Son has decided he wants to join up

viv559

Hi all my son is 4 weeks in to basic training with the welsh gaurds and im worried as hes been told that his first posting would be Afghanistan. ..Hes 18 ...? My brother was injured in Ireland in 87- and has lost 2 limbs and know the down side of the army... ..I just can't help wishing my son would come home but I haven't told him...what would you do as a parent..?...he give up a good job to go in ...which hes been told he could go back to..!

intranicity

viv559 wrote: »

Hi all my son is 4 weeks in to basic training with the welsh gaurds and im worried as hes been told that his first posting would be Afghanistan. ..Hes 18 ...? My brother was injured in Ireland in 87- and has lost 2 limbs and know the down side of the army... ..I just can't help wishing my son would come home but I haven't told him...what would you do as a parent..?...he give up a good job to go in ...which hes been told he could go back to..!

Horrible situation for you to be in, and won't tell you what to do, but maybe give you some things to contemplate and hopefully help you.

1. Joining the Forces as you know is a way of life, and your families already suffered once, but how would you feel if you told him how you felt and he PVR'd?

2. Right now you would probably feel a great sense of relief, but how would you feel if some time later he resented you for it, or he found out he was really ill or worse, had an accident and didn't survive?

3. I think you need to be strong and put yourself in his shoes, talk to your brother about it too, see what he thinks, I was injured and would be more than happy for my children to join, but everyones different.

4. Main thing though that i think you should try and do is be supportive, if he does stay in and deploys, he'll need his mum behind him all the way.

Hope that you don't take this as patronising, as it's not meant to be and I wish you both all the best

viv559

Thank You.. Intranicity. I know he wants to make a go of it and im supporting him with lots of letters, with all the news from home. I have parents day in April....I cant wait to see him..We have lived in some rough places in the UK....
And thats one of the reason I thought the Army may help him have a better life.....I hope..x

intranicity

viv559 wrote: »

Thank You.. Intranicity. I know he wants to make a go of it and im supporting him with lots of letters, with all the news from home. I have parents day in April....I cant wait to see him..We have lived in some rough places in the UK....
And thats one of the reason I thought the Army may help him have a better life.....I hope..x

I hope you both come through this, he'll always be your little boy.... Even in 20 years time when he's the RSM!

I know someone that lost her son recently, and talking to her, she is obviously heartbroken, but she does look at it that he died doing a job he loved, and that at least the knock on the door wasn't the police saying he'd died in a knife fight or of a drugs overdose!

Enjoy parents day, I'm sure you'll be amazed just how grown up your little boys become, but he will always be that to you x

Raksha

viv559 wrote: »

Thank You.. Intranicity. I know he wants to make a go of it and im supporting him with lots of letters, with all the news from home. I have parents day in April....I cant wait to see him..We have lived in some rough places in the UK....
And thats one of the reason I thought the Army may help him have a better life.....I hope..x

How was your parents day Viv?

It's just hit me that my lad only has a week of school (then 'study leave' while he finishes his exams and assignments) before he finishes end of June. He's already completed his online application, so I'm having a bit of a wibble

miamoo

My son has just had his first week of leave following his passing in parade. I am so proud of him, and he is loving the army training. I cant believe how far he has come!