Cub Scouts Video Games Belt Loop
I spent the majority of my pre-college life in scouting. I started when I was in third grade in Cub Scouts, became a Webelo, and then moved on to gain the highest rank of Eagle Scout. I attribute much of who I am to the lessons and life skills I learned while in the Scouts. Yesteray when I read some buzz over the new Video Game belt loop and award that Tiger Cubs, Cub Scouts, and Webelos can earn. My first knee jerk reaction what “What the…really? What level is the Scouts stooping to?” But that was without actually reading the requirements and really without merit. After reading the requirements of the award and remembering the age bracket it started to make sense – this is just scouting adapting to the times.
Tiger Cubs starts when kids are in first grade, and progresses up to Webelos graduating to Boy Scouts when they are in 6th grade (if memory serves correctly). So we are talking about boys from 6 to 12 approximately. When I was growing up we had an Atari 8600 and a Nintendo with the game pad. We had our video game playing time as well as other activities like soccer and baseball my brother and I participated in.
What scouts teach kids at this age isn’t about key survival skills if you are lost in a forest alone off the trail (OK, they do teach you how to use a compass and some other basic stuff). Instead scouting at this age bracket teaches about teamwork, competition, teaching others, building self confidence, exploration of other activities, and the importance of school. When looking at the requirements for the Video Game award, those principles are there. The award isn’t encouraging a kid to sit down after school and play for hours upon hours. Instead it makes you build a schedule that includes your chores, homework, and time to play video games. It has them learning about the rating system and why it is important. If you want to get the pin, which requires extra work, it asks you to compare pricing of a game you want with other stores and understand and explain the store return policy and manufacturer’s warranty. Sure it also says that you should “play” a video game for an hour with a friend or family members but I think we also have to remember that video game systems has in many ways replaced board games. I think it is also key to remember that at this age these aren’t kids playing Grand Theft Auto or Halo (hopefully).
As society and the world evolves, the scouting programs have to as well. Being well rounded today and the skills that fit that definition is not the same as it was 30 years ago or even 10 years ago. So the Boy Scouts of America have adapted with the times while keeping their core values integrated into the new programs and awards.
