Storytelling: The Forgotten Art in BSA & What Mothers Have Known for Ages

[Rachel Hedman]

Thanks to Patrice Killpack for allowing me to post our picture. Patrice is a cool mom with four kids (two of them boys) and another little one on the way. The quotes and stories from the other mothers were also appreciated.

"Storytelling is as basic to a boy as breathing and frogs...and as necessary to Scouting as run-ons and skits," stated Diana Mulligan, a mother and an author from Fresno, California.

She upholds the written word while recognizing the importance of oral storytelling to strengthen communities, homes, and individuals.

What comes naturally for Mulligan and other mothers has been slow to be acknowledged by the Boy Scouts of America. The storytelling merit badge has yet to be created.

Meanwhile, several women, such as Girl Scout Leader and Storyteller Karen Czarnik of Detroit, Michigan, were quick to join the "100,000+ BSA Storytelling Supporters" Facebook group. Czarnik pointed out that the Junior Girl Scouts have the "Now and Then Stories from Around the World" patch.

This may seem like "the boys" are behind on the merit badge endeavor. . .until you take a look at Scouting history. The World Scout Founder, Lord Baden-Powell, wrote the first Scouting manual in a story format and used and encouraged stories as the primary teaching tool of youth.

Storytelling must have been--and continues to be--so much a part of the Scouting culture that they forgot to make a merit badge for it.

Here are Glimpses of Storytelling in Scouting Today:

• Scoutmaster Minutes
• Campfire Programs and Yarns
• Pow Wow Leadership Training with Specific Storytelling Course
• Skits and Run-ons
• Communications merit badge with option to tell a personal story
• Indian Lore merit badge with option to tell short story of an Indian culture

To discover more details such as the reasons why, go to my "Voice--A Storyteller's Lifestyle" blog.

Until we tell again,

Rachel Hedman

Professional Storyteller

Former Co-Chair of Youth, Educators, and Storytellers Alliance

Tel: [phone] Email: [e-mail]

URL: http://www.rachelhedman.com

How-To Blog: http://storytellingadventures.blogspot.com

Performance Blog: http://familyfamine.blogspot.com
Other places to find me: Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Professional Storyteller

Join professional storyteller Rachel Hedman in the continuation beyond the "Family Famine: Hunger for Love" premiere. Family life can starve when fed abuse and abandonment with stories that gnaw at the stomach. Then Rachel shares the feast of patience, humor and unconditional love through multicultural tales mixed with song and personal reflection. You are welcome to the table.