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In light of observed changes and impact of the Coronavirus Delta Variant and out of an abundance of caution for our recruits, Sailors, staff, and guests, Recruit Training Command is restricting Pass-in-Review (recruit graduation) to ONLY fully immunized guests (14-days post final COVID vaccination dose).  

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Hi Moms. I need some advice please.

My future sailor hasn't yet left for BC but I wanted to get a jump on writing letters to be sent after he is at GL.

The issue is, I suffer from those very common afflications of Dads the world over - namely, Donttalkmuchitis and Acute Writeevenless.

Mom can't help me much on this one as I am widowed so I thought I'd ask the experts. I raised my sons myself since they were pre-teens and while we communicate well face to face, my skills drop off talking on the phone and sadly, are even worse by letter.

Any ideas for subjects or things to talk about when I write? I want to build up a supply of notes for him before he leaves because I know it'll take me a week to complete a letter so I'd better get ahead of it.

I've asked some of my women workmates but they just don't understand the BC experience and have suggested "Why don't you just text him?".

Umm, no, that won't work. :)

Thanks!

Tonypete

 

Views: 1914

Replies to This Discussion

Hello,

My daughter is in her fifth week of basic training.  She loves getting letters form me.  She can only send mail on Sunday, but she can receive mail everyday!  So,  I  mail a letter every day.  It can be difficult coming up with "stuff "to write about. Here is what I did..I took pictures with my daughter before she shipped...pictures of us doing the usual daily things that are special to us....dancing in the kitchen while we washed the dishes, making funny faces at each other in the car, wild hair when we wake up in the morning, midnight popcorn pigouts, covered in mud digging the garden,...stuff like that.  I insert a picture or two in each letter.  It helps get the talking going.  I dont have to write that much..a picture says a thousand words. I have received 3 letters form her so far.  She loves the pictures and flow of letters. She says  it has helped her adjust to the new routine..she is happy.

Hi Tonypete,

Another idea is to have blank cards at his going away party for friends and family to write him a note on that you can randomly send him at bootcamp while he is there. (They have blank cards with the flag on the front at walmart) I also sent some to my son from our dogs with blue food coloring dog prints on, sports scores, music that has come out, stalked his friends FB pages and updated them on some funny things they are up to... anything at all as you are their link to the outside world! My son only sent 2 letters back (lol and didn't even send the questionnaires back) but I just kept writing and he told me after PIR how much they meant to him! 

I love the cards at the going away party. Wish I would have thought of that for my Daughters party. For the record she never answers my questions that I ask her either but I do know she loves hearing from everyone!

 

I did the Index cards that friends and family shared thoughts, memories, or just words of encouragement. He loved it! And I kept Dollar store cards for a quick, "hey Kid I love you" and dropped those notes in for nights I was too emotional or just busy. 

Hi- I am new to the group, and I find the ideas here so helpful! I don't suffer from acute writeevenless - on the contrary, I suffer from chronic usually-I-write-war-and-peace-and-have-to-trim-it-down, otherwise known as acute (and/or chronic) verbosity.

I started writing daily, using my computer because my handwriting is atrocious, and I can type easier and faster. So I told my recruit our daily goings-on as the days progressed, and then realized some days were just plain boring and I had nothing to talk about but the weather and my garden - yuck! It'd probably put my son to sleep. But I love the idea of inserting pictures into the letter, so I take pics from my cell phone of things we are doing around the house - progress on the deck we are building, little brother playing xbox, working on our boat, even the dog sleeping on the couch. These probably mean more than anything I could say. It's like "Here's what we did today" so my son could feel like he didn't miss anything at home.

The wonders of technology. Isn't it great?

I always end my letter with a inspirational or motivational quote

Tonypete,

    I write to my Sailor Girl every night before I go to bed about everything & anything. Usually they are short notes more than anything. A lot of times it is just my everyday, going to work, came home, what did you do today, Oh guess who I saw, kind of note. At first she told me not to send so many so I decided to just send every other day. Today I get a letter "why haven't you written? I miss hearing from you so much!" For some reason she hasn't gotten my last letters & Christmas card. Trust me just hearing from you will mean so much.

My son has been at boot camp now for weeks and enough time to write/call. He loves hearing just about daily life here at home - something he wouldn't have liked normally. A lot of folks already have given you great advice.

Remember that he loves you and will just love to get ANYTHING from you whatever it is. I'd just write about your day. Even if you put a paragraph in the mail everyday once you get his proper address he will be thrilled when mail call comes.

One thing that I know I am doing as my son leaves in 17 days for BC, I have had a lot of feelings to deal with (as I am sure everyone has) - as well as my son - so I decided I am going to journal a little each day to let him know [a little] of the feelings I experienced, how I am seeing it through his eyes [maybe some things he may not want to share with me, so I won't worry ;)] and just things I've learned about the Navy.  I've been talking to him about different things that are going to happen and stages, and he has been really impressed that I have made the effort to figure it out.  It's funny, the other night we were at my in-laws spending time with them and he made a comment about a Navy site that he knew about but thought to himself, 'No, I'm not gonna tell mom about that' - then I found the Navy For Moms FB site and this site ON MY OWN may I add ;) - which has given me a wealth of information - then he said 'and YOU found it on your own' and smiled. I think it made him happy.

You will do great!  Since you are a man, you will understand the things that you need to hear as a man and what your son will need to hear.  As you, I want to make sure to have a pile of letters to send, so I have already started as well.  I know that this will be a difficult time for him adjusting, so I am keeping it on the light side.  [The journal I am saving for later, when I know it's safe for him to see].  :)

Hi Pete,

I have made copies of pictures and then use that paper to write my letter on. It may be a picture of my son with his childhood best friend or a picture of him fishing with his grandad etc. I just write about daily life and then write a little line to encourage him and tell him I'm proud of him. My son loves it and said it reminds him of when I used to make up bedtime stories. He said he reads a letter every night right before he goes to bed and then he feels at peace and can go to sleep. I'm thankful for that, because he's very family oriented, and it's hard form him to be away from all of us. 

Hope this helps and take care.

Hi, I wrote him as if he were sitting in a room talking to me. I thought about what I would say after work, he came in for the evening, whatever. He loved that I just gave him a run down of what was going on at home. {Lots of rain this week, Had to to run Pickle to the Vet for update on vaccines, your sister has been a complete idiot this week} Hope that helps

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