COMPLETE - Great Lockdown 2020

The Great Lockdown 2020 Badge

Designed by: Sage & Paul
Order Info: Advantage Emblem S-5903

Associated Costs: $2 for patch

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S is for Self 

How is the COVID-19 pandemic crisis affecting you? Are you able to work from home, or are you essential personnel who must go in to work, or are you unable to work? Consider things you can do to take care of your mental health during this time. Pick some activity, like keeping a journal, and try to work on it every day for 14 days (a quarantine period). Does this repetition of activity help you?

We work in IT, so we've been working from home during all this. Funny thing is, we were already planning to work from home most of this month, because we are also preparing to move. It's weird trying to move during this time, because you have to double-check everything is open & running, and plan a lot more time to get things done because all the utilities and everything are over-worked. Also, we can't plan to have as much help from friends. The other thing is, M is the Office Manager for her work, so she's been responsible to make decisions about everyone staying home from the office and giving people information since the beginning of it. And being a Scout Troop Leader, I've had to make some of those decisions for the Troop, with the other leaders.

So we don't really journal, and with switching around, I go days between being out. But I can look back on our Facebook and share some of our daily thoughts about this mess - I'll get at least 14 entries on various days. I'm starting with March 6, because that's when we were already planning on being at home for moving. So that kind of started our own Social Distancing for all this, unintentionally. And mostly, it starts with memes. Because you have to laugh to keep sane.

3/7 - meme: "Just a warning: next week starts with changing the clocks, moves to a full moon, and ends with a Friday the 13th... Good luck people! ps: Don't forget to wash your hands." Of course, all of this mess also started with Super Tuesday voting and a tornado, too. Oh, and Boss lost his job a couple of weeks prior. And our A/C went out. It was a really rough start, but at the time, we really thought that just washing our hands was going to be enough.

3/9 - meme: "the scariest thing about COVID-19 is that it looks like a JIRA ticket" We use JIRA, a ticketing system, at M's work, so this was pretty funny to start off with. We set up a channel in our work Slack just to discuss the coronavirus information. We started getting information things from the building and from corporate. Mostly, they said 'wash your hands, and stay home if you have symptoms.' This is when it started actually hitting Nashville.

3/11 - My birthday, and Kiara's, too. We went out to eat with Boss, Sarah, and M's daughter. That would turn out to be one of our last family dinners out that felt normal.

3/12 - meme: Picard sitting in his command chair, tensely gripping the armrests... "How it feels waking up every morning in 2020... DAMAGE REPORT" We were really starting to get the feeling that things were going to get serious at this point. Governor Lee signed an Emergency Declaration for Tennessee, and Vanderbilt set up their first screening area. We started talking about Social Distancing and Flattening the Curve. Schools in Tennessee started closing.

3/13 - meme: Dolores Umbridge sitting behind a desk... "If Coronovirus was a person... All Student Organisations, Societies, Teams, Groups, and Clubs are henceforth disbanded. All Quidditch matches are hereby cancelled. Boys and girls are not permitted to be within 8 inches of each other." All the events for March were cancelled, and April events were starting to be cancelled or postponed, too. The buying frenzy hit all the grocery stores.

3/16 - meme: "Ireland has closed the pubs 36 hours before St. Patricks Day. If that doesn't impress upon you the seriousness of coronavirus, nothing will." One of M's coworkers went to a Lego event, where someone tested positive for the virus. So he started his quarantine (and later cleared it with no symptoms). The next day, Lego stores worldwide closed for the duration. Opry Mills mall also closed.

3/18 - meme: "Try this perspective shift. Instead of seeing 'social distancing' and travel bans as panic, try seeing them as acts of mass cooperation intended to protect the collective whole. This plan is not about individuals going into hiding. It's a global deep breath... an agreement between humans around the planet to be still. Be still, in hopes that the biggest wave can pass without engulfing too many of the vulnerable amongst us." We had to go into the office to print some stuff and check mail and stuff. It was eerie, with little traffic, and almost nobody in the building. The few there wouldn't meet each others' eyes. And because of working from home so much, we realized we were starting to lose track of time. We got off by a whole week on how much time was left before the move. Mayor Cooper declared a State of Emergency for Davidson County.

