>Last week, I was talking with a friend of mine, he isn’t a scouter, so doesn’t really understand some of the scouting verbiage. While we were discussing some of our non-scouting topics, he asked about Ethan and how he was doing. I mentioned that I was starting the new troop, and he asked “what is the difference between Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts” and I said the uniform….nothing else.
*tongue in cheek*

I said that Cub Scouts, we (parents) do everything…we plan, we set up fundraising, we pretty much do everything. But in Boy Scouts, we let the scouts do that, with guidance and advice from the adult leaders. They plan the times and places that they want to go, figure out how to get there, and what they are going to do while there, even what they are going to eat. When the troop/patrol gets there, they set up their tents and get camp squared away…it’s their duty, not the adult leaders…if they are struggling, they need to come to the leaders for help.

As we finished up the topic, I told him that in Cub Scouts, the adult leaders take every precaution, comparing it to swimming…we put on the life jacket, make them wait after eating, put the “floaties”, don’t let them go in water deeper than their chest…and everything else. When it comes to Boy Scouts, we let them make that choice…they have been taught to wait after eating, put on their PFD, and everything else that goes along with it.

In other words, sink or swim….if they are prepared, they will swim…and that is our duty as Cub Leaders, to prepare them to swim…

>Here in Wisconsin, times seem to slow down quite a bit when it comes to activities. Why? I dunno. It may be due to folks just wanting to enjoy the sunshine and warmth, or because folks seem to go 100 MPH during the school year. Regardless, it may be time to take a look at what we have coming up.

On my personal schedule, 3 1/2 weeks to camp, 6 weeks to our next committee meeting, 7 1/2 weeks to another camp, and 11 weeks until school starts…yea, kinda puts things in perspective. I will be taking my time slowly, but also expeditiously, as I have to get things rolling with the troop, make my arrangements for training for Scoutmaster, setting up times and what-not…everything that is involved with starting a new troop.

Yes, there is a lot of work to do, but as I always say, work smarter, not harder…but on the same not, take a little time to look at the trees, listen to the crickets and slow down…it will only be a matter of time before your foot will be on the gas again, and we will be having this conversation again in 11 short months…