New Year with Boy Scouts of America | How Adventures Change Lives

We are discovering new adventures in the New Year with the Boy Scouts of America. Post sponsored by Boy Scouts of America, but all adventurous opinions are my own.

A New Year with the Boy Scouts of America | How New Adventures Change Lives

I peeked inside my son’s room the other day. The floor was strewn with Legos and action figures. His video game system lay right next to his bed. A few forgotten clothes were hanging curiously off the edge of his bed. But as I listened closer I heard him talking to himself. “Adventure!” he exclaimed. Despite being surrounded by toys, electronics and the familiar, my boy was craving the one thing…adventure! It’s a New Year which means this boy is in search of new adventures! And what better way to start off 2016 than with an adventure of a lifetime with the Boys Scouts of America. See how new adventures can change lives and how the Boy Scouts made this boy scream “This was the BEST day of my whole life!”

Last year we got to experience our first adventure with the Boys Scouts of America, right here in Central Florida. Surrounded by woods, tents and a beautiful lake, my family really enjoyed discovering all that the Boy Scouts had to offer. Unfortunately, we picked the wrong day to join in the fun. All of the activities were happening the NEXT day, so we didn’t get a chance to see the Boy Scouts in action. The sadness on my son’s face was apparent.

“We have to come back.” I remember how much those words stung. “We will. I promise.”

And that day continued to stick with me. He really missed the opportunity to see what the Boys Scouts were all about. But this winter, we got to come back. Camp La-No-Che, the home of the campgrounds of the Boy Scouts of America called us again to finally discover, explore and create the memories that still have an impact on my son today, the BEST day of his life. It was a day for the 3 of us. Baby sister dropped off at Grandma’s, my son was already excited that he got a full day of attention from his parents. Even bright and early at 8 am in the morning, this kid was grinning ear to ear. And what I thought was going to be just a day of fun “boy-like” activities, it turned out to be the day that I saw my son in a new light. Here’s what he discovered in his short 8 hours with the Boy Scouts.

Focus

We had a schedule of events for the day. Our first stop was the Archery Range. My heart immediately started to pound. Real bows? Real arrows? Those are metal tips! But I was so impressed how my son not only listened to the instructions, but applied them to his time at the range. He was focused on that bullseye. He was determined to complete his task. And while he only achieved one arrow on the target, I was so proud of my son. And the smile on his face was priceless!

Exploration

A hike through the wilderness brought out the little explorer in my son. What a difference to see him out discovering nature versus sitting on his bed playing video games. Leading the way, this guy was searching for wildlife, discovering trails and pointing out greenery along our route. And at the end, a natural spring surrounded by amazing scenery. Even my son stood in silence taking in the sight.

Discovery

The unknown is a scary thing for my son. He’s shy. He’s timid. He doesn’t like the word “new.” But to see him grabbing the schedule of events for the day, running to our next location, engaging in activities that he was never seen or experienced before, it brings tears to my eyes. Kayaking with his dad brought a special moment of discovery between these two.

Creativity

I expected all of the activities of the day to be of the “rugged boy” variety. You can imagine the shock when I saw that crafting was on the agenda. I was impressed to see how important creativity is to the Boy Scouts. And not just my son, but ALL of the boys were excited to craft. Perhaps the infectious joy of the day, these rowdy little guys were excited to sit and complete a Christmas craft for the tree. Tapping into his creativity, my guy had so much fun creating and completing his little craft project.

Friendship

When you gather a bunch of fun-loving boys in one place, conversation is inevitable. Chatting with other boys, my shy, timid boy was engaging with other rowdy boys, forming bonds with them. It was great to see him step outside of his comfort zone to make new friends.

Growth

Would I have ever expected my son to willingly jump into a pool during the winter time? Absolutely not. I would have bet money on it. But the 60 degree waters did not stop this boy from splashing with the rest of the boys. The prize? A coveted Boy Scout badge was calling his name. Appropriately named the Penguin swim, he not only conquered his fear of freezing cold water (I definitely did NOT earn a badge that day) but stayed in the water the full 45 minutes. Brr!

Memories

Not just the best day, but the BEST day of his life. A day focused on our 7 year old boy, we left that day hand in hand, talking about our new adventures the whole car ride home. That day my son discovered not only a bunch of new activities, new people and new places, but a new part of himself. His confidence shining through, I have never seen him hold his head up so high. He’s the adventurer, the explorer, the Boy Scout that I didn’t know was there.

One day with the Boy Scouts of America changed my 7 year old’s life. Already asking when he can go back, his badges sit proudly in his room, above all of the toys and clutter. A reminder of the boy that he was and now the boy that he is, I know that I now have a Boy Scout for life. It’s a new year, already filled with promise and new adventures. Now is the perfect time to engage your child in an experience of a lifetime.

Discover new adventures this year with the Boy Scouts of America. Find out more at BeAScout.org! You can also learn about Cub Scouts at cubscouts.org. And be sure to follow Boys Scouts of America via Facebook.com/BoyScoutsofAmerica and Twitter @BoyScouts for up to date information, adventures and more.

What do the Boy Scouts of America offer for young boys of today that they cannot find anywhere else?

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