Volun-Told

Colin, being a bad ass first grader now, has joined Cub Scouts. The pack is brand new, this is the first year. We're trying to get things off the ground and Colin loves being a part of it. He looks forward to it every week and was obscenely quick at learning the Oath, handshake, laws, Pledge of Allegiance, and the other required learning. It is a neat group of kids and provides fun, adventure, companionship, blah blah blah.

It's yet another after school activity that requires me to drive the kids somewhere and sit to the side, bored out of my mind, while my kids have fun and be enriched.

It's not that I don't want them to be enriched, obviously I do. That's why I sign them up and pay for all this stuff. But I get bitter that, after all this time and hard work to be a grown up and earn enough money to afford to enrich my kids, why don't I get to be enriched too?

Not that I don't appreciate the friendships I make with the other parents, but it's hard to maintain those relationships. Everyone is busy with their own families and lives, so often it is a temporary friendship out of convenience that quickly dissolves once the activity has ended. At least that's how it is for us. Every time.

It used to be that the kids needed me to watch them for encouragement or discipline, but now they mostly take care of themselves and, often, will behave worse if I'm paying attention. So I think that there should be some Away From the Action activity for parents of these kids. Let the kids have fun and be enriched/exercised/educated/etc and let the parents grow a little too.

Which brings me back to Cub Scouts.

As I said, the pack is in its infancy and, as a result, all the parents who showed up to the first meeting were forced to volunteer (what?) in order for the group to actually form. I am never availble to go to anything, ever. Except that one day. THAT ONE DAY when everyone present had to pick a volunteer assignment. And so I am honored to tell you that I am the new Advancement Chair for Pack 72.

Turns out it is exactly what I needed. Last night we met for our first committee meeting to plan out the first few months. We met at a new start up place and planned, schemed, and laughed over beers. We talked about the kids but also about the parents. We talked about the families and how they could all be involved, not just the elementary school boys. Topics for meetings were discussed and included safety, religion, culture, exploration, adventure, and self-awareness, all for the whole family.

I know part of this is the actual structure of the Cub Scouts, something I had no idea about. But a lot of it is also the small, fun group of parents who appreciated the opportunity to get out of the house, away from the kids, act like an adult, but put forth effort to contribute to and better the activity for their children.

Turns out, I love this extra-curricular activity and can't wait for this year! The kids will love it, but, if all goes as planned, so will the families and so will I.