1. Aim high but don't worry if you don't always hit what you were trying for.
Some described the 'arrow through the lightbulb' incident as an epic fail. We're talking about it way longer than any of the bullseyes that were hit though. And it's a way cooler picture.
Scouting is all about having fun. But it's also about life-changing experiences and learning important skills that you can't pick up anywhere else.
Here are 10 of the best recent ones...
2. Actions have consequences.
It's an important part of Scouting that you can have some independence and make your own decisions. It's also important to learn that those decisions have consequences.
Like playing football or hide and seek in grass this long is great fun but may not be ideal for people who can't spot the orange netting around the wet pit.
3. Be prepared to overcome obstacles.
Maybe it's a fear of heights. Maybe it's the physical effort required to climb to those heights in the first place. Maybe it's the huge bushes that you hit because you think it'll be fun to swing side to side on the aerial runway instead of just straight on like you're supposed to.
Whatever it is, at the end of the experience, pick yourself up and know you're stronger because of it. If a little bit covered in twigs.
4. Check what you're getting in to.
Whatever the situation or the challenge you're about to take on, prepare yourself for it fully before you start.
And work out how you're going to get back out again. Everyone else that did the assault course went over the top of this drum.
5. Experiment with something new, it might work better than what you've always done before.
Even simple things like cutting cherry tomatoes in half before serving them to other kids on camp. Sure, it takes a bit longer and launches a furious, 4 day argument, but more people definitely ate tomatoes than otherwise would have done.
Also, fewer people got hit in the face with cherry tomato pips.
6. Be a leader, not a follower.
A simple, short hike (and yes, it was planned to be short, whatever anyone else tells you) can be soooo much longer if you blindly follow everyone else and hope that one of them knows where they're going.
All of the people in this picture blindly followed. The people who took the picture (well rested, arrived some time before) each checked the way they were going themselves...
7. You only fail if you don't pick yourself up, dust yourself off and try again.
And everyone at bubble football did pick themselves up and keep on trying. Well, some of them had to be helped up, but same thing.
8. Read the instructions.
I'm not sure that Papa K's Pop-up Pizzeria would have been the roaring success it was if Mama J hadn't read the instructions and found out that the perfect cooking time was 75-90 seconds instead of 12-14 minutes.
You're welcome.
9. Think about others.
What do you see in this picture? A delicious breakfast? (Vegetarian and Gluten Free options were also available!)
Or do you see a deeply insensitive act just hours before leaving for Paulton's Theme Park, the home of Peppa Pig World?
I saw a moment of awkwardness as our older kids spotted the irony and then a moment of relief as they concluded that the younger ones didn't need to be told about it...
10. Communicate clearly.
I remember being surprised when they said they'd 'caught a croc' in the small pond. Then disappointed. Then relieved. Then amused.
