If you could design an alternative boys' organization...
...what would it be like?
This is a question I'm pondering after reading the "Denying boys their right to have feelings" thread. One of the things that disturbs me about Boy Scouts is the emphasis on the strong, solid ideal of masculinity that doesn't allow for crying or tenderness. I'd like my son to be able to join an all-male organization that helps boys pursue ALL their interests and learn ALL kinds of skills. I think it would be easier for boys to get into childcare, quilting, etc. in an all-male group, just as it's easier for girls to get into firebuilding, sports, and career development in an all-female group; an activity doesn't seem so much like it's "for" the other gender when they're not around to compare yourself to and they're not demonstrating how much better they can do it.
I've done some looking for alternatives to Boy Scouts but have found only co-ed organizations. I'm sure they're all valuable in many ways, but I think there's a niche that can be filled only by a group that's for boys specifically. I'm a Girl Scout leader and think that's a fabulous organization for girls, but making it co-ed would wreck it. I don't think that trying to copy Girl Scouts but make it for boys is the answer either, or not directly...I mean, the origin of Girl Scouts was copying Boy Scouts and making it for girls, but the current wonderful program is the result of 94 years of girl-directed evolution! I'm looking for something for my son, not my great-great-grandson! :)
So far, all I can think of is what these AlternaBoys :D would NOT be like: not paramilitary, not very hierarchical, not homophobic, not so focused on being brave and strong (though that should be PART of the guiding principles, as it is in Girl Scouting), not putting significant time into competitive athletics which boys already have plenty of opportunity to do, not based in any religion or political entity. And I can think of some traits of Boy Scouts that I would want the AlternaBoys to have, like service projects and camping.
But how would this organization work? What would a meeting be like? What would be their rituals? Help me brainstorm!
^_^:
How/ why do you think it needs to be different from Girl Scouts? That could be your starting point. If you think there's an effective children's organization already in existence, you don't need to start your design from square one.
I personally don't think gender-segregated activities are appropriate for young children. We've started a chapter of Roots & Shoots for our kids and community, and we've really enjoyed it.
^_^:
I love this idea! Ds is only 10 months old, and I can't tell you how much I've already agonised over this - I'm his sister's Daisy leader, I was a Girl Scout myself all the way through school, and his father was a Boy Scout. Everyone already expects that he'll be a Boy Scout, because we're involved in Girl Scouts.
I personally would like to see the Alternaboys (Love that!!) focused on service, like you said, and environmental issues. Emphasizing the cooperative, and not just de-emphasizing the competitive. I don't think there's anything wrong with uniforms, per se, but the way that they are utilised makes a lot of difference.
Here's a question... would you keep the idea of badges and other awards, or have some other guide for each topic...?
^_^:
When you get 6 year old boys and 6 year old girls together you would see a big difference in behavior.
I am a Cub Scout leader. When my dd started Girl Scouts as a parent helper I was amazed at the difference. There were little things that made a big difference. Fine motor skills was the biggy. My son was (still) has motor skills issues but I remember watching my oldest dd do a project that him nor any of his buddies could do at the same time, there was a 3 years difference.. I also have watched and learned how much more kinetic the boys are. I get them physical and they remember the topic. I could try the same active with the girls and they would forget the point. A good leader (boy or girl) will figure this out and figure out how to manage it. My current non-kinetic learner is usually my record keeper.
I do see these differences are changing as they grow but at the same time in my 10-12 year olds I see developmental differences.
ITA that adult male involvement is important! I have never understood why there are Boy Scout troops with all-female adult leaders; I guess it is due to difficulty recruiting men? Based on my involvement with Scouts Canada, I'm sure that's it. My son was in the program for four years, and had a total of three male leaders, one of which was dh...the only leader who stuck the entire time. In that time, we had a total of six female leaders...and the only non-parent who became involved was female. Admittedly, Scouts Canada is co-ed, but our group was only boys.
Besides...my step-brother is a leader in Ontario. Well - he was a leader. He stuck around with the Cub Pack for a year after his son reached Scout age, but he started getting funny looks from other parents when they realized he wasn't a parent. People have become so paranoid about pedophiles that it can be hard for a non-parental male to get involved.
^_^:
Cub Scouts you see alot of moms. Boy Scouts, 6th grade up, you see more men.
Alot of dads are not available because of jobs. Some our divorced and unavialable.
