Many dads in the Cuyahoga Valley Native Sons and Daughters have several children, usually different ages or genders. Tribes are based on school grade and gender. For example, kindergarten boys would be a tribe. Kindergarten girls would be a different tribe. First grade boys would be yet another tribe. A tribe remains a tribe until the kids finish fourth grade, at which point they become Pathfinders. Kids who join CVNSND at an older age would be placed into a tribe according to their school grade and gender.
This brings up a common question about campouts. Where would kids sleep if kids are in different tribes? Campouts have cabins assigned based on tribes. When a father has kids who are in different tribes there are several options available.
The dad can pick one child’s cabin to sleep in
Usually the older child is fine without dad sleeping in the same cabin. They are amongst friends and there are several other fathers who can supervise. This happens at every campout. Kids usually enjoy the idea of a sleepover, and a campout is a great venue to give kids a taste of independence.
The dad can have one kid sleep with the other one’s tribe
If it’s an age and gender appropriate situation, this is certainly an option. Kids within two grade levels and the same gender is a good rule-of-thumb. However, your older child might prefer to be left in the cabin with his or her tribe, rather than being separated.
The dad might be in a co-cabin
Some cabins at some campouts have more than one tribe within them. If your kids happen to be in the same cabin because the tribes were assigned to the same cabin, then that would be ideal.
No matter how it works, know that there is a lot of supervision at the campouts. You can easily ask a dad to watch your kid until you meet the next morning. One father had seven kids in the organization. Everyone seemed to love the friends and experiences they had during their time in the CVNSND program.
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