[Ansteorra] Cookies and merit badges

Brandy brandyrose5 at hotmail.com
Tue May 23 15:33:53 PDT 2006


Once upon a long long time ago, there was a badge program.  As a child I participated in said program.  It had to be in the late 80s, early 90s, but I remember it quite clearly.  

Marion inghean ui Ruanadha
mka Brandy 
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Judie Willey 
  To: Kingdom of Ansteorra - SCA, Inc. 
  Cc: Ansteorra List 
  Sent: Monday, May 22, 2006 9:46 AM
  Subject: Re: [Ansteorra] Cookies and merit badges


  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.

     

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  -- 
  Rebbe Hadassah Sarai bas Yossi
  MoC Barony of Steppes 


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