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Webelos and no den


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I wrote a few weeks ago about our cub pack merging with another. That's on hold, while decision makers debate on how to do this the best way. We've been told we are not allowed to hold scout meetings at all until this gets sorted out. My son is a Webelos, moving on to boy scouts in February (this is LDS scouts, where boys change cub rank on the birthday). My son's been working hard on his cub achievements and learning the boy scout stuff (for Arrow of Light). (Okay, so I pay him a bean per achievement and beans can be traded in for video game time. I pay beans for cooking, cleaning, and other things too. This kid and his video game obsession get my house cleaned and the yard weeded!) He wants to know if there can be some accommodation made for doing the requirement in a den, while there is no den- such as playing the body language game with the family instead of the den. I told him he just can't do anything that's supposed to be done in the den, but I'd check here because you guys know your stuff.

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I would ask the den leader, since that who is responsible for signing off. If the den leader is not available then, discuss with the cubmaster.

 

In my opinion, the boy shouldn't be penalized because adults get their act together, but my opinion doesn't count for beans (pun intended).

 

Maybe transfer to another pack temporarily?

 

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(Okay' date=' so I pay him a bean per achievement and beans can be traded in for video game time. I pay beans for cooking, cleaning, and other things too. This kid and his video game obsession get my house cleaned and the yard weeded!) [/quote']

 

We do a similar thing with our kids, it does work, but we need to get more consistent with it.

Wondering, In your program how many game minutes does one bean buy, and how much say weeding does he have to do to earn one bean? 1:1 or something else?

 

 

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Check with the Den Leader, that's you. With the exception of the big stuff like the Den Hike, I don't see any reason that it matters.

 

Also, contact all Packs near you (LDS or "gentile"), explain the situation, and see if he can tag along in their Pack's Den Meetings while this gets squared away.

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(Okay' date=' so I pay him a bean per achievement and beans can be traded in for video game time. I pay beans for cooking, cleaning, and other things too. This kid and his video game obsession get my house cleaned and the yard weeded!) [/quote']

 

We do a similar thing with our kids, it does work, but we need to get more consistent with it.

Wondering, In your program how many game minutes does one bean buy, and how much say weeding does he have to do to earn one bean? 1:1 or something else?

 

8 beans buys 30 minutes of video game time. There are many rewards, that cost differing amounts. Other kids prefer to spend their beans right away- 2 for a piece of candy or 5 for a bowl of ice cream. As for awarding beans for weeds, it depends. When the weeds are tiny, they don't amount to much weight, but are easier to pull. The big ones are real heavy, but are more difficult to pull. Last time he pulled weeds I awarded 1 bean per pound. He ears a bean by cleaning a room in the house, 10 for reading the Old Testament, 8 for the New Testament, 1 for helping cook, 1 for each additional 30 minutes of piano practicing (90 is the base requirement) and 1 bean for doing everything on the daily list, which includes basic health habits, chores, school work, etc. I kinda make things up as I go along. (It's sad that one child isn't earning any beans, simply because she refuses to wear deodorant and I've even bought her various brands and smells.)
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I would ask the den leader, since that who is responsible for signing off. If the den leader is not available then, discuss with the cubmaster.

 

In my opinion, the boy shouldn't be penalized because adults get their act together, but my opinion doesn't count for beans (pun intended).

 

Maybe transfer to another pack temporarily?

I was acting den leader for the last 2 months of meetings.
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It seems crazy to me that he has a den of four other boys he could do the work with, but can't...I understand that it is politics though. I'd let him do the requirements with his family or another Webelos den just in case, but repeat them with his den if the situation straightens out in time for his AOL and crossover. This feels like the best compromise for the situation you have here. Have you been given any sort of timeline for resolution?

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(Okay' date=' so I pay him a bean per achievement and beans can be traded in for video game time. I pay beans for cooking, cleaning, and other things too. This kid and his video game obsession get my house cleaned and the yard weeded!) [/quote']

 

We do a similar thing with our kids, it does work, but we need to get more consistent with it.

Wondering, In your program how many game minutes does one bean buy, and how much say weeding does he have to do to earn one bean? 1:1 or something else?

