FireKat

Howdy!! from another Texan. Don't ever let the 'good ole boys' get to ya!

Lawyer, eh? Have fun with the lawyer joke thread. (all in good fun - still waiting to see if someone does a blond joke one. Although, the blond is now going grey   )Maybe we can start aggie jokes?

GW - do you remember the incedent that song is based on? Many of the non-hippies will not. Still one of may favorite songs. Whose version do you like?(This message has been edited by firekat)

With kids I have long term contact, I have not had much problem teaching the manners. But how to make an impression on the kids like those with the hot chocolate? You may have a few minutes only.

Try "Fly away home" (I think that is the title)

It's about a girl who raises and teaches a flock of geese to migrate. I think Disney made it.

Sorry, I guess I should have been a bit more clear.

I am not wishing to discuss the forum members but kids in general.  Form a few scouts to your or others kids and how we can encourage the to act respectfully.

Holding doors, saying sir and ma'am.  Cleaning up after themselves without arguements.

An example of a bit of the problem:  At a scout function we had hot chocolate in packets for the kids to make as needed. I expected a bit of mess form spils and such but not the messes they left by leaving their empty packets on the tables.  The trah can was about 3 feet from where they mixed up their drinks. I moved the trash can to right next to where they stood mixing their drinks and they STILL left the packets on the table!!!  Some of them looked at me funny when I suggested they use the trah can.

In defence of some of the boys, there were a few who did help clean up but they were a minority. Kudos to those boys' parents and SMs.

I would like input on how to help teach some of these boys courtesy when it is short contact and how to get the leadership to work on this.

Don't take life seriously - it isn't permanente.... (picture tombstone) 

My! It sounds like someone stayed up past their bedtime!!

Take two lawyer jokes and check back in the morning !!

local, have you read the lawyer thread?

I still snicker when I think of coffee and that is often for this coffee hound! I hope it did not burn too much and you're OK ed.(This message has been edited by firekat)

and how can we revive it? Is it possible?

 "courteous"

If this is practiced it will include the others. See spun off thread.

Why dont we just talk about pot roast, not a fish fry?  

What spices we might try. What has not tasted so good.  Without arguing if our tastes are a bit different or going off on a discussion of frying oils.

I think what has gotten lost is TIME.

Everybody is in a rush. Rush to get to first class. Do as many MB in one day as you can.

Lost is the time when kids hung out at a neighbors place as he worked on a project and the kid watched and asked questions about what was being done and why. Sometimes it still happens. My oldest spent many hours at a neighbor's watching and helping him build an airplane.

Somehow we need to engage the kids better. Maybe smaller classes over more days. The problem with that is the loss of revenue.

Bottom line is we need to go back to quality, not numbers or profit. IMHO

ROFL

These are getting better and better!

Have you heard this one?

(short version) At the entrance to heaven there is a long line waiting to get permission from St.Peter to enter.

A Pope walks past the line and demands to be admitted. Peter tells him he must wait his turn. The Pope heads to the back of the line muttering.

Another gentleman passes all the people waiting. He is immediately ushered in by St. Peter.

The Pope goes back to the gates and asks why an ordinary man was given special treatment, allowed to pass all the other people, even a pope  and allowed in.

St. Peter answers we have many popes in here but that was the first lawyer to make it in.

I find it fascinating that the XX crowd sees why that word should not be used by scouters but the XYers think it is Ok.

If there was an equivalent type of word to describe a male as such you would most likely see it banned.

Isnt it strange that terms describing female as loose are insults but terms to describe males who act the same are complements? Just something to chew over. 

Learning is for life and living is the best teacher.

The more you learn, the more you realize you don't know.

May not be program but seems to impact it.

A new way for professional staff to determine productivity.  The method now seems to foucus too much on numbers not quality to the scouts.

I am not angry at acco for the way he used that word, knowing it was from a skit. How would you respond if your boys put on that skit at a scout functon? That is the point I am trying to make. We need to try not to do things that the boys might copy.

