My Oldest son is an active member of his Boy Scout Troop among other things and he's been busy the last couple of months with several merit badges (these badges are worn on Boy Scout Sashes and a certain number are required to earn their Eagle Awards in the future.) He began Family Life in January at a Merit Badge fair (this is one of those required ones!) It takes at least 3 months to earn and we are in the last couple of weeks. Requirements include: discussing what a family is and how you're important to the family; make a list and keep track of household chores for 90 days (the long part of the MB); carry out a project around the house; carry out a project around the house that includes your family; discuss family meetings and conduct a meeting and discuss drugs and alcohol abuse, body changes and sex, finances, crisis situation in family, effect of technology on family and good etiquette and manners; and understanding the role and responsibility of parents and what makes a father and his role in a family.
He is also working on the Cooking Merit Badge just this week and since I have a lot of experience in meal planning, I've been helping him a lot. Requirements include: injuries in the kitchen, proper storage and preparation of food, and possible food related illnesses; label a food pyramid to your specifics (he's and active 12 yr old boy...), serving sizes, examples, and nutritious ways to fix food (i.e. bake instead of fry); plan a menu for 2 days of camping, make the food list, price it and tell what utensils you would need; then a menu for 3 meals for a hiking/backpacking adventure, do everything for the camping one and figure the weight of the food, then prepare and cook the breakfast and dinner using the proper trail stove, using the proper food handling methods and disposing of trash properly; menu for 3 days at home, doing everything as previous including preparing 1 days menu (3 meals) at home; then last find out about 3 career opportunities in cooking, picking one and finding out about education, training and experience needed for the job. If you think earning the Eagle is easy, you are very wrong...this is just 2 merit badges and they have to earn 21 of these! Luckily my son's troop is having a Lock-in tonight and they will be covering some of this at that...I helped him with the planning of meals, discussed the food pyramid with him, helped him make up the shopping list (we need to go shopping and get prices this next week), and will discuss utensils needed and he will get to prepare all the food next Saturday from one of his menus. Whew I'm tired!
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