SNFO and family

[ibarrasergio33]

I am an ex-nuke planning to dive into the NFO community. I am currently an STA21 student graduating this December 2006. Unfortunately my wife is attached to a squadron here in Norfolk and she will be deployed during most of 2007. We are debating sending my five year old son to his grandparents for the entire time I am in Florida for training due to the potential long days and nights of studying. Although the grandparents would love to have him, I feel like I am taking the easy way out.

Does anyone have any experience with a similar situation?? If so would you say I am at a great disadvantage as a single parent whie going through API/Primary??
Advice is welcome.

 

[TurnandBurn55]

We had an ex-IT in my class who was a single parent, and he sent his daughter to live with her grandparents also.

It wouldn't be impossible, but it would be difficult... they'd certainly be more lenient toward you than single guys (i.e. probably not calling you Wednesday afternoon to say you're going to Phoenix and San Antonio first thing Thursday morning and won't be back till Monday...)

But still, life as an SNFO is unpredictable... you find out the day before (often that evening) when exactly you're flying... it could be 5 am, it could be 7 pm. And you'll see the schedule change on short notice...

I think the guy I mentioned in my class was certain he made the right decision, even though he missed his kid

 

[2NFO's]

My husband and I are both NFOs at VP30 and we both had to do some single parenting through the pipeline and I would REALLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU SEND THE BABY TO GRANDMAS! We were able to survive because we ended up together with our two year old during the toughest parts, but API is rough with a baby on your own. There are some long days and nights of study, but the hardest part about having your child will be the fatigue. You will be tired from swimming, early mornings and late nights and if you add the baby into that it gets really tough really quick.
PS--you will have to use after school child care and it SUCKS on base in Pensacola...they evacuated the whole place one day because they "forgot" there was asbestos rampant in the whole s*&^hole. We let our daughter go for about two weeks then sent her to a private (expensive) facility.

 

[Av8or72Dan]

Hey Serg, nice to see you on here. Advice - go pilot :icon_tong jk. I had to say it one last time.

Dan

 

[Fmr1833]

Buddy of mine is a single dad here at VT-86 and kept his daughter with him up until last week. She's going to see her mom for the summer. Not a Dad, but seeing as how I checked in here January 2005 and won't wing until the end of the summer, that seems like a LONG time for your kid to be off getting raised by someone else. I've moved through this pipeline rapidly compared to some others. Child care is not impossible to find. CDC here provides a list of in-home daycares (my best friend just put his son in one two days ago) in case you don't want to go to the CDC proper - although if you live on base it's 1/2 mile away from you on the way to the squadron. The schedules guys won't be thrilled about it but they do work with you so long as you keep them updated on Dr's appt's, etc.

Again, not a Dad, but 18-20 months without Mom and Dad seems like a long time to me. Especially since you'll be away from home plenty once you leave here.

 

[ibarrasergio33]

Thank you everyone, I appreciate all the different points of view.... Especially all of the specific information about the area..... Tough decision no matter what but we are leaning towards letting the grandparents watch him as soon as I class up. Thanks again everyone!!