[Ansteorra] Cookies and merit badges

[Judie Willey]

Ahh good I was waiting for someone to bring up the Children before I put in
my 2 shekels worth...

*I think the merit badge idea is good for the children's ministry...*
****
Over the many years ( 25 +) I have been in the SCA and having raised 4 kids
in the Society I have been waiting for this to finally come about.
You would always hear rumors about a "badge program" for the kids  but then
nothing wold ever come of it. All too often our Youth who are not interested
in Boffers are left out and forgotten about...or they are fobbed off with
coloring books and crayons , until they become teens and develope their own
interests in "period" arts or sciences. I feel that it is this reason that
so many drop away from the SCA once they are of an age where their parents
cant force them to go to events.
I have seen this happen in my former Kingdom all too often as well as having
had the personal experience with seeing my neice and nephew turn away from
the SCA to the point of actually despising the group.

I personally feel that the badge program is an essentialthing if we are to
keep our youth interested in the SCA...after all without them what will we
have in the future when we are too old to play anymore. I would encourage
...nay beg ...all of you for not only your support of the program, but to
find your nearest MOC and offer your services in teaching classes for these
badges. I also feel that somehow children raised in the SCA ( even the ones
who grow away from it) if they are taught the courtesies tend to bring
those courtesies and values with them to real life and treat others with a
bit more respect. Mind you  I can say the same for kids raised in Scouts for
the most part. They are just taught to treat people right.

OK now I will get off my soapbox.

I do agree that their are many out there who only do an activity for the
honours and recognition they will recieve for said activity. I know of a
Baron and Baroness ( again in my former Kingdom) who only wanted the
position for the title, power and the gifts they expect to receive... and
who so much as said that the big reason for doing it was because of all the
cool things people will give them . This particular couple not only was
arrogent enough to begin referring to themselves as Baron and Baroness
several months before the actually were invested...but to also set up a page
on the Baronial website with their likes and dislikes and "wishes" for what
they should be gifted with as though they are Royals stepping up to the
throne. I have also heard individuals complain how they havent been
recognized for this or that award when seeing either their art or their
fighting and attitude I could see why they wouldnt be recognized. ( again
not in Ansteorra)

We as people not necessarily just in the SCA  crave that recogition and want
those Attaboys...even when we dont deserve them. For many of us a simple
Thank You is enough...and then when we do receive something bigger for our
efforts it becomes that much more special to us.

Again I apologize for not only being long winded...but if I came across as
preachy:)

YIS
Rebbe Hadassah Sarai bas Yossi
MoC Steppes


On 5/21/06, Jean Paul de Sens <jeanpauldesens at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Due to the long drive home this afternoon, Gilyan and I landed upon the
> subject of "cookies and merit badges" and wondered at the negative
> connotation associated with such things.  So we're wondering:
>
> What's wrong with merit badges?  What about the system is offensive and/or
> wrong?
>
>
> Jean Paul
>
> P.S., please try to keep the "I like chocolate chip" responses to a
> minimum as I'm genuinely curious about this question.
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Ansteorra mailing list
> Ansteorra at lists.ansteorra.org
> http://lists.ansteorra.org/listinfo.cgi/ansteorra-ansteorra.org
>
>
>


-- 
Rebbe Hadassah Sarai bas Yossi
MoC Barony of Steppes
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