Help with Plebe Parents' Weekend 2021 info

No opinion needed...this is not the off topic forum. I do believe other services are not as forthcoming in terms of publishing their policies as the Navy has though.
 
Agree with above posters who recommend a low-key PPW. It's really about parent(s) and maybe siblings. This isn't the WE to bring the grandparents, godparents, aunts & uncles, BF/GF, school friends and a bunch of other hangers-on. There will be PLENTY of opportunities for that over the next 4 years.

Plebes want (in no particular order) to: eat food that doesn't come from King Hall, watch TV, play video games, listen to music, text/Skype/call their friends, wear civvies (in their hotel rooms only, of course), see/talk to their parents at leisure, sleep, be back every night on time, keep their uniform clean.

What they typically don't want to do: eat with you in King Hall, spend a lot of time touring you around the Yard, visiting the ship in the Yard -- basically anything on the Yard that isn't mandatory.

What they aren't thrilled about but will do to keep you happy: show you their room, take you to meet their Co. Officer/detailer, go with you to the MidStore.
 
Apparently we violated EVERY rule then. We brought grandparents and siblings, ate the lunch in King Hall. Had him show us Bancroft, went to the midstore with him. In our defense, we live a 16 hour drive away and missed I-Day. Also didn't bring him civvies to wear because he felt it was wrong and would not change out of uniform if we had. He won't sneak a violation. He was told by a BGO that you rate what you skate, but that's never been his personality. No Skype. But we did take him into D.C. Twice.

My point is, the academy experience is not a one-size fits all experience. Ask your mid. Get advice, but don't take this stuff as gospel of how you must do it.
 
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Midstore is a given. Comfortable clothes off Yard and in a hotel or house is not a violation just don't wander DTA in shorts and T-Shirt. School roommates came down by train for PPW and they had a great time together. Plebe wanted off Yard as soon as possible and did not want any of the Bancroft or King Hall crap. They do want to sleep, sleep and sleep. We had a group of siblings and friends so we did a house and they loved it. You can't do a grill in a Hotel.
 
AF6872 said:
They do want to sleep, sleep and sleep.
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Dad2020 said:
My point is, the academy experience is not a one-size fits all experience. Ask your mid. Get advice, but don't take this stuff as gospel of how you must do it.
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One size does not fit all, for sure. Case in point - our DS didn't sleep a moment with us. He showed us his room (mostly because he wanted to show off all the Gatorade he had stowed!), but wanted to get off The Yard ASAP, which we did. Like I said - lots of junk food, air conditioning (we had the room AC cranked on high the entire time!) and PS3 with his sister.
 
AF6872 said:
Comfortable clothes off Yard and in a hotel or house is not a violation just don't wander DTA in shorts and T-Shirt.
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We went round and round about this several places before the 2020 weekend. It's a violation, but inside the hotel and house no one sees them and so that's how they do it. It's up to your mid. They can't walk around the hotel lobby or in town or the halls, but in the hotel room no one knows.
 
Sandydesert said:
DS wanted to go to the multi-story Annapolis Mall just to walk around for an hour or so (in uniform of course) so that " I can remember what people not in the Navy look like".
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My son hates malls, but I'm willing to bet this would be an exception! Not making any specific plans but we are bringing our favorite family board games and his sister!
 
anne99 said:
My son hates malls, but I'm willing to bet this would be an exception! Not making any specific plans but we are bringing our favorite family board games and his sister!
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Yeah, being able to get sunglasses, eat at the food court - "so many choices!" - and the like may change his mind. Best advice given above - let your Plebe take the lead.
 
coachkarl said:
Yeah, being able to get sunglasses, eat at the food court - "so many choices!" - and the like may change his mind. Best advice given above - let your Plebe take the lead.
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Absolutely! While at the mall, he decided he wanted to visit the "retro candy store" ( sorry can't remember the name of it) that was on the second -floor-the place that sells all those childhood candies grocery stores no longer carry, has about 40 zillion types of chocolate, and offered unlimited free samples to USNA and their families!!!!!
 
This is a dumb question but a bunch of people mentioned getting sunglasses, do they not get sunglasses?
 
usnavynurse said:
This is a dumb question but a bunch of people mentioned getting sunglasses, do they not get sunglasses?
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Not a dumb question at all. The reason they want to get sunglasses is that, within certain parameters, they get to pick the sunglasses. They look for any way they can to differentiate themselves from one another and sunglasses are an easy way to do that. So are watches. My son has become obsessed with sunglasses and watches!
 
I always wondered why I have been a watch person... until just now I had never put that together. Thanks coach!
 
coachkarl said:
Not a dumb question at all. The reason they want to get sunglasses is that, within certain parameters, they get to pick the sunglasses. They look for any way they can to differentiate themselves from one another and sunglasses are an easy way to do that. So are watches. My son has become obsessed with sunglasses and watches!
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Thank you coach Karl, that all makes sense!
 
Dumb question.... can our plebes bring a watch to plebe summer? For some reason, I have been led to believe that that cannot have one.
 
Mdub71 said:
Dumb question.... can our plebes bring a watch to plebe summer? For some reason, I have been led to believe that that cannot have one.
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No. They aren't even allowed to have big clocks in their room until plebe summer is over.
 
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