Any positive Boy Scout experiences?

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I just finished a book on scouting, and I’m wondering how the boy scouts have affected your farmily or you. . . is it an out-of-date thing, or is it relevent?
 
I was a boy-scout until fifth grade. While I was in it, I had a pretty good time. My dad was one of the group leaders, and I do think it provides some really good “father-son” time. We went on some awesome camping trips and did alot of other fun things. It helps that I had alot of people I knew who were in my group too. I quit after the fifth grade though, because after that, being a boy-scout makes you look kind of “nerdy”. (In retrospect, I wish I would have just finished it though.)
 
BSA runs a tight ship. They have a good program, even today.

My elder-younger brother (I have 3- all younger, but with distinctions) enjoyed Cub and Boy Scouts. My dad got involved, and so did the whole family as a result. I belonged to 2 Explorer posts, and my sister one.

I wish Girl Scouts ran as smoothly with as many opportunties as Boy Scouts.
 
I agree with OutinChicago…on both boyscouts and girlscouts :).

My husband (who’s in his early 20’s) is an Eagle scout and it really had a wonderful impact on his life…he learned a lot about surviving outdoors or just living there (he LOVES camping…and naturally, he married the type of woman who can only handle mild camping). He can make a fire anywhere and his problem solving skills I think are related to his experience. Plus, it taught him hard work and responsibility. AND it looks good on a resume ;).

My brothers are in scouts now - two of them almost to their Eagle projects. It’s definitely worth getting involved in :). 👍
 
My son spent several years in cub scouts.
Didn’t make it to boy scouts.
Didn’t want to do the required work.
BUT…
while earning the “Light of Christ” emblem and the “Parvuli Dei” emblem, he got to spend time with two different, beautiful priests at our parish.
The fact that they were willing to give an half hour of their tiime to my son was so awesome.
The one gave him a rosary.
The other stamped the completed form with the official stamp of our parish.
I remember my sons eyes lighting up when the priest did this!!
Even though my son became bored and lazy with the whole scout idea, I will and I think he will, too, always remember these two priests fondly.
Karen
 
Any positive Boy Scout experiences?
Well let’s see…:hmmm:
I started out as a tiger scout where I made my first friends. Progressed through Cub Scouts (pretty boring in my mind) and crossed over into Boy Scouts. Ahh the Boy Scouts. Here I learned so much and had sooooooo many good experiences. I’ve gone to New Mexico backpacking, canoeing in the boundary waters twice, gone to the National Jamboree in Washington D.C and Fort A.P. Hill, been to summer camp three years and worked there one, gotten my Eagle, lead a Troop, worked on the Ad Altare Dei (the Catholic religious metal for older scouts, there is also one for cubs and one for the older older scouts), camped in all conditions, and I’m going to England with the Scouts this year. The only semi bad thing about them is keeping it on the “down low” at school, and even then it’s like a secret society within school. There are so many opportunities that the Scouts offer, I took advantage of them (in a good way of course).
 
As I am female it is obvious I was never a boyscout. I was a girlscout and I wish that girlscouts was run more like boyscouts. In boyscouts every level you earn such as life scout and the coveted eagle scout.(I don’t remember the other levels) you must earn so many badges and do so much community service work. In order to move up, so you earn your level and in most troops levels come with authority and leadership oppertunities. Rather then girlscouts where you move up based on age rather then merit. That process makes each level of BS worth earning. Being an Eagle Scout looks very good on college apps. I know this because my BF(soon to be fiancee) was a BS and earned his Eagle scout award so have several of his friends. It is something you can be proud of, something to look forward to earning. Of course with everything there are troops that are poorly run and create a bad experiance for those members, but if you can find a good troop it can be a positive experiance.
 
sasafr said:
Of course with everything there are troops that are poorly run and create a bad experiance for those members, but if you can find a good troop it can be a positive experiance.
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Good point I failed to mention. I was lucky and landed myself in a super troop with a fantastic leader. I have experienced poorly run troops with my experiences however. Usually towns have multiple troops. This way, a boy can pick a troop that caters to his interest (e.g. high advantages, camping, merit badges, rank advancement).
 
