Uniforming my Lad

[Eamonn]

We missed the opportunity to join Tigers.

Back then I think the Tiger uniform was a orange t-shirt?

He joined Cub Scouts as a Wolf.

We trotted to our local Scout Shop in the Council Service Center and bought him the shirt, the necker, the hat and the socks.

We didn't buy the pants as the local K-Mart had pants that looked identical on sale at the time.

The Shirt was a little on the big side.

I could almost hear my Mother saying "You'll grow into it". As she said every time she bought me a new school uniform.

The blue shirt saw a lot of wear. The Pack was very active.

By the time he was half way through Webelos, the shirt was not only well worn but very tight.

So we trotted off again to the Scout Shop and bought him the tan shirt and a pair of red and green socks and green shorts.

Again the shirt was big on him.

When the time came to cross over into Boy Scouts all we bought was the long pants.

I lost count of how many shirts we ended up buying.

I know we bought two for the 2001 Jamboree and maybe a couple for NOAC?

I sent a couple of pair of shorts back when they began to have holes in them. While it took a little while, in the end we got two new pairs to replace them.

I'm not sure how many pair of Scout socks he "Borrowed"?

From my sock drawer.

A lot of the uniforms were bought at a discount, when he was attending the National Jamborees and staffing JLTC.

 

I was a bit of a pain when it came to him wearing full correct uniform. My thinking being that it made me look bad if my kid was seen in anything but full correct uniform. Even though the Troop he was in had said that uniform from the waist up was acceptable.

As both a Cub Scout and Boy Scout, he was very active.

As a Boy Scout his uniforms were part of Christmas and or birthday presents or he paid half and I paid the other half.

For some unknown reason his feet seemed to grow at a much faster rate than the rest of him. Keeping him in shoes and boots cost me a lot more than I ever spent on uniforms.

He was wearing Scout uniforms from he was about age 7 till he was 18.

I'm guessing, but I think in all that time I only spent about $350.00 on uniforming.

I spent a lot more than that on boots.

Ea.

 

[SeattlePioneer]

Nice story Eamonn.

 

 

For my pack I issue boys a neckerchief cut from a decorated bedsheet as soon as they join. I cut slides from tree branches and drill a hole in it. The boys choose from among the slides the one that appeals to them.

 

The idea is for the pack to encourage uniforming from day #1.

 

After that uniforms are up to the discretion of the parents. I have some used uniform blouses I sell for $10 to those who are interested ---most are not.

 

Often I encourage parents to consider buying uniforms for birthday or Christmas presents, or when a Scout achieves an award, such as Bobcat.

 

If families want to wear just the neckerchief and slide they have been give, they are welcome to do so.

 

Most get uniforms before long, some right away.

 

My theory is that I prefer families to choose when and if such expenses should be incurred.

 

Also, when parents become registered pack leaders, theyget the neckerchief ande slide just like their boys, with the Cub Scout helping put the neckerchief on their parent.

 

Some parents have said their Cub Scouts really value their parent receiving their uniform.

 

Personally I wear a full uniform myself as Cubmaster. My hope has been that other leaders would choose to buy into a regular uniform themselves, but that hasn't happened, not yet.