3/19 - We started seeing information about how to get financial and other help for those impacted (you know, everyone), and sharing those both on Facebook and in our work Slack, or to individuals. Unfortunately, most of those don't apply to us, as Boss lost his job before the virus hit, and we made too much money last year to qualify for other things.

3/20 - meme: "I've seen several people making jokes about how much it sucks to quarantine with your significant other and I... do not relate? I married someone that I LIKE" - We've been home with Boss this whole time, and Sarah's here most of the time (she has to go in to work to feed horses, and her apartment to feed cats). As it turns out, we're really enjoying each others' company, and not that much missing the crowds of people. Tax Day is officially moved to July 15, which eases our minds. Boss is out of work and we're gonna owe a big chunk.

3/21 - meme: "Have we tried turning 2020 off and back on again?... We tried that. It shorted out and set fire to Australia... Now we have a virus." Yep, can't forget that 2020 started with a continent on fire and almost World War III. Yuck.

3/22 - Metro issued the Safer At Home Order for Davidson County and the governor put out the order telling restaurants to shift to take-out and delivery only, among other things. We need to stay home... like we've been doing for two weeks already.

3/23 - meme: "Having trouble forcing yourself to stay home?... Shave your eyebrows off." Everyone seems to be getting a little stir-crazy, if only because we're officially under orders to stay home now. M posted: "You know, how companies have responded to the coronovirus is going to be available information that will color how we view companies for years to come. Kroger is giving their employees 'hazard pay' bonuses, Aldi is giving everyone extra money. Gamestop is ordering their employees to risk arrest. Hobby Lobby is encouraging managers to reduce employee hours to save them money. We, the people, are watching how companies respond to this. And it may not impact companies right now, but they'll feel the repercussions of their actions for years down the road..." 3/24 - Waffle House starts closing locations (365 then, over 400 now). An earlier meme said something to the effect of "I'll worry when Waffle House closes." And now they have more sites closed than they've ever had in response to anything. It's serious, ya'll. 3/25 - We start hearing rumors of a stimulus package in Congress. Sounds like we made too much last year (when Boss had a job) to qualify for the whole thing, but maybe we'll get some of it.

3/27 - meme: "this is like the worst group project ever. so many people are doing the work and following the rules but there are still some who are just fucking off outside and it's like BRO WE ARE BEING GRADED AS A GROUP PLEASE. STAY. THE. FUCK. HOME." Sage and I created this badge to earn. Might as well have some positive out of this mess. (hey, that's 15 entries)

C is for Create

Pick at least one other Little Scouts Patch or Badge you want to work on while you have some extra time. Or you can create a lyrics poster for washing your hands. You can use 20 seconds of an existing song or come up with your own song lyrics.  (One option to create the poster is using https://washyourlyrics.com/) Print it out and use it to help you practice good hygiene.

We'll probably work on a couple of patches, but we've already packed the printer, which we'd like to have for printing the patch sheets. However, we don't really need to print.

M's also running this drama club thing with a show planned for October, so we made a lyrics poster with the lines she needs to learn for one of her pieces. https://drive.google.com/open?id=1rXbSagedOBDe56vBGLEBTI-p3exB7zGc

O is for Outreach

How can you help people in your community?  Can you make masks for medical professionals?  Can you donate to nonprofits who are providing support for those in need?  Reach out to friends and family regularly to check in and make sure they are okay - not just for their physical health, but also for their mental health. Pay attention to who reaches out to check on you, too. When you do have to go out (to the grocery store, etc.), be a good example to others - thank those that are working, and be extra patient.

We made sure to share 'how to get help' information with people over Facebook or Slack. For instance:

• United Way has a COVID-19 Community Economic Relief Fund. They will help with bills, rent, and food. You can call 1-866-211-9966 and provide zip code and will be given a list of local agencies to provide assistance.
• Metro utilities have all suspended cutoffs and disconnects until further notice.
• CovidHelpNashville offers to get groceries, medicines, or run other errands for those who are high-risk for COVID-19 at 615-447-8260 or covidhelpnashville@gmail.com
• TDHS has financial aid available for some families that lost employment due to COVID-19. Their cutoff is 3/11 as the start of all the mess:  https://www.tn.gov/humanservices/news/2020/3/25/financial-aid-available-for-certain-families-that-lost-employment-due-to-covid-19.html

We've been trying to call one person a day - M's daughter, M's mom, Preston. They've all been checking on us, too. And we're home with Sarah and Boss. Of course, there's lots of checking in on Facebook and Slack with family and friends.

When we're getting takeout food or going to the grocery store, we've been being sure to always say thank you to workers and to tip well where that's possible, too.

U is for Understanding

Research about the COVID-19 virus, using reputable sources with scientific facts.  Educate yourself about the Stay at Home policies that are being put into place around the country. Learn about how the Stay at Home policies work with a virus of this nature to ‘flatten the curve’. Follow these policies as much as you can to keep yourself and others healthy.

This is one of the most helpful sites I've found to teach about flattening the curve. It gives simulations on what it looks like when there is less and more social distancing (or none): https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/world/corona-simulator/

This page has statistics daily on coronavirus reported cases, deaths, and recoveries around the world. https://coronawiki.org/ I find it better not to check these things too often, for our mental health.

This YouTube video talks about what the symptoms look like for various cases. I think it was well-done, informative without being alarmist. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOJqHPfG7pA&feature=youtu.be

The Alternative Business Models Order has some wide-reaching effects - https://www.tn.gov/governor/news/2020/3/22/gov--bill-lee-signs-executive-order-mandating-alternative-business-models-for-restaurants-and-gyms--lifts-alcohol-regulations.html

This article was interesting about how the pandemic is leading to improved air quality and good effects on the environment. https://www.iflscience.com/environment/the-unexpected-impact-of-a-pandemic-on-the-environment-/

Metro Public Health Department has an Information Hotline at 615-862-777

T is for Teach

Take this time to learn or teach a new skill. Maybe you can create a how-to video to share, or watch how-to videos to learn something new. Can you lead or attend a virtual meeting, class, or phone call using Zoom, Webex, Slack, or other video conferencing programs?

M's work already used Slack, and so does the Little Scout Troop Leadership, and M's drama club. Slack has a video-call feature that she's learned to use this month. We found out that our home laptop didn't work on the audio or video for that, and figured out how to fix the video, but not the audio. So we can either use the phone for audio, or use the work computer for video calls. On 3/29, M was supposed to have a read-through for her drama group, and it's now going to be a video conference. So that's a new thing

COMPLETE - First Aid Patch

First Aid Patch

Designed by: Paul_Meronym

Order Info: Advantage Emblem S-0230

Associated Costs: $2 for patch, cost of class

Scouts who are First Responders in their profession can add the pin on the front of their sash instead, Advantage P-0145 ($3).

Plan It

Research different kinds of First Aid certifications. Do you want CPR training? AED training? Are there any certifications available through your work? If you are a DM at The Mark, what kind of certification is required? Are any classes or certifications available through your work or another group you belong to?

We got MEDIC First Aid training because that's the one that had a class at The Mark. It included CPR and AED training. It's the same one we had previously, having taken the same class a few years' back, and it's good for 2 years.

Do It

Choose the certification that’s right for you. Sign up for and attend a class. Learn everything you can so you can be prepared to help. Get your certification. Does your workplace have a safety officer or AED responder program? Consider volunteering for that program.

We serve as the Safety & Emergency Coordinator for our office, which mostly involves keeping a list of people that are in our office and having a checklist of them for evacuation drills. Also checking the fire extinguishers monthly.

