Dennis the Menace

[Eagledad]

The Dennis the Menace cartoon last Saturday showed Dennis in his Cowboy hat and boots walking with his dog and telling ol Ruff that when he becomes a cowboy, Ruff will be his prairie dog.

 

I cant think of a better way to show the spirit of a boy because they are dreamers who see themselves as adventures, heroes, and stars. They have visions of being better than they are now and see the world that way as well. They know what the world should be and how we should fit in that world.

 

What I like best about the scouting program is that if the adults are willing, a boy can live out his dreams in the program. He only needs a little encouragement now and then to keep his train of thought.

 

The most challenging part of teaching adults of how to develop citizens of character and leaders of integrity is impressing to them how easily adults can mess it up. Its the simple things you know, listen more and talking less. Stand behind instead of in front. Allowing a new idea when the old habit seems easier.

 

Eventually all boys crash into the realities of life. But I dont think it should be the adult leaders who should replace a boys innocence with cold facts of life because just maybe the boy found a better way.

 

Badon Powell had a dream of world peace through scouting. I know he was thinking about the Dennis the Menaces of the world when he started toward that dream.

 

I love this scouting stuff.

 

Barry

 

[AlamanceScouter]

Well said! I have a den full of Dennis the Menace's.....one of them is my son. It is so cool to watch them grow up.....and dream......and achieve.

[OwntheNight]

Well said, ED.

 

Tonight, we had our Recruitment night for the Pack. As I was talking to the new families, I kept telling them the Scouting adventure they were about to embark on was their son's story. It was our jobs as leaders and as parents to help the boys get the words to that story on paper. Every boy's story is different, and that's what makes their journey so fun to watch. Dang, I wish I had brought one of those choose your own adventure books for a prop, oh well next year.

 

After I spoke about their story, I had one of the boys from the troop tell his story about what Scouting has done for him. It certainly didn't hurt my efforts, since he went to Colorado for Summer Camp, did his Philmont Trek a couple weeks later, and then just got back from the World Jamboree right before school started. That young man lived like a rock star all summer. It's still a great story. You could see the gears turning in their heads of what story their own son could tell.

 

It truly is my privelege and honor to serve these boys as their Cubmaster.