Some people grow up going to the beach every summer.
I grew up going to air shows.
As an Air Force brat, airplanes were always part of the background of life. Jets overhead, flight lines, base events, and the kind of sights and sounds that feel normal when you’re raised around them.
For some families, weekends meant parks or malls.
For us, it often meant airplanes.
Growing Up Around Legends
I was lucky enough to grow up around some incredible moments—including the F-22s and the Thunderbirds when my dad was on the team.
That kind of experience becomes part of your childhood in a way that’s hard to explain. The roar of engines in your chest. The precision flying. The crowds looking to the sky. The pride in seeing something bigger than yourself.
Those memories stay with you.
And yet, after more air shows than I can count…
I still know almost nothing about planes.
A Lifetime Around Airplanes… and Still Clueless
I can appreciate the excitement.
I can admire the skill.
I can feel the energy when a jet screams overhead.
But if you ask me technical questions?
No chance.
I’m the person saying, “Wow, that one was loud,” while someone next to me explains engine types, maneuvers, and aircraft history.
And honestly, I’m okay with that.
Because sometimes you don’t need to understand every detail to enjoy the experience.
Then Comes My 12-Year-Old
Now there’s a new expert in the family.
My 12-year-old is completely obsessed with airplanes. The names, the models, the speeds, the capabilities—things I’ve somehow missed my entire life.
And more than that, he wants to be a pilot.
Watching that passion grow is one of the coolest parts of being a parent.
Because what was once simply my childhood environment has become his dream.
Why Air Shows Still Matter
Air shows are more than engines and formations.
They’re family memories.
They’re little kids staring wide-eyed at the sky.
They’re parents answering questions they may not know.
They’re veterans remembering their own stories.
They’re moments that inspire someone to imagine a future bigger than the one they saw yesterday.
For some people, it’s entertainment.
For others, it’s the start of a calling.
Full Circle
There’s something special about going to air shows now as a parent.
I’m no longer just the kid tagging along.
Now I’m the one watching my child light up the way I once did—except he actually knows what he’s looking at.
And maybe that’s the best part of all.
Life has a funny way of bringing things full circle.
Looking Up
Maybe my son becomes a pilot.
Maybe he chooses a different path.
Maybe air shows are simply the place where confidence, curiosity, and big dreams took root.
Whatever happens, I’ll always love that the same skies that shaped my childhood are now helping shape his future.
At Momof2Boyz, we believe the best memories are often the ones passed from one generation to the next.
Small Shop. Big Smiles.
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