jbroganjr

My recharge is the boys. Whether in the troop or in the pack. I am from a small town and when I go to school for any reason, I always here, Hey Mr. B, from the younger kids, and now older scouts in 6-8 grades. When I feel burnout, I know that it is a sign that I am doing/trying to much and when this happens, I also realize that nothing is being done well. So I start saying NO. A simple word, hard to say, harder yet to follow. But it does prioritize things. In my world it goes like this: Am I happy?, then "is my spouse, children happy? When burnout occurs, it normally has affected one of thos

Congratulations on taking on the most fun job in scouting! I speak from experience. The posts are right on about developing leadership and the songs and skits are your tools to get all oars rowing in the same direction. Pack nights will be yours, your style and your influence, there for the boys to shine and be rewarded. When I first took over as CM, many moons ago, the first thing instituted was songs and skits, no ifs ands or buts. Yeah it can be like pulling teeth. My ASMand I did the first one of the year and the kids saw the potential there in us making fools of ourselves, that that

Its only hair and as to seeing old pictures and how goofy we look, I look back at my mane as a youth and just get teary eyed, being so absent haired today. Let him enjoy it!

I would suggest the following: Team Clove Hitch - Each patrol, standing outside of a 6 foot circle around a tree, must tie and tighten a clove hitch. One it reinforces the clove hitch, Two, a great team building game. I use knots to appeal to the kids...they can build the best "fort" "tree house" etc, by knowing the knots and lashings. Go to usscouts and find the links to the hurricane district for drawings of what can be built with lashings! and if the boys want to build the biggest thing ever, let them try!

Scouts is supposed to be fun. It takes dedication. You have to meet your obligations when it comes to not only showing up at meetings, but having a plan (if it is an hour meeting, you need to plan for at least 1.5hrs and have a back up). If it is not fun for you, it will be a disaster for the boys you serve. What happen in the past is the past. You can learn from it, but just dwelling on it does no good. So before you go to training, etc. you have to ask yourself, is this for me. The tone of your post comes across as if you have been drafted into service. If you don't come willingly and positi

lets separate the wheat from the chafe here. for the AOL (Arrow of light, not that lousy ISP), go visit the other troops. It will make your live easier and not set up a "match" tween you and the SM. Now, pay close attention to how your request is handled in the other towns... were they accomadating? How many restrictions where put on you? When you visit, as an adult, note everything you can. Do the boys run the meetings? Where your scouts invited into the meeting activities or were they wall flowers? Now here are my feelings and this is how our troop runs. One, we do not put on special me

Well i would love to have enough tiger leaders show up for a break out, unfortunately that is not the case in my district (#1 comment from DL - Boy I wish I had taken up that invite to come to RT...could have helped a lot) So to answer your question, no, we include them in with the Den Leaders...however, each scouter is asked about questions or problems and we direct those folks to people who may have an answer. If the question/topic etc warrants, we will run it in a general session. Is there something you are looking to get answered?

In the webelos den, the den leader should sign off on requirements so the boys get used to having someone other than a parent do it. Promotes trust and honestly here. I also take the den chief at his word when a webelos scout has accomplished a requirement. Tx J CSRTC

Hmmmm.......yeah, gotta stir the pot. Mike F. I do believe you have shed light on a problematic symptom of BSA and other institutions in the USA. Namely, change. and the reaction to change. And I think that what you shed light on, in many cases, IMHO, that this is a case of change for the sake of change (which is a bad thing) as well as a dumbing down of the program. So lets back these up, cause I know Bob White is going to come down on this because of all the "progress" made by man in the last 50 yrs. In 1928, the entrance exam to Jersey City H.S. was as hard as the current SAT's, ex

In our district, we publish a list of all MB (done by district adv. chair) listing counselors and MB and whether the counselor is district wide available or only for the troop. Our troop has its own list of introop MB counselors The question I have, brought to mind to mind by LauraT7, (and I am not saying she said this...don't want to have to get my own vest) is, how much, if any, follow up by a MB counselor should be done with kids on partials. I am particulary talking about troop/district MB counselors, not camp or MB orgies (guess I let my feelings slip on that one) (This messag

While there are many memeories, the most effective and current one involved the west point camporee last may. It was, upon reflection, the best and worst campout ever. 25 feet x 25 feet is exactly that, the boys wanted to practice ahead of time, us adults felt it was a typo. Medals and congratulations to the smart ones the boys for foresite, wet noodles for us adults who got involved. The cadets where way understaffed, and our troop was one who did not have a guide. the spl and aspl found out about girl scouts and missed the plc, the times where also changed for the sm cracker barrel, so h

