Be a Good Scout

This year, my son joined Boy Scouts. I'm really excited for him, because I've seen firsthand the difference scouting makes in a young man's life. I'm excited because the values of the law are the values I want to instill in my son:

trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly,
courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful,
thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent.

And the scout oath is a great framework for life:

On my honor I will do my best
To do my duty to God and my country
and to obey the Scout Law;
To help other people at all times;
To keep myself physically strong,
mentally awake, and morally straight.

There are a lot of great skills he gets to learn, like woodcarving, outdoor skills, thinking beyond self, and working towards a goal. He can pick which patches or merit badges he'd like to work on. There's a lot of things to ponder as he picks which ones to pursue. I'm so thrilled to see him thrilled about something.

The skills he's learned so far are quite impressive: he's carved a car out of soap, we've toured a local radio station & learned about the process. He got to play basketball with the Skyforce players and go to a game. the pack even visited the local police department and got a peek behind the scenes-everything from the squad room to heaving a SWAT vest to the crime lab. He's learned about citizenship along the way, and more. There are valid concerns for me too-some of the outdoor activities that might be out of his comfort zone, for example-where he might not want to participate. But I think those fears of mine will alleviate as time goes on and he grows and matures.

I'm incredibly proud of my little man as he grows in scouting and beyond.