Unsupportive parents....

[chickenhawk420 0]

I agree with you totally, but when you still live with them its hard. Im usually the type to not give a fnuck about what im thought as.

[FreeflyPlaymate 0]

I can't offer any advise to ya. Me and my lil bro, who's your age both jump and have since we were both 18, and never once has our mom come out to see us, oh wait she saw me once at the dz when my step sister made her tandem compliments of me....hmmm somehow i wasnt happy to see my mom there video camera and all. I give, it's hard but I'll take her for how she is instead of having the neverending struggle...if you come up with a way let me know, I'd love to see my mom there once, just once out there for me.
**BLUE ONES**
BITE ME.... :P

[Ducky 0]

Wow,
Sitting here reading all this, you guys have summed it up for me piece by piece yet I feel compelled to put it in order from my standpoint. Since I began my very new and brief skydiving career I have yet to meet a person who discouraged me. If they attempted and I overlooked the attempt it was simply because they were not someone I cared about. I have heard plenty of “Whuffos” and a few “When ya gonna take me?”
As for my parents (mother and step-father) I have mixed reviews. From the start I was extremely concerned about how my Mom would handle it all seeing as how I am her “baby” of four kids and all. I never thought twice about my stepdad figured he might roll his eyes a bit and at worst worry if I was gonna sell my share of our boat. Minutes after my first jump I called them to let them know I had survived and all was well, thinking at least I could let their worried minds settle for a bit. Not much was said about it from them, much was said by me. I talked about it non-stop and still do quite a bit. I was always a bit cautious around my mom though, tried to actually give her the impression that it was just a phase. I figured she might be able to deal with better that way. All the while knowing I had decided 30 seconds into my first freefall that this was much more than a phase. I met the woman of my dreams that day, in the sky of course, I plan on this being a lengthy affair ;-}
For my 4th and 5th AFF jump I convinced my mom to go to the DZ with me. She didn’t seem to resistant, but I wanted her to go for several reasons:
1.I hoped to set her mind at ease a bit, not seeking full support, but perhaps piece of mind that she wasn’t sitting at home near tears worrying about her “baby” every time she knew I was going to jump. I conceived that seeing how thorough the instructors were with safety issues and such, seeing dozens of jumps and landings etc. might reduce the danger factor a bit.
2. Its hard to describe, it was kinda like when I was a kid and was the smallest kid my age by 60 lbs and decided that Ice Hockey was the sport for me. I knew that my mom’s heart was full of absolute terror for the first 50 games I played. It took a whole season, a championship, a scoring title and zero trips to the emergency room before she ever took a breath inside an ice arena. When she did take that breath, when she rounded that corner I saw it in her eyes, she took an interest, she knew that I truly loved the game she never at any point Discouraged me yet she never became a cheerleader either. I can recall the first time she actually stayed to watch a practice of mine for no reason other than she wanted to, that day shines brighter than any game or goal.
All this said (and a lot it is sorry )… During that hour and half drive to the DZ we discuss nothing but skydiving, she actually asked questions. I was kinda bewildered at first. She then proceeds to convince me that the day I went for my first jump she really was not worried. My stepfather on the other hand had asked about me every 10 minutes she said he couldn’t even eat his lunch. Apparently a family friend who used to skydive had dropped by coincidentally that afternoon and once he learned what was up reassured my mom and teased my step-dad, what a great guy/asshole. So anyways… the rest of Mom’s trip to the DZ took on a new tone, she explained that compared to my Ice Hockey, Motocross, Crothcrocket, Wakeboarding, and night time solo boat outings, that perhaps skydiving was not quite so bad. She had better things to worry about i.e. If I would ever get married and produce a few extra tricycle motors for grandma’s stable? lol.
As I look forward to the coming weekend and jumps 6 and 7!!! Yippe Graduation! (yes I know>> Beer!!) I now have a Mom who lives with it, and a stepdad who has made a full 180. The man will not let you in the front door of the house unless you agree to sit and watch my video. He actually asked my for a nice framed blowup of one of my photos for his desk. The other night we sat and talked he kept asking my about skydiving and I swear within an hour he had me convinced I should consider a career in the sport in some way. He kept preaching about $$$ not meaning shit and how he has never seen me so passionate about anything w/o breast! and chasing my dreams. I’ll give the man credit he has always told me to “pursue happiness, not wealth or holyiness” back to Marshman though I assure you I did not have this type of relationship with my parents when I was your age. I’m not an old fart 26 going on 18 most days. It could have been my job at the time, its tough to brag about your son being a DJ in a strip club.. yikes!! Things are different now though and we are all better people for it. I enjoyed the most incredible Christmas this year, no jump tickets, no skydiving junk and not much of anything amazing wrapped under the tree. Just a peace with my family, and a peace within right next to the fire lit in the sky that September day.
And if anyone made it this far through this ridiculous ramble, ya gotta mail me or something. I wanna know who else has no life and time to kill!
Kwak

