Soldier boy

By Jordan Ferris

When most four-year-old children say “I want to be a soldier” a parent usually gives them a Nerf blaster or little green army men. But what happens when their 17-year-old child approaches them and says the same thing? That is when a mother’s support may be needed most.

For Terilee Potter, this was her experience with son Jaiden Potter whom she said was adamant since the day he first uttered the words “I want to be in the army.”

“Jaiden, ever since he was four years old he wanted to be a soldier,” said Potter. He has never wavered from that, never told me I want to be a doctor, lawyer or a fire truck driver, it was always ‘I want to be a soldier’.”

As Jaiden got older and continued to state being a soldier was what he wanted, Potter said it gave her plenty of time to think it over. Support is the role she would play. Potter said she knew that it was not her job to talk her son out of the military but instead to let him know just what the job entailed.

As Jaiden continued to grow up and maintain the idea that the military was for him, Potter started having more serious conversations with her son. Those conversations never involved the idea of choosing a different path. Only the idea of what you put on the line and to inform him.

“The conversations varied from you give up a lot when you join the military,” said Potter. “A lot of people do not realize just how much. It is obviously very honourable but just the little freedoms we take for granted you give up, so I wanted to really make sure he was ready to give all that up.”

Jaiden went through a time when he would call his mother a much as possible and always look to her for support. At one point Jaiden even thought about giving up on his lifelong goal. Potter was there for him and always told him he could make it.

Jaiden said these conversations and support from his mother helped get through the process. Even when he wanted to quit.

“She changed my motivation to push further really,” said Jaiden

Even though Jaiden benefited from the support and was able to make it through basic training Potter never felt 100 per cent comfortable.

“I felt like I had to encourage him to stay there,” said Potter who had a noticeable change in tone as she recalled her experience. “Which is really difficult to do because as a mom you want to say, yeah come home to me.”

Potter said parents that may have children joining the military and are worried should talk to their child about every pro and con. And understand that it may seem scary a, but in the end, you will never be more proud of someone in your life.