With the National Councils decision to stop excluding GLBT leaders and GLBT membership, we decided the time was right to get the boys involved.
Anthony had been a Pathfinder when he was a boy; the SDA rip off version of scouts. Joshua has an Army/ROTC background and 2 cousins who made Eagle Scout. So we felt that scouting would be good for the boys.
Anthony did the first reach out via the web looking for den to join. After a few weeks of failure and no replies, Joshua took over and started calling. He found a pack based out of the Happy Valley grade school which is right near our home.
Jayme had to miss a soccer practice to attend the first pack meeting, but he said it was worth it.
Jayme joined as a Webelos Cub Scout. There are 6 or so boys, all his age which will be great for building his social interaction skills. They played games and Jayme even won a few.
Elijah joined as a Tiger which is the first level of the Cub Scouts. Unfortunately on the night he joined, all of the other Tigers moved up to Wolves, leaving no Tigers. At this age, the parents must attend all functions with their child. Since Joshua was the only parent, he became the highest ranked parent and leader of the Tiger Den, a Tiger Den of one.
For the past week the boys have been learning the Scout oath and law and the whole family is in Scout mode. Anthony was in charge of sewing all of the patches on the boy’s new uniforms. Joshua has been taking hours of boy scout leadership online classes.
Speaking of uniforms, they are NOT cheap. But seem to be made really well. The lady who helped us get all the parts we needed for each uniform also suggested Joshua get a uniform as well, as Den Leader. She also let it slip that we were the first 2 dad family she had seen in the store. So once again we are boldly going forward (cause we can’t find reverse).