[freaksister 0]

Dude, quacky ducky...
SWEET! Glad your parents took the chill pill and lightened up, especially your stepdad! My mom has always been pretty chill with it (read my earlier post) but I've never told ya'll about how my stepdad is a cocksucker about skydiving (and everything else I do!!!) He is always ranting about me dying for some reason or another and getting insurance money and shit. Therefore, I am not letting him within 100 feet of my rig!!! lol
Good luck to ya'll and Happy New Year...think about me if any of you get to do a midnight jump!! (FUCKERS!!) ROFLMAO
Yours Truly (?) ( WTF does that mean anyway?)
The freaksistah
Sis
I feel so alive,for the very first time-and I think I can fly! - P.O.D.

[MiataDRM 0]

DUCKY & FREAKSISTER! Just entertaining Ducky's request & letting you know that it's 2:25 AM & I just finished his ramble about family values...I DON'T HAVE LIFE! There...I said it...happy? Seriously, I'm glad things are going well w/ you and your family. I think it's an age thing...when I was 18, I didn't get a long much w/ my parents (I respected them, but we weren't that close). I'm 26 (going on 12) now and never been closer! Who knew.
April, I don't blame you for keeping the rig away from your dad...My wife is not allowed to touch my rig after she made me get a second life insurance on myself!!! What did she have in mind? Hmmmm :-*
**I'm a Pschydiver!
Majdi

[skydiverkaz 0]

Mine weren't exctly thrilled when I started jumping (I started at 16), but they have never been unsupportive. My dad did kick off a bit when he had to sign the forms for my FJC and then for my first freefall (I was still under 18). He muttered things like "signing her life away" etc etc. And they have been to the DZ a couple of times, but they won't come back cos someone nearly landed on my dad's head (he was in the spectators area!). And they don't like watching now I'm Cat 8, but they still want to know how I'm doing and stuff, so just stick with it and maybe they'll come round, if they don't I guess all you can do is try to understand their position.
Just my thoughts.
Kxx

[TheMarshMan1 0]

Hey everyone....I just wanted to say thanks so much for all the support/advice here. I'm not sure whether my parents will ever come around or not, but I'm sure as hell NOT going to let it get in the way of my skydiving. I guess we'll just keep the kinda "dont-ask-dont-tell" policy that we've had. On the bright side (something I forgot to mention), my grandparents are more than supportive and cant wait to watch me, and so are two of my uncles that are very close to me (one even has a couple SL jumps)- so I guess I shouldnt gripe too much. So anyways....thanks again everyone, and have a wonderful New Year!!! Blue skies,
Marshall

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[Ducky 0]

Insurance???? Oh shit!! Maybe that's why my stepdad seems so supportive!! Its all a scam. I bet the guy took out a policy on me. Oh weel I guess the 'rents will retire nicely.
kwak