'Driver needed. No speeding tickets. Reliable vehicle a must'

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Dell Deaton | Contributor

It was early that Sunday morning when our Boy ScoutÂ unit gathered at the usual parking lot to confirm head count, load remaining personal gear into the Troop trailer, and reallocate folks from the cars dropping them off into the fewer number of vehicles that were heading on to camp.

Was I looking at a three-hour drive, or four?

There never was a question whether my Chevy Avalanche would be pressed into transport service yet again. Still, I would have just been more comfortable (in every sense of the word) if this truck could have evidenced a bit more discretion before screaming out: “Seats six!” No such luck.

So, up went my center console, down went my elbow room.

Now, I don’t know what you’ve heard about Boy Scouts when they travel. Yes, we’re invariably in full uniform, widely communicate our route and itinerary, and take our lead from The Guide to Safe Scouting.

No, this does not include any sort of mandate that the boys cheerfully sing folksy campfire songs to pass time en route from Point A to B.

In fact, it’s what they did in lieu of melody-making that spells a priceless opportunity for parents here.

Eleven years ago, I was a relatively new father who freely admitted that I didn’t know it all. If you’re like me, you somehow missed out on receiving “that book” given out at the hospital, I guess, to perfect dads and moms as a path to error-free childrearing. My alternative was to take parenting classes offered in Ypsilanti through the Michigan State University Extension Program. One of those focused on effective communication with youth as they mature into teenagers.

Terry Clark-Jones was the instructor. She’s the one who told me about “the drive.”

Rather than sit down with her son whenever there was an issue — for the dreaded talk — she’d ask him to go along with her on an errand (already on her agenda, or, if need be, ad hoc in service to this purpose). Turns out that “timing” is not everything after all. “Place,” even when it’s moving, can really prime the conversational pump. Candidly.

Thus, freed from straightback-chair formality, Ms. Clark-Jones found it easier to get her messages heard. More importantly, when she wasn’t talking, she found her son eager to fill the void.

That intelligence was a treasure trove.

Which brings us back to my personal troop transport. The Boy Scouts with me ranged from seventh-graders to sophomores in high school. And in addition to their topics, I learned about how these boys thought: Their values and the standards by which they set their actions. Insider-information to which most parents aren’t privy.

Beyond this, a woman who runs the H&R Block in Saline tells me that mileage expenses on such trips is can be recognized as a deduction for tax purposes. But I’ll leave that to the experts for professional discussion.

As for me, I’m more than reimbursed for all my drives by the education I get via Boy Scout drivers’ serendipity.

Dell Deaton is a local volunteer with the Boy Scouts of America, Great Sauk Trails Council. He currently serves as District Vice-Chair for Membership and as Chaplain in his son's Troop. Wood Badge C-60-08, Beaver Patrol. Check out /scouting_dell to Follow me on Twitter.

Professionally, Dell Deaton is a Christian divorce (and alternatives) counselor based in Saline, Michigan. Personal life: Re-married, father of one, with three dogs. Other interests include Ian Fleming and James Bond wristwatches, on which he is an internationally-recognized expert.