Its Me

This family could be meat eating Methodist that is not the point. What I was trying to focus on is the Patrol Method for a more individualist Scout. Right now, Cub Scouting is great, its family activities controlled by adults. But all boys in the den are the same rank. The Patrol method uses a structured and tiered approach with boys leading boys. A hierarchal structure is not something that I see this free spirited family embracing.

I have a boy in my Bear den and as I look to the future through WeBelos and beyond I can't see this boy fitting into the patrol method. He and his family are Vegetarians and are members of a pacifist religion. The family loves scouts now. The camping outdoors and environmental focus are right up their alley. But a structured patrol setting is not something I can see this boy or his family subscribing to. Any experience with this sort of scout?

Wow card games are a problem? Playing card games is wasting time? I can't believe this. Card games new, old, Yu-Gi-oh or regular invovlve the following of specific rules and social order. Two items usually in short supply around boys. I would agree that he was thumping his chest when he made the decisiosn.

Great discussion. This does not sound all that different from the corporate world. The first company I worked at had about 100 employee but was family owned. The company was run for the sole purpose of providing 5-6 family members with lucertive jobs. The engineering manager (my boss) was a tyrant who blamed everything that went wrong on his poorly developed staff. And he was not intereted developing his staff or yielding athority. Appealing to the higher-ups was useless as they were there only to protect their own. When they say scouting is a microcosim of the adult world they

BSA should offer more training like that. I like the fact that at the end I was able to print out a document stating that I have completed the training. The only draw back is that I doubt that this information will be sent to my home council.

Actually this is the nicest forum I post on. The people are more curtious and polite on this forum than on the running and backpacking forums I also post on. I typically stay out of the issues and politics thread because the issues are so devisive and the threads take on a no holds barred approach. I am so much more knowledgable about scouting because I come here. I recently took Wood Badge. I am just a Bear den leader and no one presently in my pack has taken wood badge. I also assume that many of our den leaders don't even know about wood badge. While at Wood Badge I was asked ho

We have one Indian in our pack and his is an assistant den leader and sits on the School Advisory committee with me. I am guessing that he has been here a while ~10-20 years.

As the smartest creatures in the forest the Bears have a responibilty to instruct the others. Mr srisom I can assure you that it was very patrol focused. We ate every meal as a patrol. We sat next to each other for all sessions and placed tents within feet of one another. The cheer, totum, and main project were all done as a patrol. All food planing for the second weekend was done as a patrol. We had moments of joy and periods of strife as a partol. I learned more from the two periods of strife we experienced than I did in all the sessions combined. We are the Bear patr

I am not sure what you are talking about. All eight of our troop guides were first time staffers. As far as I know positions like the senior patrol leader is changed out every year.

I was just expecting a twist like. As if we would elect a senior patrol leader and conduct our own PLC meeting. That din't happen. I was just under the impression that we were supposed to do something at the last cracker barrel. Four patrols got together and shared food but beyond that nothing.

I got the handshakes and the passwords but I don't know which password goes with which handshake. So is back to Gilwell happy land, I am going to work my ticket if I can. (This message has been edited by Its Me)

I just finished my Wood Badge Course and after reading so many posts here, I was expecting a secret twist. All of us in the troop where trying hard to figure out the secret. But it never materialized. At least in my course there really was no BIG secret. Although some of the training sessions applied in the first session often had duel meanings, (usually a team builing theme) these were obvious. Is this just a difference in course directors or this a difference between the old and new courses?

Bail Talk to your den and seek a new pack as den, yours pack is a wreck.

You guys that want to ban PWD because of its compettive nature are wrong. I enjoy working with my boy building the cars. We spend a lot of time on it. As a den we start building the cars, rough shaping and sanding then leave it up the boys family to paint and get wheels on it. At the Pinewood derby I saw every one of my scouts there with their dad. Do you know why? Because the scout and dad worked on it together. The balance of work may differ from scout to scout but the derby does what it is supposed to do. Positives of the PWD: 1) Brings boys out to a scouting event 2)

At our pack race all cars are checked for axle spacing before the race. Was an illegal car allowed to race? As far as all four wheels must be on the ground, even well built cars will have one of four wheels a little higher. There is some "Those are just sour grapes" in your post. How do you handle this? Go to the cubmaster and tell him that you believe that illegal cars are being raced.