 

Christine, do you find you spend a lot of time talking about beans? When I've tried similar systems I've been hounded by questions about what counts and what doesn't count and have I put the bean (or in our case, marbles) in the jar yet and how many do I need to do x and so on. I've switched to a different system that requires less input on my part. My kids have a list of chores and responsibilities to complete daily. There is also no tech time before a designated time, right now it is 3pm but I vary it to fit our schedule. If the list isn't done, no screen time. And if you ask for screen time before your list is done, no screen time. My days are more peaceful and I think this system draws a clear example of 'work before play.' It isn't perfect though and I am always interested in how other parents handle the issue.
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"We've been told we are not allowed to hold scout meetings at all until this gets sorted out." - I'm a scofflaw.

 

So don't hold Scout meetings; invite his former den-mates over for a little 'Bean-Counting'. Don't wear the uniform, but you can do things in the book (that you may want to sign off on later).

 

Adult incompetence should never be allowed to penalize the program for the boys.

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(Okay' date=' so I pay him a bean per achievement and beans can be traded in for video game time. I pay beans for cooking, cleaning, and other things too. This kid and his video game obsession get my house cleaned and the yard weeded!) [/quote']

 

We do a similar thing with our kids, it does work, but we need to get more consistent with it.

Wondering, In your program how many game minutes does one bean buy, and how much say weeding does he have to do to earn one bean? 1:1 or something else?

 

I have one list of things that can be done and how many beans are earned. There is another list of rewards and how much they cost. I leave the beans up to the child to award himself. I have not found any cause to believe that anyone is abusing the system. I am not hounded about beans.
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I'm currently looking into temporarily joining another troop. We were originally supposed to start up scouts again this week, but now they want to look around and see if there's another small pack we could join up with, but that may be difficult if the small pack is not nearby. (With Utah church scouts we all want to be within walking distance of the meetings.) The pack we were supposed to join up with has all men leaders and we have all women leaders and that doesn't work. Hopefully this will be ironed out fairly soon, but maybe not.

 

In the meantime, My kids and I have learned to play ultimate and will have to go play a game this afternoon. After that we may have to go down to the church to play volleyball. (The pack just needed to play a game when we were told to quit meetings.)

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I'm currently looking into temporarily joining another troop. We were originally supposed to start up scouts again this week, but now they want to look around and see if there's another small pack we could join up with, but that may be difficult if the small pack is not nearby. (With Utah church scouts we all want to be within walking distance of the meetings.) The pack we were supposed to join up with has all men leaders and we have all women leaders and that doesn't work. Hopefully this will be ironed out fairly soon, but maybe not.

 

In the meantime, My kids and I have learned to play ultimate and will have to go play a game this afternoon. After that we may have to go down to the church to play volleyball. (The pack just needed to play a game when we were told to quit meetings.)

Why doesn't that work ? Women and men work together all the time in this country. This isn't Saudi Arabia. Please tell me this isn't a "binders full of women" issue.
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This has gotta be the dumbest thing I have read, well next to the thermometer thing...

 

 

So either they want the boys or they don't..........There shouldn't be any conditions..... Something just isn't right.

 

 

Just get the sneaking suspicion there is much more to the story than we are hearing.

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(Okay' date=' so I pay him a bean per achievement and beans can be traded in for video game time. I pay beans for cooking, cleaning, and other things too. This kid and his video game obsession get my house cleaned and the yard weeded!) [/quote']

 

We do a similar thing with our kids, it does work, but we need to get more consistent with it.

Wondering, In your program how many game minutes does one bean buy, and how much say weeding does he have to do to earn one bean? 1:1 or something else?

 

So what lesson are you teaching with the beans????

 

I don't think it is the lesson intended......

 

The lesson being taught is there should be an award for absolutely everything going on in the family or making the household run.......How much time do you spend negotiating for beans......shakin my head...

 

No thanks......The concept if flawed.

 

 

My son is a member of the household he has assigned jobs and earns an allowance that he can spend on things he desires......

 

His video gaming is tied to grades, completion of homework and chore completion............ Get it all done in a quality manner the rest of the day or evening is yours.....

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