"Is this school?"  --Nicholas, Wolf Scout

I had just started my first Den Meeting as Den Leader.  I had papers with pictures of the Wolf Badge, the Progress Toward Ranks, and the Arrow Points.  I was explaining the process of how we were going to hold meetings, what they should be doing at home, and being very informative about Cub Scouting in general.

All this to a group of eight seven-year-old boys.

I had a lot to learn about being a Den Leader.

When the hand went up and Nicholas asked that question, I knew I had to change things, and quick.  We got outside.  We ran, tossed balls, and jumped.  When the early Minnesota winter hit, we visited a police station and a library.  We got out tools and built model boats with hammers and nails and screwdrivers.  We wrote stories and skits, and acted them out with masks and puppets we glued, stapled, and colored.  When we had meetings that felt more like "school", we talked about things that are often missed in those brick walls, like "what should I do in an emergency?" or "how can I protect the environment?"  But those lessons took on a hands-on approach, such as making sure each boy knew how to call for help with their parent's cell phone, and by building crafts from recycled garbage.  Even my mistakes, such as scheduling a Den Meeting at a park building closed on Veteran's Day, turned into an opportunity for a quick lesson in astronomy.

As for Nicholas, he ended up being the first boy in the Den 7 to earn his Wolf Badge.  I hope he never, ever thinks this is "school" again.

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