Building Confidence in the Outdoors: Helping Youth Face Camping Fears

[@shakyarcher]

I'm a huge advocate of Cub Scout resident camp. This is a great way to introduce the kids to camping with an adult partner. They usually are there for 2 nights & 3 days, so it's more than just "getting through one night" & they usually have a blast, and are then hooked on camping.

[@ScouterStan]

It's awesome to hear that you're also a fan of Cub Scout Resident Camp! It really is a fantastic way for kids to bond with their parents and create lifelong memories while camping. YIS⚜

[@kenofken9458]

I wonder if the fear of camping these days has partly to do with fear of disconnection from electronic devices? I don't know if there is any particular policy or practice around cell phone and other device use while camping. It seems almost pointless to go camping if you never once see nature because your staring at a screen the whole time. Unfortunately a lot of young people today seem reluctant to even leave the house let alone go into the wilderness. I think if scouting did little else than help free them of that, it would be worthwhile. I don't remember a lot of anxiety around camping but I think I grew up in a time when boys were more outdoor oriented. I do remember learning some lessons the hard way though, like proper footwear. To this day I tell people to never go camping in tennis shoes. Ever. Night dew is a thing and once you have cold and wet feet, your quality of life just goes over the cliff!

[@ScouterStan]

I agree with you that the reliance on technology especially with mobile phones is overly harmful to our youth. I found that this had universal agreement when I did a video on screen addiction and youth. [ kzbin.info/www/bejne/faWvloqobqdon9U ] Further, I think that in my childhood as soon as we changed out of our school clothes we were expected to spend most of our time playing outside. It's almost the opposite today and most parents do not realize it, or worse complacent about it. It is far easier for parents to allow their children to become “couch-potatoes” staring at a screen than allowing them to go outside and be exposed to the world without their control. Scouting gives a wonderful opportunity for safe outdoor adventures. This needs to be introduced to youth slowly with good outdoor experiences to build on their confidence for outdoor activities. Thank you so much for contributing to our channel community and Scouting. YIS⚜