When Link turned 8 he joined our local cub scout troop. He was ecstatic with his uniform and manual. My feelings were more mixed. I thumbed through the book and looked at all the secret handshakes and promises and oaths. All of that stuff is there to create a sense of unity for the boys, an “inside knowledge” kind of thing. It felt a little… creepy. But the actual application of these things is anything but exclusionary. In fact Link runs off to his den meetings every week with high spirits and comes home to babble about the cool things he did. “We made a rattle out of aluminum cans!” Then once a month at pack meeting the whole family goes to play games with the boys and applaud at the boys who have earned badges. When I see the values that are taught and the actual effect that it is having on Link’s life I love scouting. I don’t feel ready to devote my whole life to it, but I definitely support it. It is as wholesome and character building as team sports, probably more so.
Tonight was den meeting. Link earned his first badge. He was very excited. In fact he has been very excited and counting down the days until this meeting for more than a week. Those scout people are smart though. For every badge the scout gets, the scout’s mother gets a pin. They know who really works to make sure the badges get earned. I guess in theory I’m supposed to wear this pin proudly because it gives me bragging rights. “My boy is a bobcat!” I can now picture a row of 1950’s mothers trying to upstage each other with the number of scout-badge pins they have. The scout people are clever to give the moms jewelry, but they made an error. It is ugly jewelry. My pin is a little square piece of metal with a bas relief bobcat head on it. I don’t really picture myself wearing it anywhere. But it doesn’t matter because we have pictures of Link’s ear to ear grin as he recieved the badge. Now of course I have to sew the badge on to his shirt. Whee.
The way it worked when I was a wee one, we pit the pins in our caps and the badges on our uniforms. Your way seems to me to lead to a lot fewer lost pins.
Now of course I have to sew the badge on to his shirt.
Could’a made him get the sewing badge first. 😉
Pins
My Mother kept the ones she got as I advanced through scouting, a set for me and my brother, as we got older our Scout store sold a thing like a cloth necklace that was Blue/gold on one side and Red/green on the other, You were meant to put the pins for both cub and boy scouts on the coresponding sides as your boy advances, and I remember her wearing it for my Eagle court of honor where they have a pin for both mother and father along with one for the scout. Through moving 3 different times, Scouts has always been a part of my life and a way to make friends with a diverse group of people I hope that Link enjoys all the days he spends with his fellow scouts
picture myself wearing it anywhere
Use Link as the mirror to see how beautiful it looks on you.
I was involved in Scouting for many years – as a Brownie, Girl Scout, and Senior Scout – then later with the Boy Scouts as my sons moved up through the ranks.
Now we support the organization in a different way (primarily donations and sponsorships) but I still stop in at Jamboree’s when I’m in the neighborhood.
Both organizations have evolved over the years – the programs aren’t the ones I was familiar with – but I still think they’re GREAT. I hope you’re able to enjoy scouting as much as I did/do.
But scouting isn’t every-ones “cup of tea” – just drink as much as you’re comfortable with.
I hope we’re able to get back up to your neighborhood one of these days – or you and the family find yourselves down in ours (and have time to stay for a visit).
Meantime – all good thoughts for you and all you hold dear.
I never got a sinister vibe from the signs and handshakes and stuff at any time, even looking back on them as an adult. There’s nothing secret about them; I suspect they were inspired by military salutes and such (Robert Baden-Powell was a British officer and had the military in mind when he founded Scouting), but modified to be unique.
Like Link, I was very excited when I got my first Scout badge and could hardly wait for my mom to sew it on. It wasn’t long before I learned how to sew so I wouldn’t have to wait for her to get around to updating my uniform. Now I sew Halloween costumes and dresses for my wife, so something positive came from my mom’s procrastination tendencies after all.
My sisters’ kids are all involved in scouts. Heck, my sisters run their troop, currently. My sisters’ experience with it has always been very inclusive; they’ve never expressed a feeling of being unwelcome at events, etc., and the oldest ones have gone all the way to Eagle, which of course is no small investment of time, energy, and money, from the Moms and the kids.
I’ve seen first-hand the benefits of scouting on the boys, in particular; before he started scouting, Jon was terrified of bugs, for example. A few camping trips, and he quickly moved past that to “oooh let’s go outside!” Scouting helped him find his inner bravery on a number of other fronts, too.
Scouting seems to focus on things which make for good humans – honor, strength, courage, kindness, honesty, love, faith (in your God – whoever you worship, and in yourself). All good stuff, and promoted in a way which allows the boys to internalize it, and have it be part of their nature. It’s no wonder that such a large percentage of Eagle Scouts become soldiers, or that so many of the U. S. Astronauts were once Eagle Scouts (something like 8 out of 10, at one point).
It’s not for everyone, of course, and Girl Scouts isn’t half the organization that Boy Scouts is (they’re less well-funded and well-organized, for one thing, sadly), but it can have some profound benefits for the kids, and on the adults they become.
I had the exact same thought about it. >:)
I may have to give that a try on a day when I’ve got both time and patience.
Re: picture myself wearing it anywhere
Let us know when you do get back up this way. We’ll get together again. I’ve no idea when we’d get down where you are, partly because I’ve forgotten exactly where you are. I’m thinking southern California.
I’m 38 and still have my merit badge sash and manuals from Scouts. My mom still has my blue Cub Scouts shirt. Haven’t thought about them in years but whenever we move, I find my sash and pack it away now. Good memories.
Re: picture myself wearing it anywhere
We’re “down the road” from Santa Barbara. Or, aways past LA. I don’t remember where YOUR family lives out here. Closer to Sacramento?
Re: picture myself wearing it anywhere
They’re up north near Sanfrancisco. They live in Livermore. I don’t think our family will be headed to california at all this year.