Sunday, January 16

Study Buddy!

I realized a while back that, with as many boys as we have, we were going to have to ante up with Scouts and do more than just arrive and offer to do grunt work. One (or both) of us was going to have to get certified and cleared to serve in some kind of Official Capacity.

I didn't particularly relish the idea. Not that we weren't already active and busy with the organization, but let's face it -- Those pants would be unflattering on Lauren Bacall. And I'm not Lauren Bacall. Plus, there was the training. The study. The seemingly endless mouse-clicking exercises.


And I was right. There are hours upon hours of training to wade through. And that's just the online stuff.

Thankfully, I don't have to do it alone. The kids hear voices coming from the computer and they come running to make sure A) I haven't been sucked into a program, like TRON, and B) they don't miss anything (like getting sucked into a program, like TRON). So, aside from the Youth Protection Guideline Training - which I managed to do before they figured out I was doing Something Interesting, the kids have done the training alongside me. They rock. They know just what to take seriously, and what to mock. They get that a training program for adults doesn't really need cartoon guides from a children's magazine. I quietly had to wonder whether that's really the best way to weed out predators and/or the mentally unstable. But, meh, there ya go.

They (the Scouts) are stuck with us for the next 15 years, no matter how well or poorly I do on these tests. We're a package deal. Love my kids, tolerate me. That's just how it's always gone, and probably always will.

And no matter what challenges or hurdles we'll surmount in the future, I know we'll rock it, becuase we've got Studdy Buddies. And they bring snacks.

Kiss those babies!
~Dy

6 comments:

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies) said...

I love how much you're enjoying the company of your (getting older) boys! And good for you for getting involved in their scouting program. The world needs good parents like you guys to help us all along. :)

Anonymous said...

Love Boy Scouts! It has been great for my boy.
Will you be working with the cubs or boy scouts? Eddie was a den leader for 4 years. My boys are so excited about spending the night on the USS Yorktown for their big trip this year.
Have fun!
Kathy

Jules said...

Love the pictures of the kids in the snow! :)

Thanks for stopping by my place. I posted another comment, filling in some of the gaps in our story. I appreciate that you have been thinking about us - it means a lot to me! :)

Hope all is well with your crew - tell the kids that if they want more sledding we've got plenty of snow up here! They're welcome to come up anytime! :)

Linders said...

Just had to comment...you have now been pulled into the Dark Side. Once you have the training, the opportunities are endless - assistant den leader, den leader, chairman, cubmaster, Death Star warden...oops, wrong movie.

Hope you have many happy adventures in scouts. As we head through our 4th year, I can look back and say that my 3 years as den leader and now pack chairman have been wonderful for me, DH, and my 2 boys (10 and 7). And when you homeschool, you find all sorts of ways to make projects do double-duty for school and scout achievements:)

Linda

Heidicrafts said...

Thank you for jumping in to participate with your kids. What role are you pegged for? I love hearing about others Scouting adventures.

Dy said...

:-) Thanks, guys. You all make me smile.

We've got both Cubs and Boy Scouts, so I pretty much figure I'll work wherever they can use me. My goal is to take all the training available for both, so I can be ready.

Right now, I'll just be on the Pack Council, and helping w/ Blue & Gold. And, yes, I mock (I mocked corporate training, too), but I'm enjoying it and the boys are excited. That wasn't something I expected. It's nice to know they are glad/proud to have their Mom involved. But I also suspect they want me to get the tall socks.