Stosh

I don't have a PLC.

Having to struggle with disabilities (of which most of us have that don't have acronyms) is not something to be jealous of. We all struggle in different ways. How we overcome these disabilities and desperately try to fit into society is what one needs to focus on. Everyone prefers to be "normal" but even that is not a constant. I have found that having worked with young people during their developmental years a source of great joy when they are able to overcome society's demands, and heartbreaking when they can't. Yet the human nature in us all hopefully finds a common ground in the ab

This is a skill taught every year the boys have their winter Klondike.

I got deployed to work Hurricane Irma and flew into Orlando. I packed for Florida weather. Well they wanted me to drive an ARC vehicle to the wildfires in California, so it was road trip all the way across the country to Sacramento. Weather-wise, Sacramento is not Orlando. I hadn't even packed a coat or sweatshirt. I survived 2 weeks there and then drove an ARC vehicle back to Wisconsin. At least it was warm in the truck. So to make a long story short, I am nursing a pretty good cold right now. One would think that by my age, I would have learned..... nope.

When I was WDL, I had the boys focus on the "book" so they earned as many pins as they wished and completed the AOL requirements all within the first year. The second year we focused on the TF-FC skills. They all did TF-FC the first year of Boy Scouts because it was all review for them. Actually they crossed over under the old program where if they had gone through TF properly, they came into Boy Scouts as TF. The first thing the SM did was an interview with each boy to see what they really knew. They all passed with flying colors. So then the first year was just SC and FC. In Augus

Maybe he ought to learn leadership first. Anyone can follow. As a ADHD, I know from experience many of them can be high achievers if given the opportunity. Start with focusing on the part of the Scout Law -....help other people at all times.... If he can master this, he will be sought out by every patrol on the planet. Everyone wants those that help with anything and everything. People seek out these people and want them near. They like to be with these kinds of people and while he's helping other people at all times, he is not focused on himself, but on others and looking for ways t

Second lesson for Wisconites: When hiking, always hike with someone who can't run as fast as you. How did you survive this long without these basic lessons. I'm from Wisconsin, too.

You're from Wisconsin and you haven't learned the 5 second lesson on going through the ice? Don't be the first one on the ice!!!"

Yeah, what's it too ya, Sonny?

I wear a vest with everything I need, pens, flashlight, keys, knives, compass, phone (2) charger, etc. Be Prepared. Well, I hit the TSA at the airport and got pulled aside. I knew I wasn't carrying anything improper, but TSA found a Boy Scout jackknife and fingernail clippers in my first aid kit I had thrown in as I always do, scissors and needles in my "housewife" (sewing kit), and here I stood with my Red Cross ID on. Fortunately the TSA gal made the connection between Red Cross and my scouting background and helped me arrange having my knife mailed back home. She ignored the scissors

It is obvious that 1) I am not clear in my comments or 2) people aren't looking and understanding what I am saying. Either option leaves the point unresolved. Let's try this: IF I were a scouter with 40+ years experience of working in the different Boy Scout level program. I would be well versed in my experience and know what to expect in the situations I encounter in the group. Group dynamics would be a known, group interests would be a known, what the boys try to pull one over on me would be a known, and the list goes on and on. If that scouter hadn't raised a daughter and had he

Learn from our failures. Works every time. I have a sneaking suspicion that parents that are afraid of failure and are high achievers pass that along to their children because somehow that gets translated in if my kid doesn't make Eagle, I have failed as a parent. Let me assure everyone that that isn't the correct conclusion. If your child grows up in scouting, gets to 2nd class quits and goes on to graduate school and provides well for his family and raises kids like their parents did. Ya done good!!! On my first deployment with the Red Cross, I was expected to commit 2 weeks. W

When I was WDL, I started as blw2 did, using the patrol method. I treated the boys as if they were a NSP and I was TG. Yes, it was all adult-led, but that's the Cub program. After 2 years with these boys, they were well versed in Boy Scouts, came into the troop as TF (something that was allowed "back in the day") and all went on to Eagle. They really weren't a NSP when they crossed over. They knew as much if not more about Boy Scouts than the others in the troop. One of the first complaints about the "new boys" on the first fall camporee was they ate better than anyone else. They sho

Neither me nor my father cared about getting the Eagle. We seldom even talked about scouting while I was in the program. It was more the fact that I hung out with the group of friends I made in grade school with and eventually went our separate ways when we graduated from high school. Yes, while we were in scouts we were our own patrol for the full 4 years. When we left scouting, we left together and went together to a different youth program.

