The boys always tell me I don’t do enough for them. And they’re probably right! Somehow it’s hard to remember that boys need to learn life-skills too … to learn to create and build and craft.

So, this year I’ve started a club just for the boys (on alternate Tuesdays from the girls’ club) — the Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati Boys’ Club, under the patronage of “the man of the beatitudes“, is dedicated to teaching the boys life skills, giving them a creative outlet, and most importantly, a chance to hang out with each other. The boys in the club range in age from 7-9 and I have two older boys (Hambone and a friend) helping me.

Yesterday was our first meeting where we learned all about out club patron, had an amazing snack, and did a craft. Originally, I was going to have the boys decorate a haversack to use throughout the year. But sanity prevailed and I opted to buy messenger bags for the boys. For so low a price, these are pretty good bags — zippered main compartment, flap that includes a place to put their name, pocket for a water bottle. These are perfect for our club because the boys can keep everything as we make them in this bag … and then, in the spring when we go on our nature adventures, they’ve got everything to hand!

For our craft at our first meeting, I got blank bandanas from Jo-ann’s and ironed-on the picture of Bl. Pier Giorgio (using Printworks White t-shirt transfers). The boys were then allowed to decorate the bandanas as they liked, making them their own. As you can see … I have the spectrum of boys: those who are super neat and focused on our Catholicity … all the way to Star Wars and explosions. But the important thing is the chance for them to each decide what to do … and how to do it! It was wonderful (and, truth be told, the boys were neater than the girls!).

The boys had a blast! And then played soccer out on the screened-in porch to finish off our meeting time.

As we have our meetings, I’ll post so you can see how this will evolve: next time, we’ll be making individual sewing kits and learning how to do some simple sewing … other plans include some campfire cooking, knots and tying, first aid, orienteering, and knife safety.

Will you join us on our journey?