My kid is 16 and scouts is an important part of his activities. He's outdoorsy and loves camping, hiking, and other scout outings. He also does a varsity sport and an intense non-sport activity and works scouting around those activities when they're in season. This is not unusual for our scouts. He started in cub scouts and like a PP mentioned about half continued into a troop. I don't think any of them think scouting is too nerdy - most of them are focused on earning Eagle scout and that is an important milestone for them.

Anonymous wrote:Why are you worrying about this? DS is in BSA, DD is a Girl Scout. I'll let them continue as long as they want. A good friend of mine had one son make Eagle Scout and the second is well on his way. They are pretty cool, IMHO, but IDK what their classmates think. I do know that they are well-adjusted kids, despite having dealt with some difficult stuff personally.

Also, some kids don't mind being called "nerdy".

+1 wtaf

BSA? 5th grade

My kid is in 4th grade in a mixed gender scouts pack and we have about 10 kids in our den. 4 are serious sports kids (boys) and manage it and still enjoy scouts meetings and camping and hiking. Helps that their parents are very into it and do a lot for the pack. We are also pretty chill and try to work around everyone's schedules as much as we can. I haven't heard from anyone that they are made fun of in school for doing scouts.

YOU are the troublesome one, OP, if you are concerned with the "nerdy" label.

Please get your head on straight.

Do you mean Boy Scouts? Boys aren't allowed in Girl Scouts.

Dropped it after cub scouts.

DS is 13 and still enjoying scouts. He has been backpacking with his troop and loves the camping and hiking and canoeing. I am not certain why being outdoors hiking, backpacking, and canoeing is considered nerdy. He also plays soccer. His troop mates are swimmers, runners, soccer players, and football players.

Let your kid decide what he wants to do. Our Pack had about half the kids move on to a troop most years and it seems like that is still the case. Don’t bother telling him that scouts is seen as for nerds, just let him have fun with it and enjoy himself.

Why are you worrying about this? DS is in BSA, DD is a Girl Scout. I'll let them continue as long as they want. A good friend of mine had one son make Eagle Scout and the second is well on his way. They are pretty cool, IMHO, but IDK what their classmates think. I do know that they are well-adjusted kids, despite having dealt with some difficult stuff personally.

Also, some kids don't mind being called "nerdy".

Is your goal/concern to make sure he stops before he is tainted? If so, get a new goal. Let him continue until he wants to stop.

If he’s enjoying scouts, let him continue. If he wants to spend more time with sports and his interest in scouts wanes- let him drop scouts and pursue sports.

I have a boy who I think will be a Tiger? or Wolf? Scout this year. If I recall we have several years before kids start peeling off to pursue sports and other activities and start thinking Scouts is for nerds. What grade does this usually happen? Generally when do boys start worrying about what is cool or what's not? I've seen this already starting to happen with 2nd grade girls, but the boys seem like they are still happily pretty clueless innocents.