Tiger Cubs
Barry C Runnels (Barry_C_Runnels@MMACMAIL.JCCBI.GOV)
Thu, 4 Sep 1997 09:01:54 CDT
Hi Kris
Our Pack has had a lot success with Tigers. Through a process of trial and
error, we learned that this is the hardest school year for the boys and
parents. This is the first year for all day school, sports, new church
programs and a lot of other things that start with the first grade. There
is a lot of stress this time of year for many families.
Many parents are very skeptical about joining and adding one more activity
to their family schedule. So we let the parents set their Scouting
schedule. We have a Tiger Coach who divides the families into groups of
about eight. The Tiger Coach ask every family to take responsibility for
one month where they plan two activities for the who group. The activities
can be anything including the Pack meeting, but we ask that none of them
meetings take place in the home. We found that activities at home tend to
turn into parents talking to parents and Tigers talking to Tigers out in
the back yard. We want everyone bonding. This becomes very important by the
end of year.
The Tiger Coach is usually an experienced Den Leader or Adult who
understands our Tiger Program. The position requires a couple of calls
month to the adult in charge of that month to pass information from the CM
and vise versa. Also it is a good time to make sure the group is
functioning OK. We ask the parents to call all the parents to pass
information so that they get to know each other and bond.
Come around February, the Tiger Coach has a good feel for the Tiger group
and we discuss who would make a good Wolf Leader. Then we slowly start to
talk with these people with the intention that the Adult has about three
Den meetings with the Boys in May. Then we cross the Tigers over to Wolves
with the Leaders in Place.
We don't normally ask the Tiger Parents to volunteer for anything. We want
them to see how our "Mighty" Pack program works before we look for
volunteers. Sometimes they do it anyway because they want to get involved,
but we don't go looking.
This has worked very for us. We retain about 90% of our Tigers. Here is why
we like the program.
1. We found by putting the parents in charge of the program relieves a lot
of the anxiety of joining the Tigers because they design the program around
their schedule.
2. They get to know each other very well because they contact each other a
lot. These groups are very close by the end of year.
3. By splitting the Dens at the beginning, you have more than one well
bonded Den at the end of year with leaders. You go into next Falls
recruiting with established Dens and Leaders.
4. Not much work at all for our Tiger Coach. The coach is only a contact in
our Pack and report to the CM if there is any trouble.
I really enjoy the Tigers, they love to explore. Every year we
traditionally start the Tiger program by inviting the Tiger Families to the
lake and fish while we leaders cook them breakfast. I am not involved with
the Tigers this year but I will go to this event because I love to watch
the boys catch their first fish. Actually I love to watch the parents watch
the boys catch their first fish. Sure starts my Cubing year off on a
positive note.
I love this Scouting Stuff
Barry Runnels
"Mighty" Pack 339
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City | 
