<p>We have some MD relatives who may want to join us at I day activities. I'm sure that this is ok, am I correct?</p>
<p>Yes, anyone can attend. However, be sure to check the Academy website so you know the schedule of events and approx. timing. If you relatives show up after your son has started processing, then won't get to see him until later.</p>
<p>Anyone can attend but your guests may want to consider how to handle young children if they have any. The weather can be very hot and humid plus there is not much to keep young kids interested in on the yard. You may have 6+ hours to kill from the time your mid goes through the door at Alumni Hall and the next time you see them at the swearing in ceremony.</p>
<p>Last year it was 95 degrees & 95% humidity. Felt sorry for the 2-5 year olds and their parents who did their best to endure that.</p>
<p>There will be no young children, and they would not come for the entire day, just for the late afternoon and swearing in. I figure we can connect by cell phone and just meet up at the visitor center. Thanks for the info!</p>
<p>Anyone can attend.
We had a group of 26... plus one little pup that was not to be left behind! (in retrospect, we should have arranged for a sitter at home, but you live and you learn!!) Anyway, our little Annabelle proved to be the most comfortable of our group---she stayed nice and comfortable in her (air-conditioned no less!) stroller...while the rest of us melted in the heat and humidity!!! She even made the front paper of the Capitol dressed in white works of her own!!!!</p>
<p>Discounting the pooch, the youngest in our group was 12- not sure how anyone younger will fare, but would give second thought to the heat and humidity and take that into consideration when making the guest list!</p>
<p>Some things we found helpful for managing our group:</p>
<p>-small bags packed with water (2 bottles per), granola bars, life savors, peanuts, chips ahoy cookies, etc....provided for everyone- and be sure to include some sun-screen wipes!!!- easier to apply than the bottled stuff! We had the bags distributed the "morning of " at the hotel- who were very accomodating in freezing our water bottles for us, allowing them to "melt" as we carried them and kept everything nice and cold! We put one of those insulating jackets on the bottles (which we purchased on a previous trip to the yard)- it worked out well despite the heat!</p>
<p>-we included a listing of the day's schedule, and starred the ones we would be attending</p>
<p>-we also included a "personal fan" in each bag.. a little battery operated thing that hung from a string from around your neck- and with a little spritz of water from a spray bottle that we brought, (scented with a little lavender) -when used with the fan it provided a lovely cooling and refreshing mist!!!</p>
<p>-we included a ticket for a tour of the academy for first-time visitors (which some opted to do the day prior to I-Day, some the day-of) (with a group our size, I was able to book ahead to get our own tour guide and a discounted rate!) </p>
<p>-we also included a map of annapolis and a map of the yard. On the former we circled the location of the hotel and where to get the shuttle bus to-and-fro (it allowed us to skip the stadium parking all together!)--- and on the latter, we marked restroom locations as well as "cool spots" for a reprieve from the heat (dalghren, the museum- closed for now, the chapel, etc), as well as a noon meeting spot (for lunch) and notation where to meet on Stribling after the oath - even though we were all seated together, exiting T-court can be crazy!</p>
<p>-we also included a disposable camera for everyone.....and got some great shots of our plebe from all different parts of the day.... his sister even managed to get one from outside Alumni Hall where he was learning to salute!!!</p>
<p>-most importantly, we went over the "protocol" with the group at the "last supper".... meaning, "no signs of recognition" under any circumstance, no "calling out of his name," no waving, etc, etc, etc..... we stressed the importance of not singling him out under any circumstance, and the group took this to heart! </p>
<p>-we booked lunch in town for the "day before," a "last supper" for the night before, and dinner for the "night of". If I had to do it again, I would have scrapped the last dinner after the oath of office and opted for take-out at the hotel we booked for everyone--- after the emotions of the day, the heat and the walking, everyone just wanted to kick off their shoes, take a cool shower, and sit back with some good company and a nice glass of wine!</p>
<p>-during I-Day itself, the group split up- some to the Midstore or gift shop, some of the younger cousins keeping vigil with the gf outside alumni hall to catch a glimpse.... others sitting outside bancroft hall for the same....(everyone texting everyone for any and all sightings!)</p>
<p>-on that note, be sure to include (in the bag) a listing of everyone's cell phone number..... you would be amazed at how many "sightings" we had reported during the day, from our group scattered all over the place!</p>
<p>-grandma (we had 2) reserved seats early in T-court....and managed to find 26 of them in the very first row! (if you opt to do this, then pack an umbrella- the heat and sun reflecting off the bricks and buildings gets intense).... thanks to Nana (who was determined not to miss spotting her #11 grandson) we had great seats and on the "correct side" of T-court!</p>
<p>-speaking of grandmas.... if you are taking elderly parents, do consider providing a wheelchair for them--- the walking and heat gets to be a bit much...just make sure you have a few "designated drivers" for pushing those things around, as well as a few relief hitters!!</p>
<p>-as a "final thankyou" to our guests, we had a picture of each group (aunts and uncles, gf, sister, cousins, grandma's) etc... take a picture with our newly minted plebe, which we framed and sent as a "thank you" for sharing the day with us. We hope to do the same come commissioning- God willing!</p>
<p>Having said all of this-
this is what worked for 2010.
