Early Out Days

Mondays around here are the kids' Early Out Day. I understand that this is part of the cooperative learning environment the district is promoting and the teachers do need inservice time. I understand that the whole theory is good for my kids.

But it is not so good for me.

I have a hard time remembering that it IS early out each week. Mondays, especially seem to be very motivated days for me and I can always get a lot done, until I realize it is early out day and I have one less hour to do what I gave myself on the To-Do list that day. Then I grumble and murmur to myself that I can't get everything done with one hour less to do it in. Then my attitude is muted and I can get grumpier than normal.

But yesterday, I got a pleasant surprise in conjunction with Early Out Day.

As I was walking The Boy home from school (with our little walking carless pool--so long as the weather is nice) Good Friend Lisa stopped us and asked if The Boy was an 11 year old scout. Why, YES, he is.

"Is he going to the BYU Scout Pow-Wow event?" she inquired.

"What is that?" I asked her.

"Well, yeah, registration is passed now, and you don't have other boys to know about it, so no, he's not going."

"I guess not, then," I concur.

Then she invited The Boy to her house where she is working with her little scouts for the next 6 weeks on Early Out Days to finish off their 3 hardest required merit badges for their Eagle rank.

Fabulous for me. Lucky for Early Out Days. Lucky I have such great friends who can save me from this foreign land called Boy Scouts and lead me through the challenging terrain. Better yet, they not only lead me though, but put The Boy in the pack with their kids and push them all along to Scout achievements. Wah-hoo!

All things considered, if this is what we can get with Early Out Days, I'll take it.
"Is there anything he needs to bring, that I can send?" I attempt, helpfully, I hope.
"Nope," she tells me. "Just get him up to my house and then come get him when we are done."

Come to find out, he knows most of the other scouts in her group from school, even though they are another stake all together. But they are buddies from school, flag football, soccer, tackle football, swimming, etc. He was a bit put out when I was taking him up to her place, but when I picked him up he looked to be having a good time.