In a couple of weeks...
 

I will be attending my 4th consecutive summer camp.

I have used more vacation time for summer camp than all the rest of my days off put together.

Yes, I deserve a medal.

I have made arrangements this time to only stay for half the camp. I'm getting cunning in my old age.

And yes, I am amused by the excuses I hear from people who say they can't attend.

One of the years, I went the week before my oral board certification test (for you LDS lawyers, that's kind of like your bar exam). Excuses are like a*******...as they say. :)

I won't miss it when I don't go next year. But maybe in two or three years, I will miss it. Only 8 more years til my son attends....

You're a good man to use vacation for quite possible the most trying calling in the church. And you do it for the boys, which makes it that much better.

I wish others would just have the testicular fortitude to do the right thing and say yes when asked to spend a days and nights at a ward scout camp out.

When all is said and done, you'll be the better man because you were willing to actually serve the YM in your ward.

In my 3+ years as scoutmaster, I've never had to cancel a campout because of lack of adult leadership.

That's something I am proud of. And I did get a lot of help to make that happen, because it takes two adults.

Ironically, I did cancel a campout because of lack of scout participation. For one campout, no scouts showed up. Zilch.

So if a scout leader approaches you and asks if you can attend, remember, it means a lot to him if you say yes. He is sacrificing his time and effort, and he needs help to make it happen.

Yep, which is why I'll be headed with the scouts for week of adventure in July. It will actually be fun to spend some time with my son.

Probably because of this conversation, I had a dream last night that I was going to be released from my calling. There will be a lot of changes in our ward at some point, with the YM President being in his calling 4+ years and the YW President also with the same tenure. Not to mention me.

If that happens, congrats!

Ha! The parent who was supposed to relieve me mid-way through just informed he can't attend.

I think I will be laying down the law this time.

No adult=no camp.

Do it, Mike. If the parents want their boy involved in scouts, they need to be supportive in every way possible.

My wife doesn't support me in this. She thinks I should sacrifice family and work obligations. She's a nice lady. She doesn't want the boys to bear the brunt of adults' failures.

There is one family that is involved. The rest of the parents aren't, at least not to any significant degree. I understand that for some, it is very difficult. They are poor, and taking time away for something like camping is a luxury they either cannot afford or choose not to do.

Understood.

The problem that I faced when in the YM program was apathy on the parents' part. I suppose it's a lot easier to get after parents that want their kids to participate, but don't want to help than it is to guilt parents into doing something they just can't possibly take time away from work to do, eh?