Blue and Gold and Moving on.....

With the February comes the Blue and Gold....which also means anyone with Webelos is moving up, out and on.

Guess what Mom's and Dad's.  Big big changes are in store for not only your son but more so for you! There are so many things you will need to know and understand, to many to write about in one posting, so I will provide my insight over several posts.  Please understand, I am not speaking for all cub scout packs or all boy scout troops.  Only my own personal experiences.

First...the new mom panic! 

We go from being at every function and almost every meeting to dropping them off at the door and leaving.  Yes, troops do encourage parental involvement, but not like they do in Cub Scouts.  We are used to receiving emails, phone calls, notes in the mail, newsletters, reminders, about upcoming activities.  We go to a pack meeting, we are handed a sheet with information regarding the next activity, we fill it out and give them a check. 

Now, we have to, are forced to reply upon the boy to provide this information.  I dont know about the rest of you, but I swear my son would forget his shoes if I didn't yell shoes as he tried to run out the door for school. 

Hopefully, your troop has a website (www.smdscouts.com).   This way you can keep up to date on events.  Or maybe its a small troop so its easier to get information.  My sons troop....very big..  they dont have time to babysit.  They hand out paperwork, or send one email.  If you miss the deadline...tough!  There are no more constant reminders.  This is apparently what boy scouts is all about.  Teaching our boys independence and responsibility.  Dont get me wrong, I am all for that...but...

expect to feel completely lost the first couple of months or even year.  It is a normal feeling!  Resist the urge to go with your son to every meeting.  No one elses' mommy is there :)  We are forced to let go, all at once.  it becomes more of the boys responsibility to keep track of paperwork and even requirements for things like tenderfoot, second class etc. 

This is a GOOD thing!  Let them go..a peck on the cheek(if no one else is looking) and our fingers crossed that they dont do anything stupid, but let them go. 

Next blog....  What if we choose the wrong troop to put our son in????