Share It

Tell about a time you’ve used first aid skills you’ve learned, or teach the troop about some aspect of first aid that’s important to you. This could be teaching how to add a splint on the trail, if you’re interested in hiking, or how to do CPR. If you have a medical condition that is applicable, tell how Scouts should react when you have an emergency (a Scout with a seizure disorder could teach how to care for someone having a seizure, for instance).

A few years ago, we were serving lunch at a homeless shelter and a lady there started choking on her food. We performed the Heimlich Maneuver on her and the food she was choking on came out, so we saved her!  

COMPLETE - County Fair

County Fair Patch

Designed by: Sage

Order Info: Advantage Emblem S-0678

Associated Costs: $2 for the patch, cost of the fair

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Plan It

The fair is in town! Plan a day to go. Do you need to buy your ticket in advance?.  What things are there to do at this fair?  Check the weather and plan for it.  What supplies do you need to take with you? Do you need sunscreen?  Bug spray? Sunglasses? Rain coat?

Our Little Scout Troop had a field trip to the Wilson County Fair last weekend. I didn't get to go to that one, but I did help plan it. I looked through the fair's website and their catalog, and checked out the prices for all the activities. I also kept a close eye on the weather, and finally decided it was too hot for us to handle that day. But instead, I went with my polycule a few days later, when the weather was cooler - but also rainier!

Do It

It’s time for the fair!   Go enjoy the fair with other Scouts or friends.  Bring your ticket, money, and anything else you might need.  Explore everything you can and ride whatever rides you want!

I made the trip to the fair with the three other members of my polycule, all of whom are also part of our Scout Troop. Me and Sarah bought ride wristbands; the other two didn't. And we spent most of our time there riding rides. Also eating junk food. And we did get to go through a couple of the barns. One was the 'Birthing Barn', where there were several momma goats and pigs and cows with their babies, and a horse and some goats that were pregnant but due any time. There was one horse that looked like she might be foaling that night; she looked so uncomfortable, and we bet that she would wait for closing, when all the people would go away, to have her baby.

I went on a lot of rides with Sarah, more than I thought I'd be able to handle. The hardest for me was one I thought would be the easiest - a big boat that rocks back and forth. Mostly it was fun, until it got to the very peak of its arc, and then the gravity shifting got to me just for the very top bit, four or five turns. The one that was the most fun was the Indy-500 ride, which I thought might be a little dull at first. But it went really fast, and you had to lean into the turns to keep from getting bumped around. I rode it once by myself and again sharing a car with Sarah. Both times were a lot of fun.

I was disappointed in the food, mostly. I had a chicken kabob that was really good, but also cost $8. I also had an orange snowcone, which was fine, but the one I was really looking forward to was the deep-fried Snickers, our favorite treat ever. The batter on it was great, but the candy bar was still frozen inside, and hard to eat. Deep-fried Snickers are supposed to be all melted and gooey inside the batter; that's what makes them great. Frozen is not so great.

Share It

Talk with your fellow scouts or friends afterwards.  What was your favorite part? What could you have prepared for better?  Did you get to see and do everything you wanted to?

One of my favorite moments was when Preston finished his funnel cake, and pretended he was going to dump his plate of powdered sugar on me. So I popped the plate from below, and covered him instead!

We definitely did not get to see everything we wanted to, there just wasn't enough time! Also, we did so much walking, and were really ready to go by the time we finished the midway. There was a pioneer village with smithies that we would like to have seen, and more animals somewhere, and probably a whole lot of other things. It would be better to have had a whole day, but we had fun with the part we did get!

COMPLETE - Ocean Life

Ocean Life BadgeThe Ocean Life Badge came from an activity book from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office of Response and Restoration Marine Debris Program (wow, what a long name). It can be found at online at the NOAA site. In our July Troop Meeting, we did several of the activities in our meeting, then took it home to finish it.

First we all worked on our own to do several pages. 

