Christmas Gift for the Over-Achieving Boy Scout Mom and Why I am a Boy Scouts Fan

Katelyn Grace's Creations-Etsy Store

Well, I had the pleasure of purchasing for my fashion conscious friends,  a "designer" (in the Boy Scout world), mother's ribbon necklace.  Typically when the boys go up in rank, mother's get a pin attached to a little 6 inch piece of red ribbon that they wear on their shirt.  The necklace and charm makes this special!

 Well, I ordered four of these for my picky girlfriends.  The woman I order this from was so accommodating and even thanked me for my order because it allowed for her to pick-up and pay the co-pay for her sick child's prescriptions.    Ok, I am devoted--and want to spread the word!

Boy Scout moms out there, purchase one of these!  They are nice and only $7. Have your darling son give it to you for Christmas.

Just to give your my unsolicited opinion again....Why I am a Boy Scout fan (in spite of the gay policy and uniforms)?

According the "Creating Innovators", by Tony Wagner, after interviewing several parents of innovators including Kirk Phelp's parents (inventor of the iPhone), Tony identified the skills your child will need for the 21st Century:

1. Collaboration;
2. Multidisciplinary learning;
3. Thoughtful risk-taking, trial and error;
4. Creating; and
5. Intrinsic motivation: play, passion and purpose.

Very few academic settings actually help foster these skills.  If your child is spending all their free time playing video games and watching TV,  they are definitely not getting these skills ( my son would argue though).    Get those boys outdoors, have them create a project for their Eagle Scout award, learn something new,  give them leadership opportunities and accomplishments.  In the next few months, my son is going to get/received a badge in Auto Mechanics, Aviation and Cooking! I assure you that there is not lessons being taught at home in these areas!  He is in charge of running all the volunteer activities for the troop too. The exposure and education that the Boy Scout's provides is incredible!

St. Joe Ball -Alice In Wonderland Theme

Well, another year of a great committee decorating the bathrooms at the St. Joe Ball (or more formally called the Lounges).  This year, the theme was Alice in Wonderland and raised almost $800,000 for the NICU department at St. Joe Hospital in Ann Arbor.   We had many highlights in our decorations including a graffiti artist from Detroit (SINTEXT) creating the shrinking room, a silhouette artist, Isabel from  Cut Away- Art by Isabel Talsma on Etsy, making four commission silhouettes of Alice (check out her work, it is pretty amazing!), and a Queen of Hearts dress made out of duct tape by my friend Jane G.  It is funny how the bathroom committee is composed of Drs., politicians, politician's wives (yes we had 2 body guards present), moms, and business people all wanting to make the ugly stadium bathrooms at little nicer.  Here are the four bathrooms we decorated.

Shrinking Room

Alice's Dressing Room

A Matter of Time (Men's Lounge)

Queen of Heart Lounge

(Duct Tape Dress by Jane G.)

Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum