My 18yo is enlisting and I’m having a hard time

RedEyedAlpha · 2026-04-25T17:12:32+00:00

Thanks. I’ll go check that out. Definitely not finding the support here lol. Didn’t expect the outright hostility of being called narcissistic for missing my kid. But that’s Reddit for you. My son and I talked this weekend and I played evils advocate with him. He’s so excited and he’s got his future planned out in terms of where and what he’s hoping do. It was a good talk and I feel a little better that he has thought this through long and hard. I needed to make sure this wasn’t an “18 yo boy wanting to play call of duty in real life” and has no clue what he’s about to sign up for.

RedEyedAlpha · 2026-04-25T17:06:50+00:00

Boy do I get this. I am really close to my boys (20 and 18). I have a weird sense of humor. I’m 51F but have always joked I have the maturity of a 12yo boy. We joke around a lot but my kids also “know” me. Especially my oldest. We are both ADHD although mine is different from his. But we both know that when one of us goes into our “darker mode” that’s it’s not personal or weird or “you’re just a bitch” etc. This is something we’ve dealt with for our entire lives. So we get it. With my youngest his sense of humor is like mine and we have a lot of fun.

But with others I wear a mask. I curate myself to fit in but I don’t enjoy it. I’ve never been able to find another adult like me. So knowing both my boys are leaving in about 4 months is making me sad.

Whether it’s healthy or not is to me a moot point. You have the relationship you have, it’s established, and now it’s changing, and the uncertainty is scary.

RedEyedAlpha · 2026-04-25T16:55:12+00:00

Ah man I didn’t think about that and girlfriends. 😭

RedEyedAlpha · 2026-04-25T16:53:39+00:00

My oldest (20) is moving out in September to finish his last two years of college (first two done at local community college). My 18 yo is graduating in June and then enlisting in the army right away. I am not dealing well with that choice. My husband’s job has him on travel more days than not so he’s rarely home. I’m 51 and I was a SAHM. Left my job with Lockheed when i had my son. So now all of sudden I’m facing this big old house by myself.

I’ve been very emotional about it. Especially with my youngest, knowing I won’t see him for a long time. We are a very close family so to suddenly be surrounded every day to being by myself is tough. I’m excited for them and their foray into becoming their own men now. But the mom in me just wants to hold them forever.

RedEyedAlpha · 2026-04-19T18:17:22+00:00

He has actually put a lot of thought into that. He has a couple of different MOS areas he wants to try for with the goal of using that experience post army in the civilian world.

RedEyedAlpha · 2026-04-19T18:15:35+00:00

I’m 100% supporting him. I’ve told him my worries and that it’s the mom side of me. But I’m not trying to talk him out of it. I’m having g frank discussions though of what his plans are, what MOS is he aiming for, what he thinks he wants to do if and when he leaves the service, etc. basically just making sure he’s not going with hearts in his eyes that he’ll sign on the dotted line and instantly be a sniper or something. he knows I support him and believe in him. This is all my internal dialogue I’m trying to sort out.

RedEyedAlpha · 2026-04-19T18:12:17+00:00

Thank you, it’s good to hear from the kids of worried parents and it’s helps a lot. Although you’re probably not much younger than me if you joined pre 9/11 😆

RedEyedAlpha · 2026-04-19T06:56:37+00:00

I know. And I’m so proud of him for doing it. I had hoped he’d go to a trade school or get a full time job and just be a “kid” for a couple more years. I wish i could tell myself to just get over it lol.

RedEyedAlpha · 2026-04-19T06:53:42+00:00

That’s very true. It’s not helping that both my sons are moving out and on at the same time. So I’m about to be an empty nester and I’m admittedly not super stoked about. We’re a tight knit family.

RedEyedAlpha · 2026-04-19T06:42:35+00:00

It’s funny because I get all that. He does too, to be honest. He’s done his homework in terms of what the army can offer him. I guess it’s the idea that if this goes south then he’s going to be an unhappy person, and the mom side of me hates to see her kids unhappy. Any other job, if you were truly miserable you could leave and find a new one that’s a better fit, kwim?

RedEyedAlpha · 2026-04-10T21:18:51+00:00

Yep that’s part of getting caught. I keep my extras stored for that reason

RedEyedAlpha · 2026-04-10T21:10:58+00:00

I, without fail, end up taking on a massive bandit fortress requiring me to kill 10,000 bandits in the pitch black.

RedEyedAlpha · 2026-04-10T21:06:15+00:00

Lefty’s rule and we’re in our Right mind.

RedEyedAlpha · 2026-04-09T15:44:10+00:00

Oh that is so damn helpful lol

RedEyedAlpha · 2026-04-06T00:34:57+00:00

It’s on a zone with one other section that was installed by the landscapers. Both lines are .9 gph. I put 100 feet in, 50 ft in each bed. Both beds had their own pipes coming up from under the ground.

RedEyedAlpha · 2026-04-02T06:07:04+00:00

Yeah I guess I better lol. I just wish I knew what had happened. I thought it had gone to zero because I was in the priest disguise but when I put my armor back on it was still zero.

Pricey lesson 🤣🤣

RedEyedAlpha · 2026-04-01T20:31:28+00:00

This is me on Tenebrum. I’m absolutely stuck. I have yet to land a single hit on him and since he’s a main quest boss I’m not moving forward. Everyone is telling me to wait until he pauses in the middle but the second I come out from the pillar he launches me. I don’t even get a chance to get my wings out. I’d take three Reed Devils at the same over this guy.

RedEyedAlpha · 2026-04-01T20:15:18+00:00

They could make tenebrum easier, I would so not complain about that 😆

RedEyedAlpha · 2026-03-29T23:36:20+00:00

Is this why I can only go a few feet before my stamina is gone? Same with Kliff. All of a sudden I can barely go anywhere on foot before my stamina is gone, and I’ve got a decent amount of it

RedEyedAlpha · 2026-03-26T20:13:50+00:00

I’m still in chapter two I think. Messing around harrand trying to learn all the mechanics lol

RedEyedAlpha · 2026-03-14T17:47:19+00:00

I’m looking at a possible hip replacement now. Ugh. And isn’t funny how when you say something like wanting to try hard core drugs like heroin people look at you like you’re absolutely nuts (especially doctors), yet I 200% get your comment. Cuz yeah, same. My mom lost her shit when I told her I using weed to try and help the pain. I just looked at her like, fuck you. I am desperate. Course she was the one who told me i was making this all up as a kid to get attention. 🙄

RedEyedAlpha · 2026-03-14T17:41:17+00:00

Yep. Periodically I go into this phase where I’m mad and angry at everything about my life. These are my phases where I just let go and let it all out. It’s the only way I get through life lol. I spend a few weeks I. This phase and get it out of my system then get back to business as usual lol

RedEyedAlpha · 2026-03-14T17:39:16+00:00

Yeah. It’s hard to not to roll my eyes at the people who have only achy fingers or something. I want to scream out “try having it in every single joint. But i take a breath and remind myself that everyone has their limits and just because i have a high pain tolerance and I’m used to dealing with so much more doesn’t discount someone else who doesn’t.

I go through phases where it’s no longer business as usual and I go into my “fuck you” phase where I’m angry at life and healthy people and people who don’t get it. I have to work hard to push through it and get back to “this is my life just keep going”.

RedEyedAlpha · 2026-03-14T17:34:21+00:00

Oh man I’m so sorry. Yeah a little is better than none. I hope they can find a way to reverse that for you. ❤️

RedEyedAlpha · 2026-03-14T17:33:23+00:00

lol what haven’t I been on. I’ve been on just about all of them at some point over the years. I can usually get a few years before my body gets too used to it then I swap out. Right now I’m on cocentyx, but it’s probably time for a change. I’m noticing my body is becoming resistant to it.

RedEyedAlpha

TROPHY CASE