... to think this is very sad (re: screen time)

[Contraryish]

My 10 yo son is a Scout within a group of about 30-40 (mostly) boys and (a few) girls aged between 10.5 and 12.5. Last weekend, he went away on camp, under canvas, with lots of fun outdoor activities, campfire cooking and plenty of mud!

Only 12 children out of the whole group signed up for the camp. The others, allegedly, 'would rather be home on their X-boxes'. At least one child was sent against his wishes and spent two days grumbling about missing his X-boxes and other assorted electrical devices.

Now I acknowledge this is second hand information via a ten year-old child and therefore not the most reliable of sources. But don't you think it's really sad that we are raising a generation that, by and large, prefers virtual activity to real-life adventure?

I still think it's not that hardcore, bit I guess it takes all sorts!

Did you sign up for it then?! half joking

Are you Bear Grylls?

Generally I agree about screen addiction but I do think camping in January is a perfectly reasonable thing to avoid :o

Frankly, I have a personal vendetta with the house x-box, but if you asked me to choose between it or camping in January, my answer is clear.

My DS adores Scouts (he's now an Explorer having been going since he was a Cub). He wouldn't sign up for an outdoor camp in January, and his leaders wouldn't run one - far too high a risk that the weather would be totally unsuitable. That said, he spent the whole of last Sunday at a Scout activity and he is going skiing with Scouts at half term.

I think you're also making a big assumption that everyone has / can afford suitable kit for sleeping in -2 at night conditions.

No, I didn't sign up, someone had to stay home and look after the cats!

I'm a cub leader. (terribly suspicious... )
We do our winter camp in a lovely heated hut with bunk beds.
I'm not a fan of freezing my Baden Powells off.

Crazy - the cubs had the lovely heated hut with bunk beds and en-suite facilities. It was only the scouts who were out in the cold.

Funnily, takeup for the cubs was much higher. I've not thought this through, have I!

All the dealings I have had with scout and guiding leaders have feft me with a bitter taste in my mouth.

I took my DD to Brownies when she was younger. THe first day happened to be a meeting- open to parents giving a presentation about a recent summer camp. Every year the camp has a theme, some of the younger girls had it in their heads that the theme was "spying paedophiles". There had been workmen in the camp centre at the time fixing the windows, the girls thought they must be spying on the dormitories.
Brown Owl was told of this and sarcastically agreed, laughing in front of the other parents and children. As we were having coffee it was clear that some of the girls didn't get the sarcasm and still though that the theme of the week was "peeping Tom".

I left in disgust.

I attended a conference a few years ago - one of the academics was also a Scout leader. One evening before dinner I heard him enthuse about the Scout uniform, lamenting the fact that Scouts are no longer required to wear shorts. He told us that "nothing stirs the blood more than the sight of a boy in shorts".............

My OH was also sexually abused by his SCout Master when he was 11 years old.

Yes my view may be jaundiced, but I wouldn't allow my kids near these organisations.

That is sad bigbluestars, because I think the vast majority of the scouting movement are well-meaning, dedicated volunteers who give up huge amounts of their time often with little thanks.

Agree I wouldn't want to camp in January but I do agree generally that it is sad that kids today would often prefer to live in a virtual world rather than experience life first hand.

Ds had a friend to sleepover. They spent all the time on the xbox then the friend went home earlier than planned the next day to his own xbox so they could link up and do something or other on some virtual world that the friend had already created and could only access from his own xbox...- so still continuing the sleepover but from different houses. So sad.

YABabitU.

I went camping with school in the freezing cold and snow in January. Was one of the best camps I went on. We didn't even have tents, built bivouacs. Was a bit uncomfortable in parts and fingers got very cold but it just made the hot chocolate all the more delicious. I was pretty adventurous though. Only 6 out of my year of 120 signed up for that camp!

I wouldn't ecpect every child to like it. I do think it's a shame that more children don't try these things, but that doesn't mean they will suit all of them. And it's expensive to kit kids out properly for camping in the cold, there will be plenty of parents who (reasonably) don't really want to invest in that, and their kids would be much more likely to be miserable.

Hello, just wanted to share this little video about a report on Screen Time from Children in Northern Ireland - I think it raises some really interesting points. You can watch here: youtu.be/rhI_F3X2Oa0

I honestly think it's amazing yes it is good to have out door time but you must understand that the human race is more connected than it has ever been and yes the time spent behind a tv or computer screan is alot but there are opportunities to meet best friends and not be treated like an outcast

I’m not sure why it’s sad only a handful of kids want to do something like that. It seems realistic. Not that many adults would choose camping in inclement weather over the comfort of their own homes, why would kids be any different?

ZOMBIE ZOMBIE ZOMBIE ZOMBIE ZOMBIE

Totally agree with you OP.