an "a ha!" moment

[Lisabob]

Driving home from a scout meeting the other night, SPL-son was grumping about how some adults seem unwilling to give the boys space to try things out, maybe to fail, and then to re-evaluate. Instead, in SPL-son's view, these adults are always "what iffing" to keep the boys from possibly making mistakes or experiencing discomfort (or failure).

 

Headstrong, independent, stubborn, late-teen SPL-son turns to me and says: "Don't these people know they're setting their children up for failure once they turn 18 and have no experience making decisions on their own and dealing with the consequences?"

 

A ha.

 

 

 

 

[boomerscout]

your son is wise beyond his years. You did a good job!

[evmori]

Don't ya love it when the light goes on in their heads!

[Eagledad]

He's ready to be the Scoutmaster.

 

Barry

[Stosh]

The sad downside to this are all the boys that come to this conclusion, realize they're butting their heads against the wall, and 1) quickly get their Eagle and quit or 2) just quit.

 

Stosh

[Lisabob]

Fun thing about teens is that one minute you get the "a ha" moment and the next you get... a teenager. (said with a smile) He is a good kid, will be a fine young man, and yes, I'm proud of him. Thanks for letting me say that!

 

Stosh, he's closer to 2 than 1 right now. But he just went through his ordeal for OA and is excited about being part of that, and he's going to jambo this summer with a really good group of folks. I hope both of these might revitalize his interest in scouting and help him see that there are lots of opportunities out there, even if a given troop isn't always the right place at the right time for him. He also had a really great NYLT experience in a nearby council that did this for him last summer. (Hats off to the Erie Shores Council NYLT folks for that!)

 

I guess this is another reason why troops that don't introduce their scouts to district, council, and national opportunities might not be serving their older scouts well. You just never know what will trigger a scout's interest in staying involved. Sometimes it won't be whatever is happening (or not happening) within the troop.

[Stosh]

Have him read the Hillcourt material and then have him move towards BOY-LED! He's the SPL! It's his right to leave a legacy and one might as well leave the correct one!

 

It's time to take seriously those words of the Law, arm oneself with B-P knowledge and go for it. At least he won't ever be accused of leaving with a whimper! I always tell my boys that when they leave the room everyone should notice. You may have left a good taste or a bad taste in their mouths, but at least while you were there, they had something real to chew on.

 

Have him review the meanings of the words of the Law and focus on Obedient and Brave.

 

My best to him!

 

Stosh

 

 

[rdclements]

I helped organize a district webelos woods weekend camping event for several years. It was a lot of fun working with a scout staff group to develop and promote the program each year.

My favorite part was at the kickoff meeting on Friday evening (cracker barrel) when all of the info and instructions were delivered by the scout staff. It was fun to watch the uninitiated adults try to come to grips with the reality that the guys in charge were 14-17. I had many conversations with adults who were uncomfortable with being nudged into the observer role, but some began to see that if an event for 400+ could be run by the scouts, maybe their unit could be run that way too.

[dg98adams]

here's an "A-ha" one from summer camp.

 

I am visiting the Troop (I'm one of 5 ASM's) at camp this week (had to work) and overheard a Scout in our Troop. H is a "14 year old PL" working on his Merit Badge stuff at a picnic table in camp after dinner. I'm several tables away chatting with the SM.

 

As he explains to a younger Scout working on a different Merit Badge right beside him, "everything you need to know is in this little Merit Badge book.....", I wish I had realized that when I was your age.

 

I almost spit the "bug-juice" I was drinking across the table when I heard him say that. You really never know how much sinks in until you get the RARE chance to see or hear it come back around.

 

Both boys had no idea the "a-ha" moment will be remembered (and probably embellished) by me for later retell over a dying campfire in the near future.

 

 

 

[jr56]

Oh yes, that is a rare moment quaranteed to make you spray your bug juice.

[Narraticong]

"Don't these people know they're setting their children up for failure once they turn 18 and have no experience making decisions on their own and dealing with the consequences?" - This is the whole prgram in one sentence! Absolutely beautiful!

 

That in itself made my day. Then Stosh invokes the ghost of Greenbar Bill. All this two days before my troop goes to summer camp. Perfect timing.

 

When Mr. Hillcourt was back at BSA trying to straighten out the 1970's mess, he lived upstairs from one of the boys in my patrol. We sometimes had meetings at Jeff's apartment and a few times Mr. Hillcourt sat in. Just listened, and never tried to influence us. Unfortunately, I only knew he was a nice older man who wrote a column for Boys Life. Had no idea what a giant he was and that someday he would be one of my role models. Mr. Hlllcout had also been a Scoutmaster. His real world research perfected the greatest youth program ever.

 

We would be wise to be like Greenbar Bill and just watch, listen, and offer advice only when asked. God bless all the youth leaders who "get it" even when their leaders don't!

 

Ken