Penguin, Penguin, Chicken

Who says you have to play by ALL the rules?

My son is now a Tiger Scout. He had his first den meeting last night and the boys learned everyone's name, the scout sign, the scout salute, the meaning of Webelo and the secret handshake. After all the academics they played a couple of games, telephone didn't work so well so they moved on to Duck, Duck, Goose.

When my son got up to be "it" he changed the words on them. He said "Penguin, Penguin, Chicken." I was proud of him for being "creative" and a bit embarrassed by the goofy voice he used when he was saying it. Each boy followed suit changing the words with each turn. "Soda, Soda, Ice Cream" was one that I remember.

Creativity is important to him
My son has told me several times in the last month or so that he really likes that I am "creative".

How am I creative for my kid? One day to be "different" I cut his sandwich with a star cookie cutter. I make stampy notes for his lunch, one side features the prayer before meals and the other side may say "You da bomb!", or may have his spelling words, or may have a stamped Tiger reminding him that he has a den meeting tonight.

I also "make" his Halloween costumes. I try to do what I can with cardboard, duct tape and paint but sometimes I need to drag out the Sewing machine. I don't sew well, not enough practice, but I do what I can.

One year he was a blue octopus, easy sewing job just made tubes and stuffed them with plastic grocery bags (it was cheaper than store bought stuffing and wouldn't go limp or get heavy if they got wet). Then I pinned them to a blue sweatshirt. The look on his face when he saw all the store bought costumes told me "I don't like my costume, it's not as good as other people's". But that was when he was 3 and couldn't be too helpful. Since then he has been shoulder to shoulder with me creating his costume.

This year he wants to be a red Bakugan dragon. A friend has a red dragon costume she lent us. He didn't even want to try it on and when he did he looked for any and all problems. "The tail feels funny when I sit down", "the head falls down (when I bend over) and covers my face". Then he confessed, "I like it when you 'make' my costume."
"You like that we work together on it?"
"Yeah, and you're so creative."

Being seen as "creative" by my son kind of raises the bar for me. I feel like I need to maintain a certain level.

I think I can do that.

Not the Den mother
I will not be the den mother, but I will be the craft mother for his den. I get to teach scrapbooking to a bunch of 6 and 7 year old boys. That class is October 16 and I will let you know how it goes.