WOOHOOOOO!!

Off to AFC today can't wait!!

Thanks for all the help and advice some of you have given me.

I'll drop you a line in feb.

-Luke

just to second luke i didnt write anything of great use on this forum
but i was always on here looking for advice
cheers everyone
and luke ill see you tomorrow pal dont forge he bakki
haha

Hi Differentgravy

Ski trip, my son said everything is supplied, whether or not they have to pay for it I do not know. If you have a copy of the AFC target mag for April last year there is an article in it. I don't know if they will go to the same place? but it will give an insight as to what they will do.

Sounds great I wish I was going. LOL.

A new target is due out now. I don't know if we can have one but I will be trying to get a copy, it makes a good read.

Nearly time to say goodbye, 12.30 train, It will be hard. He wont miss me, thank god, just can't wait to get back. Bless.

Janedoe not one for advice but have you thought of letting you dad read this thread, glad he has come round.

Well done everyone great thread.

Hi all. Hope you all had a great christmas & new year. I have to say that I am finding it very hard getting to grips with guiding my son in this stage of life. As a parent, it is our job to help & teach your child the way of life etc. My parents never taught me anything, so I vowed I would teach my children as much as I can. Even how to run a bank account, which my son needs as he seems to be spending his money far to quickly! I have been lucky to been able to ring my son nightly, even if it just a quick hi. He is now saying he doesnt want me to call much & to just let him get on with his life. This has shocked me to be honest. I bend over backwards to help him with things. Maybe I now have to take a step back & just let him get on with things & if he makes mistakes, he has to learn by them. The thing is this world is hard enough without having to watch your child make mistakes. My son is loving being in the army & his mates look up to him, which is great. Is there any oe else out there going throuh ths stage? My son is a good lad & is working hard to continue with his career.

Originally Posted by cbgramc

Janedoe not one for advice but have you thought of letting you dad read this thread, glad he has come round.

Well done everyone great thread.

i would love for him to join this forum and stuff, but i don't know how to go about it, my dad is not one for using the internet, just to do the odd things, like checking emails and dat. but it would be nice if he join this website.
i would try talking to him about it though.

Hi Somersetlady,
I really would'nt worry that your son does'nt 'need' you to ring him everynight now- its really important for him to feel that he can manage without speaking to mum everynight. Its a really part part of his development now to be 'weaned' - afterall when he moves on from AFC and is abroad he probably will have periods where he can't contact home on a frequent basis.
He'll also have more news for you if its less frequent. I'm sure too that its an important part of training for the group to gel together and sort out their problems together rather than bounce it off us at home. They still have their 'gizmos' to immerse themselves in but I imagine its really important to communicate with each other on all levels and perhaps this can happen more easily without our intervention.
Our son has gone off very happily and on the whole contacts us 2 or 3 times a week but he does spend an amazing amount of time on his mobile to other friends out of AFC. Again I hope that will level out as he forges friendships at AFC- afterall he is too far from home to make frequent visits so I hope that friends there will become as strong as those at home.
I'm sure its all part of lifes rich pattern.
All the best for the next few days as everybody adapts to the new term

Dear Somerset please do not take to heart what your boy said. 16 is a very difficult age for a boy. My older boy who is now 19 was a nightmare aged 16. He wanted his own flat as he wanted his "freedom", he wouldn't walk through town with me because "I was too embarrassing" lol. he would turn off his phone and I would worry where he was etc etc. He is now 19 happily living at home, working hard in his job and university one day a week and we now have a laugh together. My younger boy the JS is much more polite than the older one was but I know I get on his nerves when I phone him too much. Take today when he was going back up to Harrogate, I was texting him a few times to see if he was ok and he didn't answer so I rang him from a friends phone as I didn't have any talk time and he answered straight away because he didn't recognise the number. I just wanted to make sure he was ok on his 8 hour trip but to him I am probably a nuicance. I think teenagers are programmed to break away at a certain point, I think it is natures way of cutting the apron strings it is hard on us mams but they do come back close just like my older boy did. Your son knows he has a lovely mammy and believe me if anything is wrong it will be mammy he comes running to, he knows who he can rely on when the chips are down. I have found both my boys getting older and more independant very difficult expecially the younger one because he is the other end of the country. I was devistated when he joined the army as I was used to seeing him every day and doing everything for him but I am now feeling a lot better and happier about it all. It is not easy when they grow up as we feel we have lost them but we haven't really as back they come just a little more mature!! Don't worry x

Well said sjf13.

S.L our boys are growing up. They are gaining independence, knowledge and confidence but most of all achievement. Us mums are the ones feeling it hard, especially after having to say goodbye again today. There comes a time when we do have to cut the apron strings, even though its hard to admit and do. Your son is showing very good signs of independence and I'm sure he will make proud. As sjf13 said, please don't try to worry.

Heard from my son, he is back on camp. Luke has been in touch with him, telling him what company, etc he is in. :D

God, I miss my son already! :(

Originally Posted by mummybear

Luke. s sounds like you stand a good chance of going to Harrogate...make sure you have all your kit sorted and can go at the drop of hat :D

A number of the recruits left in the very early stages in the September intake. In my opinion this is a huge shame as, from what I can gather from my son, these early weeks in no way reflect what ultimately their experiences of AFC are. I guess the large amount of admin and processing that needs to take place in the initial couple of weeks and yes for some the homesickness is too much. I recall my son commenting that the level of structure for some of the ones that wanted to leave was also a shock to their precious little souls Ultimately the army isn't going to be for everyone but to only give it a couple of weeks, in my opinion, is wasting everyone's time.

Saying all that for you this is a bonus. I can't remember the exact timing but I'm pretty sure within the second week new people were arriving to fill those places. I'll keep everything crossed for you and let us know if you hear anything. x

lyndylou I'll send you mail with the details....

thanks mummybear :D
just hopeing that I get a calll saying that im in , I really want to go