gungho4scouts

The Rule is what Rank the Boy will be. The Guideline is age or grade. The Rule is; if you are 5 and in Kindergarten, you need to wait until you are either 7 years old OR in 1st grade. Which ever comes first. 6 years old and in 1st grade, you can join (as a Tiger.) If you are 8 years old and held back a year, in accordance with the guidelines, the rule is pretty clear. 8 years old OR in 2nd grade, you're rank can be Wolf. Both criteria don't have to be meet, just one. Conversely, he could be a Tiger, but the decision is, and as it should be, up to the Parents to make.

For those of you who live by the hard and fast rules, consider this. The guidelines for when a Boy enters the Scouts is simple. A Boy may enter the Scouts at anytime. If they were the age/grade for Bear, they don't start as Tigers. The only required rank/badge they must earn is the Bobcat which they can earn while still being a Bear Cub. The age/grade is a guideline of what rank the Boy will be when they decide to join the Scouts.

While my Son and I were out selling Christmas Wreaths and Popcorn a pair of boys on bikes yelled out at us as they rode by. Their comment? "Cool!!!" Needless to say, my Son's chest stuck out even after that. The uniform helps bring unity, an instant recognizable positive symbol of Scouting, and when worn with pride, it can have a cool factor.

With all of the attacks against BSA, I wouldn't be surprise if this was a tactic (though small) used to help deface the entire organization. I've stumbled on a few websites, particularly "mothering.com", where several activist suggested joining the BSA just for the sake of creating havoc. I'm not subscribing to any conspiracy theory, but in today's world you can not discount the zealots. From the articles I've read, it could simply be about boasting rights, greed on the part of the professional's, etc. To error is human and justice will prevail. Baden-Powell made it pointedly cl

Do all Council's have such a seat? Anybody ever held the position before?

Eammonn NP and much thanks for your guidance. Barry You didn't give me advice on this exact issue. In a previous post, and in so many words, told me to pace myself. I'm happy at just being a CMA. SemperParatus Item two, is something that was suggested. Not sure if the parents will follow through. I keep asking parents to attend the Parent and Leader meetings, and all of them say they will but none of them show up... Update The UC will be getting involved as well. Mostly as an observer. He's a great guy and will get in there to help troubleshoot a proble

Eammon, I'm not sure how to take this: "I can't help but wonder what is your part in all of this?" Are you assuming something sinister on my part? Hope it wasn't ill thoughts on yours, because if they were, it would only expose a Bully. Hmmmm, now what was that reason for assumed names again? For the record, this request for help was brought to the table by the parents of the Webelos. This is after having been asked by the Pack Leadership to take over for the Webelos, which I declined on the advice given to me by EagleDad. Why draw out the exact details when you answered the q

Our mall has a Legoland complete with a Derby track to race the cars the kids make from the buckets of Legos on hand. No matter the age it's the most popular spot at the mall. So the notion of age being a limiting factor doesn't quite compute.

There is a poor soul who is leading one of the Webelos dens. Everything in this persons life has taken a turn for the worst. The state of being burnt out isn't the issue, more on the lines of the difficulties in the personal life. It's being reported that the Den meetings are done on the fly and the achievements are being awarded like candy. We know something has to be done ASAP. But would like to keep the balance of helping a friend in need and do what is in the Boys best interest. Any word of advise of how to best approach a possible sticky situation?

Check with your local council if they have anything on "Extreme Volunteer Recuiting" from the UofS. Basically it's a poster board with baseball size cards on one side with the positions name, and on the other is the description of the position and duration. The Scout Shop may have the same type of cards in stock for the "higher" level positions to use as an example. It seems like a great way of showing parents all the jobs it takes to run the pack, and allows them to explore different positions they might have an interest in without feeling pressured if approached. If your counci

I disagree. o What better place to "test" thoughts and ideas with those who you hope will be looking at it in a puritan way, (as a Scouter!) o There are times when the best way to understand another persons point of view is to put the shoe on the other foot. o I personally thinks it's great that this site allows discussions regarding homosexuals continue on for 215 messages. Not because I support the homosexuals agenda, rather it affords me a glimpse of the argument for and against it. o Why create conflict at "home" when you can work out the issue here first. Having a th

I see in the Scouting catalog for 2005, a new New Cub Scout Leader Book. Has anyone looked through this book yet? Just wondering what changes were made.

I trying to understand what argument you can possibly make of why it's ok for my Son to be discriminated against if my Son enters either place as a Scout. Last that I recall, no one here is calling for the same places to be closed to anyone else for their membership requirements. If only Atheist and Gays paid the taxes for the public schools and parks, then I would concede to your argument. but as it stays your argument is rather weak. Our inalienable rights, affects both sides of this issue.

