How to Help Them Make the Right Decision
Parents tend to have mixed feelings about their sons and daughters joining the armed forces. Whatever your political affiliation, although you may think it’s a good idea for some teenagers, you are probably far from prepared when your own child comes to you with the idea of signing up to serve their country. Your first reaction may be surprise, worry, even outright horror. This is a natural reaction for parents whose children want to join the armed forces, but you shouldn’t let it get the better of you. Here are a few tips for helping your child affirm or rethink this life-changing decision.
1. Don’t panic.
When your child comes to you with the idea of joining the armed forces, don’t immediately object. Your kid at least had the maturity to come to you seeking advice, and if you impulsively dismiss their ideas, they may not want to seek your counsel in the future.
2. Ask your kid several questions in order to find out their motivation for joining
Many teenagers want to join the armed forces for reasons that aren’t very sensible. They’re trying to avoid college because they don’t know what they want to study, they’re signing up because their friends are doing it, or maybe they’re drawn to the glamour and idealism of serving one’s country. Calmly discuss with your child the possibility that their motivations may not be well-thought out.
3. Go to a recruiting session with your child.
As a parent, especially if your family has no previous military engagement or experience, you probably have lots of questions about the recruitment process. These are what recruitment sessions are for, so be sure to attend one with your child, and find out all the information that you can. Here are some great sample questions you should ask.
4. Find former soldiers to talk to your kid.
Recruiters are basically paid to find as many new recruits as possible, so they are obviously going to emphasize the positive aspects of having a career in the military. Through friends, family, or work, try to find the someone who served in the military who is not actively recruiting. Invite them over for dinner to talk to you and your child so that both of you get an objective, uncensored idea of the positive and negative aspects of serving in the military.
5. If it’s something they really want to do for the right reasons, then in the end, it’s best to support their decision.
Teenagers often make rash decisions based on impulsive thinking. This has a lot to do with their still-developing brains and raging hormones. Still, some teens just happen to be more mature than others, so if after deliberating on the idea of joining the armed forces carefully, your kid still wants to stick with the decision, then as a parent, you should give your support. You don’t necessarily have to agree with their decision to show that you love them no matter what.
This guest post is contributed by Kitty Holman, who writes on the topics of nursing schools. She welcomes your comments at her email Id: kitty.holman20@gmail.com.
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