It has been nearly eight weeks since I have seen or hugged my oldest son. Next week our family will be traveling to Texas to see him finally graduate from basic training with the Air Force.
One of the reasons I have been able to get through these eight weeks is because of the support I have received. In fact, it’s another reason I am so glad that Facebook exists.
Just before my son left for basic training, I looked online for a support group. I was led to an Air Force Moms Support group on Facebook.
This group consists of moms who are waiting for their sons and daughters to go into basic training, those who are in it and others who have already been deployed or are stationed at a base in the U.S.
The wealth of information, encouragement and support I received was amazing. Moms prepared me for what each week would be like. I was told ahead of time that the first three or four weeks into it, my son would want to come home. They were right.
I was told that by week five, he would be doing so much better. They were right. They were on target with everything.
This group will continue to be a source of encouragement to me, as my son prepares to go into tech school and then receive his first base assignment. Like I said, don’t know what I would do without it.
Sometimes we can feel alone. Or we don’t have friends who can relate. Maybe we live out in the country and access to other moms is limited.
Whatever the reason, so many moms can benefit from a support group. There are support groups that cover virtually any issue you can possibly think of, from special needs to moms of twins.
There is nothing wrong with needing a little extra help. Don’t be afraid to look for it.
Have you ever been helped by a support group?
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Photo by Andrew Feinberg in Flickr