dwalto02

ALL, I've posted enough here, and said everything in my head, and listened to it all, and taken to heart what I've heard. Thanks for sharing with me. Signing off now. It was worth the time, but I see this can go on forever, so I need to be done posting/reading. Thanks

JM Hawkins, I honestly beleive you are misguided in what boy-led is. Boy led is a quiet, respectful hands-off guidance to the top leader(s) in the Troop based on a personal, positive relationship with them. This can take a long time to develop, and requires quite an investment. Once this happens, when the boys decide things, they tend to ask advice, seek wisdom, out of respect. It is NOT guiding the boys, it's being a resource for the boys, and an example of some good character/decision making qualities/wisdom to have. It's not that simple. We have a fully committed troop. B

ScoutNut: Thinking there is no art to becoming a real man or a real woman and that it's just "getting older", is a shallow view, and frankly misguided. Ask people around you who you respect what they think. You'll learn about this from them. Everyone agrees, there's plenty of aspects men and women leaders alike can imparte plenty of good things to the boys. However, there's a huge lack in society today of people that understand and embrace differences, respect those differences, and thrive in them. The lack in society I speak of is expressed in your post I respect your visi

Quazse, Well, if you can't recognize there is a baseline difference between the personalities of men and women, then you are either not being honest with yourself, or you live in a different universe than I do. There is something to be said for someone knowing what is right, sticking by it, and working with others who share that vision. A house divided against itself will fall.

Jblake47 - Stosh - Thank you for taking the time to share your wisdom in the matter. You were honest, and to the point, and cut out the bologna. On the last number of campouts, there have been some treasured moments where a boy will come up to me and talk about his relationship with his father. I've heard "my dad doesn't like me"... a long conversation follows, with ideas on how to engage his father more. I've had other boys talk to me about some fighting issues at school, wanting to know how to deal with it. This kind of discussion wouldn't be as likely to happen in a mixed

Tampa Turtle, Well said, tactfully said, and I agree.

Quazse, 1. I don't believe there's any prejudgement of sex differences. I'm not saying there are things males can do that females can't in life. I'm saying there is a baselilne general personality difference between a man and a woman. Unlike our physical bodies, you may not be able to see it, but it's just as real. If you don't agree with that, well we shouldn't even be talking because I couldn't possibly explain something like that to someone who doesn't see it. 2. There's no good-old-boys network. We have women doing very active roles in the Troop, just not ASMs and on boy-

Moose Tracker, Your "newbie" and "stomped on" and judging "not Archie Bunker" comments are childish and silly. You ought to take a look at that. Seriously. I totally agree with finding different troops. Different troops for different people. Good point that if it's truly boy-run a few female leaders in the mix shouldn't matter. But if I were to plop myself as a man down at 10pm around a campfire of young girl scouts talking about what they want... I would ruin the dynamic and the moment. This is how they learn to be young ladies, from each other, from their female leade

ScoutNut, You are right, the policies don't state that specifically. But why isn't Scouts co-ed? Hmmm. I never said ladies can't teach theses qualities, or shouldn't. I said the better choice for teaching men in the ways of becoming a man is to have a man do it. I believe any honest person would agree. Might not like it, might not be politically correct, but it's true.

5YearScouter, Female role models are extremely important. I believe more so than male models. However the vision we have for our troop to focus on male mentorship. I wouldn't think there to be anything wrong if a girl scout troop wanted to focus on female mentorship, whereas another wanted to have men mentoring them as well. I agree with everything you said that boys learning to think outside the stereotype box is a great thing. As a matter of fact, if you have a Troop that focuses on that, and it's your vision, and you wanted to have a Troop with all female adult leaders, wel

JM Hawkins -- Sorry you lost your big response, but you made up for it My philosophy and your philosophy of boy-run is completely opposite. I wouldn't "get" my troop to do anything. They decide. They plan high-adventure outdoor for every event, and it's more active and outdoors and adventurous and create then any troop I've seen in the past (my whole life in scouting). That's because I don't direct anything, the boys decide it all. They are very content where they're at. I've seen troops where the adults drive them to be over active,and guess what, you're exactly right, mor

Thanks for the comments, The boys run everything they can, and they have PLC's every 2 weeks and they plan as much as they can and do no more. May I suggest the following reading: http://scoutmaster.org/Boy%20Led%20Troop.pdf If you've read my posts, you'll see why I believe for our Troop, male mentoring is preferred. Agreed about mentoring by association with groups. We have plenty of non program leaders, and parents, men & women for that. Read previous posts for number of ASMS. You're right, the CO has the say, which is why the Troop end, but we'll see.

NJCubscouter, 12 - A bunch of boys who have no father in their life 6 - The number of involved fathers 4 - The number of fathers interested in being leaders

5YearScouter, There is an art to becoming a man, which you will never be able to fully grasp, just as there is an art to becoming a woman, which I will never be able to fully grasp. Has nothing to do with "scratching butts" or "farting" as you say. Not at all. If you don't understand this, I could never in a million years explain it to you. Good for you the way you are involved in your Troop, and the way you have the boys do things themselves, that's great for you and your Troop, but not what I'm doing in our Troop.

Moose, I've been in multiple Troops with disgruntled boys due to females on campouts. Especially the boys mothers.