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I would like to find out where your PLC meets for their monthly meetings. Is it at the same place that the troop meets? Is it the SPL's decision? Is it the Scoutmaster's decision? Does the Scoutmaster even have to be present? Can the PLC have a meeting on a conference call? In general, how should the "boy led" PLC function and coordinate the meetings with the Scoutmaster?

This post is so lame! Why do people get upset just because others are speaking a language that they cannot understand? It reminds me of a time when I was speaking to my brother in Greek about some family matters at a previous job. My boss comes over to us and reprimands us for speaking a foreign language. My brother, without missing a beat, responded "but we are talking about you and we don't want you to understand what we are saying." Trust me....we aren't talking about you....we are speaking in our native tongue because it's what comes natural to us!

I'm a MB Counselor for Personal Management. We have a Scout in the same situation as the one you describe. Last November, he approached me and said that he still needs his Personal Management MB. I told him that he should especially look at the 13 week requirement and get that started ASAP. For the last 4 months, he has been telling me that he will send all the items he prepared, but I haven't seen anything yet. I plan to meet up with him this Saturday, and he expects me to sign off, but I will need to see that ALL requirements were completed. I assume that he will provide me with a Budg

Thanks all...it probably is moot since they will be doing another hike after they join. the responses raise some interesting questions. Camping nights for Camping MB....wow!....I could see how you would require all the camping nights to be done after he gets his blue card OK'd by the Scoutmaster, but our MB Counselors allow the Scout to use any camping nights since joining to accumulate the 20. The second part of my original inquiry was not addressed. Can a Star Scout teach a younger Scout how to orient a map using the EDGE method? So a Star teaches the crossover webelo (before he cro

There are others that the Scout Shops carry. I had a kid from South Africa that spoke Afrikaans, and the Scout Shop had it available. It is a little more exprensive than Francais or Espanol since there are fewer made.

I expected to hear a "no" but surprised to read the opinion that a 5-mile hike is too much for a Crossover Scout (11 year old)! I would think that a 5 mile hike is the ideal introduction to Boy Scouts.

There will be several Webelos from a local Pack crossing over on March 15 into our Troop. On the previous Saturday (March 12), the troop is going on a 5 mile hike, and the troop has invited the Webelos along. My question to all the knowlegeable Scouters is: Can these Webelos use this 5 mile hike for the 2nd Class requirement 1(a) and (b)? 1.a. Demonstrate how a compass works and how to orient a map. Explain what map symbols mean. b. Using a compass and a map together, take a five-mile hike (or 10 miles by bike) approved by your adult leader and your parent or guardian. I di

I just saw at meritbadge.org that they added a possible EDGE method training requirement. Besides the 3 2nd Class and 3 1st Class EDGE possibilities, it now shows a 7th which is: g. Three requirements from one of the Eagle-required merit badges, as approved by your unit leader. Can anbody verify that that is official.

Twocubdad....you hit the nail on the head. It is as your describe. To deny this particular Scout his rank at this time would be seen as picking on the Scout for the actions of his dad, and of all the leaders sitting at the BOR, I was certainly not going to be the one to do that. There is no question in my mind that the troop is completely in total disarray. Picture this: The other two Committee Members sitting in the BOR were the Committee Chairman (a member of the old guard who had his son Eagle from the troop in the early 90's) and the Advancement Chairman (his son is presently in t

RememberSchiff...I did approve him for rank as did the other members of the BOR. Why? Because he met the requirements that are established for that rank. He received the required merit badges, he fulfilled his service hours, the Scoutmaster signed off on his Scout Spirit, and even if he did not perform his POR as Patrol Leader, he had the "backup" POR of Bugler which he performed at a couple of outings. I'm not going to deny rank to a 12 year old that believes he accomplished the objectives put out to him just because I feel that the way he accomplished them was wrong.

It is sad! I sat on this Scout's BOR for Star yesterday (4 months + 2 days from his 1st Class BOR). There's no doubt...the boy is very bright and very capable, but has very little confidence. BTW, he just turned 12! I asked him which has been his favority activity that he has done since he joined the troop? His answer was a canoe trip that he took on 8/14 and on which he was on the canoe with his dad. Then, he also added that he enjoyed a Merit Badge Clinic that he attended this last weekend. I asked him what he enjoyed about the MB Clinic and he says: "It was fun to learn new thing

I wasn't going to say anything more on this, but I just got an e-mail that I wanted to share to show how far a rogue parent can go. One of the ASMs suggested a different program structure in order to have true Patrols and a functioning PLC. The rogue parent's son is presently a "Patrol Leader"....of course in title only. We are having elections for new SPL and PLs tonight. Here is what the parent suggests: "One idea regarding the elections tonight may be to not have them since the leaders in place now really did not get to lead. I know that the SPL may want to step down, but

Thanks all...good sound advice! It is easier said than done to ignore this parent and concentrate on my son's scouting experience. Beavah hit the nail on the head when he said that the parent's actions are "indirectly compromising da program for other boys in small ways." As Thomas54 suggested, I'll float up and down on this one and let the rest of the year show me whether my son is having fun and whether he wants to continue with this troop or not. By early next year, it'll be time to reevaluate.

Your thoughts on the subject please. Background: We have a parent (also an Assistant Scoutmaster) who has made it clear that his son intends to earn all the available merit badges. This is a parent (he is an Eagle) that signed off on all the rank requirements for his son and had another leader who is a Committee Member sign off on the Scoutmaster Conference and Scout spirit for the ranks. He then asked for a BOR for his son, and the BOR was at a predicament and decided that they could not really do anything but accept it as a fait accomplis. Since then, the parent has signed off as Me

can I add some? If you know how many boxes of popcorn your son sold and your son has no clue, you are a helicopter parent. If you carry your son's knife during outings, you might be a helicopter parent. If your son looks at you for approval when deciding whether he is ready for a Scoutmaster conference, you might be a helicopter parent. If you run in the infield of a track next to your son pushing him on while he is running the mile for his Personal Fitness MB, you might be a helicopter parent. If you highlight the "important" sections of a merit badge pamphlet, you mi