sctmom

This makes me think about the conversation that took place a few months ago between two Webelos scouts. One was saying you are only a scout when in uniform and the other said you are ALWAYS a scout. At 10 years old this argument took place and I guess we never outgrow it.

My side ---- you are ALWAYS a scout, not just when in uniform.

At first I thought, geez, the kid in the post above has been punished, leave it alone. But then I started thinking about how Scouting should be applied to all of life. And a quote I've seen many times, including in BSA literature "Character is what you do when no one is looking."

I live in an area where many newly formed churches who do not have a building use the public schools for services on Sunday. Isn't this discrimination? Yes, I can attend their services but to be a "member" of their church I must subscribe to their beliefs. If that church does not allow women in the clergy, that's discrimination.

How can that be allowed? Yet BSA is not able to even meet on some school property.

Ditto to what Chippewa said.

We have this discussion in Cub Scouts, some leaders and parents want the kids to get a patch for everything--just showing up. Some teachers seem to do this. I'm amazed how the 5th graders get "rewarded" for behaving all week and turning in all their work on time. Rewarded for doing what you are supposed to do? Excuse me for sounding old (I AM a senior member now...lol), but we got PUNISHED for NOT doing our work. Reward was that you didn't get punished.

Many kids have never had "real" hot chocolate, only the powdered mixed kind. Next time you're camping, have them slowly heat MILK and add chocolate. Didn't take my son long to realize this tasted MUCH better than the mix.

Also, I ran across this recipe that sounds good. I haven't tried it, but when I do, I'll let you know. Serves 8. Sounds like a good camping option when you have plenty of water available but want to save space by using canned milk instead of regular milk.

cup baking cocoa

1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk

1/8 teaspoon of salt

6 cups water

1 teaspoons vanilla extract

In a large saucepan, combine the cocoa, milk and salt. Cook and stir over medium heat. Gradually add water; cook and stir until heated through. Stir in vanilla.

No, no, no..don't type the +, just the : and the ).

testing...

talk about needing a life....

Earrings can be removed before a job interview. Females are taught which earrings are approriate for a job interview and when it is approriate to wear NO earrings, especially dangling ones.

Back in the 70's the girls were wearing earrings with big feathers on them. I remember the cheerleaders at our school were not allowed to wear them when in uniform. It wasn't for safety, just was distracting. But that was also the days a girl would get kicked off the squad if caught smoking or if seen in public acting inapproriately with a boy (seen kissing at the Dairy Queen).

Also, earring holes do heal over eventually. They may leave a small scar, but who is looking that close at your ears?

I work in a professional office and see more and more men wearing a small stud to work. Many only wear them outside of work.

The remark earlier about girls get to where them because girls are different--- please, our society says girls get to wear them, not because of some physical or mental difference.

I know at least one very good male scouter in our Council who has long hair (ponytail). He may have an earring or two, I never noticed. He's one of the most dedicated scouters around. Works all the Cub Scout camporees at the council owned camp. Friendly, helpful, etc. ...really is a good example.

Now, I do have a problem with the face piercing...for one thing it looks painful to have a stud going through your lip into your gums. Apparently the nose ring wearers do not have allergies like I do. And I'm afraid of the hoop rings on the eyebrows, that looks like you could easily rip someone's face off if it got caught on something.

Bottom line, the earrings, hair cut, and tatoos no more make the person a hoodlum than just wearing the scout uniform makes a person a Scout.

I make the smiley face by type a colon and a right parentheses.

: + ) =

Don't know why it turns to the yellow smiley.

Okay, how do you make those font changes? I've been wondering that.

Great article! And Great project. Way to go Robert Bidlack!

My mind has been on camping and cooking this week. I remembered some of the best soup ever -- cooked over a wood fire some years ago.

1 pound of ground beef or turkey

beef bouillon cubes or beef stock if using turkey

water

tomato soup, tomato juice or V-8 juice

Vegetables of your choice canned or frozen

Such as: green beans, cabbage, lima beans, black eyed peas, corn, potatoes, broccoli, zucchini, tomatoes

Optional : rice, macaroni, other pastas, ham hock, fatback, leftovers, etc.

Brown meat in pot; drain. Add all the other ingredients. Add any seasoning such as bouillon, salt, pepper, onion, garlic, hot saucewhatever you like. Cook until all vegetables are tender. This can vary depending on if you used fresh or canned vegetables. Serve sprinkled with grated parmesan cheese or cheddar cheese on top if desired. Great with cornbread.