It was a very different environment on the yard- families were welcomed, and there were even bleachers set up outside alumni hall for those wishing to wait. </p>
<p>Things are very different now, and it is hard to say what will be set up, if anything. The best advice that we shared with our group was to use discretion....and that I would pass on to anyone attending this year as well.</p>
<p>Best of luck! What a day!!!</p>
<p>oh... we also packed a big box of tissues. ;)</p>
<p>^^^not to sound disrespectful, but don't you think that some of the things you do are a bit, oh I don't know, overboard??</p>
<p>Every family is different-and I don't think it was overboard at all--we have a group about that size, and your ideas are GREAT!!</p>
<p>Thank you!!!</p>
<p>
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^^^not to sound disrespectful, but don't you think that some of the things you do are a bit, oh I don't know, overboard??
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</p>
<p>you think???</p>
<p>hmmm....</p>
<p>you should see my plans for commissioning week!!!! :)</p>
<p>I guess in the business I am in, I have developed a true appreciation for "celebrating every day" and making everyone of them count!!! </p>
<p>Anyway, why NOT celebrate???!!!!!</p>
<p>Wow navy2010, I am so impressed and I am going to borrow some of your ideas! Thank you!</p>
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<p>Just thinking of the 12 sets of parents that had to stand in all that heat and humidity because one family had staked out 26 front row seats.</p>
<p>It is perhaps abuses such as this which is causing the present administration to be less accommodating to parents.</p>
<p>AMEN. That's exactly what I thought when I read that.</p>
<p>I concur...</p>
<p>navy2010: when you make your June Week (cannot bring myself to say commissioning week) plans, remember to plan for inclement weather, when only the parents are allowed to attend graduation due to seating constraints. I too would have to say it was wrong to take up 26 seats. You should have taken only 2.</p>
<p>I don't think we'll give out disposable cameras, nor take that many front row seats, and we're not doing dinner the night after oath, so I think we're going to pick and choose from the ideas of that family.</p>
<p>But packing snacks and drinks for everyone is good. Giving maps to those new to Annapolis is good, especially marking cool/break spots, so people can go their own way all day on I Day and meet up again later. Giving everyone a list with everyone else's cell phones is good. We have people from Annapolis meeting up with us at various points during the day (including new sponsor family), so a general itinerary and maps and cell numbers for out-of-staters are just good planning.</p>
<p>Pictures of everyone sent as thank you notes is also good.</p>
<p>We have grandmas and parents and friends and brothers and sisters (new plebe is only 1 of 6 kids in our family). </p>
<p>So I think advance preparation makes a good time for everyone, and keeps the day as stress-free and confusion-free as possible. People think we're overboard sometimes too, but with a bigger family, it's either plan well and enjoy ourselves or don't plan and disintegrate into chaos. I prefer to plan well!</p>
<p>If I were about to start plebe summer and going to I-Day, I'm pretty sure I would just want my immediate family with me - my mom, dad, brother and sister. </p>
<p>Just remember that your child is going to be extremely nervous about what's to come for them, and they may not want a ton of people there watching them. Ask them if it's okay before you invite the entire extended family. It's the plebes big day and their wishes should be respected. That's just my two cents.</p>
<p>
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when you make your June Week (cannot bring myself to say commissioning week) plans, remember to plan for inclement weather, when only the parents are allowed to attend graduation due to seating constraints.
