Eagledad

What next, pull out the Iphone to play Sudoku? Anything that is a distraction takes away from the Scouts EBOR. I think feeding the baby from a bottle would be just as distracting. Sure nobody said anything, it's awkward. But I think mom should have excused herself or planned the feeding around the review. I would suggest briefing future volunteers to plan any personal business around EBOR so as not to distract or show disrespect to the scout. Barry(This message has been edited by eagledad)

>>Well now it's time for the aftermath

Its funny but Girl Scouts is asking the same question of women. I can name three families off the top of my head where mom just packed up her bags and left dad with the kids. Im not talking about divorce, this was abandonment. So I cant say if this is really a male problem. We live in a culture where responsibility isnt considered a virtue. Mediocrity is encouraged and self centeredness is rewarded. As I have said in other post, values being encouraged in our culture today are anti-family. I guess some folks consider that progress. I dont know if the lack of willing male volunteers is a result of bringing in more female volunteers or if its just another indicator of our progressive culture. I am thankful for the female volunteers because we would have far fewer boys in scouting without them. However, it would be interesting to learn what the BSA would have looked like today had it not started accepting female leaders in troops. See, I personally cant remember if dads were more willing to volunteer back when I was a youth. It doesnt seem that different to me. I'm not saying men aren't different today, our culture has different expectations. But I just don't know if they aren't volunteering as much. Barry

>>I think what pchadbo is looking for are suggestions on how to change the culture of a group from not getting involved, to feeling that everyone has a responsibility to do their fair share to make it work..

>>Different units have different personalities because of these kinds of things. Personally, I generally consider that to be a good thing.

>>Setting an example is a powerful way to affect group and individual behavior. So does providing a neckerchief and slide for new Scouts so they can be "in uniform" from their first meeting.

>>Like all da Methods of Scouting, though, it's easy to accidentally turn the Method into the Goal, and when we do that we lose our way. For some reason, Uniforming and Advancement are particularly susceptible to adults inadvertently turning them into goals,

>>The inbetween detail stuff I am not good at mainly because of a life-long lack of organization and way too many irons in the fire to tend each one properly.

>>I want our campsite at summer camp to be the house in the neighborhood where all the kids want to hang out. So we take all the toys. We haul tons of leatherwork and carving tools, last year we built our own tamahawk throwing range, this year we're adding a slackline. Our guys hang around camp playing cards and other games every night, so we take every Coleman lantern we can find.

>>If I was hiking with this...man oh man ... it would be a long backbreaking hike.

I like to hunt.

Umm, Philmont coffee has Tabasco and cinnamon. Cobbler has lots of butter. Barry

Hey thanks Horizon, peach for me as well and is that Philmont coffee. Pass the tabasco. Barry

>>In the subject of the OP in this thread, do you really see the individual gay woman whose son is an Eagle scout as 'anti-family' or something along those lines? Really?>The only difference is the way that BSA (and some of us) 'categorizes' those individuals. To me this approach, as with black persons before, finds its strength in allowing comfort with prejudice and its weakness in ignoring the individual.

>>With the emphasis pointing toward overt leadership, are introverts at an inherent disadvantage?

The hardest part for adults is to identify what defines a strong SPL. You will get many answers to that question here, but it is also personal with each adult or troop. What for you describes your strong SPL? Then you need to understand that to learn something, you have to practice that something. So like in anything, to be strong, the scout needs to practice that action over and over. My SPLs while I was SM planned and led somewhere around 100 PLC level meetings in six months. Most expectations for SPLs in most units are too high for the amount of practice the scouts get. Everyone here is right that the development of the SPL really starts the day the scout joins the troop. But many probably couldnt really pinpoint what it is they want those scouts to practice on their six year experience. So there really isn't much skill development for a mature SPL. Our troop had a plan that took all scouts on a designed path that would teach them specific skills or habits along the way. But the skills were based from normal practice in the program, a lot of normal practice. Training does not develop skills, it only introduces them. So don't use training a measurable type of developoment. Practice is the only way to develop skills and habits. So dont expect more than your scout practices. May I suggest you get the Patrol Leaders Handbook and SPL Handbook to help guide you to the kinds of habits and skills you might want your scouts to practice over and over. Those handbooks are a simple easy read and tend to help the scouts and adults plan a simple orderly process to their goals. Its one thing for adults to say do it this way or that, but its a lot easier for scouts to read it in the book with the adult only supporting by saying yes, try it that way and see how it goes. Good question. I love this scouting stuff. Barry (This message has been edited by eagledad)

>>All 3 would happily serve in a Scout unit if allowed to. What is their "gay style of behavior" you are worried about as an example to other Scouts?

>> I am not asking for others to try to channel him and provide his thoughts for him. I just want to understand from Eagledad himself what a "gay style of behavior" is.

>>So you are saying your heterosexual urge is not biologically ingrained?.

>>Eagledad, never heard the theory that being a bully is a born trait. But, OK..

>>It is beyond your understanding, that this is not a choice. It is not the same as drug addition or acoholism.

Dang, Eagle92 beat me to it. I love that scouting stuff. Barry

What does the National say the responsibilities are for each position? And, I have found that the program runs smoothest when the adults take on the responsibilities that best fit their personalities. I know several very successful packs where the CM's only responsibilities is running a fun Pack meeting. Do what works best. Barry

>>Barry, just to be clear, are you saying that homosexuality was accepted before the early Bronze Age?

>>what kind of logic is that? Millions of Americans don't follow your god; why would they care what you say your god says?