Looking at this from a tactical view, the goal of the ACLU and poster like Merlyn_LeRoy is the attempt to pigeon hole the BSA as a non-religious, public organization. "The Boy Scouts of America is a private membership group. As with any private organization, Boy Scouts retains the constitutional right to establish and maintain standards for membership. Anyone who supports the values of Scouting and meets these standards is welcome to join the organization." www.bsalegal.org/faqs-113.htm If the BSA was anything other then what it is, a private organization, based in reverence for God

Not sure if this is the right forum for this. I'm taking a thought from another thread regarding the use of anonymous slash multiple names used to post on this site. Is it unetheical for anyone to post under multiple assumed names? Some believe that by doing so is considered untrustworthy. Would you say the same for our Founding Fathers? Justice Stevens of the United States Supreme Court discussed the tradition of anonymous publishing in a case in which the Court struck down an Onio election board regulation that prohibited anonymous campaign literature. The full text of the opini

First, took each person aside and personally apologized, and again as a group during the meeting. Everyone was receptive, except for the outgoing TDL who made it very apparent that she didn't want to have anything to do with me or my apology. The "assistant" DL is now the new TDL. It was our e-mails that started this whole ball of wax. The new TDL came prepared with the same outline as I had presented here for review. I've read Foto's, and with this group of parents the dynamic's is more attune to doing it as it was outlined by EagleDad. Each parent runs the meetings on their mo

With some reservation I'll be attending the parent's (of the den) meeting tonight. As some of you may recall, I "threw" my hands up in a tirade for the mesh of silent communications. But now I can see that it's due to the general cloud of confusion that hangs over the Tiger Program. I'm learning quite a bit while a newbie in the Scouts. Most from the direct results of the guidance on this forum. Not wanting to screw this up for my Boy. I wanted to see if there were some devil's advocates out there that can help me prepare. 1. Apologize for my tirade to those I may have offended.

Nope, that's a new one on me!

One of my (many) shortcomings is the tendency of projecting myself onto others. Only knowing how the program works in spirit and not in implementation I turn to any and all books about the subject, soaking up as much training that is available, and considerable amount of questions to whomever offered to help. There certainly isn't any thought of being superior, or knowing more that anyone else. Part of it is having a drive to learn as much and the desire to make it the best for the Boys. Now I've had a taste, I would agree that the parents of the Tiger Cubs should only have to worry ab

Thanks for the comments so far. I've had a chance to start a new day and the stress of work has dissipated. Now that I have a taste of what the Scouts are, the group overall dynamics is just not for me. Plain and simple. As the DE told me, this is not uncommon. It's something that I've have been thinking about for sometime. But 100% agree that the way I went about it wasn't right. Hence, why I posed the question just after I sent it.

So, I'm a little more motivated to do things, so what. It just mean I'm a round peg trying to fit into a square hole. It's time for me to pick up and look for a round hole that fits my expectations, and that I associate with the same like minded parents. It's just makes more sense to suggest to someone to find another pack instead of flaming them as a lunatic as you have. Also, asking questions is wrong? If this is true as you have demonstrated, so much for setting the example on being a Scout.

Nothing is learned without getting the views from both sides of the aisle. So no, I certainly don't want everyone to only agree with my viewpoints. My issues with Foto are simply frustrations of the same cookie cutter answers. Take it easy, let it flow, too much too soon. But the twist of the knife regarding the perception of why I stop being the TDL and now a CMA set me off. I choose to step down to keep the peace within the Den. I don't meddle with "telling" the new TDL on how to run the Den. I pose the questions to this site instead. Because 1. keeps me from saying anything, 2. k

Have you notice it is the most talked about issue on every forum out there? Get off your high horse, and cloud nine mentality. Of that's right, in your world, recruitment is at an all time high. The Tiger Cub Program is the most success non issue program in the history of the Scouts. AND the turn over rate is at 99.9999%. I've seen your posting to others, and it's far from being supportive. I feel insulted that you were the first to have posted a reply.

First I get an email from the TDL on the 29th of the Den meeting for the Dec. 3rd. Instead of 6:15 pm it's move to 6:00 and it's not at the CO but at someone's house. (Ok, a little short notice, I can deal with it.) Then solicitation for ideas on a Go-See-It. So I sent a reply addressed to everyone in the Den with the following: "This might be fun for everyone as a Go-See-It: http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/en/kids/cubscouts/index.shtml And it's only 15 minutes from the CO." This is what I get in response from the assistant TDL: "...Thanks for the e-mail about Starbase, but at thi

My Son and I want to be in Cub Scouts but with everyone's different interpretations all I want to do is just quit. My problem is that every parent is overloading the program with what they think it should be. Although never a Scout in my own youth, the ideals, patriotism and reverence to God carried over from my late fathers own experience in the Scouts. Wanting to do it right and "Be Prepared" (pun intended) I've read everything I could get my hands on. Despite the preparations, nothing in the Fast Start or Leader Specific prepares you for parents with their own ideas of how it sho