Should Ranger Kids Camp?

In the old JB system the Straight Arrows didn't camp. Boys 5 and 6 years old. I raised my son in and out of Rangers but he never camped with us until he was of age. Buckaroo age. 7.

I held many a outpost campout and always told the boys 5 and 6 you will one of these days before long beable to go with us. Yet right now your not ready to come out and fend for yourself. Only a few times did I have a Dad that wanted to bring his son camping. I made it clear as long as Dad was there to take care of his on son it was ok but I didn't recommend it.

I can remember some outposts bringing too young a boys to pow wow and hear the crying and think... the leaders will know better next year.

I have had to turn younger boys back to their parents as they thought they were getting a free weekend of baby sitting... Sorry but he's not old enough. GRIN! Only if Dad goes can he go.

I found if I loaded a young boy up with a heavy backpack and take him backpacking for 15 miles. The boys would never go again. However if I waited until they got of stature to handle it and worked them up to it...they were hooked and could go the miles and look at it in a new light. Timing is everything. So wait on those things that need a little time.

Mark Jones

We're in that philosophy too. Most general camps, solo RK Boys no, but if we have a Dad willing to be Dad I'm willing to allow it on an outpost level. Pow Wow . . . no, and I hate myself for it because it excludes my own son, though I know he could handle it. Stupid being an example, grrrr.
On the other side of the fence, We also have survival camp that we restrict to AR and ER. So it all balance out.

I agree. We will allow RK's to come on "car camps" if a parent comes along, but not the backpacking trips.

I'm actually looking at a new tent for "car camping" trips so I can live in style!   
It has to be mated with a 10x10 pop-up canopy. Here it is. Might even get one of those portable AC units! Maybe something like this Why not? I don't have to tote in in on my back...  

I've allowed Ranger Kids to go to Pow Wow for years, but only if Dad comes along to provide the 24/7 supervision. It's worked out well.

I did it as a Straight Arrow and Buckaroo cause my dad was the Str Arrow cmdr and he also attended pow wows and other camps for the older groups. I was also let in at age 4 when SA begins at 5. Sometimes having connections is nice!

RRCmdrBennett wrote:I did it as a Straight Arrow and Buckaroo cause my dad was the Str Arrow cmdr and he also attended pow wows and other camps for the older groups. I was also let in at age 4 when SA begins at 5. Sometimes having connections is nice!  

There's a balance there that I struggle with. I'm probably harder on my boys than any of the others. I have to watch myself that I don't treat them too much tougher than I would any other boy...

I bet the fear is if you don't hold them one notch above it leaves room for someone to claim nepotism.

Yep. I went to a church for a long time where the pastor always had a double standard between his family and everyone else and I hated it.

The thing is that I'm still friends with his sons to this day and truth be told, I still care about him and respect him because I received a lot of good teaching there, but I had to leave because I disagreed with too much of his management philosophy. The family double standard was just one issue among a few.

I've often said that if he could've relinquished the administrative reigns to someone else and stuck to preaching/teaching I might have stayed. I still use different points he taught in my own life and to help others to this day.

I had to set the bar. My son many times asked if he could go. He said I go on family camping and I do fine. I said I know son and you would be fine but if I allow you to go then everyboy that isn't ready to go will want to come and there will be problems. So we you and I have to live by the rules. Same went for cut n chop. He knew it all and could teach the class..at age of 7. GRIN! Yet he got his official 1st card at age of 9. What is good for the goose is good for the gander. Over the years. It has panned out very well. My yes is yes and my no is no. (well hopefully anyway...GRIN!)

Mark Jones
p.s. Don't think I didn't want to bend the rules.. but for the most part I didn't.

RRCmdrBennett wrote:I did it as a Straight Arrow and Buckaroo cause my dad was the Str Arrow cmdr and he also attended pow wows and other camps for the older groups. I was also let in at age 4 when SA begins at 5. Sometimes having connections is nice!  

Phillip Gross wrote:

I've often said that if he could've relinquished the administrative reigns to someone else and stuck to preaching/teaching I might have stayed. I still use different points he taught in my own life and to help others to this day.

We've gotten a new pastor in the past couple of months, and he appears to be really sharp.

I spoke to him and said that our Church needs a Chief of Staff to get things Coordinated and Implemented.  I said that it often is the Pastor, but it doesn't Have to be.  However whether the Chief of Staff is the Pastor or not, he/she must have the AUTHORITY of the Pastor.

"When a leader assigns a task or duty to a subordinate, he delegates the requisite authority as well.  However, leaders always retain responsibility for the outcome of any tasks they assign.  They must answer for any actions or omissions related to them."    
Army FM 22-100, Military Leadership

(NOTE: The above statement does NOT apply to the current residents of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, or their staff.)

Claymore wrote:

Phillip Gross wrote:

I've often said that if he could've relinquished the administrative reigns to someone else and stuck to preaching/teaching I might have stayed. I still use different points he taught in my own life and to help others to this day.

We've gotten a new pastor in the past couple of months, and he appears to be really sharp.

I spoke to him and said that our Church needs a Chief of Staff to get things Coordinated and Implemented.  I said that it often is the Pastor, but it doesn't Have to be.  However whether the Chief of Staff is the Pastor or not, he/she must have the AUTHORITY of the Pastor.

"When a leader assigns a task or duty to a subordinate, he delegates the requisite authority as well.  However, leaders always retain responsibility for the outcome of any tasks they assign.  They must answer for any actions or omissions related to them."    
Army FM 22-100, Military Leadership

(NOTE: The above statement does NOT apply to the current residents of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, or their staff.)

It's tough to recognize and admit deficiencies, but as the saying goes, "your greatest strength is to know your weaknesses".

I think one example of the sin nature in some individuals is to try to retain control of all situations instead of allowing others who may have more ability to step up. That's something that I have recognized in myself that I've been working to change in both my business and in ministry situations. I came to realize that while I tried to hold tightly to the reigns in all things, there were areas that I just don't either have the time or ability to do as well as someone else. I think the term is "control freak" .

Of course there are also those who suffer from the mentality of never wanting to step up and engage. Neither extreme is good. Paul wrote about the body having many members each having it's own task. Can you imagine what the state of the church would be if we all diligently pursued the Father to really find out what we each should do, and then DID it?

careful that's crazy talk

It'n though?

I like crazy talk like that. Another loose cannon sounds off and speaks some great truth.

Mark Jones

I caught your small print Claymore, good one! I heard his press secretary stepped down.