bootcamp

[jessmom]

my daughter left today 12/12 for boot camp in great lakes  she is 21 years old but i feel lost without her already. it just feels so different then when she went away for college.i know there are many people that go through this everyday. its just so hard for me, i work with two people who have had their young men go away and i really dont think they felt the way im feeling. Im told by some of my family members that i need to grow up. she is a adult and this is the life she has chosen. i think its more that im not gonna be able to talk to her when i want to, and have her come home for those special occasions. when something does bother her i want to know that and be able to help her through those times and im not gonna be able to do that all the time. i do know i have to loosen those aprons strings but boy it sure is hard. as im writing this she is sitting at ther airport in harrisburg pa....plane leaves at 5:20 will arrive in chicago and from there take a bus to great lakes. the time zone is different there, she said it will be about 10:30 their time when she calls so i will make sure im up at 11:30 our time (new york). i will make sure i dont fall asleep at 9:00 tonight. i would love to hear from any mother whose child has left today for great lakes, im just curious how many mothers children may be with mine and from anyone that might beable to let me know that im not inmature about this in general. im very proud in the choice she has made to serve our country, its just gonna take a little bit of time to adjust to it.

[jessmom]

jessica was the one that signed me up for this website because she said that it would help me a lot. would have people to talk to and find out many answers to questions that i may have. jessica said that the way we would communicate most times is by skype, i cant wait for that moment. i just hope this next 8 weeks go by faster than time usally would. as we all know that probably isnt true. thank you very much for responding to me. not sure if i am sending responses the proper way. i did respond to someone else earlier and wanted to send that response to you also. oh well teresa failed at doing that...tried cutting and pasting didnt work, so im assuming i have to respond to each person individually. i am still interested to see if she has learned to make a bed yet. only few times at home in 21 years. thank you for your response   teresa

[SmoodysMom]

HI Liz, if you don't mind, where is your son deployed to? I am so worried about where my daughter may end up going, as a parent I am nervous about some of these places, I thought the Navy was the safest way to go. Just Curious.

[Concernedad]

LOL! One thing I can assure you, she HAS learned to make a bed (rack)

 

[jessmom]

that is so funny...i figured someone would for sure respond to that. thanks for the laugh. teresa

[Liz]

See!  It is getting better already!  And it was funny at the bootcamp graduation how the commander who was speaking said how at home these kids probably didn't get up until noon, etc.  But here they have get up before dawn and work hard all day.  The discipline has been wonderful so far.  When my son was in bootcamp he didn't call very much or write compared with my Army son who wrote books practically and drew funny pictures.  They call at odd times, sometimes in the evening or a weekday afternoon.  we always had our cell phones with in case we weren't home.  Also just a tidbit, she will fill out a form listing the names of all the people who will attend her graduation.  Make sure she puts all your names down. there was a mom at our graduation and her son put her name down, but not her husbands, so he had to wait in the standby line.  He did make it in.  You should get this in your form letter.

[tucker2]

I know how you feel, my daughter left Tuesday (12-12) also. I have 2 daughters; my sailor is my youngest and is the one I'm closest to. She just turned 18 in October and has never been away from home. I have been told the same thing about growing up and cutting the apron strings, but they don't understand the close relationship we have. As my daughter was growing up, we got in the habit of sitting on my bed after dinner and talking for about 45 minutes every night (even during the teenage years). She has only been gone for 2 days and I don't know how I'm going to get thru tomorrow. Leaving her in San Diego was the hardest thing I have ever done. This is something she has wanted to do for a while now and I encouraged her to do this. I know this is the best thing for her, but the night before she took the oath she had a panic attack about leaving home and I had to work really hard to not let her back out. I called the recruiter today hoping to get her ship information, I haven't heard back from him yet. maybe our girls are on the same ship.

[rhondaz5]

My 18 year old son left for BC 12/12.....I am an emotional basket case! I can't bring myself to clean his room....and it needs it bad lol....I just want things to stay like they are. I leave the porch light on for him every night. I keep looking at his facebook page, knowing he won't be posting anything. This is so hard!

[PopwouldbeProud Ship11 Div65]

Just an idea...I also was looking at my son's Facebook page just to feel somehow connected, and I noticed that lots of his friends were posting even though they all knew he would not see the posts for eight weeks.  I decided to copy/paste his wall into my letters (I cropped out a bunch of the stuff that's unnecessary) just so he could see what his friends were writing.  I know that Facebook withdrawal was one of the biggest problems my son would have! 

It has only been one week since he left, and I am missing him terribly.  You are not alone.  I cleaned his bedroom this weekend...it, too, needed it bad!

[Mary321 (ship 4 div 806)]

That is a great idea about FB!  i will try to do that too! He would love it!  My son left 12/12 too and I got his box yesterday... so weird to get it so soon... but I think it made me think of the progress he is making each day.  I cannot bring myself to clean his room yet - even tho it needs it! Maybe after Christmas!  Hang in there!  

[Texasproud6272]

My son is 21 he is married just lived a couple of miles from me ,I know he is grown now but he is my youngest son of 3 so he is still the baby,he left Tuesday 12/13 for boot camp,I know he is doing the right thing I am so proud of him ,he has been in collage for 3 years worked since he was 16 so he is a head strong person he knows exactly what he wants to do in life..I just feel so empty with him gone so far away with no contact .His wife is so lonely now ,she cries all the time their first  anniversary will be Jan 8 so he will not be here for that or Christmas so it is really hard to deal with this ....I have been reading a lot up on what the recruits go thru in boot camp so that is helping me a lot ....I know it will get better ,but right now all I want to do is cry all the time missing him so much !If there is anyone who needs to talk or share their feelings please  comment and I will respond ...I am so thankful for this site to be able to express my feelings ..God Bless Everyone !

[Paula]

My son left Jacksonville for the Great Lakes facility on the 12th also. It's just been the 3 of us (myself, my son & my daughter) for most of their lives so I, too, am having trouble with not being able to talk to him anytime I want or to ask him about what he's experiencing. Hopefully this site will help get us through it. Our kids are on their own. I know my son has what it takes and I'm proud of him, but worried, of course. That's what mom's do. My son called at midnight (our time) to tell me he was there and ok. I barely remember the conversation. I'm just glad for having gotten the call. He was being a "tough guy" and wouldn't let me give him a calling card. He's never been away this long and without technology (phone, computer) before. I hope he makes some lifelong friend's that will pull him through.

[Mindy4boys (ship 04 Div 806)]

My son also left 12/12. He is 18. I joined this site over a year ago when he became more and more serious about joining the Navy. It's one thing that has helped me LOTS. Just getting informed about all the different things our kids will be going through, and hearing it from other mothers has made me more comfortable now that he is gone. My husband, on the other hand, avoided the issue altogether, and when it got down to the last wire before our son left, he was having a very rough time with it. I plan to make him sit down with me and look at some of these discussions, so he will have a better idea as well. Also, viewing some of the Navy videos was and is still helpful to me. There are some good ones on youtube of boot camp, the best ones are the official Navy ones. I do miss my son very much. He is our youngest, and although we expected him to leave home at some point this year, it is quite different than going off to college. I can't wait to hear all the stories he has to tell about his experiences. Get on this site as often as you need to. We are the only ones who truly understand what you are going through.