The Tag Game, No One Agreed To Play
“Knock it off, Drew,” Mr. Dale barked from across the room.Drew froze for half a second, looked over, then grinned and darted after James again. James, a Scout of about twelve, twisted around a table trying to get away while two other Scouts scooted their chairs aside.“Dude, stop it!” James yelled. Yet, as far as Drew was concerned, they were playing tag. The only problem was nobody else had agreed to join in yet.“Drew!” Mr.... [More]
By: Sapna Kanda On: 2026-10-05
Scouts Are Helpful, Simply by Listening
Scott here, not so wacky this week. I recently found out a teen in my neighborhood attempted suicide, again. It brought back some memories of my dad, and some darker times in my own life too. September is Suicide Prevention Month, so maybe this is as good a time as any to talk about something we probably do not talk about enough.We spend a lot of time in Scouting talking about being prepared, first aid,... [More]
By: Sapna Kanda On: 2026-09-30Case of the Scout Tents VS the Howling Wind
The wind is howling through the canyon as the sun starts dropping behind the rocks. It is Friday night, the first night of our two-night, three-day backpacking trip, and my tent is trying very hard to become somebody else’s problem.My tent mate is holding one side while I fight with the other. Every time I get one corner down, the wind catches the opposite side and lifts it again. I look around and the other... [More]
By: Sapna Kanda On: 2026-09-22
We Are Burning Out Our Leaders
Scouting runs on volunteers who already have full lives. Parents may be working long hours, raising multiple kids, running between sports, band, school stuff, church, community things, and just trying to be the best parents possible. Then Scouting comes along and needs a den leader, committee member, driver, cook, campout helper, fundraiser, trainer, or somebody willing to refill the mysteriously empty propane tanks.When there are not enough people helping, the same few volunteers can quietly... [More]
By: Sapna Kanda On: 2026-09-16Even Scouts Have Operating Limits
I have been struggling with overwhelm, lately, hard enough that I can feel my whole system getting mechanically worse, exhaustion creeping in, and resources maxed out.The best comparison I have is a computer that somehow launches the same app a hundred times. Nothing dramatic happens at first. Then everything gets slower. Switching between tasks takes longer. Simple things stop responding. The fan spins up. Eventually you are staring at a machine that is technically still... [More]
By: Sapna Kanda On: 2026-09-07
A Scout Is Thrifty’ Is Complicated...
A Scout Is Thrifty’ Is Complicated... Recently I have been thinking about how hard it is for families, nonprofits, and small businesses to keep cash flow balanced. There is always something that needs money, something that would be nice to have, and often more than a few bills demanding to be paid. Then it occurred to me that Scout units are not really any different. Oh, and don't worry, I am not begging for help... [More]
By: Sapna Kanda On: 2026-09-01
Leadership, Screens, and the Practice of Scouting
I have always liked that Scouting is about giving young people room to lead. No one is ever really 'ready' to lead. You learn by doing it, making mistakes, adjusting, and trying again.A Patrol Leader, SPL, Den Chief, or even a young Denner gets a chance to try something, make a mess of it, learn from it, and try again. Sometimes the plan works, other times it's chaos, lunch is late, nobody knows where they... [More]
By: Sapna Kanda On: 2026-08-25
Scouts Keep the Flames Small and Sane
Scouts and fire go together. We cook over it, gather around it, tell stories beside it, and teach young people how to use it safely.But here in northern Nevada, fire has been less than romantic lately.As I write this on August 16, the Bug Fire north of Reno has burned more than 94,000 acres, while the Stallion Fire has burned more than 40,000. Both have been identified as human-caused. Homes have been lost, people evacuated,... [More]
By: Sapna Kanda On: 2026-08-17
The Pack in the Corner
“Billy!” Mom yells from the hallway, staring at the lumpy backpack slouched in the corner like it has given up on society. “Why is this smelly pack still sitting here from camp a month ago? I think it is time I just throw it out. My nose cannot survive opening it for you.”A thirteen-year-old blur races in from the other room. “Mom, wait! I am here!”Billy grabs the pack like he is rescuing a small... [More]
By: Sapna Kanda On: 2026-08-10
The Ants Found the Crumb
Tiny black ants have taken over my house. The kind that appear from nowhere, ignore every reasonable request to leave, ignore the eviction notice, and march across the floor like little smart vacuums with six legs and no respect for property lines. Everyone I have talked to within about an hour of me seems to be fighting them this year too. Apparently the ants held a council meeting and agreed to be everyone’s problem.They have... [More]
By: Sapna Kanda On: 2026-08-03