Roller coaster I: Get You (The Parents) Through Plebe Year - Class of ‘27 🎢

[A1Janitor]

I will be honest… the discussion about OOM and grading on here is much longer than any conversation I had as a Mid. And my room mate was in the run for valedictorian. It was more about survival. Ensuring our friends were going to make it. And sitting with my friends on commissioning day and us being able to sit together is still one of my best memories and one I will never forget.

Honestly, I think almost all mids that graduate with distinction would prefer to sit with their classmates.

My son would have been 100% happier to sit with the Wolfpack. Although he did have friends seated around him (including one whose father posts here).

 

[NavyHoops]

Honestly, I think almost all mids that graduate with distinction would prefer to sit with their classmates.

My son would have been 100% happier to sit with the Wolfpack. Although he did have friends seated around him (including one whose father posts here).

100%. I actually think parents get more excited about than Mids.

 

[Don't Give Up the Ship]

I will be honest… the discussion about OOM and grading on here is much longer than any conversation I had as a Mid. And my room mate was in the run for valedictorian. It was more about survival. Ensuring our friends were going to make it. And sitting with my friends on commissioning day and us being able to sit together is still one of my best memories and one I will never forget.

My 23' Did and honors program and graduated with Merit (not in the top 100). He did well, but really seems to care less about doing well. He was about doing his best physically, mentally, militarily. Academics was not his interest. I dont know how they talked him into an honors program-he never even wanted to go to college...I guess in a big way he didn't. He recently finished Rescue Swimmer training and now is in BDOC....body surfs, runs, runs and does more running. Concentrating on his SWO skills that he is just starting to get into. Most of these future officers are a different breed.

 

[A1Janitor]

100%. I actually think parents get more excited about than Mids.

Not in my son’s case.

I sat in the brutal sun for many hours. While lesser family members and friends sat in the cool shade, enjoying the procession.

I did get to meet an SAF member, who sat next to me. Our mids were friends.

 

[NavyHoops]

My 23' Did and honors program and graduated with Merit (not in the top 100). He did well, but really seems to care less about doing well. He was about doing his best physically, mentally, militarily. Academics was not his interest. I dont know how they talked him into an honors program-he never even wanted to go to college...I guess in a big way he didn't. He recently finished Rescue Swimmer training and now is in BDOC....body surfs, runs, runs and does more running. Concentrating on his SWO skills that he is just starting to get into. Most of these future officers are a different breed.

That much running… he ain’t right…

 

[Don't Give Up the Ship]

That much running… he ain’t right…

His cousin, also in SanDiego just made O6 and runs 50 milers...

 

[IronmanDaremo]

My kid strives for success to get those weekends every 6 weeks ..... to go hang with his GF ...... ...... same thing as Plebe year.

He shares grades readily, even though I merely ask how he's doing in his classes. He knows that to get his preference for community, he needs to keep things going well. He's driven for that.

 

[mspeachintexas]

How is everyone doing? We have not been in the yard since PPWK. Our plebe hardly call us, he mostly texts. It seems like he is doing well, grades are good, got his first C and he felt a little ashamed about it. It is so hard to be so far and not able to visit. How do you parents stay involved? P.s. we have younger kids and flying our whole family to Annapolis is just pretty darn expensive!

 

[Capt MJ]

How is everyone doing? We have not been in the yard since PPWK. Our plebe hardly call us, he mostly texts. It seems like he is doing well, grades are good, got his first C and he felt a little ashamed about it. It is so hard to be so far and not able to visit. How do you parents stay involved? P.s. we have younger kids and flying our whole family to Annapolis is just pretty darn expensive!

You may want to go with the One Parent Visit Model. One parent flies out to spend quality time, next time the other parent comes.

 

[justme]

How is everyone doing? We have not been in the yard since PPWK. Our plebe hardly call us, he mostly texts. It seems like he is doing well, grades are good, got his first C and he felt a little ashamed about it. It is so hard to be so far and not able to visit. How do you parents stay involved? P.s. we have younger kids and flying our whole family to Annapolis is just pretty darn expensive!

Generally about midway through Fall semester, most plebes will have become financial gurus. So, lots of calls/texts about this day trading this stock or that one, which Amex card to get for the perks, etc. They have to find some way to turn that extra 10/month they saved into millions.

Still had some waldo hunts with the parades and march-ons. But, they dry up fairly quick in November. We also set expectations (hardly followed, of course) to talk at least one day during the weekend just to catch up, ask if he went to church even though we knew the answer, make sure he still preferred mom's cooking to grab/go meals, bulletin boards or spirit missions, bets, etc.

