Scouts-when do they start and where do I find a troup and are there waiting lists and will it help give ds something easy and straightforward to rebel aginast? Oh AND

[FillyjonkisCALM]

can dd go too, in the fullness of time?

I know nothing of such matters, I was brought up a hippy.

Seriously I have NO IDEA here.

oh dear

I want to be a scout now

actually this is kind of why I'd like them both in the Scouts...

I think guides would NOT be my sort of thing. Once they had done their knitting badge, I think I'd get a bit bored...

No - Sea Scouts could also be called Gravel-Pit Scouts, or Lake Scouts, but it doesn't have quite the ring!

The uniform's OK - black trousers and shoes and a huge woolypully. A vry silly hat indeed, though, but they only wear it for about 5 minutes beginning and end before they rush off to practice hostage negotiation or covert surveillance or something.

In DS's troupe they wear ordinary clothes (suitable for rough and tumble) in their weekly meetings. But have uniforms for official occasions, eg. investing a new scout or Remeberance Sunday, and Scout Camp.

We had Sea Scouts on the River Thames but I think Health and Safety precluded them going anywhere near the river
Filly, if you are a long way inland I think the answer is probably no.
But honestly they will get to do all sorts, including sailing weekends
I thought the wonderful events for the Centenary this year really showed the Worldwide movement in a great light, the TV coverage was very uplifting
And uniform is quite a moveable feast IME filly. Conformist drones that we are, ds goes correctly turned out, but no-one is excluded or made to feel bad if they cannot afford it all etc

am in cardiff, actually only about 20 minutes from the sea (just lazy)

and actually we have some big lakes...

think ds would LOVE sea scouts. Or possibly I am confusing him with me

DS is being invested as a Beaver tomorrow. In his promise he has to promise to love God. And they have an annual church parade. But I think that's about it God-wise.

Scouts is great. Dd and ds both go - they do all kinds of stuff and our leaders are fanastic (they have a female leader too). Lots of outdoor activities. Dd is pretty stroppy (lasted a couple of weeks in Brownies) so I'm thrilled she likes it. The first week she used an axe!

DD2 and DS1 are a scout and beaver here

DS2 will be joining beavers very soon (I hope), and then DS1 will go up to cubs in may when he turns 8, and so far so good on the loving it front......and WOW on how confident they are becoming with camps etc.

am surprised at how much DD2 has taken to it to be honest, as all mine dance as well (ballet etc), and all 3 of my DD's are girlie girls, but I guess it satisfies another 'need' in her, so I say GREAT!

I made DS1 join beavers however for him to get to do something other than footy and palystation (he also does street dance, but I felt he needed something extra IYGWIM), and apart from the wobbly fisrt couple of weeks as he didn't know anyone, he now loves it massively and can't wait to play the bigger, older, more experienced brother when DS1 starts at easter.

as for the uniform, tis no different from school really, and much more robust for the rough stuff!

Oh, meant badges as in the sewing on bit, and me being the one to 'have too'

wouldn't you prefer Woodcraft Folk?

Dd's lot don't seem to do badges. I think Skip is very selective in the bits of Scouting he insists on in his troop. Campfires, knives and mud - yes. Healthy ans safety, badges and God - no. But I suspect he is unique.

Oh I dunno, pointy, re woodcraft folk. I was in wf growing up-its not massively different to scouts, from what I am reading. BIG difference, awful as it sounds, seems to be that scouts are better resourced and do more stuff that boys like...and if it is a mixed troup that really removes most of the practical obstacles for me.

There IS a wf troup locally, but they are actually a bit terrifying in their organisedness . But ds is down for it, so we will actually probably let him decide-he could do both, I expect.

Also, I don't want ds to rebel against the values of wf!

Depending on waiting lists, boys and girls can join beavers at 5 and 3/4.

We have seascouts locally, and you can't get more landlocked than Staffs, lol.