CUB SCOUT GRAD

Tony Walker

Last month my son graduated from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts. 

I was the Committee Chairman for the Cub Scout Pack my son was in so I was very hands on with my son. Committee Chairman basically means that the buck stopped at me.

I've always been very hands on with my guy. He has ADHD so he's not paying attention that often & can lose focus very fast. So whether with Scouts or just in everyday life I always have been hands on with him.

My tenure with Cub Scouts did not end on a high note so I was more than happy to hand over the job to someone new as we moved on to a Troop. It was weird for me to not be involved but I enjoyed. I figured once we get used to the new surroundings of the Troop I will most likely get involved. But something very strange has happened.

Cub Scouts is very kid friendly, family friendly, almost a recreational type activity for a kid. Boy Scouts is all about responsibility & independence. Cub Scouts parents played a big part. Boy Scouts parents are not allowed to participate unless they are a trained Scout person. I take my guy to his meetings & I leave.... what? I leave? I don't get to keep an eye on him? I don't get to help him out in an activity if he needs help? I don't get to be there for him? Boy Scouts go camping once a month at least.... WITHOUT THE PARENTS!!! My wife has been a mess with letting him go on a trip without us but he is begging to go. He loves his new Troop & the friends he's made. He loves going to the meetings. As far as I know he's been doing well there. When did my son stop being a little kid??? When did my son stop needing me????

I'm not used to not being so involved. I wasn't ready to let my little man go.

I guess this is the beginning of the end.... he'll be in middle school next year. He'll be too cool to hang with dad. He'll talk privately to his friends while I hear less & less about what's going on in his life.

My son wasn't even two years old when I got cancer. It took me a few years to get back to health. I lost about 3 years. I didn't do much with my kids during that time. Scouts was part of my rebuilding a relationship with my son. Now as we enter some major changes Scouts is once again a part of it.

Do you guys get what I am talking about? Did you feel the same way when your kids were hitting this age? Anyone with kids around my son's age who are currently going through this like I am? Please post some comments!

.............I'll get back to my perverted blogs soon I promise.

I'M WHATS SHAKIN, 
IN MORE WAYS THEN ONE

Tony Walker

What a way to spend a week. On Monday it started with the chills, my poor daughter is sick too. Now my daughter is demanding more time off from school when she is better, so she can enjoy herself like other kids on winter break. Sorry, but it doesn't work that way. My girl will be very upset with me if I don't pull her out of school to enjoy herself. You may be thinking at this point that my daughter is a brat, no - my little girl is Autistic. She does not understand the repercussions of me pulling her out of school, she doesn't understand the repercussions of most things.

The Lounge's target audience are people in their late 30's and up, so I'm sure a good percentage of our readers have some connection to a child or adult with Autism. My daughter will be 12 in three weeks. I find myself asking where the time went. Realizing how fast time is going is really scary. She turned 12 so fast,  and in no time at all she will be 18 and graduating high school.