The point is to use whatever you have or whatever is cheap at the store. My mother would make this when she defrosted the big freezer, so we called it "clean out the freezer soup". A trick she had to add things we didn't like was to run those items (like onions and okra) through the blender first. Then you can't find the "evidence" to pick out and fuss over.

Cooking over a wood fire adds a wonderful smoke flavor that can't be beat. Also, reheats easily and tastes great.

Excuse me while I go find my soup pot... I think my pantry is overflowing and "needs" cleaning.....

After 1 1/2 years as Webelos leader I'm also having to decide what I do now. I want to be involved but give him space. But I'm not the type of mom who checks on him during the night to see if he is covered. I may remind him to get his jacket before we leave the house, but he refuses he's the one who suffers (we live in the south, very seldom is there a fear of frost bite on the car ride to school). I do need him to learn he can do find without Mom over in the shadows, I know he can and he needs to know he can.

This is a big time. I ran across the picture of this first pinewood derby in first grade. Wow, what a difference today. All us 5th grade parents look at the little Tigers and go "oh, ours used to be that small and cute, just wait".

I think any of his fears are from TV shows depicting horrible summer camp experiences -- this seems to be a theme for some shows, movies and books. Again, I think he is afraid of physical hazing, which I'm trusting the adults to NOT tolerate at all!

I think BSA has a lot to offer him. I want him to be involved in something organized throughout his teenage years. I believe that it is critical for maturity and to avoid depression, drugs and other troubles. My brother, sister and myself all wish our parents had MADE us be in something -- sports, scouts, programs at the "Y", church, anything. We had options to be involved and options to quit. Going got tough we quit, no questions asked as to why.

Last night this thread brought up a memory for me. When I was about 8 years old, I heard there was a Girl Scout Brownie troop starting in our small town. Oh how I wanted to join. I had my sister's old Brownie book and loved to sit and look at it (not understanding most of it, but still liked it). I vividly remember my parents standing in the kitchen discussing if I could join. My father said "no". Why? Because of his racial bias (I went to a private school that he helped form, by the way.)

I didn't agree with him then, don't agree with him now. But it was his choice, maybe not on good reasons. It never struck me to cry and whine about it or blame the Girl Scouts. It just simply could not be because Father said NO. It went against what he believed was right for his family.

I think we all encounter situations where we have to make the decision to not participate based on our belief system. This is often hard on adults and children, but it is also how we teach our children to stand up for what they believe in. Even as common as "no you can't watch that TV show because it goes against our values" to more extreme situations. Also, if our belief systems are strong, one 10 minute presentation about Scouting or whatever should not sway our children (okay, that's debateable, but you know what I mean). This woman should see this as a chance to reinforce her atheist beliefs to her child and as a learning/growing experience for both of them.

I just can't figure out why having the Scouts do a presentation is "unreasonably differentiates treatment". They aren't having Scout meetings during school. There is no grade based on being in Scouts. There is no pressure.

I just hate people who have to find BLAME. Let's blame it on BSA or the school or someone else so we don't have to say "this is what I believe and it's my responsibility."

I've been a little amazed and disappointed at some the Eagle projects in my area.

One boy paved (cement) a walkway of about 10 feet from the parking lot to the tennis courts.

Another one -- cleaning up the overgrown bushes in the back yard of the church. Also, putting up a fence in the backyard of the church. The whole troop helped in these, which I think is great.

I was more impressed by the young man who took on revamping the nature trail at the elementary school. That was a big project and many people benefited from it.

My opinion is that you should be cleaning up the church yard and the scout camps because you care and it's the right thing to do.

Girl Scouts give out the Gold Award as their highest achievement. Their requirements are structured around earning certain badges about leadership and citizenship (similiar to BSA). Also, they have a minimum of 50 hours the girl must spend on the project. Often 2 or 3 girls, or even the whole troop (of the same age) will work together, each one giving 50 hours of her time and sharing in the leadership role. The GSUSA website lists some of the projects girls have done --- book drives, trail maintenance, food drives, winter coat collection, a playground at the local History center, planning and implementing an permanent exhibit at a musuem, doing projects for children's shelters.

I heard it called "free merit badge day".

Perhaps some community service involving education?