 

[mspeachintexas]

You may want to go with the One Parent Visit Model. One parent flies out to spend quality time, next time the other parent comes.

You may want to go with the One Parent Visit Model. One parent flies out to spend quality time, next time the other parent comes.

I think that’s going to be the way to do it. Now to decide which parent is going first

 

[A1Janitor]

@mspeachintexas Based on my analysis, dad.

 

[mspeachintexas]

Generally about midway through Fall semester, most plebes will have become financial gurus. So, lots of calls/texts about this day trading this stock or that one, which Amex card to get for the perks, etc. They have to find some way to turn that extra 10/month they saved into millions.

Still had some waldo hunts with the parades and march-ons. But, they dry up fairly quick in November. We also set expectations (hardly followed, of course) to talk at least one day during the weekend just to catch up, ask if he went to church even though we knew the answer, make sure he still preferred mom's cooking to grab/go meals, bulletin boards or spirit missions, bets, etc.

@mspeachintexas Based on my analysi

@mspeachintexas Based on my analysis, dad.

good thing dad is not in this forum

 

[LKNBrawley]

How is everyone doing? We have not been in the yard since PPWK. Our plebe hardly call us, he mostly texts. It seems like he is doing well, grades are good, got his first C and he felt a little ashamed about it. It is so hard to be so far and not able to visit. How do you parents stay involved? P.s. we have younger kids and flying our whole family to Annapolis is just pretty darn expensive!

We try to catch football home games and tailgate. Whenever he took a weekend, we stayed out of DTA. Even on the weekends, he is busy with homework and catching up on sleep. So we pretty much talk during meals whenever we visit.

 

[FatimaBlack]

Hey @IronmanDaremo, your kid sounds like a go-getter! Balancing school life, especially during Plebe year, and maintaining a relationship is no small feat. You must be proud of how driven he is, striving for those cherished weekends to hang out with his girlfriend.

 

[IronmanDaremo]

Being local, we get to see him more than most parents do. We can just drive down and meet him for lunch on a liberty period. So for him to want to spend all the weekends he takes with his GF, it isn't a big issue. It was more of a thing last year where we got upset, because we had to pick him up and drive him. Now, he can use his own car.

 

[MDhopefully2023]

How is everyone doing? We have not been in the yard since PPWK. Our plebe hardly call us, he mostly texts. It seems like he is doing well, grades are good, got his first C and he felt a little ashamed about it. It is so hard to be so far and not able to visit. How do you parents stay involved? P.s. we have younger kids and flying our whole family to Annapolis is just pretty darn expensive!

You are not along. Our plebe just got his first C and was not pumped about it. I can tell you he mostly texts as well and I might get a call here and there. I know they are very busy and adjusting to the rigor is not easy. I just try and chat about the work he is doing. We are not a military family so he is learning a lot about that side of it and frankly I'm am very interested in hear what he is learning. I keep encouraging him and letting him know I'm here for support.

 

[LT360]

You are not along. Our plebe just got his first C and was not pumped about it. I can tell you he mostly texts as well and I might get a call here and there. I know they are very busy and adjusting to the rigor is not easy. I just try and chat about the work he is doing. We are not a military family so he is learning a lot about that side of it and frankly I'm am very interested in hear what he is learning. I keep encouraging him and letting him know I'm here for support.

Trust the process....a mere 24 months I was in your same state of mind with my DS when he was a Plebe....lack of calls, busy academics, physical training, military obligations, home football and parades, illness, etc. DS could not get home fast enough for Turkey Day. However now he is a 2/C and still busy, still tough academics, still lots of obligations but he can handle it! We still go long stretches without hearing from him but then he gets over the hump and we hear from him everyday for a week!

Stay positive for them, ask what they need (don't offer to help), listen, encourage, and look forward to upcoming holidays.

Remember C's get degrees (& commissioning). Everyone starts at O-1 from the Number 1 in class to the Anchor person.

 

[MidCakePa]

We still go long stretches without hearing from him but then he gets over the hump and we hear from him everyday for a week!

Kind of like what happens when they become O-1s on active duty. DW has spoken to DD twice in the past week. Me…nada! I need to hunt my 2LT down and squeeze an update out of her.

 

[av8torx]

Being local, we get to see him more than most parents do. We can just drive down and meet him for lunch on a liberty period. So for him to want to spend all the weekends he takes with his GF, it isn't a big issue. It was more of a thing last year where we got upset, because we had to pick him up and drive him. Now, he can use his own car.