SchlegelRock

Not the furry kind that run around in the forest but the 8 year old kind that run in packs.  I’m working with the Cub Scouts now and we have our congregation and a neighboring congregation together so theres about 12 boys right now.  I have a lady that I work with but still feel overwhelmed by how many boys there are.

You know what I don’t understand?  I recently taught almost 8 year old boys in church for a little over a month and they were wiggly but they sat quietly and listened and gave thoughtful answers.  You get a Scout uniform on these kids and it’s like they have super ridiculous powers of chaos.  Truth be told they’ll sit and wiggle and do an activity, but you, as a leader, lose focus for a moment and they are everywhere.  Everywhere.  Faster than the blink of an eye.

I will say though I’ve been in Cub Scouts for about a month now and these boys are rambunctious but they are amazing.  They know the answers to all of the questions, they’re willing to try new things.  They’re patient with me as I struggle each week to teach them.  They’re incredible kids and I’m lucky to get the chance to work with them.  And yes, Tru is in our Den.  Not officially yet.  His birthday is in a couple of weeks and then he’ll get the uniform and everything.  He’s wearing Max’s uniform in this picture.

Because Max is eight now he started Cub Scouts yesterday.  He was so excited to get dressed in his uniform and I don’t think he had any idea what to expect but he thoroughly enjoyed the pack meeting.  While we were driving we had this conversation:

Max:  Mom, why do I have to wear these numbers on my arm?

Me:  That’s your pack number.

Max:  What’s a pack.

Me:  Well you know what a Ward (congregation) is right?  It’s a group of people that all live in the same area that go to church together.  Well a pack is a group of Scout’s that all live near each other.

Max:  So I have to move? (Implying leave our family.)

I very kindly told him no.  You just go to Scout’s with people you live by.  I wanted to say something about how he was now going to be living with all these other boys and someone else would raise him, maybe wolves as a matter of fact but I refrained.

I could not believe how ridiculous the Pack Meeting was.  Riddles and bubble gum blowing contests.  In fact there I’ve never felt so stupid in my life because I cannot do riddles.  I honestly can’t figure them out.  Never have been and it makes me feel really dumb.  Well, apparently they like riddles in Cub Scouts so hopefully  my kids didn’t get my inability to work out simple problems.  Like this one.  They gave some of the kids eleven toothpicks and told them to turn them into nine.  Do you know how to do that?  I’ll put the answer in the comments in case your like me and have no idea how you turn eleven toothpicks into nine.

Elaine helped me sew on all the patches so Max looked just like the other new Wolfs in the pack.  It really was a fun night.  My only problem was Tru and Oli because they kept raising their hands to participate but couldn’t.  They didn’t give me any grief but it made me sad to see them disappointed. (Like I’ve never said no to my kids before, right?)

Just another sign of Max growing up and turning into a little man.

I just have one question for you… Do you remember Cub Scouts being so silly?