• The Tons of Trash Word Find wasn't too hard; I got that one pretty easily.
• The Types of Marine Debris was harder. I had to look at the answers for SIX-PACK and CRATE.
• The Source of the Problem picture pick was easy. People are the sources of ocean trash.
• Learn to Be a Drain Brain Secret Code was pretty straightforward too.
• I liked the Sea Turtle Connect the Dots - sea turtles are pretty awesome.
• How Can I Help Phrase Unscramble - again, not too hard - COASTAL was the hardest word.
• Getting to the Trash Can Maze, well, I cheated on that one, solving it from the End to the Beginning, but it was still pretty hard. It sounds like other Scouts also struggled with it.

We did some of the activities together.

• Cleaning Up the Beach Mad Libs was fun to do together, and it was silly.
• Marine Match Up Memory Game was better than I thought it would be. Another Scout and I combined our memory game pieces and played with a double set, so it was a little more challenging.

We also watched some videos together about the ocean. This was an activity I led; I've been starting to lead more activities at our Troop Meetings.

• PBS Science Trek Oceans - https://www.pbs.org/video/science-trek-oceans/
• Incredible Facts About The Ocean - https://youtu.be/0neCsH7jAeI
• Ocean Animals for Kids - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOJkvhSpBiQ
• Bill Nye The Science Guy on Ocean Currents - https://youtu.be/w_8mw-1HYFg
• Dr. Universe Salty Ocean - https://www.pbs.org/video/nwptv-presents-dr-universe-salty-ocean/
• Is it OK to Pee in the Ocean? - https://www.pbs.org/video/is-it-ok-to-pee-in-the-ocean-fwxfbt/
• Narwhal Song - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31UPRhiixco

And then the last thing to do was to take the packet home and color the three coloring pages, Diver Cleanup, Beach Cleanup, and Go Fish! I actually put these off for a few days because I found I kind of resented having to color them for some reason. I guess I'm not that big a fan of coloring after all. But I finally sat down to do them, because I want to get this badge. I started with the Diver Cleanup, and because I was cranky about it, colored pretty messily, but colored the whole thing. It's nothing special. For Beach Cleanup, I decided I would grab color pencils at random from my case, and would use every one of them. Making it more of a game made it more fun, and I enjoyed that one okay. I was still messy with it. For Go Fish, I decided to only color the important things, and leave everything else uncolored. So I colored the kids and the fish and frog, and their fishing pole and bucket.

So now I've finished my workbook, and can order my Ocean Life Badge!

COMPLETE - Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Badge

Choose-Your-Own Adventure Badge

Designed by:     Paul

Order Info:     Advantage Emblem S-1695

Associated Costs:     $2 for patch, admission and supplies for adventures

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For this badge, you’re going to go on at least four adventures. These can be hiking a trail, exploring a cave, sightseeing in a new city, taking a train ride, horseback riding, or anything else that you think of as an adventure. Complete all the SCOUT steps for each of the four (or more) adventures.

We had a weekend adventure epic in Chattanooga where we went to four different tourist attractions all in a row!

1. Adventure #1 was Rock City.
2. Adventure #2 was the Tennessee Aquarium.
3. Adventure #3 was the Chattanooga Zoo.
4. Adventure #4 was Raccoon Mountain Crystal Caverns.

COMPLETE - Ageplay Pin (Badge)

Ageplay Pin (Badge)

Designed by:      Libby & Jack

Order Info:          www.etsy.com/listing/473994759/littles-pride-pin 

Associated Costs:             $8

Scouts who have earned the Legacy Ageplay Pin can add this badge.

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S is for Self

Consider your ageplay ‘story’. Why does ageplay appeal to you? What role or roles do you play? Are you a little, a middle, a big? A babyfur, gerry, or ABDL? What is it that makes you an ageplayer versus someone who just likes stuffed animals or Disney movies? Journal about your journey, what you have learned about yourself, and how you ageplay.

