Like any parent,
I want to give my child every opportunity in the world! Since he came into my life, I have been tirelessly enrolling my stepson in swimming, skating, soccer and anything else I thought would stick. This year he's old enough (he's five) that he really has his own opinions and likes/dislikes, so I, as I normally do, approached him about various activities, mostly sports, and he was not interested.
It's hard when you only have one child, because when you're home they really have no one to play with, which is one of the reasons I like to get him involved in the community. One day the school sent home a flyer for Beaver Scouts and it got me thinking: my stepson isn't the most coordinated individual, so I understand that sports can sometimes be frustrating, but he loves learning and playing so maybe he'll like beavers.
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| My eager Beaver! |
Well
he's been in Beavers for about a month now and he loves it. Furthermore
I love it. Here's why:
- They are very outdoor focused: many kids don't get outside enough and this program allows them to have fun outdoors no matter what the season.
- They are focused on play: although Beavers accepts girls into the program, the majority of the kids are boys and boys need to play. Although the program follows a schedule, it's not too structured and this is great for an extracurricular.
- It is a diverse program: teaching everything from games to arts and crafts to sports to survival skills, this is a well-rounded program to give kids a bit of everything.
- It is focused on positive reinforcement: kids have the opportunity to earn badges for completing tasks, which gives them a goal to work towards. Unlike sports where some kids can and others can't, every kid has an equal opportunity to excel in the program.
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| Everyone at the outdoor activity day gathered for a campfire. |
This program hold fantastic events for the kids, creating a true community for them outside of their regular school friends (which is so important for kids who have a bit of trouble fitting in). We recently went to an city-wide outdoor activity day where all levels of the Scouts program (Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, etc.) congregated for a long (and cold!) fun-filled day. My child is making new friends, getting outdoors, learning and having fun... what could be better?
