Conference moira::parenting

    
    You may want to check in the scouting notes file.  I remember a similar
    discussion going on there.  It's at NOTED::SCOUTING
    
    
    cheryl
    

    You might want to check into a train ride.
    One Sunday afternoon, we took the boys from S. Acton to West Concord,
    had ice cream & then caught the next train back to S. Acton. Seemed
    like a real hit with the boys.
    

    If Shrewsbury has a cable station, you may want to call and see if they
    will do a tour.  I was a den mother for 4 years in Westboro and our
    local cable station was happy to have us come in.  Another place that
    was a big hit was the Higgons Armory in Worcester.  We used passes from
    the local library to supplement the fee.
    
    Joan

    The local paper in this area (Manchester Union Leader) offers tours. 
    Maybe you local paper would too?
    
    They don't sound too old for the fire station, which is always fun, but
    short.

    the Manchester NH airport gave a tour of it's facilities to a friend
    and his son's, the highlight for them being the firedepartment at the
    airport, you might check the Worcester airport and see if they would do
    something.
    
    sandy

    We did Tiger Cubs with our little guy for a few months last year (he's
    not really scouting material, and his pack leader was the pits for
    arranging fun meetings -- my husband and a pack of 6 year olds is a
    very bad mix!).  If you don't have the activity guide for Tigers, there's 
    a bunch of suggestions regarding subjects to hit on, which helps you plan
    outside and home-based activities.  I don't remember all the ideas, but
    I know that they were community-based, like the fire station, police
    station, county courthouse, museums (which you seem to be doing
    already), etc.  I can't really recall the whole thing, but I do
    remember naggin my husband to look at it, so that the meetings would be
    something more than a chance for 5 active 6 year old boys to chase
    around my garage and house and 5 sedentary Dads to ignore them.
    
    Tigers are supposed to be learning about their own community and the world 
    around them or some such thing, if I remember the pledge correctly, so
    I would concentrate on that.  One activity I do seem to remember
    involved touring your town and mapping out all the interesting sites,
    like the police and fire stations, major shopping area, school,
    landmarks, historic sites, etc.
    
    Not quite worth two cents, but the best I can recall.  Since my hubby
    didn't want my advice, I stopped paying attention after I took the two
    boys on a shopping expedition to the Boy Scout Store ($75 later, I got
    out the door, and they still couldn't think of anything to do at the
    next meeting!!).
    
    -:)!
    
    M.
    
    

    Hi,
    
    Thanks for all the suggestions so far.  I do have the Tiger Cubs guide.
    I'll look at it again, but I was hoping to do something more original.
    Since lots of the kids have gone to Preschool, many, including my son,
    have already been to the fire station, library, etc. 
    
    I like the idea of the cable station and airport.  As soon as I know
    which month I'm responsible for, I can call and try to make arrangements.
    
    I'm leaning toward more of a tour experience, than something
    interactive.  Neither the kids nor the parents in this pack seem very
    interested in getting to know one another.  I think it's just not the
    right mix of people.  We'll probably look for another pack for next
    year, if my son is still interested in scouting.
    
    Anyway, thanks again for the responses! 
    
    - Sheryl 
            

   What about community service projects?  Its a first hand way to learn
   about the community and to learn about helping folks at the same
   time.  Not sure what's in your area, but how about:
   
   o Spend some time at the local recycle center sorting paper and
     plastics

   o Spend some time at the local thrift shop helping bring in donations,
     or sort clothes, or something like that
   
   o Spend some time at a local soup kitchen helping with something
   
   o Spend some time at some local group's fund raising event helping
     them out  
   
     (if you need to stay away from church groups for whatever reason,
     there's always the local women's club, lion's club, rotary, chamber
     of commerce, local school playgroup fund, library book sale,
     what-have-you)
   
   o Spend some time at a local municipal building helping clean up, or
     set up, or put away, or something...
   
   fwiw,

   - Tom
   

I read an article in yesterday's paper (Sunday Globe) thta the National 
Weather Service is going to open it's facility in Taunton to the public for 
two day, I think in May.  

This would be perfect for a lot of people.