12 Days of Thanksgiving : Day Five : Scouting

8
more days
until
Thanksgiving!

Today I am grateful for Scouting.

Our stake president in Las Vegas once gave a talk about the current "wussification" of boys and that scouting was the answer. I remember thinking...ummmm...ooohhhh kayyyyy...but then again at the time I did not have a boy in the scouting program yet and did not understand all that it had to offer him.

Brinton began scouts at age 6 as a Tiger scout...we took a break for awhile when we moved away from his troop in Vegas and joined again when he turned 8 and could be part of our church troop. Brinton is a very fun kid, outgoing in some respects but not so much in others. He has a difficult time making decisions and at times he dilly dallys way too much. Through scouting Brinton has really learned a sense of self...he is making and keeping goals...he is learning, growing....he is reaching out to friends, learning how to be a leader and has broken out of his shell. My son earned his Wolf Badge recently and I cannot explain the joy that it gave me. Not only did he reach the rank of Wolf but he also earned 6 Sports/academic belt loops, a pin for basketball, and a gold arrow. He worked so very, very hard to earn each and every one.

I have seen a joy in my son, a change in him that has made me so proud. I am grateful to the scouting program for all that it has done for my son and I hope that he will continue striving to make and keep these goals through out the rest of cub scouts...boy scouts...and his life.
Today I am thankful for Scouting.