Mama said knock you out

Mark's Cub Scout den is in the home stretch for ear ning their Webelos badge. They had a couple more activities to review, and some oaths/mottoes/slogans to learn before the final pack meeting next week.

So during the last meeting, the den leader spent the time reviewing and explaining the Boy Scout oath. The boys repeated it line for line after him, and the leader stopped at each line to explain exactly what it meant.

My favorite line was when the Scouts promised to be "physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight."

They all knew immediately what physically strong meant. But "mentally awake," ironically, gave them more pause.

"What does that mean, mentally awake?" the leader asked again, and more than one boy scratched his head.

Suddenly, the leader's son, Jonah, raised his hand excitedly -- he'd figured it out.

"Oooh!" he said. "It means you can't be knocked out, like in a fight. You can't be unconscious."

Which became my new favorite definition of mentally awake!

They also had a little trouble with morally straight. They weren't quite sure what "morally" meant, although one boy very smartly pointed out that it came from the word "moral," which he reminded them comes at the end of a story. The leader patiently explained what it meant to act morally, and the boys responded with a knowing, "Oh, yeah!"

However, when they broke up into smaller groups to practice reciting the oath, they quickly confused the phrases, which became "morally awake." And I had to stifle another giggle, because when one boy asked me again what that meant, all I could think of was, "You only have to be good when you're awake -- all bets are off when you're asleep." But I made sure not to say that out loud!

I'm proud to say that all the boys learned the Boy Scout motto, oath, slogan, handshake, and even the Outdoor Code. In no time at all, they were back to playing their favorite Ninja game, and then racing outside for snack and a quick soccer game.

Mark really digs Cub Scouts, because he likes hanging out with his friends. But sometimes, after lessons like this, I think I enjoy it even more than he does!