<p>Some comments to you enthusiastic Plebe-parents-to-be....Please don't plan your events for PPW only for what YOU want to do once you have your precious Plebe actually in your very own possession again. Many of them do NOT want to do anything but sleep - or talk on the phone to home friends. You have to feel their 'cues' as well as your excitement over seeing them again after 6 long weeks. Some families year after year have more of a struggle than they need, because the parents over-schedule the time, when the poor Plebe has had ENOUGH of someone else scheduling every minute for their first military experience and simply craves those precious hours to do NOTHING.</p>
<p>Ask away if this is a surprise or confusing - although a diligent digger on this forum will find this kind of theme cropping up every year for every class.</p>
<p>It's important when you see your plebe either on I-Day (before the Oath), during the summer if you 'happen' to be in Annapolis for a plebe summer parade or during PEP etc on PPW, don't, under any circumstances, call attention to your Plebe. Don't call their names, don't wave, don't try to talk to them and don't let them talk to you. You don't want to do anything that calls them to the attention of the Cadre in any way. Trust me , it won't just be your plebe who will suffer, but his/her entire squad. The up and coming Firsties (my son's class) who will be Cadre during 2011's plebe summer are tough and feel that things have been getting slack during the past PS's so they won't be putting up with a lot of the things that a few parents of the last two classes have been pulling.</p>
<p>putting up with a lot of the things that a few parents of the last two classes have been pulling.</p>
<p>What have the parents been pulling? Only thing I heard about was the "ruckus" over dropshots versus using the parents club web page to post pictues (PM me if that is better :))</p>
<p>Yeah, I was wondering this too...I wasn't there for I-Day but the PPW parent's, especially during that 'first sighting' on the friday at lunch formation - not a sound came from one parent's mouth - we all had been coached by our Plebes. I was actually quite proud of all of us!!</p>
<p>We had some parents in our parent's club that went to USNA for the Fouth of july. All the plebes watch the fireworks from the PEP field and these particular parents called their daughter over (she came...not good) hugged her and started talking to her. The Cadre had to come and get get her ( again not good). </p>
<p>Other parents actually told Cadre to get out of the way so they could get a picture of their plebe while he was in formation waiting to go into Bancoft on I-Day ( you can bet that plebe heard about it later). </p>
<p>Last year a mother continually emailed the company officer of her son's plebe summer company and caused some unhappiness for her child. </p>
<p>Another mom yelled out her son's name at a parade and his cadre (grading the company) were sitting right in front of her. The list goes on and on, but as I said, it's usually confined to a few parents but those parents can cause difficulties for more than just their own child. I think the fuss over the pictures was kind of silly myself</p>
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The up and coming Firsties (my son's class) who will be Cadre during 2011's plebe summer are tough and feel that things have been getting slack during the past PS's so they won't be putting up with a lot of the things that a few parents of the last two classes have been pulling.
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<p>Yeah, the last "REAL" plebe summer was your own. Where have we heard that before???</p>
<p>Probably every class since the class of 1845!!!!!!!!!! My uncle was class of 45 and he still can't get over the fact that plebes don't have to chop to class!</p>
<p>I feel like I'm drinking out of a fire hose. Oh, Lord help me! </p>
<p>I know my husband will sit on me, since I'll be standing up, waving, cheering, and making a general nuisance out of myself and my camera (dang scrapbooking disease!). My youngest son (16 yrs) will be wailing, "Mommmmmmmmm!" I shall be shunned.</p>
<p>I promise, on this date, that I will be a good Plebe mom and not speak unless spoken to. Amen.</p>
<p>You can always deny she's your mom. Then she may do what I do. Start talking birthing stories and such. Showing scars and stretch marks (I know, gross). That's always a winner in my house. </p>
<p>I'm checking into appropriate doggy downers, etc. </p>
<p>Your mom and I will be hanging out together, so I'll try and out-shout her, so you'll get off easier.</p>
<p>Hey folks...thought I'd check out the posts and see what's going on. And, fancy this, Y'all are talking about <em>exactly</em> what I've been doing! I came up with the same hotel list that Mom2Lola did, as well (we should become a Plebe Parent Research firm... Hey, it'd pay for our trips to the Yard). We're going with a bit of a strategy here (loosey goosey, but, heh...) Staying at Loew's for both I-Day and PPW (Marriott was either booked or too much $$ for the 3 less blocks to walk). We'll be there for M/Tu of I-Day week, but we thought we'd jet out after the 6pm farewells with our Plebe and head to Baltimore or DC for the night (working our way back north to home). (Of course, we'll be in a car, which is different than some will have). And, for PPW, we thought we'd stay farther out on Thursday night, drive in <em>early</em> for PEP on Friday, and have booked Loew's for the Friday/Saturday nights, and will again head out of town after dropping the boy off to the Yard on Sunday. I'm thinkin' we ought to buy a house in Annapolis central and rent the dratted thing out, EXCEPT for the events where we need to be there...
Hey...are we even eligible for gov't rack rates when it's our kids that are in?</p>
<p>$233/night. Decided we'd eat our breakfast elsewhere, thank you (like, maybe even out of a cooler we haul along with us...) There'll be four of us in the room (at least). Me, Dad-man, Plebe (when he can be), next up in line sister (unless she goes for summer school, or is rowing in California [she rows crew for UVM]). And, maybe, maybe, if I'm very lucky, eldest daughter, her hubby and a new grandbaby that'll be about 4 months (and teething) by then. Second thought...they should get their own room so our son can get some sleep!</p>
<p>And, Glitter, I will sign up to "control" your mom, but my guess is that the two of us together will be more trouble than you and my son together ever want to see... I see another boat-rocker in my presence...yes, I do...</p>
<p>Chopping is walking at a double-time pace and all plebes must chop the halls and square the corners in Bancroft and no hugging the bulkheads either. One more thing, plebes cannot walk on curved walkways in the yard or sit on the benches. </p>
<p>USNA1985- Please, AC in the Hall? The world as we know it is ending as far as my uncle's concerned. It's a game to think of all the 'mod-cons' the Midshipman have now, send them to Uncle, sit back and wait for the emails because they WILL come...fast and furious!</p>
<p>And, Nursey, I've gone for years on the theory that my kids embarrassed the blazes out of me for the first 10 years of their lives, and it's my sworn duty to hand it back in spades for the second 10 years. My kids also shrink at the "stretch mark" comments, but I swear, the Burlington Northern railroad has etched the map of their switching yards on my abdomen. Four babies later, and now in that "personal summer" phase of life...
My poor kids... (and hubby...) Oh well. We're saving on heat this winter <now kids,="" just="" get="" up="" close="" to="" mom="" and="" she'll="" throw="" enough="" heat="" off="" keep="" us="" all="" warm="" through="" the="" evening...=""></now></p>