Boys Scouts?
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Hippyt | Monday, September 29, 2003 - 06:33 pm     I could use some advice and opinions. My six year old son wants to join Cub Scouts. He went to a meeting tonight with his Dad. Now,I'm looking at the paperwork,and I don't think I want him to join. I had never realized the Boy Scouts are so religion based. Now,that's fine,I have no problem with religion. But,after all the controversy over gay scouts,I don't know if I can agree with their ideas of religion. I'm sure this is just an issue with me,not something that would actually hurt my son. But,I have members of my family who are gay,and if they aren't good enough for scouting,then my son doesn't need to hang out with these people. I'm not sure if this is even making sense. The thing is,I think I would feel like a hypocrite enrolling him in this organization. Any thoughts? |
Cangaroo | Monday, September 29, 2003 - 06:38 pm     Well, if that's the type of organization your son wants to be in, but there are points about it you don't agree with, there's always the Campfire Girls and Boys of America. They are no longer just the Campfire girls, but include all children...and don't quote me, but I haven't ever heard any flack about them being anti-gay or anything like that. Campfire earns badges, etc. much like Scouts and are usually in all schools. Might be worth checking into. |
Jkm | Monday, September 29, 2003 - 06:49 pm     Don't know much about boy scouts -- but daughters and I have been involved in Girl Scouts for about 8 years now -- Wouldn't trade it for anything. They've gotten to do stuff we as a family would never do - Camping in the snow - Hiking in the woods - learning all kinds of skills - and being girls - lots of crafts -- but also much community service. Now that the oldest is reaching higher levels a whole lot of doors have been opened up to her. She sits on a teen council for our whole region - goes to more advanced camps in the summer - trains/mentors younger girls. Scouts is fun and for most kids they last a year or two -- but each troop or pack is different -- there is much flexibility depending on who leads the group -- I think in the younger boy scouts the parents are required to participate. To help them learn skills and earn their patches. I've been to my nephew's derby car race - what a hoot -- he and his dad had a great time working on making their car. If your family already is adventurous and enjoys learning/teaching outdoor skills --- then skip it -- otherwise let him try it -- if it doesn't work out -- after this years up, you can drop it. Girl Scouts has more paperwork and rules for everything -- I think 90% of it is a result of a lawsuit against some orginization somewhere. (can't play red-rover red-rover, jet ski etc...) Today there are so many more choices for kids to do stuff -- Scouts, Boys & Girls Clubs, soccer, baseball, basketball, cheer club, peewee football, choir, band, drama, church youth groups, volleyball, dance, batons, youth library groups, etc.... That's just in elementary school!!! Just choose what's right for your family and don't sweat it - there is always something else to get involved in. |
Jkm | Monday, September 29, 2003 - 06:50 pm     A great non official boy scout site to check out is www.macscouter.com |
Reader234 | Monday, September 29, 2003 - 06:53 pm     I'm involved with Scouts. My son 18 stayed with it from the beginning, and my other son 15 is still involved. I may be prejudiced. My boys have signed petitions against the stand the National Boy Scout has adopted (about homosexuals) they have learned that it is more politically based. The Morman church financial supports Scouts, each member of the Morman church joins Boy Scouts, its a huge deal... this is NOT written in any literature, but well known, I believe 60 minutes even did a piece on this... If you ask the leaders of the troop you are going to join, you may get a feel for how they will lead your son. I would never allow my children to join a group of people that stands against any individual etc. It is hard to justify this National Opinion, for all of us... Religion... well, I am religious, I believe in the 10 commandments, and the golden rule, and I want my sons to be involved with loving other people, as God loves them... and I dont want them bullying other people... I want them to be involved in good (and I know there are lots of ways to do this, this is the route they chose!) They love camping, their troop camps once a month. In high school at home they watch a lot of TV, spend time on computers, and play video games... in the summer, they watch NO TV... they camp, they now give back by being counselors at the Boy Scout Camp, for the whole summer. Not all boys that join at a young age stays with it, sports plays a big part. My boys play travel hockey, lacross, and are on the swim team. And they are involved in scouting. So it all depends on you. You have valid issues, as a family we discuss these issues, it sounds like your son is too young to get too involved in deep conversation, but it could be a beginning... Also the first year is Tiger cubs, personally I HATED Tigers, it was so hard for the kids, they went once a month and basically have to be 'entertained' by all the adults... and then to go to those darn pack meetings, that last forever, each group has a part, and Tigers has a very minor part since they are so young... I probably gave you way too much information. But I have to - a lot of the men involved find a place to chat with other men, bond... esp if they love the outdoors. (this starts at 5th grade by the way!) We camp with purposes, to go rock climbing, ice fishing, shotgun shooting (target range, paintball is forbidden!) and many many other things. There is great research on people who were invovled with scouting (astronauts, Presidents, hey, even Jimmy Buffet!! When my eldest got his Eagle award Jimmy Buffet sent him a congratulation letter!!) And so my husband found a place where he volunteers, works with young scouts on orienteering, First Aid ( a valuable tool!) and I started to get lonely, so I joined up too - look at Lillian in Survivor, 51 and still a Scoutmaster!! I found a niche too, I found a group of women to bond with... we get silly, we sing songs, we live like kids... and we set examples for young boys/men. I make sure to teach tolerance for all, all faiths, religions, as well as lifestyles, and a love for our country!! My son developed a flag retirement ceremony, sometimes its hard not to cry, and I hope that says something to the young kids we are teaching too, a love, a reverence for our country. Good luck in your decision, it is yours to make, there are many paths that you can chose - we choose scouting, and it worked for us... each area is different, and even each troop. We joined one pack, left for another... then as a Boy Scout we joined one troop, left it (not enough camping) refused to join another (it was too easy to get badges signed off whether you earned it or not!)... and politics is strong here too, I can see us leaving this troop for another if we had to, but we would still be involved. Good luck!! |
Reader234 | Monday, September 29, 2003 - 06:55 pm     One Hundred Scouts [This has been around quite a while. The number of Scouts who make Eagle changes periodically. The number listed was reported as accurate in 1998. Probably some of the other statistics have changed also, but the impact is still the same.] Of any one hundred boys who become Scouts, it must be confessed that thirty will drop out in their first year. Perhaps this may be regarded as a failure, but later in life, all of these will remember that they had been in Scouting and will speak well of the program. Of the one hundred, only rarely will one ever appear before a juvenile court judge. Twelve of the one hundred will be from families that belong to no church. Through Scouting, these twelve and many of their families will be brought into contact with a church and will continue to be active all their lives. Six of the one hundred will become pastors. Each of the one hundred will learn something from Scouting, and all will develop hobbies that will add interest throughout the rest of their lives. Approximately one-half will serve in the military, and in varying degrees, profit from their Scout training. At least one will use it to save another person's life, and many may credit it for saving their own. Four of the one hundred will reach Eagle rank, and at least one will later say that he valued his Eagle above his college degree. Many will find their future vocation through merit badge work and Scouting contacts. Seventeen of the one hundred boys will become adult leaders and will give leadership to thousands of additional boys. One in four boys in America will become Scouts, but it is interesting to know that of the leaders of this nation in business, religion and politics, three out of four were Scouts. This story will never end. Like the 'Golden Pebble' of service dropped into the human sea, it will continue to radiate in ever-widening circles, influencing the characters of men through unending time." |
Reader234 | Monday, September 29, 2003 - 06:58 pm     Here is the site where I found out Jimmy Buffet was a Boy Scout: famous Boy Scouts |
Hippyt | Monday, September 29, 2003 - 07:09 pm     No,thanks very much Reader. Not too much info at all. He has a million things he wants to join,and now his best friend has signed up for soccer. Talking about the Tiger Cubs,I think you're right. They are going on a 3 day camping trip,and one of us would have to go too. I have a 3 year old too,I can't go camping for 3 days! Thanks for your info,very useful. I'm gonna have to talk it over with his Dad. |
Llkoolaid | Monday, September 29, 2003 - 08:11 pm     Hi Hippy, I checked it out, interesting conversation. |
Cangaroo | Monday, September 29, 2003 - 08:18 pm     Now, grown up Boy Scouts interest me...wait, those might be called Rangers. |
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