My sweet son is working in Icy Strait Point this summer. Who wants to go hug him for me??

[MamaToMany]

My sweet 18yo son decided to go work in ISP this season. He has already been up there 3.5 weeks, and has greeted several NCL ships already. 
 

Are there any Alaska sailors who would love to help confuse him and amuse me before we get on there on our Sun sailing in July? 
 

I’m thinking it would be pretty fun to send other mamas (or dads!) to seek him out in the shops at the Cannery and give him a hug or a high five. I wonder what he would do with his notoriety?

 

He is super easy to pick out, and the coolest kid ever.Does anyone want to help out? 
 

I’ll probably go drop this on the Alaska port board too, but thought I’d start here since NCL is my fave line and the one we will be visiting him with later this summer…

[wolfie11]

Hoonah is a small community and relatively conservative.  I think his boss and coworkers would find it bizarre and unprofessional if a bunch of random people came up to someone on the job and started hugging him.  He would likely be teased and possibly bullied and could conceivably lose his job long before you got there to visit him.

[2BACRUISER]

Whilst a sweet idea I don't think his employer would welcome the distraction from his work. OK maybe close family but not sure I would want my kid accosted by random strangers 🤔 bit icky 🤢

[Coral]

I am curious what your son did to land this job? Is he in college? 

[Ferry_Watcher]

What a beautiful area to work in.

 

It's sweet that you are suggesting hugs for your young adult son, but guessing that the novelty would end well before you arrive in ISP in July.  When the ships are in port, the folks who are working there are quite busy, and if your son is having to take time to respond to strangers talking to him about his mom's hug request, that means more work for his co-workers.  

 

I get it - you are both proud of him, and no doubt miss him.  Maybe scale back on the physical hugging request. 

 

 

 

 

[kayehall]

On 4/21/2024 at 6:54 PM, MamaToMany said:

 

My sweet 18yo son decided to go work in ISP this season. He has already been up there 3.5 weeks, and has greeted several NCL ships already. 
 

Are there any Alaska sailors who would love to help confuse him and amuse me before we get on there on our Sun sailing in July? 
 

I’m thinking it would be pretty fun to send other mamas (or dads!) to seek him out in the shops at the Cannery and give him a hug or a high five. I wonder what he would do with his notoriety?

 

He is super easy to pick out, and the coolest kid ever.Does anyone want to help out? 
 

I’ll probably go drop this on the Alaska port board too, but thought I’d start here since NCL is my fave line and the one we will be visiting him with later this summer…

We are stopping in ISP.  What's his name?  Where exactly does he work?  In another way of looking at it.....maybe his employer would be happy to see possible customers coming into the store looking for him!!! My son has been in Taiwan since last August so I feel your heart.

[MamaToMany]

Duly noted. I’ll drop this entirely. Thank you for your input. 

[kayehall]

Sad.  I would gladly give him a hug from you.

[BeasleysMom66]

4 hours ago, kayehall said:

Sad.  I would gladly give him a hug from you.

 

Does it occur to you that maybe this young man doesn't want hugs from a bunch of strangers?  Especially while working.

 

This phrase is the one that concerned me:  "Are there any Alaska sailors who would love to help confuse him and amuse me ". 

 

I get it that Mom thinks this would be funny as [expletive] but apparently if she knows before hand it would confuse him he may not think it is as funny as she does if at all.  He is 18, out on his own for the first time, working a new job with new people in a new culture and her big idea is to send a bevy of complete strangers to descend on him and potentially embarass him.  Not a good plan.  Of course she misses her son and should visit him when there but keep the strangers out of it.  Let him be.

[mattR]

How about instead of hugs people bring him his favorite chocolate bar or something like that?  He could share with his coworkers so they would all be happy when a bunch of strangers stop buy and give him a treat.  I know this brings up the whole candy from stranger's thing but if the people giving him the candy said his name and his moms name it could work? 

[donaldsc]

2 hours ago, mattR said:

How about instead of hugs people bring him his favorite chocolate bar or something like that?  He could share with his coworkers so they would all be happy when a bunch of strangers stop buy and give him a treat.  I know this brings up the whole candy from stranger's thing but if the people giving him the candy said his name and his moms name it could work? 

 

Also a dumb idea.  Just leave him alone.  He is trying to show some independence and all is mother is trying to embarrass him.  Doesn't she realize that kids can be cruel.  How is she going to behave when he goes off to college - call him every night.

 

DON

[BeasleysMom66]

12 hours ago, mattR said:

He could share with his coworkers so they would all be happy when a bunch of strangers stop buy and give him a treat.

 

Mom didn't say what his job is but you are assuming that it is condusive to a bunch of people dropping in and taking up time and resources.  You are also assuming that his co-workers want a bunch of candy.  In reality it is disruptive to the work especially if it is retail or a restaurant.  Odds are higher his co-workers will be angry that they have to do more while the embarassed kid is dealing with a bunch of squealing women gushing over him and pushing Hershey bars. As @wolfie11 said the risk that the incessant interuptions could cost him his job is not worth the amusement that Mom would get from it.  

[wolfie11]

28 minutes ago, BeasleysMom66 said:

 

Mom didn't say what his job is but you are assuming that it is condusive to a bunch of people dropping in and taking up time and resources.  You are also assuming that his co-workers want a bunch of candy.  In reality it is disruptive to the work especially if it is retail or a restaurant.  Odds are higher his co-workers will be angry that they have to do more while the embarassed kid is dealing with a bunch of squealing women gushing over him and pushing Hershey bars. As @wolfie11 said the risk that the incessant interuptions could cost him his job is not worth the amusement that Mom would get from it.  

I’m assuming that it’s dealing with passengers as I don’t think his mom would encourage random people to trespass into office or warehouse space to hug him. She also posted a picture of him on the Norwegian page so people would recognize him.  ISP is quite small with limited venues.  On some days this summer they will be cycling 8000+ people through. Employees will be run off their feet and working very long days.  In those conditions, any distraction would be disruptive to the work environment.

[BeasleysMom66]

40 minutes ago, wolfie11 said:

Employees will be run off their feet and working very long days.  In those conditions, any distraction would be disruptive to the work environment.

 

I am sure that the employer and co-workers wouldn't have too much of an issue with Mom and Pop stopping by to say Hi when in ISP but heaven knows how many random strangers disrupting the day for "hugs and hershey's kisses" because Mom thought it would be funny is going to get really old really fast.  If it were me I would take that picture down ASAP.  It may be too late though.

Edited April 24 by BeasleysMom66

[yesornocruising]

We're going in July so you might see him before we do.. I would like to say hi though. I think this is very sweet. Message me if you'd like. 

[Aquahound]

This whole idea sounds weird and clingy to me.   Out of curiosity, I looked at the NCL thread and was weirded out even more.  How can so many people think this is fun or a good idea?    

[BeasleysMom66]

2 hours ago, Aquahound said:

This whole idea sounds weird and clingy to me.   Out of curiosity, I looked at the NCL thread and was weirded out even more.  How can so many people think this is fun or a good idea?    

 

In this thread:  the OP and 2-3 people think this is cute and fun.  And yes, it is weird and creepy.  I am starting to wonder if the kid took a job in Alaska just to get as far away from Mom and her weird stunts as possible.