Big Plans for the Hillbilly Scouts

The cousins were here this weekend, and they and my two oldest (8 & 5), worked on Hillbilly Scouts most of the weekend. They designed a flag, that they are hoping Mamaw will sew for them. Ashley(11) and Miles (soon to be 9) copied the pledge and taped it to their doors. They all promised to say the pledge every morning.

Miles started writing a story. Kellen says they are sending it to Harper-Collins to get published. He has a membership to some of their kids programs, and thought that would get the book published. We tried to explain to him that it doesn't quite work like that. His response, "We'll just send it to Random House then."

Big plans were made for the summer, when Ashley and Miles are here for eight weeks. The four of them plan to camp by the creek for a week. The creek is maybe 1/4 to 1/2 a mile away. I am not a good judge of distance. There also is a significant difference in distance depending on how you go. The kids like to go straight down the side of the hill. I prefer the longer route that follows old logging roads.

They made lists of equipment, food and activities. All four of them were busy on some aspect of planning. Ashley even typed up some of it, and asked Mamaw to check over it.

The adults in this story could impose sensibility and reality on these plans, but why? They are being creative. They are making memories that will last them a life time. So, we try to guide them without crushing the creativity.

Will they really camp at the creek for a week? Uh, no, not now. We did suggest they try camping closer to home for a couple nights, before heading to the creek for a week. Closer, in as, I can see and hear them closer. They seemed ok with that, and went on with their planning and memory making.