I agree. Besides it is redundant. How could I promise as someone else? Considering the promise is usually said allowed with six other kids its get awkward.

Many cool actvities have goofy uniforms. I cycle with my local bicycle club. Every Staurday we out there in our best spandex and wild colored shirts. Why? Part functionality but mostly association. I used to horseback ride with a Fox hunting group. Yes the Taly-Ho people. Uniforms were applied there too. Pants, Shirt, Jacket and even buttons were dictated. These were more outdated as far as today's fashion but the clothes linked us to a centuries old tradition. When I am in cycling cloths and with peers also uniform no propblem. Four or five together just as good. On a ri

Zahnada, thanks for the reply. I don't disagree with the Chief's statements that the mom makes the decision to enter Scouting, but its misleading. What I would like to see is youth targeted advertising. Mom makes all grocery purchases yet CoCo-puffs is advertised almost exclusively during kid shows. I haven't seen the fimilar crazy Cuckoo bird during a Desperate House Wife show. So how did mom know that little Johnny wanted CoCo-Puffs? How did little Johnny even learn about CoCo-puffs? It was on TV, it looked good, so little Johnny told mommy he wanted CoCo-Puffs. If left up to mo

Brother, please provide us a link to this new shirt that you testify too.

Here is what I presented to the Pack last night: Thursday Night: Optional Campout (Reserving thursday is a trick to get the campsite for the weekend) Friday Night Campfire Sing along 8:00 - 9:00 Saturday 9:00 Webelos Flag ceremony,Prayer,Announcements 9:30 - 10:30 Fort Invasion 1:30 Shell hunt along beach (with lifeguards) no doubt this will turn into a swim party 4:00 Tug-of-war Dads vs the world 8:00 campfire program with den skits, I'll have a short story and if appropriate will deliver it. 10:30 lights out Sunday, short service Dens t

Building on some of the other ideas. Bury the bones in excavation area made from sand, dirt, sawdust whatever is available. Put words or letters on the bones so they form a scout slogan. "Take only pictures, leave only foorprints". May be a good one. If you have budget get some cheap hats from Oriental Trading. I did a search there for a Pith helmet and a construction hat and got hits for both. http://www.orientaltrading.com/otcweb/application?namespace=main&origin=home.jsp&event=link.home&tabId=Home

I have seen boys just paint the block of wood as it came out of the box. The nail-axles weren't glued on. It did ok. At least it wasn't last. A good pack will have a few ringers that the cubmaster and other den leaders run that seem to be beat by all other cars. We use Wal-Mart spray paint that cost $1.00. Spray paint dries in 1/10th the time house paint will dry. While at Wal-mart buy some rough and some smoooth sandpaper if you want numbers 80 grit and 150 grit. Then cut the sheet in quarters and turn your boy loose. Tell him not to sand right by the wheels. Most boys will san

We have monthly pack meetings and awards are given out. The pack functions regardless of the fact that the leaders don't meet. The pack is really run by a single family and not by a collection of individuals. I am ok with this, and as the age of this family's youngest is the same as my boy, I don't fear a change will happen during my tenure. However there are a few concerns I have. One is that new leaders are on their own. As I described above. Two, once this family's last scout crosses over, there will be a large void in the leadership positions.

I think lynncc, described it best. I would keep the dens seperate but try to get more interaction between the two dens. Who knows she could look at the way I run my den and go "jeez I can do better". If I were Cubmaster (did I really just say that) I would assist the den leaders in developing their dens I don't believe this is presently occuring. Should this den not make it, I certainly would like the boy and family whom I already know to join my den. If I didn't know anyone in the other den I am not certain I would be as interested to help. In fact I know I wouldn't. I am help

My den meetings aren't as polished as I would like so it isn't to demonstrate superior den skills. The other (real) story is that our pack doesn't have committee meetings. Actually we had one leader's meeting last year and the one meeting this year. I was at Wood Badge for this year's meeting so it will be another year before we have another. I suspect that this leader is all alone and feels abandon. Since the pack has no leaders meeting, no training chair she has no guidance or support. I am only presuming this since our cubmaster has little contact with me and I assume all are trea