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Across the fleet, each Sailor has a handful of roles they perform in addition to the specialized jobs they chose. Some of these responsibilities never stop, whether in or out of uniform, such as being a parent, sibling, son or daughter. For many, one of their most rewarding roles is as a mother.
“I love that I can be my sons’ superhero and teach them things about the many places I’ve been,” said Lt. j.g. Shavonne Holman, from New York City, USS Gerald R. Ford’s (CVN 78) ship secretary. “They have someone to look up to.”
When Holman joined the Navy in 2003, her first child was only a year old.
“He was just getting used to mom and then mom disappeared,” said Holman. “I had my second son in 2008 and the cycle repeated itself. You miss many milestones in your child’s life, like their first steps or their first bike ride, but at the end of the day, those struggles are what make us a stronger family.”
Not seeing a parent for an extended period of time is typical for most military children, but most parents would say that makes the time spent together feel even more meaningful.
“When you have children it’s important that they understand that you love and support them,” said Holman. “All the time that we have in port is spent doing things with my kids so that they understand that I love them and that I am their mom first and foremost.”
With nearly 18 years of military service under her belt, Holman has learned a lot about herself and continues to translate some of those skills into her parenting.
“The Navy has changed me in a lot of ways, and has given my life structure and discipline. I’ve learned to be good at multi-tasking on the job and at home,” said Holman. “I always encourage my children to live with integrity and let them know that it’s okay to make mistakes— it’s about how you recover from those mistakes.”
Despite the challenges of balancing motherhood with a career in the military, Holman proves that it is not only possible, but rewarding as well. Her advice to other mothers: “Stay focused, always remember to breathe, keep your integrity first and just remember the reasons why you signed up.”
| Date Taken: | 05.09.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 05.09.2021 09:48 |
| Story ID: | 395974 |
| Location: | NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 72 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, To Love and Serve: A Ford Sailor’s reflections on Mother’s Day, by PO2 Angel Jaskuloski, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
