Scouts? | ADHD Information

My son is in cub scouts and he loves it. He is much younger than your son but they do alot of fun things and community service also. We will be build duck houses for the winter (i thought duck left for the winter) last year they went up to battleship cove and spent the night on real battleships. Fun thing like that. Just let him try it and decide if he likes it. I have done both girl and boy scouts with my kids. I agree 13 is not too old at all. Yes he does have until 18 to get his Eagle. That is one thing nice with Boy Scouts as compared to Cub Scouts. In Cub scouts ranks that can be earned are age dependent. In Boy Scouts rank is earned by completing the requirements for the badges. It doesn't matter what age they start they just go up by achievement. Boy Scouts is a great time that teaches boys valuable skills for life. Age 13 is fine as long as your son earns all his badges to make eagle scout. My son was a cub scout and boy scout and he loved it.  And, down the road, beleive it or not it looks great ona resume 13 isn't too old to join the scouts and if your ds is motivated, he can probably get his eagle as well.  Scouts is a good way to develop social skills as well, but it doesn't sound like he's very enthusiastic about it.  I'd try one or two meetings and see if it works.  We do that and youth group at church and ds does fine.  Good luck!  susieb38980.2955324074

I would listen to what your son wants, my son is almost 13, and my town only the as he puts its geeks join scouts. So this might be why your son won't join. As my son puts it he'd rather lay down in front of a train, then be seen at a meeting.  You have to love kids!

I haven't had any experience with scouts but my husband was an eagle scout.  He has only good things to say about it.  We live in an area where 4-H is big and our kids belong to that.  Like many organizations, what you get out of it is in direct proportion to what you put into it.  4-H has no uniforms, a wide range of ages, membership includes both boys and girls, and many different projects for varied interests.  That said, I think my son would have enjoyed the camping and outdoor activities of scouts.  Recently both my son and daughter happened to see a troop involved in a money making project and unfortunately were quick to make remarks about what they viewed as "geeky" uniforms.  Unfortunately, I wasn't able to persuade them to see the error of their ways. 

My boys are in scouts and have been since Tigers.  both like it.  Z (with ADHD)  Does not want to go and is sometimes a hastle to get him there (in the evenings)  but once he is there he has a great time.  They are moving up to BS this year,  they can't wait to do more camping, hiking the Appelachian trail, fishing etc.  The uniforms aren't bad, usually have no problem with them.  Scouts is great-they get to experience things that I would not have been able to do or thought of doing.  My daughter is in GS as Well-first year Cadette and she loves it.  She is also very smart and although they don't want her non GS friends to know she is in GS she does not want to give it up do to the experiences she has had.

That said, I am a co-leader for both my kids in scouts.  The leaders play a huge role in how the kids enjoy scouts.  Basically the leaders can make or break it.  A good leader will see the differences in the kids and know what it will take to keep them involved.  Not to mention as was said before--making Eagle scout is a bif deal and can lead to more open doors in the future.   So if your son tries one troop and doesn't like it, see if there are others around.  Different troops focus on different things.  Some troops are more into the outdoor stuff others are into more academic things I guess.  We haven't necessarily reached that point yet as I know my boys will choose a troop that is more hands on and outdoorsy.  But just wanted to let you know that different Packs/troops have different ideas.

Good Luck

 

no. thats not too old at all. i was a girl scout until i graduated highschool. its
a lot of fun. ive heard boy scouts is too. and it looks good on college
resemes.

My son's psychiatrist wants him to join scouts, and my son said he'd try it .  Haven't I suggested this, oh, I don't know, maybe a hundred times, only to have my son say, "No!" oh, I don't know, maybe a hundred and one times   ???  The psychiatrist thinks the problems my son is having socially are due to the fact that he is more mature than the other children his age, and if he were in scouts, he could be around older teenagers.  This is the question...My son is 13.  Is that too old to join the scouts?  The psychiatrist said, "This is the kind of kid who will become an Eagle," but isn't thirteen too old to do that?  Anyone know?

 

lillian38979.7436689815I am sorry I do not have an answer maybe you can call them and ask.  My girl wantst to try girl scouts but she is younger age 7 in NovemberNo They have until age 18 to earn their eagle award. Scouts is great our son will be a Bs this summer after bridging from CS. He has loved it plus it taught him to work for stuff. Boys who earn eagle can get a 40,000. college scholarship. They also are put in a higher rank in the military if they join it. Girls who do scouts and earn their highest award can get scholarships also. There is also venture crew troops with 14 to 21 yearolds. Girls/boys both. Scouts help someone learn life skills. Scouts you decide the pace not someone else. I signed my ADHD son up for scouts and out of 80 children he was the only one not listening and doing cartwheels in the gym while all the other kids were doing crafts.  He was excited about going but gets overwhelmed by large crowds.  Give it a try!