mac3mpc

It's a tough decision that you have to make, my friend. On one hand you want to do what's best for not only the troop, but ultimately your own son, and on the other hand you want to do what's best for your family at home. If your wife is truly against the idea, I would have to say that I would probably decline the position. Your still going to be there for your son as an ASM, guiding him and watching him grow through the program without the extra time commitment and stress factor.

Sorry for the double post. You didn't mention how old your son was. Will he be with the troop for a while? Will this be a long term commitment for you? Or is he an older boy who might be a couple of years from aging out? That might be something for you to take into consideration. I know we've had SM step in for 1 or 2 years until their sons have aged out and then step down. Then another ASM would step in to take over. My husband is currently an ASM, but we know he is the "heir apparent" for the SM position when the current SM's son ages out in a couple of years.

I learned early on when my oldest on was just a tiger cub (he's now 19 and aged out), that I either needed to get involved or lose my husband and son to scouting. Mind you this realization came when I had just given birth to our second son, my husband brought the two of us home from the hospital, deposited us on the doorstep and immediately took son #1 off to a popcorn show and sell. Since that time, I've helped with den activities, been advancement chair for the pack for years (even for 2 years when I didn't have a son in the pack because I knew I had another one coming in), been on the