Being a multiple-little is a bit different than being an ageplay-little. I don't play young, I am young. I can't stop being young and be an adult, even though I'm in an adult body. So that means some adjustment to this work to fit me. Instead of having 'how I ageplay', I have times when I am out and controlling the body, instead of one of the other alters.

I am one of the alters of Meronym. We share a 40-something female body. But I am a boy. I age-slide, so I am 8 or 11 or 14 years old. When I first showed up in the Meronym system, I was scared a lot, and very shy. Now I have a bunch of friends of my own, and I feel mostly safe and cared for at home with my family. My favorite things are Legos and Little Scouts, along with other things that I think are pretty typical for a boy to like. I'm learning how to do lots of things like paracord braiding and stuff. Most of the time when I am out, I like to be in my room and play by myself, but it's nice if someone's nearby. I don't usually do things with other people, unless it's stuff we do in Little Scouts.

C is for Create

Create a guide for those getting started in ageplay including your favorite resources (books, websites, etc.), props (stuffies, pacies, etc.), and clothing (diapers, onesies,hospital gowns, etc.) that help you get into your special headspace. This could be a poster, a book, a slideshow, or something else.

--OR--

Create something that expresses your role as an ageplayer. Example: macaroni art, finger-painting, or a no-sew blanket for littles, pinewood derby cars or bead crafts for middles, a chore chart or a list of rules and responsibilities for Bigs/caregivers.

I've created a lot of things, especially while working on things for Little Scouts, like my scout sash, some hanky flags, a pinecone squirrel, a Build-A-Bear friend, a slideshow about how I'm queer, a bookmark, a yarn octopus, lots of coloring pages, some leather items, and more. After working on the braiding badge, I continued working on braiding. I had bought a box kit for making paracord bracelets, but didn't use it then. But I started working on it recently, and I really like the way the first bracelet turned out! 

But my favorite creations I've done - and probably the best fit for this step - are my Lego things. I did a Dino Park that's probably the most 'little-boy' feeling thing I've done. I used a small Jurassic Park gates build from Toys-R-Us, a T-Rex from a Minions set, and some other dinosaurs, and a tree from a Lord of the Rings set. I've gotten more dinosaurs and more Jurassic Park pieces since then; maybe I'll make a new Dino Park soon?

O is for Outreach

Pick at least three Outreach Items and do them:

• Donate at least five (or more) small items to The Box of Awesome to keep it full.

I've donated dozens of things to The Box of Awesome - and I keep the Box and bring it to every meeting.

• Volunteer to lead a troop event. Lead a craft activity, teach the troop how to play a new game, present our troop orientation, or manage an exchange of some sort for everyone to participate in. Work with troop leadership to schedule time for your event.

When we did our reorganization after our first year of Little Scouts, I presented our troop orientation.

• Put together an Ageplayers Care Package full of goodies (example: crayons, stickers, a stuffie, a cup, a paci) and give it to someone new to ageplay.
• Find and write to a penpal that does ageplay in another place.
• Have an Ageplay Date with another ageplayer - do something appropriate to your ageplay together (example: build-a-bear, cereal and cartoons, coloring together). Several other badges & patches have activities that would qualify for this step.

When I earned my Build-A-Buddy patch, it was a full-on Ageplay Date with another Scout - we had a whole day at the mall together, with a carousel ride and a meal and the Lego and Build-a-Bear stores and Dave & Busters!

U is for Understanding

Do some research into how others do ageplay, and journal about what you’ve learned.

The other multiple-little alter in our system, Kiara, definitely shows her little-ness differently than I do. Where I like to do things by myself, but maybe with others nearby, she needs to interact with people to feel like she's 'doing it right'. It's like if they don't see her, she's not really out. We share a room, and it's mostly Legos, but she has a lot of stuffies and things that she can play with with people. She likes to color together, or play with kinetic sand, or have them read to her. She also likes to dress for people to pay attention to her with bright loud clothes, and I like to wear hoodies and not draw attention to myself. 