More Topical:
This is a question I'm pondering after reading the "Denying boys their right to have feelings" thread. One of the things that disturbs me about Boy Scouts is the emphasis on the strong, solid ideal of masculinity that doesn't allow for crying or tenderness. I'd like my son to be able to join an all-male organization that helps boys pursue ALL their interests and learn ALL kinds of skills. I think it would be easier for boys to get into childcare, quilting, etc. in an all-male group, just as it's easier for girls to get into firebuilding, sports, and career development in an all-female group; an activity doesn't seem so much like it's "for" the other gender when they're not around to compare yourself to and they're not demonstrating how much better they can do it.
I've done some looking for alternatives to Boy Scouts but have found only co-ed organizations. I'm sure they're all valuable in many ways, but I think there's a niche that can be filled only by a group that's for boys specifically. I'm a Girl Scout leader and think that's a fabulous organization for girls, but making it co-ed would wreck it. I don't think that trying to copy Girl Scouts but make it for boys is the answer either, or not directly...I mean, the origin of Girl Scouts was copying Boy Scouts and making it for girls, but the current wonderful program is the result of 94 years of girl-directed evolution! I'm looking for something for my son, not my great-great-grandson! :)
So far, all I can think of is what these AlternaBoys :D would NOT be like: not paramilitary, not very hierarchical, not homophobic, not so focused on being brave and strong (though that should be PART of the guiding principles, as it is in Girl Scouting), not putting significant time into competitive athletics which boys already have plenty of opportunity to do, not based in any religion or political entity. And I can think of some traits of Boy Scouts that I would want the AlternaBoys to have, like service projects and camping.
But how would this organization work? What would a meeting be like? What would be their rituals? Help me brainstorm!
^_^:
How/ why do you think it needs to be different from Girl Scouts? That could be your starting point. If you think there's an effective children's organization already in existence, you don't need to start your design from square one.
I personally don't think gender-segregated activities are appropriate for young children. We've started a chapter of Roots & Shoots for our kids and community, and we've really enjoyed it.
^_^:
I love this idea! Ds is only 10 months old, and I can't tell you how much I've already agonised over this - I'm his sister's Daisy leader, I was a Girl Scout myself all the way through school, and his father was a Boy Scout. Everyone already expects that he'll be a Boy Scout, because we're involved in Girl Scouts.
I personally would like to see the Alternaboys (Love that!!) focused on service, like you said, and environmental issues. Emphasizing the cooperative, and not just de-emphasizing the competitive. I don't think there's anything wrong with uniforms, per se, but the way that they are utilised makes a lot of difference.
Here's a question... would you keep the idea of badges and other awards, or have some other guide for each topic...?
^_^:
When you get 6 year old boys and 6 year old girls together you would see a big difference in behavior.
I am a Cub Scout leader. When my dd started Girl Scouts as a parent helper I was amazed at the difference. There were little things that made a big difference. Fine motor skills was the biggy. My son was (still) has motor skills issues but I remember watching my oldest dd do a project that him nor any of his buddies could do at the same time, there was a 3 years difference.. I also have watched and learned how much more kinetic the boys are. I get them physical and they remember the topic. I could try the same active with the girls and they would forget the point. A good leader (boy or girl) will figure this out and figure out how to manage it. My current non-kinetic learner is usually my record keeper.
I do see these differences are changing as they grow but at the same time in my 10-12 year olds I see developmental differences.
ITA that adult male involvement is important! I have never understood why there are Boy Scout troops with all-female adult leaders; I guess it is due to difficulty recruiting men? Based on my involvement with Scouts Canada, I'm sure that's it. My son was in the program for four years, and had a total of three male leaders, one of which was dh...the only leader who stuck the entire time. In that time, we had a total of six female leaders...and the only non-parent who became involved was female. Admittedly, Scouts Canada is co-ed, but our group was only boys.
Besides...my step-brother is a leader in Ontario. Well - he was a leader. He stuck around with the Cub Pack for a year after his son reached Scout age, but he started getting funny looks from other parents when they realized he wasn't a parent. People have become so paranoid about pedophiles that it can be hard for a non-parental male to get involved.
^_^:
Cub Scouts you see alot of moms. Boy Scouts, 6th grade up, you see more men.
Alot of dads are not available because of jobs. Some our divorced and unavialable.
More Topical: