November 2022 – Set your tent up right!
Written by Adam Riedel, Scoutmaster Troop 899
In Scouting, the adult leaders work at teaching Scouts several skills all based on developing their Character, Leadership Skills, Citizenship and Personal Fitness. The Boys Scouts of America have put together an excellent program that is designed to help our Scouts overcome surmountable challenges that help to build their self-confidence.
The program focuses on 8 different methods to make it easier to teach these skills. These 8 methods are:
1. Ideals
2. Patrols
3. Outdoor Programs
4. Advancement
5. Association with Adults
6. Personal Growth
7. Leadership Development
8. Uniform
The focus of this blog is our Outdoor Programing and more specifically something our Scouts have become more familiar with as our unit has made an extreme investment into outdoor programming through camping on a monthly basis. But it goes even deeper than that. The real focus of this blog is doing things the right way, every time. I am just using a specific example that relates to camping.
We have all heard the quotes.
“Do what is right, not what is easy.”
“Discipline is just doing the same thing the right way whether anyone’s watching or not.” – Michael J. Fox.
“Doing the right thing isn’t always easy – in fact, sometimes it’s real hard – but just remember that doing the right thing is always right.” – David Cottrell
You might have even heard the speech by Admiral William McRaven that is well known for his “Make Your Bed” reference.
But these quotes and speeches don’t really mean much to an 11 – 13-year-old Scout. For the most part, it doesn’t do a whole lot to impact a 14 – 17-year-old scout either. But they can relate to is something as simple as setting up their tent the proper way every time.
This is a conversation we have had with so many Scouts over the past few years, but until this last campout, our Scouts just didn’t understand why we talk about setting up the tent the right way so often. But a two hour down pour has a way of helping a lesson sink in. Whether the Scout was trying to escape the rain by diving into their tent and couldn’t get the door open, or they found a very wet floor, sleeping bag, and clothing in their tent, the Scouts that didn’t take the time to set up their tents the right way now understand why it is so important.
The funny part is that it only takes an extra minute to take the time to stake the tent out the proper way. It only takes an extra minute to properly stake out the rain fly, to make sure the ground cloth is properly in place, to make sure all of the tent poles are in place. It only takes an extra minute to look around to make sure that when it rains, water isn’t going to flow towards the tent, or that there isn’t a branch waiting to break off and fall on the tent. It only takes an extra minute to set up the tent the right way. Everyone of our Scouts is capable. Every one of them is reminded about why we want to do it right.
But why do we fret over something that is so small? Most of the time it doesn’t rain. Most of the time it doesn’t matter if the tent is set up the right way. So why do we make a big deal over it. Why does it matter so much that I am taking the time to write a blog about it?
Because teaching our Scouts to do things the right way, every time matters. Sure setting up the tent seems like a silly matter to get picky about, but if we teach them to focus on setting up their tent the right way, if we teach them that cleaning the dishes the right way matters, packing the trailer the right way matters, cooking the right way matters, cleaning the campsite correctly matters, then we don’t have to teach them to do things the right way when it is their turn to be a leader, or complete their Eagle Scout application, or when they go on their first date, or go to college, or when it is time for their children to join Scouts.
Here are a couple of high-quality reasons to do the right thing.
1. You tend to get what you give.
a. By doing the right thing you tend to get the same things back. Give value to people, help them and they will often want to help you and give you value in some form. Not everyone will do it, but many will. Not always right away but somewhere down the line. Things tend to even out. Do the right thing, put in the extra effort and you tend to get good stuff back. Don't do it and you tend to get less good stuff back from the world
2. Doing the right thing raises your self-esteem
a. This is a really important point. When you don't do the right thing, you are not only sending out signals out into your world. You are also sending signals to yourself. When you don't do the right thing, you don't feel good about yourself. You may experience emptiness or get stuck in negative thought loops. It’s like you are letting yourself down. You are telling yourself that you can’t handle doing the right thing. To not do the right thing is a bit like punching yourself in the stomach.
3. Doing the right thing helps you avoid self-sabotage.
a. A powerful side effect of not doing the right thing is that you give yourself a lack of deservedness. This can really screw up you and your success. If you don't do the right thing in your life, then you won't feel like you deserve the success that you may be on your way towards or experiencing right now. So, you start to self-sabotage, perhaps deliberately or through unconscious thoughts.
Putting a major focus on doing the little things the right way instills a mentality that all things should be done right. That is a mentality we want our Scouts, our children to have. So, when you set up your tent, set it up the right way.
Commenti