Wet Camping for Moose

It occurred to me today, that when I was younger and went camping with our scout group, my parents waited until the weekend was over to know how we made it through the rough weather. And that just isn't the case anymore. With today's technology kids have cell phones, Facebook, and the internet.

Moose went camping with his Boy Scout troop. They left yesterday evening to camp at a Civil War fort. By 10:15 p.m. straight line winds, tornadoes, thunder, lightning, and rain were headed their way. One of the boy's parents called me because she couldn't contact her son on his cell phone (Moose's troop has a strict policy of NO cell phones). So, I texted the leader told him about the weather heading his way. Well, they made it through perhaps a little wet but no major damage or destruction. Everyone was in bed by 11:15 p.m. as it continued to rain.

Back to the boy with the cell phone, he called home all night long, told his parents how bad it was for him. His tent was wet, sleeping bag was wet, he was sleeping under a pavilion on the cold hard floor, you get the picture. His parents are now on their way to camp with dry gear for him.

Going back to my childhood parents couldn't contact us at camp so if we were wet from rain we figured it out. There were a few occasions where leaders took wet sleeping bags to town to dry. But most times we were wet a clothes line was strung and we hoped our bags were dry by nightfall. And let me tell you every time a certain adult went camping it rained and flooded.

Here is my question, do you think kids should have a cell phone?

I know that is a tough question. You want your kids to have all of the resources they  need to protect themselves but at the same time...If they are constantly calling you they are missing out on a great learning experience with the other scouts.

I did suggest to the parents on the rescue that they take all of the wet sleeping bags to town to dry at the laundromat. I just received a text from "Mama" and they are on their way to town now with a few wet sleeping bags.

So, what do you think?