It’s all about the troop. My son went all the way through Cub Scouts and Webelos, and started Boy Scouts last spring. It lasted for about 4-6 months. The reality of it is, our family is very active anyhow. We didn’t need scouting to learn about the outdoors or to have discussions about being a good citizen. He was bored in the troop that he joined, so he lost interest.
 
Wow ok this topic is so me. I am Mr. Scout.

I am 23 now but I basically did any and everything involved with scouts and got almost any and every award there was. Not bragging its just thats what I spent all my free time on.

You can definitely get a lot out of it. You learn a lot about leading groups, relying on yourself, personal achievement, and gain a lot of friendships.

There is a dark side to boy scouts that most people do not see but overall it is a wonderful experience.

Anyone interested in their children joining will see great improvement in their children as long as the troop is a good one, with the right group of kids.

Parents usually look most toward the adult leadership to see how a troop is but also obverse the kids.

In our troop we had all kids, geeky, rebel, skaters, ladies men. and you want you child to get the best social experience without bad influences.

But my only regret is i wish aside from scouts I did more school sports and such to get a better rounded social experience.

But if anyone wants to know the ins and outs, good and bads of scouting please PM me as I would love to help answer any questions.
 
I think Boy Scouts is great, a really positive influence in my 13 year old son’s life. He is so much more into it now compared to when he was in Cub Scouts. I like that he is still friends with the same core group of boys that he was with in Cub Scouts, but also has formed some good friendships with older boys and younger boys. I like that he is responsible for his own rank advancement, for preparing for camping trips, meetings etc. If he doesn’t do what he is supposed to or prepare in the way that he is supposed to, there aren’t adults that are going to bail him out. He’ll have to face the consequences, learn how to adapt, and learn how to avoid the situation in the future. He’s gone through a lot the past few years and a lot of the aspects of his life are somewhat dysfunctional. Boy Scouts is the shinining exception. He is responsible and driven at Scouts, and hopefully soon that will have a carryover to the rest of his life.

He’s also had a lot of good experiences doing some great camping and hiking with the troop. Summer before last, they made an exception for him and three of his friends and let them be the only first year Scouts to take the train up to Crater Lake in Oregon (a 23 hour trip) to attend summer camp up there. He had the time of his life.
 
I just wanted to add something to my post.

Boy Scouts is so much more than just camping, skills, and awards.

I have been to so many places and met so many great people that only scouts offer.

People do not realize there are events all over the country that are so much just pure fun. Not just geeky fun, but real fun any teenager would enjoy.

I have taken road trips with friends (not just other scouts but ones i call friends) to San Diego, Oregon, and other places to scouting events. Parents would fear anytime a bunch of kids are willing to take any road trip. But surprisingly to see your child develop in scouts give you a sense of trust they know right from wrong.

I have also been to Virginia, Washington DC, Tennessee, Iowa (Lots of corn), Indiana, Nevada. I have Hiked the Grand Canyon, Done two weeks in the mountains of New Mexico, rafted the Russian river, all with scouts.

To see your child develop into a leader with these experiences and friendships to take with them is an amazing thing.

I am amazed at how much I did as a scout. I achieved Eagle, Vigil (If you know what OA is) was leader of my troop and leader of the Order of the Arrow in the California Bay Area stretching from south of Salinas, to Way above Santa Rosa.

I took real advantage of my scouting career. But it is what each kid makes is.
 
Hi, I’m Deana, Scouts led me to the Catholic Church I started off as Den leader in 2002 to a wonderful bunch of Tigers (1st grade cubscouts) including my son, and have been their den leader now for 5 years. My guys are crossing over to boy scouts next month.😦 I’m kinda a sad that i won’t be a den leader anymore. My husband was the Pinewood Derby chair We had awesome family camping and time with the Scouts. our pack and the troop they are crossing over to, are sponsored by St. Tim’s Cathoilc church. So i got to meet a lot of great Catholics and many of the boys in the pack are Catholic although we have also have many boys from a variety of other faiths including Jewish and Muslim believe it or not. My son is looking forward to boyscouts and I’m in RCIA right now. 🙂
 
