mommagreenfish

Last night was a special night for my youngest son.

It was the night that he was invested as a Beaver. This means that he can say the Beaver promise, law and motto, and that he is now a “real Beaver”.

He’s been waiting for this day since he witnessed his older brother’s investiture two years ago. He sometimes came to Beavers with us on nights when his father was busy, and the wait has been almost unbearable for him.

Since officially joining in September, he’s been asking me when he will get his scarf (the “necker” for all you Scouters out there). He giggled at the word “woggle”, which is what you call the plastic ring that keeps the necker in place. (What elese would you call it?)

So, it was not shocking to see him with a huge grin on his face as his dad fastened the necker on him for the first time, or to see him practically bursting with pride to shake left hands with all the other Beavers (though most of them don’t yet know left from right).

It was a proud day for me, too. This is the third investiture ceremony I’ve been through now, and every time, it strikes me that we’re making a great memory for these kids.

Because an investiture ceremony is about more than the necker and woggle, more than the promise, law and motto. It’s a way of telling kids: “We trust you to be more responsible, because you’ve shown us what you can do.”

And there isn’t a kid in the world who doesn’t feel at least a little bit proud when an adult tells them that they believe in them.

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