Any other poolees have parents that do not support ?

[Oohrah Devildog]

Hello fellow poolees,
I have a question does any ones parents not support there decision to leave for the Marines. If so how are u going about leaving for boot camp ?? My mom is scared but supports me my father on the other hand told me if I leave to never come back home that I am dead to him right there and then <- awesome right lol. any one have suggestions ?

[EastofWest18]

I am in a similar situation. My father and his family support me, but my mother (divorced) is now following up every sentence about the future with "but you won't see that, you'll be dead."

The way that I deal with it is by saying "I am an adult. I have chosen a path that, while maybe not your favorite, I would not have been strong enough to pick if you hadn't raised me to stand up for my principles and what is right."

While that did not make my mother accept my choice immediately, it did make me feel better.

Now for a piece of information that may make you feel better... when I talked about doing this for the first time she said I would be dead to her if I ever did join. When I told her I signed the contract now (2 years later) she blew up, but still wanted me to stay at her house that night (I live many states away and was visiting my home city to tell my family).

The fact is that your parents might say a lot of things to try to make you re-think your choice, but in the end of the day you are their son or daughter and they will probably not disown you. That is my hope anyway.

Give your father some more time to cool down, and don't be surprised if cries the morning you leave, writes you while you are gone, and either shows up to graduation or gives you a huge hug when you go home for the first time in 13 weeks.

[Borknagar]

Yes.

You are an adult now, and you need to take charge of your life and make your own destiny... This sounds like from some cheesy urban movie, but yeah, parents will directly or indirectly try to scare you, change your mind, so don't mind what they say - if they won't support their child with a big step, then I guess they need some time off...

EastofWest pretty much covered it all! If it's what you feel is worth doing, then just do it (like the Nike slogan)!

[Yonkers]

Well, when I was 17, my recruiter kind of snuck it in with my parents... he got them to sign the papers to take me up to MEPS... and the rest is history.

My parents tried to do the whole "I'm not going to sign for you if you act like this" bit, I told them flat out "That's cool, I don't even need your signature anymore". So mom cries. Dad gets mad. I get in trouble. For some reason it hurts my parents for them to lose their power over me?

[sparkie]

HAHAHAHAHA,,,,,,, In '69 my dad said go,,,,, my momma cried. One parent signed those days. I was 17 those days. Remember,,, I graduated H,S, those days.

[Poolee Redding]

Yeahh my Dad is supportive, but my mom said she would "break my legs" if i joined the Marine Corps. Whenever i show my father some funny things like Drill Instructors chewing up a recruit at boot camp my mom comes strolling in and always has to say a rude remark about the Marine Corps, but nothing will stop me from joining because this is my future...

Poolee Redding

[MGonzalez91]

The fact is that your parents might say a lot of things to try to make you re-think your choice, but in the end of the day you are their son or daughter and they will probably not disown you.

I agree, my mom has been fighting me on joining the military since i was ten, they may say alot of hurtful things but most of the time they dont mean it. My mom use to say that i would never be good enough for the military and that the DIs would chew me up and spit me out becuse i was worthless and wouldint amount to anything. What it comes down to is what you think of your self and what you want to become. Its not there life to live. just explain to them that this is what you want and theres no changing that and theres alot worse things you could be doing.

[Venge03]

Wow. This actually makes me feel better about my parents lol. You guys should take all these reactions and look at them for what they really are- your parents caring about you. In my opinion the stronger they react, the more they care about you, the less they want to let you go. As for me, my dad likes to make believe he cares, but my parents are divorced and it's just him being obligated to care as a parent. My mom says some stuff but not even NEARLY as harsh as this stuff. I don't think many people in our lives truly understand the whole idea of joining the Marine corps. They immediately see us getting blown up regardless of anything including our MOS. Even when I tell people I know, its not exactly a positive reaction. Most of the time its "why the hell do you wanna do that". Consider all those negative responses as they just don't understand. Soon you will be surrounded by everyone who does!

[Oohrah Devildog]

Very well said Venge03 I have told my mom Im leaving and gonna tell my dad a few days before that im finally going, and hope that in the end ill have the support. But in general its something that I feel few actually understand I guess thats why the Marines are The Few and The Proud I cant wait to ship out

[legioXvance]

wow, i'm sorry guys, that's really harsh things :/. I'm in an opposite world, my Dad said if i don't come back with the title and become a Marine, he will lose all respect for me. Kinda feel pressured in a different way than you gentlemen.

[DevilDogsSon269]

wow, i'm sorry guys, that's really harsh things :/. I'm in an opposite world, my Dad said if i don't come back with the title and become a Marine, he will lose all respect for me. Kinda feel pressured in a different way than you gentlemen.

I know how that is i got big shoes to fill considering my family history.

My mom supports me but shes scared every parent is and if they cant be good enough parents to support you because of political, moral, self-centered, etc. reasons then they aren't doing their job and that's to be a parent first. They should respect and support your decision as an ADULT to do what you want.

[legioXvance]

Oh they do, they just won't except failure.

[BMorgan]

At first my mom wasn't - my decision to enlist was kind've out of the blue. For my entire life up until two years ago I wanted to be a video game designer - and for her only son to come out of left field and say he was going into the Marines - well, she wasn't happy about that.

But, she spent 8 years as a Corpsman and slowly accepted it. Took a long time though.

[Venge03]

I did the same thing to my parents BMorgan. They had never expected me to enlist. I didn't know 9-5 office jobs were so bad until I got there and ran screaming (figuratively speaking) Its probably alot harder for them to accept like that, as opposed to someone who has been saying they're going to join from the beginning of HS.

[Sgt Leprechaun]

They'll change their minds. OR, they won't. While that might be difficult, it is, after all, YOUR life, not theirs.

Most of the time, the 'reluctant' parents eventually come around.