
As a kid, I was a girl guide and my brothers were Boy Scouts.
The girl guides weren’t taught anything regarding camping but the Boy Scouts were taught all the skills they’d need to survive in the wild, including setting up a tent, making fire, and tying knots.
My younger brother was very close to me and he used to share whatever he learned in his lessons, so I too learned the basic survival skills, including tying different sorts of knots; nautical knots, reef knots, and slip knots.
Learning how to tie a reef knot was a useful skill as it meant I could secure two things with rope or string with no fear of the knot slipping.
The things we learn as children have a way of slipping into our deep subconscious and making them instinctive so whenever I want to secure something, I automatically tie a non-slip knot.
This word took me back half a century to the days when we were eager to learn new skills and then show them off to others to impress them.
🪢🪢🪢
Written in response to Six Sentences Story- Knot, hosted by Denise, of the Girlie on the edge’s blog
#Keepitalive
#SSS
I was a campfire girl leader and wonder what activities you did do as a girl guide? I’ve always had a fascination with knot skills
Sent from my iPhone
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We didn’t do any camping. Just home-ec stuff and helping in collecting donations for the Red Cross. Thanks
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Hey Sadje, I was going to “like” and comment on this post, but when I tried, it brought up a message that said “Oops! That page can’t be found.” Maybe you took down the post or maybe something went wrong, but I thought I would let you know. Hope you are well! Brandon Ellrich
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Thanks Brandon, an error in posting schedule was the reason. Thanks for liking.
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I enjoyed this post, Sadje 🙂 It took me right back: I always thought we girls got the short end of the stick when I was younger. I HATED Home Economics and I couldn’t understand why the boys got to do all the fun stuff in Shop Class, like making lamps and wooden treasure chests, and learning about watts and voltage and other interesting stuff. I didn’t last long in Girl Guides because, well, it wasn’t all that interesting to me. I’m sort of glad, now, that I don’t have a brother: I’d have been so envious to know of how much more fun the Boy Scouts were having 😕 From what I hear, it’s different now. Lucky girls 🙂💕🙏
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Yes, thanks are more equal now then they were when we were kids. Girl guides were rather glorified home economics students. Sewing badges was one activity I remember. Then we were asked to do stuff for the Red Cross which was a good cause. Thanks for visiting.
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Thank you Sadje, your words took me back a ways too…in good ways. The skills learned when very young do last a lifetime. This post reminds me of a saying:
“Train up a child when they are young in the ways that they should go; and, when they are older they will not depart from it.”
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What a wise quote Suzette. Thanks for sharing. I think I still can tie the reef knot and a few others. Comes handy at times.
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Yes, good skills…actually, indispensable skills.
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Yes, mostly!
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😊
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😉
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A great piece of nostalgia Sadje, I was a boy scout back in those days too .. 🤗🌏
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Thanks Ivor. Boys had much more fun and went camping too. Not the girls though.
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Yes … we had all the fun 🤗🌏
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😍
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Great story! Showing off skills you’ve learned is why sports are so entertaining.
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Yes, that’s true. Thanks.
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Wonderful story, Sadje. I absolutely agree that these childhood skills are everlasting.💕
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Thanks Grace! Indeed we often remember them till old age.
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Absolutely 💕
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🙏🏼
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Sometimes it is good to know how to tie a non-slip knot.
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Yup, very useful at times. Thanks Frank
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My parents bought a boat so as a family we took a water safety course called “Power Squadron.” I learned all the nautical knots.
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It’s essential to know how to tie knots when at sea/ water.
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Yes!
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I could use a couple of lessons in knot tying. You are right that the boys learned the survival skills and we learned, well, not so much.
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Yeah, discrimination I’d say. Thanks Mimi.
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Unfortunate the girls were not taught the same skill set, as I agree with you about how these skills become a part of our deep programming that we keep for life. Super helpful.
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Yes, we were discriminated against by fobbing us off by girly stuff.
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Exactly so.
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🥹
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Nice memory…and nice brother!
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Thanks Liz! Yes to both.
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I learned so much more accompanying my sons to boy scouts than I ever did growing up as a girl scout!
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That’s really cool. Thanks for sharing
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I’m glad you learned a good and useful knot, and it’s too bad Girl Guides weren’t shown how. I’m a camper, but knot tying is not my strength.
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Thanks D! Yes, we were asked to sell tickets for Red Cross, which I think was a good deed.
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I was in Campfire Girls, but remember so little of it except we yearly sold candy.
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Haha! Yes girls were given such tasks.
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Being a child and aiming to please… one needs a receptive audience.
Some adults and some peers though too often only want the spotlight for themselves.
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That’s true at times.
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I think some newsy folks need to stop giving certain people headlines. We don’t need every detail. If wrong was done – let the police handle it and report on it when it is done.
This way the folks who trive at and get attention, get less and might just go away. I know – I’m dreaming 😉
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It would be in an ideal world! 💖
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Our paper does have some good news. But you have to hunt for it.
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Yes, that’s how it is.
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One reason to like blogging… to read others verses and fiction. Most often uplifting 🙂
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Very true.
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🙂
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🙏🏼
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Interesting, but it’s sad that they usually teach boys all the important things and don’t teach the girls.
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Thanks! I’ve heard that things have changed now and girls are also included
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That’s good. Here in Lebanon, girls aren’t even allowed to be scouts.
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I thought it was a modern country.
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Most of it is, like where the Christians live, but not where Muslims are, sadly.
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Oh I see. I didn’t know this.
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