I've stopped telling others about my kid's plans...

I'm sure some of you have encountered this....I find this so interesting - I can say that my daughter wants to go to MIT to design see-saws or to apply to Julliard to master her nose flute and all get the same reaction "ohh wow! Great for her! How exciting!" The moment I say "she focused into getting into a military academy" is like a wave of instant negativity. "Oh well, have a plan B because she won't get in" "They're so selective...why set her up for failure?" Or my personal favorite from earlier this week "oh...can you not afford to even send her to community college?" What? So now I just shrug my shoulders and say "do decisions yet" and keep quiet after that. My daughter loves it though - she loves being the underdog no one sees coming :)
Prove 'em wrong girl, then send out a pic in your dress uniform!
 
Auuuugh! Just went to lunch with some friends this last weekend who just don't get it. I know the lack of understanding is pervasive, but I struggle with it. The:
--"How's DS doing in the Navy?" He's at USNA. Great, loving it, thriving!
--"Did he deploy after finishing basic last summer?" Uhm, no. It's a military college. He's taking classes now. He'll go to the fleet after he graduates.
--"Our son got offered a spot at West Point, but he just threw the appointment letter in the trash. The military is not for him." Huh? Your son applied to Westpoint and for nominations and all? "Oh no, his grades and ACT were just so good, he got an unsolicited recruitment letter offering him an appointment." Uh.. gee, I have never heard of it working that way.
--"So he's just in college then?" Well, yes and no. There's more to it... (I think I need a *Not College elevator answer)
And so on. I know it's not unique, par for the course with some people. But I think this is why this forum and USNA social media are so popular: the energy and frustration of explaining. Ooof! (Thanks for letting me vent.)
 
"Our son got offered a spot at West Point, but he just threw the appointment letter in the trash. The military is not for him." Huh? Your son applied to Westpoint and for nominations and all? "Oh no, his grades and ACT were just so good, he got an unsolicited recruitment letter offering him an appointment." Uh.. gee, I have never heard of it working that way.

I feel your pain, @DKTKT

That's like those dirtbags who tell people that they're a "Marine", but they're so awesome that didn't have to go through basic or TBS. "Yeah, they said that since I was already a Spec-Ops-Black-Helicopter-Jumping-Ranger, that they'd just let me transfer to the Marines...."

Oh yeah? Sorry, DA, but you're a lying sack of...
 
DW actually caught grief from a lady at the gym because she had Naval Academy pants on. The lady started in on how she didn't think the kids should get free education and were taking advantage, etc., etc. And we live in DC! My wife just smiled and moved on.
 
LOlz.
Would have gone to town on the comment.
Heck, even my friends get an earful when they innocently mention the 'free' notion. People condescending would get the proverbial foot up the keister.
 
back in the day, when i finally got accepted to AOCS and had orders for Pensacola, i happened to run into a college acquaintance ( i wouldn't call him a buddy. he was a deadhead type guy who was closing in on graduation after 6 years and something like a 2.1 GPA.....). i proudly mentioned that i was going to AOCS then to flight school to fly in the Navy and he says "cool, i haven't been able to find anything for after graduation, i might have to do that too" (!) - i walked away mad, but i got over it

regarding 'FREE', i don't take offense if someone says "wow, you must be happy your son is going to USNA and getting college for free", mainly because it is free.
 
The moment I say "she focused into getting into a military academy" is like a wave of instant negativity.
I am appreciating our Denver community even more--not a single person in my DH or my work teams, neighborhood or community has said anything even remotely negative. A couple of people didn't know where the Naval Academy was or didn't know Marines are also commissioned out of USNA, but there's a pretty widespread baseline recognition that this is the training college for our nation's Naval officers; that it's really hard to get in; and they serve our country after graduating.
 
+1 @Therese_In_Denver

I live in the very "liberal" SF Bay Area and the vast majority of our friends and acquaintances have been highly supportive. Perhaps it is the history of Naval presence here, but I'm surprised that we have had such positive commentary.

After commissioning last May, we took DS to dinner while still dressed in his dress blues, and several total strangers approached to thank him for his "service" even though he had not yet begun to serve.

Times have changed.
 
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My dd has applied to both the Coast Guard Academy and the Merchant Marine Academy, waiting for a response from the academies. When she told my MIL that is where she wants to go my MIL said: "Is that you talking or your parents?" I know when my nephew said he wanted to be an accountant like his dad my MIL didn't say: "Is that you talking or your parents?" So frustrating ...
 
I shared our son's appointment to the USNA with my cousin, who is a mom of 2 high school aged kids, and one in college. She is also an educator.
Her response was, "where does he go to boot camp?". And, my favorite "which Naval Academy?". Shaking my head.
 
I shared our son's appointment to the USNA with my cousin, who is a mom of 2 high school aged kids, and one in college. She is also an educator.
Her response was, "where does he go to boot camp?". And, my favorite "which Naval Academy?". Shaking my head.
Last week I got the ole, "So what will he DO there?" - second time for that one, I think.
 
Read "Thank you for my service" on vacation. Mat is pretty funny.
 
At least you believe in your daughter. When I expressed interest into wanting to go to a service academy my mom had 0 faith in me. The responses she gave me "You do know how competitive they are" "You better have a good backup plan."
 
At least you believe in your daughter. When I expressed interest into wanting to go to a service academy my mom had 0 faith in me. The responses she gave me "You do know how competitive they are" "You better have a good backup plan."

Ouch.

Prove her wrong!
 
At least you believe in your daughter. When I expressed interest into wanting to go to a service academy my mom had 0 faith in me. The responses she gave me "You do know how competitive they are" "You better have a good backup plan."
😂😂 that is literally the same thing my mom said to me.
 
I shared our son's appointment to the USNA with my cousin, who is a mom of 2 high school aged kids, and one in college. She is also an educator.
Her response was, "where does he go to boot camp?". And, my favorite "which Naval Academy?". Shaking my head.
When they asked which Navy, you should have answered "The Russian Navy"
 
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