Telephone Calls

Approximately two to three weeks into the summer, your Mid will be able to call home for the first time. In the past, some Mids have known when they wrote that first letter home when they would be allowed to call, although others are not told until the last minute. The first phone call will be hasty, and may not happen at the time your Mid said. There are many reasons beyond the control of your Mid for delayed calls.

A calling card will come in handy, often reducing the amount of precious time needed to get the call through. These calls are often hurried and may be limited in time to about five minutes by the detailer in charge to give everyone in the Company a chance to get through. Don't ask a lot of questions. Let your Mid do the talking. When Mids say they have to go, they have to go. Tell them you love them and remind them that if their detailer could do it, they can do it. Remind your Mid that the Academy would not have admitted anyone it felt was not up to the challenge and that the first three weeks are the hardest. If you're going to Parents' Weekend, tell your Mid that you'll see him or her soon. 

Get an answering machine. If possible, tell your Plebe to call you at work if he or she is calling during business hours. Once Plebe summer is over, you and your Mid will be able to agree upon the best time for him or her to call. Phone bills can run $50 to $100 a month. Several families have installed 800 numbers; be sure to get one requiring a code, so you don't wind up paying for calls from people other than those to whom you've given the code.