Ed: explain how that word is not thought of as a vulgar or a curse? I have neverseen or heard it used as anything but an insult. (See what I posted to WWW above.)

If you would not like that term applied to you or a family member it is a problem and should not be repeated or used by scout leaders. I also want leaders to watch the use of words like stupid, dummy, etc as directed at anyone but themselves. Lead by example as much as possible. When not possible, talk with the kids about it.

Kat

BrotherhoodWWW - tell me why it is OK to use derogatory word about females? Would you use that word in describing you mother? How would you feel if someone said that to your mother/daughter/sister? If that would not bother you, then use it. Before posting, think of your audence - all of it.

I am not a fan of this trend in using bad word as complements or say they are OK because some 'star' talks that way or tries to get laughs using them.  They are still hurtful to some.  Let's be kind and courteous as scouts should be.

If you wish to discuss to pros and cons of  chemicals and hazardous materials, then start a new thread. I do not wish to take this one off on a tangent.

The offence that occures is that kids think it is OK to use such language on popular show like the original Saturday Night Live TV show. Next they are using it talking to others and you end up wondering what happened to the kids. I stopped watching it early because of this behavior. We want our kids to be respectful so modeling and immitaing rude behavior says to the kids it is OK. I feel, as scouters we need to be much more careful on our actions around the kids. (think like a kid: 'hey! the [insert any adult position] immitates SNL so it is Ok to call ___ a s*** because I am just joking and playing out SNL)

Opps, got on my soapbox again. I am not mad or anything like that. I just want people to see how the rude/crude behavior can start.

 One interesting observance is the old adult smoking ritual around scouting activites. They know they should quit but it is so hard and not all can so the ritual was born to keep it away from the kids. The same sould be said about offcolor jokes, adult beverages (love to join you, beaver , and such.

I very much agree on the cooking merit badge for all the same reasons. Add to the fact that most households today are two family income, men need to step up with household chores (more than just standing over the BBQ   ).

The second thing I would like to see changed (ducking as saying this); I would like to see girls allow in. Reasons before the arrows fly-

I was a GS and was board out of my mind. I am an outdoors person (just a tomboy). I had more fun and learned more hovering at my bothers' meetings. I could not see why girls could not be a part of that fun. I later joined an Explorer Post that spent most of their time outside. More fun. I see girls like me hanging out at their brothers' meetings wishing to be a part of it too. Why not let them?

Side note:  our brain injured scout had a sister who hovered until her brother was injured, then she stepped in to help him out and became more active so she could watch over him. In many ways she was one of the best scouts in the troop. I know some  will say Venture Scouts. She tried to get a crew going but by 14 most girls have found other things and other ways to do the outdoors.  The girls need to be more involved earlier to get them in VS.

And, PLEASE do not push the GS on me, if anything they have gotten worse around here. Girls get more outdoors in cheerleading and that may not be as hard to get into.

I'm of the soapbox now,( next?) Kat

Ok, I may be showing my age but there isa word acco40 used in his post above that I find offensive. What is worse is it came from a moderator and was left up by another. You may think that this is a 'boys' club' and not watch your language but there are ladies here too!

edited for a typo(This message has been edited by firekat)

Opps! Sorry.

I think the moderators do a good job here and please let me know if I get too close to the line.

About H/W situation, just be very careful especially with any monies. I was in that situation before and made it very clear if hubby handled money I would not have anything to do with monies. A bit hard as it was one as sect/treas and other as asst. sect/treas. All were happy in our work and worked around the money issue. Best of luck, Kat

see "COMPLAINTS: Vanishing and Moving Messages" thread

I am so sorry for your loss. We just had an adult member pass away in a short tim because of leukemia. My prayers to the family and maybe this might help. I found it looking for some way to help the young man who lost his mother.

http://usscouts.org/awards/spiritoftheeagle.asp

"The Boy Scouts of America has created the Spirit of the Eagle Award as an honorary posthumous special recognition for a registered youth member who has lost his or her life in a tragic accident or through illness. "

Best wishes aand many prayers,

Kat