Emotions

[VFNDtoNavymom]

My son made the “I’m here” call last night st 11:30pm. It hit me that I am not going to hear is voice again for awhile. He is my 2nd child and the first one to fly the nest. His older brother goes to college but lives at home and he is going to miss his baby sister’s 13th birthday. She is not very happy about that!!!! It’s the hardest when I get home from work because he is not here to ask me how my day went and to just sit with me on the couch. I hope an adjustment to not crying anymore comes at some point. He actually found this sight for me before he left and told me to join. I am not sure how I remembered it because I have been a wreck since Sunday, when we left him at the hotel. I definitely know I am going to need the support from people who are going through this transition as well. Any advice would be great.

[5xMom]

Mine left 2 weeks ago today. That call, he was so tired and his shirt planned call just killed me. 

I think I am getting a little stronger because I am not crying all the time and I can go into his room some but I am driving myself crazy waiting for the form letter and 1st phone call.

The ladies on this site are just wonderful. So much information and experience that it makes me know I am not completely insane and have so many mamas support to help us through.

Hugs to you!

[VFNDtoNavymom]

Thanks

[1underGod]

VFNDtoNavymom.    I feel ur hearache :(  The next few weeks will be a time to grow in ur faith because God will carry ur child through the trials he's going to go through. At the end of BC u will see a stronger, more responsible n more mature young man than he was when he left home. Start writing letters of encouragement n support now so u can send them off as soon as the form letter with his address arrives. Buy cards n have family n friends write similar words of love n pride for his decision to join the military, other positive news from the community or in sports. I even asked some of my sons favorite teachers from elementary n middle school to write a note in a card just to surprise my son n bring a smile to his face. This week help u feel the love others have for ur son. This site really helped me to feel welcomed and supported during the MOST difficult time of my life! Here u can cry, laugh, get suggestions, ask questions and receive prayer from others who r going through, or have gone through, ur same situation. God bless u n your son and ur whole family. In God we trust. Amen

[VFNDtoNavymom]

Thank you!! God will definitely get us through this.

[partyofseven]

Hi VFNDtoNavymom,

Welcome to this site. This site will be your lifesaver in the months to come and after if you chose to stay on after PIR. The ladies on here are amazing, knowledgeable, and full of support and love. My Sailor graduated in Oct and I was a mess while he was gone. Lol It doesn't get easier but you will get stronger. You will be anxiously awaiting the box (of his dirty clothes) and you will be so happy to have it and you will cry to. And that's ok. Then you will wait for the form letter which tells you his division and ship number and when his PIR will be. You'll get a first phone call to. This usually happens around week 3 of boot camp.  Once you get that you can start sending him his letters. I wrote my sailor every day and I included pics and verses to give him encouragement and love and strength for him to get thru this.

I truly believe they go thru a culture shock as they don't really know exactly what boot camp is like. We are here to support you as you go thru boot camp with your sailor recruit. Some days seem harder than others and I just took one day at a time and tried to stay busy until I could hear from him. Writing the letters helped me tremendously. Be encouraging, supportive, and tell him how proud you are of him. The first call and letter will be hard as he will be missing you and the family. But it does get better and the next time you talk to him you'll be able to tell in his voice that he's doing better. 

God bless you and your family. 

[Lulubugg]

Girl I had separation anxiety bad when my daughter left. It got easier as days past. My youngest daughter missed her sister ALOT ! So we started making handmade cards with encourageing words, with anticipation of getting the “FORM letter” this was helpful and my baby girl and I got to spend quality & creative time together. Now she is PIR this Friday! I now I am saying “that went fast”’ ps I made cards for the recruits weren’t receiving letters. Great feeling to support our young recruits they are our future.
God bless

[belovedbyHim]