For many years, sandlot neighborhood pickup games of scouting did really well. You are right @blw2, someone changed the game.

The aim of the BSA program for me is to develop boys into knowledgeable and resourceful men. Planning a trip for the scouts needs to be a precursor for planning a family trip to Disney World. Cooking is not just for them, but the family he might have as an adult. Kids get hurt? Does he know the basics of first aid? Grandpa takes a tumble down the steps, can he help or just stand around and watch? BSA puts these skill requirements out there for a reason other than box checking and bling awards. I guess in spite of all the interpretations out there on these things, the under lying cons

We travelled 5 hours to get to a great white-water river for canoe/kayaking. We got up in the morning, the weather turned against us,and my PL said. "What's Plan B?" I asked, "Did you see any good billboards on the way up?" With a grin, he gathered up the boys and we went to a great aviation museum for the day.

I looked, but they have just about every other kind of headgear. Sorry.

And how does that prepare them for real life? Just because they don't do water activities at camp, should they not be trained to handle a water emergency when involved in a non-scouting activity? Too often we are so focused we loose sight that what we are doing in scouting is not for the promotion and continuance of scouting or getting rank bling, it's getting the boys ready for life. If Grandpa is out fishing with his grandson and the boy falls overboard, what can Grandpa do? I train my boys to be prepared for such a situation and hope and pray they never have to put it into practice.

When I use the term "one" it is a generic term meaning "if the shoe fits, wear it". If not don't worry about it. No need to assume anything unless I specifically state the identity of a person, one can assume I am talking generically to anyone. There is nothing in the BSA program that will harm girls. It's just that the program is not designed for them. The program will need to be changed to meet that issue. Therein lies the problem. If I am in the market selling hiking boots, yes, they can be worn by gals, but I know fashion-wise, the market is greater for males than females. Sure

My mom and dad paid for my scout uniform. That was the only thing they did for me in my scouting career. Everything else came out of my pocked and was accomplished on my own. With that being said, I have come to the conclusion that parents aren't really needed in the program. My dad was district commissioner for a brief time, but didn't get involved in scouting other than that. On the other hand all the weekends that I was not camping with the troop, I was camping with my family. I learned more about camping before I got to scouts than I did while in scouts. Scouts was just a great

Unfortunately when it comes to outdoor activities, common sense isn't as common as it used to be. I constantly watch the weather reports in my area when it comes to outings. T-storms, tornadoes, blizzards are all every day occurrences in my part of the world. I do not leave anything up to chance. I have cancelled outings in the past, but a little rain isn't one of the pressing safety issues. Storm cells are.

Not really. These tests are conducted annually and whether or not one can pass the test determines much of the activities one is allowed in the BSA program. Sure, the rank test is one thing to consider. My boys take the test every 6 months. Once in the dead of winter at a pool and again at summer camp. Either test garners the check mark in the box for rank. But before I take my boys out for some white-water canoeing or kayaking, they had better do more than just swim 4 laps in a pool.

Physically the stamina of a woman is far better than a man's. Yet brute strength the men will do better. Hiking 100 miles will take it's toll differently on a man than it will on a woman. There's more to it than just physical strength and endurance. There's emotional issues to consider. There are sexual issues to consider. There are mental issues to consider. Goals of males are different than goals of female. The list goes on and on. It doesn't take a whole lot of thought to see that a co-ed Bible study is different than a men's group study or a woman's group study. Same for a bo