Herms

Actually hold kids accountable for there actions?? What a concept!!

As a 28 year sailor, "May she have fair winds, and following seas".

I have to kind of agree with Barry. If a problem does exist with Boy Scouts (I have yet to be convinced of that based upon what I have seen locally), the problem is with the Cub program. After 13 years in the program with three of my boys, there is soooo much emphasis on "earning lots of badges", that the activity portion of the program gets left behind. In my opinion, the concept (and common practice) of go to a den meeting - get a badge causes the boys to loose the satisfied feeling of accomplishment. Badges become "bobbles" instead of marks of accomplishment.

Then they hit Boy Scouts. What do you mean I to demonstrate knowledge, I attended the meeting (or class)? If we prep the boys properly as Cub Scouts and change the mindset of leaders/parents from badges to activity/fun, they will move up to Boys Scouts and hang. (9 of 12 boys I worked with and moved up from Webeloes with my oldest 5 years ago are still in Scouts, but only 2 Eagles)

Go or call your local council office and ask to talk to the OA Chapter or Lodge advisor. Many OA Lodges have a campership scholarship for boys in cases just like yours.

evry, Congrats to your son! Good decision making. My oldest swam it again this year in the lake at Camp Hale, OK, and is now crowing that he is one swim up on his old man. Time for me to hit the pool!!

Another thought... I know it is still a year away, but if your boys plan on trading patches at the Jambo, it is a good idea to start getting your council's CSP's and OA flaps now. There is usually a run on them by the other guys latter in the year.

From someone who has been to Jamboree's as both a youth and an adult, I TOTALLY AGREE with SR540Beaver!! Although they can get merit badges at the Jambo, they would REALLY miss out on the opportunity to experience all of the other fantastic things at the Jamboree. My opinion (for what it's worth) pick ONE they may never have thought about expierencing, and spend the rest of the time having fun!! An expierence like this doesn't occur often. My oldest (16) is going next year and this is how I am going to counsel him.

Be interesting to see it. I know that one of the changes they were discussing at the National level was dropping the requirement for Scout Spirit.(This message has been edited by Herms)

I feel your pain Concerned! Our council sold off a beautiful piece of high mountain property that was being used as a high adventure base.

Johnny,

Think bigger than just the First Aid Kit. Most Packs/Troops/Crews I've seen don't have a "true" Emergency kit. Things you may want to consider: Water purification tablets, small radio, flashlights, fire starting materials etc... Things that may help Scouts and the community in the event of a natural disaster that could hit your area.

Maybe a better idea would be to use A Merit Badge as the Theme for the weekend (ie. Wilderness Survival) and incorporate the requirements in to the activities, but caution Troop leaders that the Scout will still have to finish the merit badge with an approved council/district merit badge counselor.

Don't do it Pete! Will the merit badges they "get" that weekend really stand for the knowledge, skills and fun they aquired to "earn" them? Or will they get a whole bunch of pieces of cloth with colorful thread that don't really mean or stand for anything.

We are the Anasazi Patrol (means "Ancient Ones" or "Ancient Enemy" in Navajo). We are a patrol only in to the extent that we cook our own food (it removes us from worrying about eating burn't food and jumping in to often) and tenting together (removes some youth protection concerns). Other than that we mostly stand around and watch the boys go.

Watching my sons in Boy Scouts stirs up so many memories of when I was a youth in Scouts. Summer Camps, rainy campouts and in particular the '81 Jamboree that a small town kid got to travel to Washington DC.

Would be interested in hearing anyone elses Boy Scout stories as a youth and/or as an adult leader.

We did the Wild, Wild West (less the guns). The boys had to spend the B&G trying to figure out (which one of the "townfolk" robbed the bank and they were deputized with a star that had their new rank.

Last year was King Arthur and the Knights of the Roundtable. Boys had a quest and were "knighted" with their new rank.

Other themes over the last couple years: Hawaiian Luau and Outback Adventure.

