoes No! However, I also did the dry cleaning run for my DS too when he would come home for any break.
I did not see anywhere in this post that the Mom went off to college with their kids. I think they know that their kid can dress himself.
I really think you are reading way too much into this. The parent was doing something out of love. The other reason not to read into this too much is the parent may also want to learn. When and what is appropriate regarding their military attire.
~ Before the leap of Helo parent. Let me say, many parents are not military, and IMPO by asking questions here it reduces the chance of them becoming a Helo. They already know the answer, and thus they don't bring it up with their child.
~~~~ Explain this to me, explain why not? Two days later they won't be asking again, why is it that you can't do that? Can you do this? Child:
I told you already!
Military members are so accustomed to their unique life they forget that it comes with it's own set of rules and language.
~ I remember returning home for a visit about 9 months after marrying Bullet. We were moving to his 1st op base. I can still tell you what the weather was like, what we were eating, and who I was with when I realized that I was living in a world that they didn't get.
This is what I said:
Bullet is TDY at SERE, and because of that we will get TDY enroute pay for our PCS from FTU, on top of our TLA and DLA. However, I don't know when that will show up in our bank account, because he won't get his LES until he reports. (Before the day of the internet) TMO picked up our stuff last week. so for a couple of nights we stayed in the Qs. Once we get to Heyford and depending on how long we stay in the TLFs, it may be in England within 6 weeks, or it may not. If not, we can go to the Family Support and they will loan us items from HHGs.
My best friend turned to me and said.
Pima, can you now speak in English to us!
It was already 2nd nature to me, because as a spouse, it was the world I lived in every single day. Yet for them it was not their world.
Just saying, for parents they are the outsiders now, and their intention is not to be a helo per se or coddle them. Granted there are helo parents. They are wanting to be for a few more yrs involved in their life, and start to understand what will be their life in a blink of an eye.
I have no regrets that I didn't force my DS, an O1 at UPT to man up when he came home from college. I saw it as this is his vacation time. He would be in the real world soon enough, and if he could for once sleep a little later, or not have to spend 2 hrs doing laundry or to the dry cleaners, than why not? Did your folks when you were in college at the age of 19 do your own laundry all of the time at home?
Nor, do I regret doing it for my DH while he was ADAF. FYI, he was a warrior not only in the AF, but did a tour as a Jump ALO with the 82nd. He was on a heavy bound for Haiti with the 82nd.
~~~ Yes, I still do to this day his laundry. I also do it for all of my kids when they come home from college. I don't do it for them at college. I don't dress them. I won't do it if I am not doing laundry and they want it. I do it out of pure love. Nothing more or less. Just like I make dinner for them too!
Done venting, and I hope you can now see it from another parent's/spouses perspective of love.