Such as tutoring, a book drive, recording books on tape for the blind, reading to youngsters.

I think he will hold his own.

I am excited for him because it shows one more step in maturity. Unlike some parents, I WANT my son to be independent. Otherwise, I haven't done my job as a parent. He's my only one and even though I miss that little baby sometime, I like seeing the young man growing in front of my eyes.

I plan on continuing to be involved in Scouting but am already looking for my "reason" why I can't go on some of the troop campouts. I know he will do fine and the troop is good.

I'm reminded of the day we went to Kindergarden open house. I was terrified at leaving him at this school of 600 kids. I turned around and he was GONE! Once he was with the kids, I didn't exist. And I had already told the teacher that he was shy. Boy, did he prove me wrong.

My two cents worth -- don't kick him out.

He made a mistake, yes he should have known better and probably did know better. He is being punished at school.

Are you going to kick out every scout who accepted the test answers? I hope not.

Kicking him out of Scouts for this one infraction is telling him Scouting doesn't care. I think a Scoutmaster conference would suffice. Does he feel remorse? Does he understand why it was wrong? What will he do next time when put in a situation like this?

But that's just my opinion.

This is a great idea!

At first I thought you meant use it like a tarp, but then I realized you don't have to take the sleeping pad! Great!

As I tell my son, it's my job to be mean and refuse to let him wear "the cool stuff". I can handle a stud earring or a necklace worn inside the shirt, but I have no interest in seeing your underwear and I am not raising the next Mr. T! (okay that told my age, do the kids know who Mr. T is?).

AND I'm going for the award of Meanest Mom of the Year! hehehehe

He is very small for his age and is mainly afraid of being picked on for that reason. He can handle a small trick on him, especially if he knows it is not because he is small.

He has a hard time with not only kids, but also adults refusing to believe he is 10 years old. He looks like he is 7. People are rude and say "you're not old enough to be here".

I think the troop he has chosen is good and don't let things get out of hand. There is already another boy there who is very small in size, so that should help him out. And he has seen that the "big" kids were very nice to him.

Hey, he's known for pulling tricks himself on people --- like MOM!

A year ago I would never have guessed my son (now 10 1/2 yrs old) would be ready for Boy Scouts at this time. But he is! I'm torn between proud parent/Webelos Leader and sentimental mom (oh, my baby is growing up).

Seriously, he is chomping at the bit. Out of the blue this week he wanted to know if he could visit the troop again. We visited twice last fall. He doesn't know any of the kids at this troop, or at least he didn't before the visits. I asked if he wanted to look at the troop that is forming down the road that would have kids from his school, and he informed me that he DID know the kids at the troop we visited. Ah, Scouting brotherhood at its best!

So, looks like come March I'm "Boy Scout's Mom" no longer "Cub Scout's Mom".

The next hurdle is for him to be convinced that no one is going to play nasty tricks on him at summer camp. That is his big fear about going to summer camp. Hopefully those spring troop campouts will calm that down.

Obviously lots of ways!

I've also heard of cold soapy water wash, hot soapy water wash, then hot bleach rinse.

AND hot soapy water wash, hot water rinse, then cold bleach rinse. Reasoning being that bleach starts breaking down in hot water in some way you don't want it too. Maybe some of you have enough chemistry background to understand that or explain it.

So if I belong to a religion that recognizes the Sabbath as beginning on Friday at sundown, my child can't go to the high school football games. Yet, the coach is trying to get him to go out for football, the school is having pep rallies, etc. Isn't that discrimination?

This lady needs to take responsibility for her beliefs and her child, and quit blaming the rest of the world.

There is a clear difference between a group that is organized solely on the purpose of fighting people not like them and an organization such as BSA. BSA's sole purpose is not to convert all non-believers or to alienate them. Regardless of your religion, it has been shown that BP was right when saying you need a spiritual life. He didn't say which one, but that you need one.

I live in an area where a few years ago it was discovered that the head of the local United Way was embezzling lots of monies. Makes me leary of them.

Oh, wow, I'm a SENIOR member! My birthday is coming up soon, but I didn't think it was a milestone one!

Not to mention, show some of the boys a little about signalling...the response is often "wow, that's cool." It's the draw of knowing a "secret code"....who didn't want the secret decoder ring?

Also, flag signalling is used in car racing.

How do you wash dishes when car camping? How about when backpacking?

How do you dispose of the dirty water?