Cub scout day camp

So far being a scout leader has been really fun. Planning the den meetings is easy, and the boys get excited about every activity. I love getting that time with Hunter just he and I. My fears of being too girly to be a good scout leader are slowly dissipating. However this past Saturday as we headed to Cub scout day camp I wondered what I was in for. The theme of the camp was "Latter Day Warriors." After donuts at the church we headed over to the "campsite" and set up our pack flag and started practicing our cheers. We had to wait a few minutes to get started and I couldn't help but observe. Boys don't just stand still and talk to each other. No, instead of standing in line, every five seconds it was "Get down boys we don't climb the tree""Stay out of the rocks guys." They couldn't just stand in line with each other it was wrestling and coming up behind and scaring each other and complaints about being bored having to wait and having nothing to do. "They are standing right next to each other, they can just sit and talk to each other" I thought to myself. "Hey guys while your waiting, why don't you guys go around and talk about what your costume is going to be for Halloween?" I prompted. "Hunter, why don't you go first?" Hesitantly they started naming their costumes. Feeling a measure of success at my suggestion I turned around to talk to another leader. Only to hear roudiness coming from them again two seconds later. I turned around to see them lined up seeing who could spit the farthest, cheering each other on. Great. I just don't get it. Hallelujah, they just announced that we are starting. The boys were very amped up about the day, especially when they saw this teepee all set up on the lawn. They started out by making their own leather headbands, they had to draw twelve pictures on their band that told a story using the symbols for different words from their scout book.Then a quick pic by the teepee before opening flag ceremony, and uniform inspection. Since the boys usually only wear parts of their complete uniform it was great to see them all decked out. Shirts tucked in, belts on, hair combed. I didn't realize that they actually had them come up one at a time and then scored them according to which parts of their uniform they had on. It was really cute to see how serious the boys were about being inspected. Then it was headed off to a full day of classes all working on different achievements and electives. First was a class on tools where they boys learned about different tools and then put some stilts together using tools. Then they made drums with leather square and cotton stuffed mallets. They loved this project. At the end of the class they learned a beat to play with a couple of different primary songs. After more rotations of classes we breaked for a snack. Then headed outside for more outdoor stations. The did a fifty yard dash, a long jump, ring toss, etc. etc. They headed over to the tug of war and lined up on the rope. I looked over and saw Hunter in this position: straddling the rope with it between his legs holding on. I'm sorry but how funny does that look? Laughing to myself I walked over to him. "Hunter, you are going to get hurt that way or get a really bad rope burn" I told him. "Mom, this way is going to work better, watch" he told me. "Hunter stand on one side of the rope right now and get ready to start" I told him a little more sternly. I turned around and was talking to my friend, I heard the scout leader give the count and then say go. All of a sudden the other leaders from my ward were cracking up and telling me to hurry and get my camera. "Mom, help!" I heard as I turned around already knowing what I was about to see. Yep, Hunter hanging upside down from the rope all entangled in it. As soon as he had said go the boys pulled up on the rope, Hunter fell over and tried to catch himself and was hanging upside down momentarily as he tried to figure out what to do. Knowing he was in no real danger and wanting him to have a little moment of remembering the importance of listening to his mother I took a couple quick pictures as he tried to free himself and called out for help again. I walked over there, "Hunter did I tell you to take your feet to one side of the rope?" "Yeah" he said "Mom get me down please" he said. I got him untangled as he plopped to the ground. "Are you okay?"I asked him sure that it had to be uncomfortable. He said he was as I reiterated the importance of obedience to him quietly. Needless to say next go around he had changed his tugging methods to mimick those of his surrounding troop members and was now helping coach new scouts on standing techniques that had added to the line. Hunter's favorite activity of the day was hands down the archery station. PVC bow and arrows shooting at balloons. He was so excited. He is actually really good with a bow. Out of our group of about forty boys he was one of only three to actually peg a balloon. He is really good at taking aim. After a very full day of activity and fun we headed for closing flag ceremony. After a really neat message about the stripling warriors and council for the boys to be latterday warriors. The wolves were asked to come up and use their drums to play as all the boys sang The Armies of Helaman. As the boys sang you could definitely feel the spirit. It is amazing how quickly those rowdy, spitting boys could now be seen as handsome young men destined to be future missionaries and strong priesthood holders. Pretty neat.