Scouting is Really a Simple Thing, After All

[dkurtenbach]

Spoiler alert:  Yellowstone season finale

On last night's episode of the tv show Yellowstone, Kevin Costner's character, John Dutton, is driving on a road far out in Montana ranch country and comes across a car with a flat tire.  The 30ish driver from Encino and her 8-year-old son are stranded, unable to get a phone signal to call for help.  Dutton opens up the rear of her car and finds the spare tire, jack, and tools.  The driver tells Dutton that she doesn't have any money to give him for helping them.  He responds that out here, people do things because it's right, and that's enough.  He then asks the boy if he wants to learn a life skill.  The boy asks what a life skill is, and Dutton tells him it's something that will keep him from being stranded on the side of the road.  And Dutton gives the boy an important responsibility:  taking care of the lug nuts.  Naturally, the boy loses them when he goes to pee.  Dutton doesn't get upset, he just sends the boy to find them.

This little scene is in stark contrast to the drama, conflict, and mayhem so prevalent in the series.  I mention it here because in isolation, this scene concisely shows the gist of the Scouting program:  patient, skilled adults teaching young people how to take care of themselves and others, teaching young people responsibility, and teaching young people to help others because it is the right thing to do rather than for some reward.  But this scene illustrates something else:  how simple Scouting really is, or should be.

[qwazse]

7 hours ago, dkurtenbach said:

... in stark contrast to the drama, conflict, and mayhem so prevalent in the series.  I mention it here because in isolation, this scene concisely shows the gist of the Scouting program:  patient, skilled adults teaching young people how to take care of themselves and others, ...

Last night the SPL was regretting not planning ahead enough to get rope for an instructor to teach 1st years knots. I offered to bring my car around and share any spare rope in my camp box, and the instructor graciously  accepted. The 1st years were happily wrestling in the lawn, so I started throwing balls of rope at them. Later the instructor had them corralled and was telling how to use knots in combination to raise a tarp. I shouted, “Don’t explain! Demonstrate!” And threw them a balled-up tarp.

Pity these scouts don’t have a patient leader.

[RememberSchiff]

8 hours ago, dkurtenbach said:

.. patient, skilled adults teaching young people how to take care of themselves and others, teaching young people responsibility, and teaching young people to help others because it is the right thing to do rather than for some reward.  But this scene illustrates something else:  how simple Scouting really is, or should be.

Well said.

[Eagledad]

There is patient, and there is patient. Our Webelos den was visiting a few troops in the Fall to decide the one they wanted to join. The SPL of one troop used our visit to teach lashings. Problem started when he couldn't remember how to tie the lashing. No big deal to us because those things happen and the scouts were friendly. But, their ASM was embarrassed and jumped in to show both his scouts and our Webelos how to tie the lashing. What made the situation so tenseful was the angry lecture he gave to his SPL in front of everyone, which was laced with four letter words that my kids only heard when I took on a plumbing project. I think that was the visit we decided to start our own troop.

I didn't see it when I was young, but working with youth as a scout leader and coach taught me that patience and humility are the two most valuable traits adults can role model to youth.

Barry 

[SSScout]

How to gain respect:

Be able to admit and say "I don't know"  and "I will find out."  

I am reminded of the scene in Master and Commander when the 12 or 13 year old Midshipman, who has already lost an arm in a battle, asks the old sailor for help n sewing up the sail around one of his dead friends. 

[David CO]

1 hour ago, SSScout said:

I am reminded of the scene in Master and Commander when the 12 or 13 year old Midshipman, who has already lost an arm in a battle, asks the old sailor for help n sewing up the sail around one of his dead friends. 

Ah yes, the good old days before YP.