Maxply said:
I just finished a book on scouting, and I’m wondering how the boy scouts have affected your farmily or you. . . is it an out-of-date thing, or is it relevent?
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Scouting can be a wonderful experience for the family if the whole family gets involved. I have been a Scout Leader for seven years and it has been a great experience for me and my sons, but after the first three years into it I found myself excluding my wife out of too many things, it put a great strain on our marriage, my fault, I got so involved I almost forgot I had a wife. I scaled back my involvement as a leader, it is very addictive, really brings out the kid in you. My sons enjoy the experience very much, are learning alot about leadership, etc. and etc. Myself I’m seeking the right balance of involvement that includes my wife and her needs as well as my sons.

The program in my eyes is great, but if one parent gets overly involved, as in anything, it can have a bad effect.

Other positive aspects, most Scout units are sponsored by faith communities (my sons’ units the Catholic Church) and the people I am associated with in Scouting have the right focus on life. This had a very positive effect on my journey in faith and without that I might not of recognized the harm I was doing to my marriage by not seeking out balance.

Bennie P ><>
 
I’m a Catholic Educator who has been involved with Catholic scouting units (cubs, boy scouting, and the high-school coed Venturing program) for about 20 years.

I think it’s a wonderful program. For boys, it provides an opportunity to live the life of faith, learn to make decisions, grow in self-awareness and leadership all in an atmosphere of fun, challenge, and adventure. I think a well-run scouting program is indispensable to a parish youth ministry effort.

Boy Scouts of America programs are owned and operated by the Church, and serve our education mission first and foremost. The arrangement is like a franchise. Unfortunately, Girl Scouts USA programs are structured differently, and are owned and operated by the Girl Scouts corporation. As such, quality is spottier, and Catholic character can be a real issue.

Like most Catholic Schools, Catholic scout troops should welcome boys and girls of other faiths, as long as they are comfortable with being in a youth ministry program. Such generous ecumenism breaks down barriers and opens dialog. We, too, have seen a number of parents join the Church because of the influence of Scouting in their families. A well-run scouting program can also be a source of vocations; ours certainly has. Not just vocations to priesthood or religious life, though there have been several - but Scouting is frequently kids’ first contact with men and women in different careers, and often leads to lifelong careers and hobbies.

Said one of our recent Eagle Scouts - “I don’t know where I and my friends would be without Scouting. So much of who we are, so many of my values have come from my Scouting experience.”
 
Too many to post. Am in my 55th year of Scouting, starting as a Boy Scout, then an Explorer, and now five decades as a volunteer in virtually every position in Cubbing and Scouting and in district leadership.

My “pay” is seeing that now-grownup little boy serving as Scoutmaster, Commissioner, and serving the community as a doctor, policeman, firefighter, teacher, or in other worthwhile occupations. One never made it to Eagle Scout rank, but he did become a professed religious brother.

One of “my Scouts” was present when my father suffered a heart attack and was able to keep him alive until professional help arrived; my father didn’t make it, dying en route to the hospital, but the Scout had lived up to the motto: Be Prepared.

Scouting was founded 100 years ago in England. It is now found in almost every country on Earth. In the US, a majority of the astronauts have had a Scout background, as have a good portion of the members of Congress (some, for obvious reasons, were Girl Scouts:D ).
 
is it an out-of-date thing, or is it relevent?
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I don’t know. You tell me if this seems out-of-date or irrelevant:
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.
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And:
A Scout is: Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean, and Reverent.
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I am a boyscout i find the exercise and learning very fun and useful and my father was a boy scout he became a good catholic man although i don’t know how boy scouts affected him.

its definitely not irrelevant. I am currently working on my ad altare dei medal (at the alter of God) it is a catholic medal that to earn you learn about the sacraments its really fun.
 
Shop around, the troop is only as good as the people in it. Some are great and can provide a wonderful experience and others…lazy. Look for one where folks are commited, active, and have boys of a variety of ages. And be willing to be committed and active yourself.

My husband had a terrific boyscout experience. Really important, he lost his father at age 5. I had many friends who were boyscouts and made eagle.

The right troop makes all the difference, some people just treat it as a joke.

cheddar
 
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