Merit Badges
This last spring, our stake held a merit badge clinic. This is where the scouts can come to the church and sign up for 2 merit badge. The first week, the scouts go over the requirements of each merit badge and start learning about the topic. Usually, these merit badges are the “required” merit badges.
Required Merit Bages
During this particular Clinic, Andy, my son, signed up for Communications and Personal Management. Fortunately, or unfortunatly, the merit badge counselor for PM was someone he knew very well. It happened to be his Dad, yep, me. We were able to get through most of the merit badge during the 2 sessions we had, however, there were 2 requirements the he could not finish in just 2 weeks. There is a section of this merit badge that requires scouts to record their financial information for 3 months. AARRGGHH! It is very hard to keep scouts focused that long to get that badge. So, I setup a plan for him. I created an excel spreadsheet that detailed each week of the 3 month period. Each Sunday, I told him to go down to the computer and record how much money he spent and how much money he earned. At the same time, I knew that he could work on another merit badge that required a 3 month record to be kept. “Family Life” is that badge. So, I created another tab and had him record his list of jobs and duties in our house and I had him record when and what he did each week. So, while he was recording one (Personal Management), he recorded the other (Family Life).
I am very happy to report that today, he finished! Great Job Andy. He is that much closer to getting the final goal which is the Eagle Scout Award.
Those two are definitely Eagle crushers. We are STILL working on Will’s Family LIfe or whatever. I think we’ve started 4 times.