Blog Hop ~ Scouting as a part of life ~ this is as far as I am going!

At least that is what I keep telling myself.  So, being involved with the Girl Scouts on the Troop level and the planning level, means I must want to be that involved with the Boy Scouts also, right?  I guess so.. 

So, since the big Boy Scout blow-up back in May, our troop was the first one to fall apart... or, so it appeared that way from the outside.  I shared a little about that night, but I don't think I have shared much since.  True to my last sentence, the ScoutMaster that chose to stay, along with four of us moms (plus the support of all of those who loved scouting) 542 is as strong as ever.  

In the process, I have earned another hat to wear. I am now the Merit Badge Counselor/Advancement Chair person. Which, for me, is great! My main want for these boys is to work on their badges and earn these awards - while they are learning.  Honestly, that wasn't happening and we were close to the point of leaving the troop because we didn't care for the way that things were going.  I am finding that "that night"was one of the best things that has happened to 542 since Riley became a Boy Scout.  Positive changes have been made within the troop, the boys have all spent time together this summer as the parents have worked to pick up the pieces and the bond among all of us is much closer- both boys and parents. 

I have already been working with the boys, and together this summer, then have almost earned the Aviation Merit Badge - complete with a flight for a couple of them!  They have a date set up for the Photography Merit Badge, and the Senior Leadership Patrol (a new thing for us) is working on adding time for the boys to complete some of their partial Merit Badges they have earned and need to work on. The process of the planning is going on - with the boys in charge  -and we should be close to completing our calendar this next week. (the boys are doing the planning, but the leaders will be the one working on the dates and logistics of the events).

So, as my kiddos enter their teen & high school years (almost there - yikes!) I am happy to say that I am very involved with their main extra curricular activity and will know what they are doing - so I can work in some school time with these, right?   Being an involved adult, with kiddos that are in charge of their troops, has been an eye-opening experience for both the kiddos and I, but I am proud of the way that both of our scout troops are functioning now and looking forward to another great year!