Why Boy Scouts?

[perdidochas]

This is a spinoff of GS vs. BS for Leadership Skills:

 

"'Leadership IS the main reason I have my son in boy scouts and why I encourage him to be in it.'

 

But is that the main reason your son is in Boy Scouts? "

 

Why is your son in Boy Scouts?

 

My son is in Boy Scouts because he enjoys it. I encourage him because I believe in the ideals of the Scout Oath and Scout Law and think that they are good things to live by. If nothing else, Scouting encourages boys to learn to be self-sufficient. The T-2-1 skills (with the exception of lashing) are good skills for everyone to have.

[Basementdweller]

same post you beat me by 30 seconds

[clemlaw]

Well, I can only speak of my own experience 30+ years ago. And I am definitely not "typical". I'm not a typical adult, and I wasn't a typical Scout. Frankly, I'm a little bit weird, but I offer this as one data point.

 

I was there partly because my parents thought it was a good idea. They just kind of pointed me that direction by signing me up for Cub Scouts, and I never really had any good reason to resist.

 

And the other part of the reason was that I enjoyed most of it, and generally had fun doing stuff.

 

Now, those are the typical reasons. In my case, which might be unique to me, there was a third reason. I was also there because, in some ways, I did _not_ enjoy it. I was a Scout because it gave me an opportunity to be misearble! This seems like a paradox, because I just said that I enjoyed it.

 

Well, both were true. When I went to camp, part of me didn't want to be there. Yes, I did fun things while I was there. But frankly, I would have rather just stayed home. Which is better, sleeping on the ground, or sleeping in a warm bed? Which is better, having to get up and cook your own breakfast, or having mom make breakfast?

 

I did not like these things. Staying home was better! Camping was miserable!

 

But before you protest too much, note, I did not stay I stayed home because camping was miserable. I said that I want camping _because_ it was miserable!

 

I was out doing these miserable things, but most of the other kids my age were not able or willing to do these things. So I proved to myself that there were some things where I was better than they were. And this was only possible because I did _not_ enjoy it.

 

Yes, I suppose I ought to have some quality time with a psychiatrist. But the truth is that the main reason I was a Scout was because it gave me a chance to be miserable.

 

So, in general, Scouting should be fun. But there should also be a small amount of misery involved. The misery isn't there to "build character" as is often supposed. Instead, the misery should be there because there are probably a few other Scouts like me who want a little misery, just for "bragging rights". 90% fun and 10% misery is probably a good mix.

[83Eagle]

"To go camping."

[moosetracker]

Why Cub Scouts Boy Scouts for our son..

 

Many reasons.

 

1) In my husbands family it is traditional. But, when I signed him up for CS in first grade, hubby was not happy because he feared if he didn't like CS it would be hard to get him to try BS.

2) Only child in a neighborhood with few children & those being older girls. He was so serious even by 1st grade, we wanted him to act like a kid with other kids.

3) Both husband & I grew up camping and so this activity fit our interests.

4) Don't know if it was leadership so much as a package of things with leadership included, but we did appreciate that Scouts had the principles and philosophy that we wanted our child to grow up learning, so it was an aide for us as parents to instill values into our child as he grew.

5) After Tigers (which he did not want to be in, because mom put him in it and he was already the rebel of parents wants even then) We had him go to Summer camp with the idea of sink or swim, if he came home from that and didn't want to be in it, then so be it.. Anyway after that first summer camp, son just loved scouting, and he continues to do it and love it at age 20.. If he had decided after first grade to continue to resist it, he would not be in it anymore.

 

 

But, he never did mesh with kids his own age, he was always with people 10 years or older then his current age until 18 or 20, when the kids his age acted more mature. So it never improved getting him to "act like a kid" or "act his own age"..

 

 

[ScoutNut]

Because after 3 years of being a Girl Scout tag-a-long, he was ready to be a Scout on his own.

 

Because given decent leaders (which is how I got sucked in!), Scouting (Girl, Cub, or Boy), is the best all around youth program out there.

 

 

[Platypus96]

I can only speak for why I am in the program now, but I think the question is still relevant.

 

I joined cub scouts because my brother did it. I used to attend the pack meetings, and I really enjoyed them.

 

When it came time to bridge into Boy Scouts, I did it because my friend was doing it. If he hadn't, I probably would have stopped, as the entire scouting thing had gotten pretty boring. I was glad that I didn't when I realized that this was much differant then cub scouting, and I started to get kore involved.

 

After a few years of this, it started to get boring. I was advancing normally, going camping every month, but not really enjoying it. It was always the same. Then, two things hpappened; getting voted into the OA and CITing at summer camp.

 

I think my point here is that scouting is a great program because it does change when you need it to. Any program that is able to hold a person's interest for these 7 years, some of the most tumultuous of a person's life, is doing something right.

 

As for why my parents wanted me to do it, I think any extracuricular would have made them happy, this is just the one that I chose to do.

[Eagle92]

I joined Cub Scouts, and later Boy Scouts, b/c of my cousin and uncle who were Eagles, and i kept hearing so much about Eagle. Cubs was OK, But Scouting was awesome and i've never looked back. Oldest is involved b/c he's seen the patches, heard the stories, and sees me involved and want to have fun.

[Scoutfish]

Because the DE is an awesome salesman!

 

he went to my son'sschool and he sold scouting in the time he was given.

 

Took my son to sign up. Thought what I heard was pretty good sounding.

 

Having fun, adventure, making freinds, going camping and all that stuff....what's the down side?

 

But then you have the stuff the DE doesn't tell the boys ( at least directly) ...

Good maners, respect, patriotism, God, family and country.

 

Self reliant, go getter, pride in your work,etc..

 

Again, how can you go wrong with that?

 

Or UI suppose he could become the future world champion video game playing couch potato!

 

Me? Well, the good feeling you get from helping the boys and a campout or two later...I found out I liked it too!

[Knot Head]

>>> Why is your son in Boy Scouts?

[Kahuna]

Truth be told, I joined Scouting as a progression from Cub Scouts, over fifty years ago. My first troop was a dud and when we transferred overseas, I probably would never have rejoined Scouting. As luck would have it, I made it into a good troop that did a lot of camping and made friends with a lot of guys I liked. I liked the camping, I liked the leadership, the uniform and a lot of stuff.

 

But the main thing was, I really fell in love with Scouting. Something about the whole thing just grabbed me and has stayed with me since. From the postings here over the years I see that the same thing has happened to a lot other guys, which is why I guess we have a bunch of leaders who are willing to give time and spend money guiding a bunch of kids, most or none of which are theirs.

[Eagledad]

When I look back on my scouting experience as a youth and as an adult, Scouting is the one place I know where everyone excepts you for who you are. At least that is my experience.

 

The program is also a broad enough that every boy can find something he is good at. Back when Camporees were really competative and troops were ranked by where they place in the last camporee, the difference in winning was a matter of a few seconds. We were really good at skills back then because you carried your troop and patrol tankings for a year. Well it turned out that was very good at knots and lashings, so I was the guy who walked around checking all my patrol mates knots during knot tieing events. I didn't tie the knots, I checked everyone elses knots. You have to understand that we had mixed age patrols with several patrol members old enough to drive. So for a skinny 11 year old kid to be accepted enough where the old guys could be told their knots were wrong was a pretty big deal.

 

Barry

[qwazse]

everyone excepts you for who you are

 

True. We don't accept you. We think you're exceptional!

[resqman]

My youngest started in Cub Scouts because I was a scout growing up. He enjoyed all the scout stuff like fire, knifes, and playing outdoors. Sports was never his thing. After 4 yrs. of him as a Cub and me a as Den Leader, we both moved on to Boy Scouts. 4 years of Boy Scouts later he stays in it because he still loves all the outdoors skills and has a set of patrol buddies he has been around since Wolf Cubs.

 

My oldest tried Cub Scouts for a couple months. Bored to death. He went the route of sports. Played on multiple teams at the same time, travel teams, paid coaches, etc. 1st or 2nd year of high school he figured out he needed something else on his college application. He joined for the express purpose of earning Eagle. He attended as many outings and activities as needed to complete the requirements. He set a goal and will likely complete the requirements for Eagle in the next 2 months for a total of 3 years from joining Boys Scouts to Eagle. He claims he did not really enjoy most of it. But it has changed who he is and how he veiws the world.

 

I am in scouting because my parents put me in Cub scouts. I joined Boy Scouts and had a great time. Later moved on to Explorers and had an even better time. I stayed in scouts because it made me happy. I felt a loss I could not explain for 10 years after I went to college and young adulthood. It was a lack of scouting and the commadarie of the patrol method. Joined the fire department. Close but not really what I wanted. Joined a technical rescue squad. Trained one weekend a month. Tied knots, wore uniforms, close knit group of guys working to improve our skills, ourselves, and our community. 10 years of rescue squad and my sons finally got old enough to join scouts. Quit the rescue squad and joined Boy Scouts. Sure is great to be back!

[MomToEli]

Well, we signed him up as a Wolf because we wanted him, as a homeschooled kid, to meet other boys his age, without turning him over to someone else and trusting they weren't some sort of crazy person or would undermine the values he learns at home/church. We picked scouting over sports because this boy is so tall and grows so fast that his muscles weren't keeping up with his bones and coordination was lacking (much better now and he is a swimmer) - we wanted him to be able to succeed. Also, because we could become involved as leaders and it could be a family thing instead of us watching from the sidelines.

 

I just asked him why HE is in Boy Scouts. He said it is because it is fun. Likes camping a lot - even mentioned lashings as one of his favorite skills :-) He also told me if he had a car (not old enough to drive yet) and we didn't want to go he would go without us. Now I know that he owns his scouting adventure.

 

We stay involved (both still leaders at multiple levels in the program) because it is fun :-) And, because Scouting continues to be one of the tools in our arsenal that helps us teach our son the values that we want him to learn as he grows into a man. I honestly believe we spend *more* time together as a family because of scouting - even if it is a family that has grown by a whole bunch more :-)