Turn that Badge Right Side Up!

This past Sunday my 3 boys each received the patch for their current Cub Scout rank. As per tradition the patches went on their shirt upside down to be turned over right side up after performing a good deed. During the long, two-and-a-half hour, 150 minute (did I say long?) ceremony my kids sat relatively entertained. There was actually no hat pulling, finger poking, eye-rolling, loud talking, giggling amongst them. That in and of itself was almost a good deed. It was kind of surprising actually.

The N did his first good deed by automatically getting into clean up mode once the drums stopped banging, and oldest Cubs turned into the youngest Boy Scouts. The J and the M had to leave with dad who was very, very ready to get outta there. So one out of 3 patches right side up on day 0.

To celebrate the new Scouts planning to ascend on that Eagle Trail, Mother Nature, Gaia, decided it would be a great day for Typhon to have his fun by blowing gusts of wind over 50mph. Have you ever noticed the windiest day is trash day? It was extra fun since it was also recycle day. We were able to pull our recycleables back in since we were home, but many, many, many others were not so lucky. Remember when your mom used to ask if a cyclone had hit your room? Our neighborhood resembled that room. When the kids came home from school they were completely awestruck at the level of debris flying around. I bet a few birds were concerned about the plastic grocery bags flying in their lanes. Mother Nature's game was truly impressive.

But what impressed me was the kids. Instead of "Mom, may I have a snack and watch Cyberchase" I heard, "Mom, can I go out and pick up the trash?" A pack of elementary school aged kids (about 8) took to the bushes, the streets, the yards, the ditches and filled 18 trash bags full of recycleables that didn't make it to the recycle center. One of them was lucky and found $20. Not one of mine, though.

All in all, there were many good deeds done. The best part? They asked to do it. They thought of it themselves. No adult intervention required.