At Christmastime we were in Utah visiting my parents. Our plan was for Soren and his Papa to have some good bonding time while making his car. (I was quite grateful for this as I didn't think I could help Soren with the kind of car he was planning.) So we brought the kit out with us and the two of them got to work. Soren had dreamed up the "stick of dynamite" car. My dad had the tools, the know-how and more importantly, the patience , to help make it happen. They worked hard, and over the time we were there, created a masterpiece.
Soren got to race the "Kaboom" car twice-- in both pack derbys. Unfortunately, he had strep throat for the church pack derby-- Dave and Katie ran his car in absentia. Soren's car wasn't the fastest, but seemed to be somewhere in the middle of the group. (This is quite important as a parent. You really want your child to win at least one heat. Never to win even one heat has dramatic consequences for both the child--crying, anger, disappointment etc.-- and the parent--feelings of utter inadequacy as a co-builder with your child) I use "child" instead of "son" because I have had to go through this with Katie last year at the Girls Scout "Powder-Puff" Derby. (Hate the name, loved her car-- she made the Wienermobile.)
At least with the church derby, there weren't too many boys and the racing was done so that things went fast and fun. They got to race against each other many times and somehow a winner was determined quickly. They were done in about an hour.
Contrast this to the school pack's derby. Dave arrived with Soren's car a little after 9am. (Soren was at a school-sponsored class about the Titanic that morning) I picked up Soren and another scout in his den around 10 and brought them to the school gymnasium for the races. The Webelos went first (1 hour of racing for around 15 boys) and then the Bears (Soren's gang) Again, his car was in the middle of the pack-- not bad, but I could tell that he was a bit disappointed. He did win a few races and after letting it sink in that his car was done for the day, went off with Dave to get some lunch from the concession stand.
Fast forward to the ending ceremonies where the boys got their trophies (everyone gets a small one for participation; larger ones were for the various categories and the overall 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places.) Soren had hoped for a trophy for his car's design: most creative/humorous, etc. Unfortunately his didn't get one. This ceremony was around 3pm. Yes, I did say 3. The whole derby took 6 hours!! I knew this when I went to the building that morning, but it doesn't really sink in until your bottom goes numb after sitting for hours on a metal folding chair. Many of us parents talked energetically about how things could be streamlined. I was told that this type of discussion happens every year, but nothing seems to change. Sigh...
Right after the ceremony the boys were allowed to get their cars. Most parents were thrilled that they and their numbed bottoms could leave and go home. While we eagerly stacked the chairs, the boys did what the only thing they really wanted to do: race their cars. They lined up by the track and raced them-- three at a time. No one really seemed to care which car was fastest, they simply enjoyed racing them again and again. Maybe we could learn something from this and figure out a way to race for the title, while leaving time for them to simply have fun and race their cars at the end.
Soren was fine as we headed home. His passion was for his "Kaboom" car, not a trophy. He wanted to hold the car, not put it back in its secure box. I think the best thing to come out of the whole Pinewood experience was the fun that he and his Papa had in creating it. There is something to say for that--- something that there isn't a trophy for. I guess that is the true Pinewood prize....
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