Some of the kink-little age players I know just want to put on a diaper, watch cartoons with a sippy cup in hand, and maybe snuggle on the couch. Others are like Kiara, and need to aggressively BE little. Some are very bratty in little-space, but others are cuddly and quiet. Some are little in relation to a Big or other Little with them, and others are like me and just need time to be themselves. 

• So maybe some ageplay is about interacting with people in a more direct way without all the social rules adults have to follow.

It seems like props are pretty important to lots of Littles. Pacis, blankies, stuffies, coloring supplies, littles' outfits and/or diapers, and toys. 

• So maybe some ageplay is about getting the toys and stuff you aren't supposed to want as an adult, just because you want them.

And it seems to me that people doing ageplay often include 'breaking the rules' as part of their ageplay. Like of course I want to have ice cream before dinner. And as an adult, maybe would make themselves wait, or even don't get the ice cream at all. But as a little, they can be sneaky and get the ice cream or ask their Big for permission. 

• So maybe some ageplay is about letting yourself relax the rules and maybe be a little selfish instead of being responsible all the time. 

T is for Teach

Share everything you’ve done above with other scouts, a friend, or someone else interested in ageplay. If they are already an ageplayer, teach them about how you ageplay, what you’ve learned from it, and the resources that you’ve found helpful. If they aren’t an ageplayer, teach them about what ageplay means to you.

One of the places I share about Littles kinds of things I do is this blog (https://paulsls.blogspot.com) or my brick-build blog (http://mmbrickbuilds.blogspot.com). And of course, there's lots of sharing together when we get together for Little Scouts!

COMPLETE - Party Animal Patch

Party Animal Patch

Designed by:     Paul & Karissa

Order Info:     Amazon B071KNH4WQ

Associated Costs:     $4 for patch, door fee for parties

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The Mark regularly has Littles’ Play Date parties. Attend two of these to earn this patch.

Plan It

Watch the CPI/The Mark calendar for the next Littles’ Play Date at The Mark to come up. And the one after that. Plan out what you’re going to wear, and what you’ll bring. Decide which of the ‘Do It’ activities you’ll complete. Be sure to RSVP.

The first Littles' Play Date I attended was Friday February 22. Kiara came out for the first half, then we changed clothes for me to attend the second half. We both RSVP'd as 'maybe' so we'd count for half each .

Our second Littles' Play Date was Friday May 24. We did the same switch-off this time; Kiara came out for the first half, then we switched about halfway through so we both got to have a good time.

Do It

Attend at least TWO Littles’ Play Dates at The Mark. At each one, do at least TWO of the following:

- Take a picture of your outfit for the party.

- Take a friend to the party with you (your Big or a stuffie counts)
2/22/19 - Well, we took turns with Kiara - but we also took Boss and our metamour with us. And Kiara took a stuffie. And I took a stuffie, too!
5/24/19 - Boss went with us this time; and of course Kiara. We didn't take stuffies this time because we were already taking a bunch of other stuff.

- Bring a tasty treat to the party to share
2/22/19 - We brought a box of Reese's Cereal and a box of Nilla Wafers. Kiara had a cup of the cereal, but the Nilla Wafers didn't get opened. And that means that they get to be out at other Play Parties soon!

- Participate in one or more activities happening at the party.
5/24/19 - The Egg Hunt was the big activity for this one, but Kiara got to do this one because I did the Egg Hunt with the Little Scouts troop. But I did make slime at the slime table later on.

- Volunteer to help. Either contact the party host in advance, or look for an opportunity to help while you’re there.
2/22/19 - Some melted ice cream got spilled on the floor as someone was taking the box it was in outside. We cleaned it up before they got back in!

- Make a new friend at the party. Be sure to learn their name (and their FetLife name).

Share It

After each Play Date Party, journal about the great time you had. If you took any pictures, share them. Send the party host a thank-you message, or post something on the party discussion thread.

2/22/19 - We posted this thank-you on the group discussion page.

5/24/19 - We posted a thank-you on the discussion page this time, too.