Welcome VFNDtoNavymom.  We haven't lost a mom to bootcamp yet. We won't start with you.  You are among family here.  Lots of the other moms have given great advice.  Write lots, read as much as you can, Ask all the questions you need (most of the info is in the files but I get that sometimes you just can't manage all the overload and some days you just can't even!)  This is Bootcamp for you too!! You have a whole new way of life to learn and adjust to. My son left the day before his brothers 16th birthday.  You can guess how that went over!! I felt bad because I couldn't stop crying no matter how hard I tried. He's been in for 5 years now and has another 4 years on this commitment.  I rarely cry now. (See ya later's are still hard!) One day you will wake up or come home and the sadness won't be so great.  Every day after gets easier, then you get to start looking forward to PIR and seeing him again!!
As for the Letter writing.... Write daily!!! Number your letters so he will know the order to read them.  Make sure that you DO NOT have glitter or musical/noisy cards!!! Do NOT send anything that requires additional postage over a single stamp.  You do not want to draw any attention to your SR in any way. Make sure you use both sides of the paper. They do not have a lot of space to store things so if space becomes an issue you can send a TYVEC Self addressed self stamped flat rate envelope to them.  They can mail these out, just not get them!!  Mail goes OUT only on Monday (they only have Scheduled free time to write on Sunday, but some need to study or sleep or go to worship so don't panic if you don't get many letters!) but they GET mail daily M-sat.  A mail petty officer has to be trained before they will get mail so DO NOT ask the recruiter for the address.  Mail will not get to them any sooner and the address may be incorrect since they may be moved during the early days. 
Keep your phone handy and charged at all times!! The first "social" call is usually week 3-4 but sometimes they need other information and you DON'T want to miss that call!!
The hardest but truest thing is that NO news is GOOD news!! This is the only time you will know exactly where they are and what they are doing!  After this They may not be able to tell you!  You can google Bootcamp Day by day for a great look at what they are learning every week!!! PLEASE NOTE-- The P-days have changed some.  They now have their first Physical assessment during P-days.  You will get the Kid-in-a-box first, then 2ish weeks later you will get the form letter.
You got this Mom!!! You raised a US Navy Seamen Recruit!

[Tracy]

I was upset my 3rd child had much the same thing as your son. We would sit and talk. I just kept telling my self one day less and that we could see each once he was out. And talk and text when he is in A school. I am traveling to PIR now hopefully he passes as we are Road tripping from Jersey to Great Lakes chin up. You will see your son soon we are all here for you
Bless Tracy.

[rhat562]

My oldest son went through boot camp last summer and now my youngest is at boot camp right now.  With my oldest it seems like I cried the whole first week.  It is a whole new normal to get used to but as the milestones, (the box, form letter, first call) it does get easier until the week of Battle Stations.  I was a nervous wreck waiting for the "I'm a Sailor" call.  I remember hearing his voice and bawling while at work.  This site has so much information and the ladies here are wonderful.  Ask anything and feel free to share your feelings.  We all have either been through or are going through the emotions and steps.  Do write letters everyday!  My first son said the letters everyday is what got him through boot camp.  I put a corny joke in every letter and by the end of boot camp his division would ask everyday what the joke of the day was.  Boot camp with my second son seems a little easier but now I am an empty nester, a whole new experience.  I am so  proud of my sons but it is hard to let go.  

[DramaSoul]

VFNDtoNavymom....Oh my....I remember being where you are right now. That was 6.5 years ago and yet I can remember it as if it were yesterday. You will get through this! My son is a Corpsman on his way to becoming an IDC (Independent Duty Corpsman) and then PA (Physicians Assistant) so he has decided to make the Navy a career. I have a t-shirt that says “Proud Corpsman Mom - It doesn’t get easier, We get stronger”. It is true. I miss him and I know he is doing what he is called to do. I have shed tears of sadness at missing him and tears of pride and joy at his accomplishments. It’s a roller coaster ride! Welcome to this adventure. What many people don’t realize is that when our loved ones join the Navy (or any branch of the military for that matter), we join as well. I saw a commercial recently for USAA that addressed this very thing....family serves as well as the individual who joined. Soooo...here we are! 

[B'sNukeMoM⚓️MMN(Vet)]

Hang in there!

[Phoenixmom]

Good Morning VFNDtoNavymom, Welcome to Navy Moms. How sweet to hear that your Son found this site for you, I'm sure he was looking out for Moms. I want you to know that you have come to the right place. all of us New and like me who have been thru it A year ago last week will help guide you in every way. I cant say it gets easier but definitely you will become stronger. I know I was a mess about a week prior to my Son Leaving and remained that way for a few more weeks, I felt like I was mourning my Son. I was afraid to Join this site because I was scared the Ladies would think I was insane (crazy) but this site helped me so much and I came to realize that others felt the same. What I did was I read alot, alot of what my Son will be going thru, what he will be doing after BC and so on.....Keeping busy is the key, easier said than done but it will help to not worry. Staying Positive is also a Key because we as Mother's need the strength to lift our Loved One's who are in BC, It is very Hard on them as well, with long hours and missing home so it can take a toll on them as well, You can begin writing letters of encouragement and number them to see how he may receive them, get his Buddies to begin writing also, make copies of pictures to send to him. If there is anything Ma'am that I can do for you please do not hesitate to ask and as you can see from below you have many by your side. Best wishes to you and your SR.