MomoftheMagik
5-Year Member
- Joined
- Feb 5, 2010
- Messages
- 403
mc46brpd...and others...if you did "boot" as enlisted, it seems Plebe Summer is a whole different animal. When we watched the Plebe Summer Company video, our enlisted son seemed pretty put out that his younger brother was actually allowed to SMILE during PS and TALK to his fellow Plebes...and do an obstacle course, and be by the water, and have people running around taking pictures of him, and etcetera ad nauseum...
Plebe Summer was just mildly annoying to DS, but he HATED his first semester. Second semester seems to be back to mildly annoying.
I do think the hardest thing for my son has been not being the 'big man on campus'. USNA is FULL of awesome kids (er, young men and women). Just being another one of the crowd...and actually struggling in some areas...was completely foreign to DS. However, HE had to work through that himself. He actually got angry with us, even hung up on us a couple of times, when we told him we had confidence in him, but I'm sure it was the right thing to say anyway. Please, parents, don't get discouraged if it seems like your child has lost his/her mind he/she will find it again...and it will be a new and improved model!
The best thing I think I did near the end of the first semester was to tell my son not to call me if he was just going to complain and get angry with me for being positive. That may not be the answer for anyone, but mine really needed to work things out on his own without having mom to whine to. I realized this when I thought about the fact that my older son had to go months with NO communication except a few letters. He grew up so fast, and I wanted the same for son #2, so I gave him some 'tough love'. It seems to be working. You will find what works for you and yours, too!
BTW, not all Plebes are as moody as mine has been on and off , but just in case yours is, know you are not alone and things WILL get better.
So excited for all of you and your Plebes-to-be...and NOT just because that means mine will be a Plebe-no-more! Welcome to the Navy Family!!!
Plebe Summer was just mildly annoying to DS, but he HATED his first semester. Second semester seems to be back to mildly annoying.
I do think the hardest thing for my son has been not being the 'big man on campus'. USNA is FULL of awesome kids (er, young men and women). Just being another one of the crowd...and actually struggling in some areas...was completely foreign to DS. However, HE had to work through that himself. He actually got angry with us, even hung up on us a couple of times, when we told him we had confidence in him, but I'm sure it was the right thing to say anyway. Please, parents, don't get discouraged if it seems like your child has lost his/her mind he/she will find it again...and it will be a new and improved model!
The best thing I think I did near the end of the first semester was to tell my son not to call me if he was just going to complain and get angry with me for being positive. That may not be the answer for anyone, but mine really needed to work things out on his own without having mom to whine to. I realized this when I thought about the fact that my older son had to go months with NO communication except a few letters. He grew up so fast, and I wanted the same for son #2, so I gave him some 'tough love'. It seems to be working. You will find what works for you and yours, too!
BTW, not all Plebes are as moody as mine has been on and off , but just in case yours is, know you are not alone and things WILL get better.
So excited for all of you and your Plebes-to-be...and NOT just because that means mine will be a Plebe-no-more! Welcome to the Navy Family!!!