Working with boys can be fun and rewarding. If you plan to be in for the long-term plan on digging in and start building a foundation and work your way up.

The one thing that is a common mistake is the leader and/or adults run the program. That may work for a while, but it isn't going to last for very long with with a win-win element existing. After while the boys will loose interest and they'll go else where.

The sentiments from the boys are as follows:

• We never get to do anything
• I don't like that
• That's boring
• What's that got to do with me

The key to any organized activity is everyone has got to participate in everything. That means to show up on time to as many planned activities, including chapter meetings. responsibilities delegated to all according to their ability, everyone is important, and everyone participates in planning.

The one thing that is common to every man and is a motivator is our reward is to see something work, accomplishing a goal, divide and conquor, and knowing each man is there own boss when they are given a direction to go. You take any of those elements away, there is no motivation to hang around. When we do something, we've go a stake or a piece of ourselves in it and the satisfaction come when the rewards are passed out or when the rewards are reaped by everyone.

Us leaders (adults) need to practice of giving the boys a chance to participate in everything and not just be seen. Here are some of the areas we have a tendency to monopolize and keep boys out of:

• Planning an outing or a field trip
• Planning a budget
• Planning a over-nighter
• Do a chapter meeting from time-to-time
• Take charge some of the elements of a planned event

What is listed above are some areas that they can be involved in. The secret to that sucess is the adult (leader) be in the background waiting for something to happen, keep the group on track and guide the leader, and to keep sanity in the group.

When all of this is practiced on a regular basis, it's an encouragement to everyone including the boys. In the boys life, when they're involved to that extent, they're self worth is esclated and they will want to be more helpful to others. At the same time, they learn responsibility, leadership, how to interact with others in more of a difinitive way, and gives them a taste in the world of entrepreneurs. There's another host of horizons we can only sit back and imagine how that little practice of total participation will impact a kid if we just do it.

It may seem to let the boys take over, but it isn't. It's just the opposite. What you're doing is practicing the role of a mentor and the boys are in as an apprentices. When the boys are actively involved like this they have every reason it's their chapter meeting, also.

We've got to remember who is really in charge of all of this. I has got to be Jesus Christ and we're all his apprentices practicing for what's to come for eternity.