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You know how I was talking about the den leader in Matthew's cub scouts giving me a bit of grief for not showing up for that bear carving...I didn't tell you what she said that night...

Background...remember how I told you that none of the women at the Mom and Me campout had anything to do with their sons while we were there, just visited with each other and had nothing to do with me because nobody knew me? Remember how i was disappointed that no one seemed interested in what their boy was doing?

Well, Steve had noticed the same thing at various other events...nobody deals with their kids, the kids run rampant and the parents socialize.

Now, back to the carved bear.

Steve and Matthew worked hard on it. Hours and hours sitting at the table, practicing technique and slowly chipping away at that bear. Steve would demonstrate, Matthew would attempt and so on. By the time they were finished, i thought the bear looked pretty darn good.

So we go to the pack meeting and Matthew shows his bear to this den leader and she picks it up and laughs at it. Then says "Say, Matthew...did your dad "help" you with this?" where Matthew truthfully replied "Yes!" She turns to the other people at our table and says "Whattaya think guys? Ya think his dad HELPED him with this?" Then she just roars with laughter.

Stung me to the core, but I kept quiet for Matthew's sake. He didn't realize what she was up to.

What brings this up now?

Monday, at the den meeting, she says "Everyone needs to email a corporation and tell them what you think about their product, be it a product you like or one you don't like. Get your parent to help, but make sure you do it...if your parent does it, I'll know..." then she looked at me and said "I always know."

I'm just sick. Matthew has no idea that the woman is a bald faced hag. He loves his den, but the main reason is because of the effort "we" put into it with him.

I don't know what you guys can do about this...not much advice can help. Just be thinkin' about me, I guess. The whole think is just very disappointing.

A well-placed smack across the head does wonders for those type of people. Grrrrr....

How dare she act like that?! Oh 2J, my mommy hackles are raised now!!

Lord help me, but I despise a woman I've never met! I mean, besides Hillary Clinton!

Just make the corporation: Sturm, Ruger & Co. :-)

Now I'M ticked, for ya!

I think I would ask her right out what she meant by that. Not in front of people, but in a private conversation.

On the other hand, maybe it's best to leave it alone. But...grrrr!

Monday, at the den meeting, she says "Everyone needs to email a corporation and tell them what you think about their product, be it a product you like or one you don't like. Get your parent to help, but make sure you do it...if your parent does it, I'll know..." then she looked at me and said "I always know."

Who sponsors your den? Write a letter to the sponsor and to the Boy Scout Council. Don't let this den-shelob get away with that.

When I was a den leader I ached for the boys whose parents would bring them to a den meeting and just drop them off...or worse who would sit there while the boy struggled with a project and not even offer encouragement.

You're doing scouts the right way 2J. In spite of what Miz Know-It-All thinks.

Ask her if she expects the boys to use power tools to cut out their Pinewood Derby cars.

Well, help or not, I am provoked. :) I can't help it.

Use the opportunity to show Matthew how to not let the stupid people in our lives upset us.

I'm not sure from your wording if Steve demonstrated on the bear, or on something else, but, if he did any carving on the bear -- I would let Matthew carve a most excellent bear all by himself, applying the wonderful techniques that Steve showed him, and take it in to her, proudly telling her he did this one all himself. i know, Steve applied the proper amount of help to the carving. parents are supposed to help, and her insinuation is that he helped too much. I think I would bring it up with her. But not until I wasn't angry any more.

Some people are so stupid, they shouldn't be allowed around kids. This person is one of those. But the world is full of them - people who Matthew is going to have to deal with. Better he learn to regard them properly now, which is to limit his regard of them. Which is really not the purpose of scouting. Especially at his age. It is to reward his work and a job well done, by someone other than parents. Not minimize his efforts. ugh

You might wanna politely address these things in private with her. Very nicely, of course.

Do you have another choice of dens where you are?

I don't know what you guys can do about this...not much advice can help. Just be thinkin' about me, I guess. The whole think is just very disappointing.

Kim, I'm afraid I just couldn't keep quiet on this one. That woman is talking trash of the worst sort. The kind that is hurting kids. Have you thought of telling her of the effort that Steve and Matthew put into that carving? And about that socializing thing? And take a box fan with you when you do! And you have my bow. I'll drive up for this if I need to!