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<p>This is somewhat of a myth. There is a limited amount of seating in Alumni, but the ceremony is streamed to the stadium, where unlimited seating is available.</p>
<p>I know of plenty of people who brought 40+ people to graduation, regardless of the weather situation. Plus, the last time graduation was indoors was in 1970 something.</p>
<p>I don't know. I have a big Italian family as well and a lot of what we do is possibly overboard. But for I Day, the only people coming down with me are Mom and Dad. Especially after seeing pictures of exhausted plebes with their parents after the oath of office, I really wouldn't want it any other way (not to mention all the seats they would be taking up). And I for sure wouldn't want to be some photo exhibit having to take 26 pictures after 12 hours of carrying things around and being yelled at.</p>
<p>I guess everyone has their own comfort level. DD only wanted mom and dad with her. Dad was planning to swear her in personally, but we were so hot and tired by the end of the day that we opted to hang out on a bench and share a sandwich, instead. Your plebes are going to be pretty whipped; I would recommend picking up a sandwich (Drydock has good ones) or salad and lots of water, finding a quiet place to visit for a little while, then sending them on to the next phase of their adventure. Be sure to bring a towel or blanket to keep their white works clean!</p>
<p>I suppose that every family is different. And, it seems from the various posts that parents are MUCH more involved in the entire process than they were in my day. We didn't have parents' clubs, etc. and, for some mids, the ONLY time their parents attended any event was Commissioning Week. Not saying the old days were good or bad, just very different.</p>
<p>IMHO, I would low-key I-Day unless the plebe-to-be really, really wants a cast of many. Yeah, the Oath of Office ceremony is nice, but I-Day is not Commissioning Week. I was just going through some old pictures from my I-Day (in my parents' belongings) and they helped me recall that it was not a great moment. Sure, I was excited, but there are so many conflicting emotions that day and I'm glad only my parents came. I don't think I personally would have wanted throngs of people.</p>
<p>
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Just thinking of the 12 sets of parents that had to stand in all that heat and humidity because one family had staked out 26 front row seats.
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</p>
<p>Which, no doubt, could have included us had we not planned better.</p>
<p>The opportunity was there for anyone willing to arrive early, and someone has to be in the front row. Trust me, we were joined my many, many others, thus, the advice to "arrive early." And there are plenty of "front row" seats....we hardly made a dent! </p>
<p>From what I have heard, this applies to commissioning week as well- where seats are staked out as soon as the gates open at 7am!</p>
<p>
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It is perhaps abuses such as this which is causing the present administration to be less accommodating to parents.
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</p>
<p>Hardly. </p>
<p>I make no excuses, and no apology.</p>
<p>We have been blessed with a large Irish family, and we were honored that so many of them were willing to spend their time- and $$$$- to watch our son on I-Day. His grandfather who was a SEA-BEE could not be there, but his uncle (who found himself without that great dad) could be. His other grandfather who served in the USNA for 20+ years with a distinguished career could not be there (God rest his soul), but his wife- our son's "Oma," could, and at 5 foot nothing and in a wheelchair, the front row gave her a good spot to witness her grandson take his oath. His cousins- his sister- his girlfriend- people who have been present in his life since day-1.... we were honored that they came..... and they were "honored" to have been there. And from that first exposure, I now have 2 nephews wanting to "follow" in those footsteps. </p>
<p>Anyway-
different strokes for different folks. You will see lots of large family groups there, some Plebes flying solo, and everything in-between. Do what is right for YOUR family, and let no one deter you from your course. Isn't that what we teach our kids????</p>
<p>Damm the torpedos- full steam ahead!!!!
(there is a reason why the early bird gets the worm!)</p>