Pinewood Derby

As the Cub Committee Chair, I help plan and prepare for the Pinewood Derby.  Out of everything Cub Scouts, nothing stresses me out like the Pinewood Derby.  Fortunately I have an awesome Cubmaster who stepped up and took on a majority of the responsibilities and Den leaders who ask for assignments and carry them out.  

Unfortunately the cause of my stress is that someone won't be happy with me; that I'll innocently overlook some detail that will break a little boy's heart or have his dad yelling at me.  My brain knows that everything usually works out fine, but my people-pleasing psychosis was about to have a nervous breakdown a week before the big event.  

Then illness and the like struck my leaders, including my Cubmaster. And to add to my anxiety, my husband asks me the night before who's in charge of bringing the tools.  Tools?  We need tools?  Aren't the cars already made?  Why do we need tools?  I don't know, do we need tools to set up the track?


My brain was correct, everything worked out.  Many gracious parents stepped in to help with all the jobs I didn't know how to do.  Everything was accomplished, no one yelled at me, and most importantly, the boys had a good time.  All the boys raced each other and raced four times "officially".  We awarded plaques to first and second fastest to each den, and gave pins to the rest of the boys.  The Primary Presidency awarded each car a certificate with different categories like "Most Futuristic".  


We started a half hour earlier than normal and ended pretty close to on time.  We served Nachos, knowing that many families would have a hard time getting there and feeding their families dinner.  It's so hard guessing how much food to prepare for an unknown number of people.  We ran out of chips and my kids were complaining about not having seconds.