Army mom's of teens

[Anonymous]

How do teenagers feel about their mothers being in the Army? Do they mind moving around? I have a 12 year old daughter who does not want me to join because she does not want to move? Please give me some advice. I am a 30 year old female in the process of joining. Just waiting for a wavier to be approved. Can someone help me with this situation?

sky30hi30@aol.com

[Anonymous]

Each child is different. Where some will look at the military as an adventure, others look at it as the end of the world as they know it. Of course she won't want to move if this is the first time she's ever moved, but kids a resilent and can surprise you.

Moving in a military enviornment is something kids who are already in the military families are used to. Because they have already been through it they are a lot more open to the new kid on the block. It's not like coming into an enviornment where kids have been there all their life.

My teenager thought is was too cool that his Mom wore combat boots. It exposed him to a world he had only read about. He loved ever minute and hated that I retired.

The best advice I can give you is have her read through some of the military sites that explain what each post can offer. Appeal to her sense of adventure. It's an unknown, so of course she's scared. Explain to her exactly what you are doing as far as your job goes. Explain to her about seperations and deployments. The main thing is keep the lines of communication open. If you don't shut her out, she won't shut you out. Given time she will probably change her mind.

[Anonymous]

Well, i wasn't an army child but my dad had a job that had us moving a lot while i was growing up. For me i hated it, but i was a lot younger than your daughter, the first time i moved i was five, then seven, then nine, then fifteen. When i look back it is really hard to remember being little, and it really hurt my learning (and my two older brothers) because each school is at different places and it isn't easy for kids to compensate, i am now a senior and i am horrible at long devision, my oldest brother (now 22, active infantry) isn't very good at reading and his spelling and grammer...well suck. Only i can read his letters. My other brother jus has learning problems all around because he wasn't the kind to adapt, he just gave up. As far as her hating u, well that depends on how resillient your daughter is, the first thing i learned everytime i moved is that people are different everywhere. I don't know where u r stationed but i am going to be real for u because this is how things r now a days in middle and high school. If u live up north you have your rich upper class witchez (seriously) then u have your middle class girlz, and then u have the lower class scuz. They all have their own attitudes and can be really harsh on a girl. If u move to the south were there are more races, the money and clothes don't matter and she will probably fit in fine. i'm not saying its all bad, when i moved to florida,it was durring the summer and we lived i an apartment, so there weren't any kids and that time not knowing anyone got me and my mother close, we are now like best friends and i can talk to her about anything, sex, boys, school, drugs, it doesn't matter. I think the best thing u can do is to talk to your daughter about it. Ask her, and let her know how u feel. GOOD LUCK C/2lt. Suzie

suzietremblay55@hotmail.com

[Anonymous]

: Paula: I was hoping I could ask you a few more questions on this subject. Please let me know if I may.


sky30hi30@aol.com