So Joseph has officially entered the ranks of boyhood...as has his father. They, together, completed their very first pinewood derby car, and raced in a their first pinewood derby.It was a very interesting endeavor, as neither had ever built a pinewood derby car, and as a mother, it was just one more aspect of scouts that I don't get!
But, I think it was fun for Joe to build something himself, and I think for Troy too, who never did the pinewood derby as a boy. They built a stylish little car and made a presentable showing in their first derby.
Knowing what they know now, and seeing how competitive the other boys and fathers were, all I can say is, look out derby 2009, here come the Beatty boys!
4 comments:
It took Del 2 boys and 4 races before we got a car that placed...you're right about the competition factor at the Pinewood
derby; it's crazy how serious some of the families take it!!
...and Joe won for the "Coolest Car". The Silver Bullet was AWESOME!
Troy - congrats on officially entering boyhood. Proud of you.
Our ward has done away with the whole 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place thing. The boys get awards like "most patriotic" and the like.
At first I was disparaging about it. I thought it was healthy for the boys to experience some friendly competition. And I thought it was silly to try and shield the boys from disappointment. After all that's real life.
Some of the other leaders tried to help me see the wisdom in it but I was still doubtful. It wasn't until I actually experienced a derby first hand that I understood.
The boys still competed against each other and were awarded gold, silver, and red stars, depending on how they placed in each heat. So they did get to have the competition aspect. But there was no "overall" winners. No one was singled out, either for the good or the bad.
The boys had a blast. I didn't see any signs of dejection or defeat. I also never saw significant amounts of pride or haughtiness (or high pressure from parents either). Each boy got rewarded for making a car and for putting forth his best effort.
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