When I was little I used to be a girl scout. It was pretty fun. We learned how to roll our own sleeping bags, went on a dusty hayrides, and participated in the 80's craze of stamping together. Now I can see the sleeping bag thing was a thinly veiled attempt by our scout leader i.e. parents to not have to roll our sleeping bags anymore. I think they thought if they gave us a badge we could learn just about anything. I think for most of us they were right.
When I was reminiscing about my brief career as a girl scout the other day it made me think about the badges I could theoretically be earning in my life today.
Last week I earned the "Handle the pee" badge. It was a big one that I have been working on for really about 3 years. I completed the last part of my training last week to earn the badge. It started with the speed drills with my daughter. When you hear the frantic, "I got to go potty!", you are then tested on you speed you can get the child to the bathroom. Early in my training I failed. I remember one particular incident the involved Crocs being filled with pee to the brim...which was followed by a speed drill to leave the park. I passed the last part of that speed drill. So I kept at it, kept training, and then last week I did it. My son told me as we were leaving Costco with a gigantic cart filled with stuff, (that looks like it could keep us alive for a year but in reality I will be back to my beloved Costco next week), that he needed to go. I said, "Can you make it until we get home?" and he said "yes". Never trust a three year old, they lie. So we are flying down the freeway and he says, "I gotta go now!". I look around and all I see is a Big Gulp cup....ok, time to improvise. I earned that badge my assisting my son to pee in a Big Gulp while going 70 miles/an hour down the road. We both passed really. My husband said, "that was dangerous!". Earning badges is dangerous stuff.
I have also earned the "Dealing with poop" badge, maybe we will get to that another time. As well was "Dealing with blood" badge. You should see my vest, I am getting well decorated.
I am now preparing to deal with a new phase of my scout training, the first "Let them Go" badge. Kindergarten starts next month. I will let you know how it goes.
I feel confident that you will have many vests all full of badges- Maybe even a special vest that is tear stained- that will be where all your letting go badges will reside. However once the tears dry and the stains fade what you will have is a child ready to face the world; full of self-confidence and hope... Great writing- Your kids will cherish these memories- if they don't die of embarressment first.
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