Gonna miss the B&G's as we had a lot of fun. After 14 years as a Cub Leader, all three of my boys are in Boy Scouts now (plus an older daughter in a Crew) so I am done with Cub Scouts (at least until the Grandkids come along (which better be a ways away!!)

Your doing great Pack! Keep up the good work, and get these guys ready for Boys Scouts!

My 2 cents. Get a copy of the "Eagle Charge" and let the Scout read it. If he doesn't forsee himself fulfilling his committment and the responsibility that comes with attaining Eagle than let them age out at Life, or like Shortridge stated if the Scout feels like he got what he wanted out of Boy Scouts... then let him go. The Scout has to want it (which is real hard for some Parents to take).

Keep taking him camping! In 20 years I have seen some scouts who start out like this, who have turned out to be awesome down the road. It is a big change from Cub Scouts, and having your parents around to "lean on" all the time. Talk to him about the problem, talk to his mom. Tell her and him, that he is starting his transition to manhood and there are some different expectations for men vs boys (every boy likes to think he is becoming a man). That you will be treating him more like a man, but that you understand that it take some time. I am not a big fan of taking the parent as it just prolongs the problem.

PS: The pull-ups are hard even for some of our older Boy Scouts.

The question for you is the "letter of the law(requirement)" or the "spirit of the law(requirement)"?

Technically, it says "AFTER" the 30 days. Now here is where personal opinion comes in. As ten year olds working on the Webelos Athlete, doing a fitness program for the first time in most cases, I would go with they showed some improvement as they did their best. Now if they were eleven (or older) working on Tenderfoot I would expect to see the improvement at the END of the 30 days as they would have already done this one time as Webelos. My view, and again it is just my opinion, the Tenderfoot requirement in Boy Scouts "builds" on top of the requirement they accomplished in the Webelos.

That is why it is so important in Webelos that we work the program correctly, making the boys demonstrate, to the best of their ability, the requirement, and not letting parents sign off requirements or attend a meeting/get a badge. They will be much more prepared for Boy Scouts.

A perfect example of this is I crossed over 6 boys to the Troop this year. Had another 5 come from other Packs. Not bragging but my 6 are much further ahead in the learning curve than the other 5. Had some boys who crossed over who couldn't recite the Laws or Oath, but still got the Arrow of Light.

Ultimately the decision is yours.

Pack,

It means improvement over the FIRST scores that were recorded. Just another comment, you said YOU are tracking there progress. Just a suggestion, but I would show them how and make THEM track there own progress. This would better prepare them for Boys Scouts. When they start on there Tenderfoot they again have to do a 30 day fitness program which they have to track THEMSELVES. The idea is to get the boys to understand that THEY make fitness a part of their everyday lives. (I guess there is a lesson in there for some of us "older" Scouts).

Eager,

Crew21 gave you and excellent example of what to write. Take all or even just a couple of the Scout Laws and expound upon how you observed the Scout living up to them. Maybe show how the Scout is living up the the Oath (Duty to God, Country and Self). Maybe give and example of a Good Turn he did, or how he was Prepared.

Cathy,

Welcome! Thanks for stepping up and helping make kids lives better through the Scouting Program. Keep that Scoutmaster on task! LOL If you want advice you will get LOTS of it here. You will see that there is more than one way to solve any problem you come across and lots of ideas to help make the program for the boys fun. Best of luck!

Fred,

Have you had your local OA Chapter come in and conduct the elections? Every year we have them give a talk about what it means to be in the OA (honor camper, cheerful service etc) before the elections. We have had some not nominated and to be honest they probably shouldn't have been. It is important that the boys know that selection to the OA doesn't end with their Ordeal or even Brotherhood, it's not about a patch or sashe with are just cloth with colorful thread, it is about service. A good OA Chapter like we participate in can provide numerous hours of service to our local camp, collecting food, working at the animal shelter etc. Would be a shame to drop the program, but if the program isn't active...

FScouter,

I'll take pie. Apple?