Here's my two cents worth Skits and songs are as equally as important as ceremonies. Kids should do most of the skits. resources for those www.cnjcpowwow.org www.macscouter.com Be prepared to be silent, helpful courage for those shy kids. Pack meetings are essentially organized chaos. When you have the confindence of bringing the pack to silence, then you can venture forth and get them really really loud (cheers, den cheers, songs) Always bring the meeting up then gradually down so they don'tleave so quietly. never rely on outside entertainment for pack meetings, more than 2 maybe 3

Here are some other sources. in a search engine type in flying pig songbook and also camp hinds songbook great scouting stuff there also try my own powwow books (shameless plug here) www.cnjcpowwow.org it will be up until 3/03 and all material is in pdf format Bring a bucket as a prop the next time you introduce the song.

Bob, show some scout spirit and give up on being right! This is inane to see this childish on all parts in these posts and does not promote a positive image of scouting. If I was not involved in scouting and read all these posts, I don't think I'd want to join such a nitpicky, he said/she said, Im right, its in book, simple nastiness by so many participants on this forum. The stated purpose of this forum is for scouters to share ideas and build program, character and ideas. One meeting makes sense, back to topic here. The CM job is the pack program and with everyone there,

True scouting spirit would guide us to give the awards ot the boys. By taking the high road, we set the example that we care, even for those you have left. It sends an important message to that youth that someone cared, no matter whatever reason he/she left. And the old saying of reaping what you sow, sowing the goodwill may bring them back, or at least encourage the ones who stayed by the example.

children remember that scout law part... kind, courteous, HELPFUL., It seems I need to be reprimanded in singling out Bob white. I read these post and do not normally contribute as it seems an excerise in inanety, nitpicking, name calling, whining etc. None of these things has a place in scouting does it. As leaders, humans actually, we have the onus of trying to make things better and be positive role models and example of character. Unfortunately, this medium, internet, is faceless, does not carry nuances, nor wit and the words hang there. It would pay to keep in mind the oath and law befo

My two cents bob white may be correct in quoting BSA literature and is definately correct that training is essential, where i digress from this is as follows: One, training has been dumbed down out of national in the last couple of years. The number one issue on this board, my council and district is disharmony and lack of communication or wrong communication between scouters. Bob, you come off as a big know it all on a big horse and as soon as someone disagrees with you, IMHO you throw away that part of the scout law about being courteous, kind and respectful. I believe the training curre

Speaking from experience, most of it bad ;-} To instill a lively crowd, the leader at times will be the solitary salmon swimming upstream. However, if you keep at, the group will eventually join in. Singing loud is great, especially if like me, you cannot carry the proverbial tune in a bucket. I always tell the group this and direct them to outsing my poor voice. Over the course of my first year as CM (moons ago) I started alone and with the boys all trying, but no adults. Then, DL took mercy on me and joined in, if only to keep me on/in tune. Then, choir members from the church whose child

A little history... I am finishing up the woodbadge course as we speak, I have been involved with training, cubs and boy scout leaders, run jltc (troop level) and run RT. My comments are addressed to following the syllabus. You have to keep in mind that any large scale training material that covers an area like the U.S. is going to be designed for the lowest common denominator. With that in mind (and staying to the core principles involved) I see no harm in presenting the material in your own way. For example, I hate, really hate, the video tapes. My staff covers all the material and then so

It can be a hard row to hoe at times. I have had to have these discussions many times, when my son wants me to be Dad. As for the balance, it was my wife who insisted that I do not be super scouter and allow my son to go on campouts, my first year in Boy Scouts. So now, when I go, I am a ASM first, but find the 20 minutes for my son... and try to make that time available to the other scouts in the troop. To get my "leadership" in action is why I do CSRT and now really enjoy being the laid back, fun ASM. This balance works for me and when it doesn't, well, that;s when I branch my "leader d

Yes, I truly believe that the GSS is there to protect National from lawsuits. I also believe, being from jersey with its abundance of lawyers, that you as a leader need to follow the GSS to protect your own rear end. I also know that national is not coming to your defense and will not provide legal costs, especially if you did not follow GSS. I also believe the GSS is overboard and has the created a ripple effect of keeping people who follow it too fearful of risk and that us folks (I am included somewhat in this statement) look overbearing to the folks who do not have nor read GSS. Having sta

In our troop, we rotate ASM to lead the overnight/outdoor adventure. We are a busy troop and it would be too much for one person. An unstated, but observed policy is for us older ASM to guide the new ASM and stop them from being helicopters (hover around their kid). Jobs for ASM - running fundraisers, in the capacity of coaching/guiding the boys to success. We try to do different fundraisers each year, in addition to the standards. We use these opportunities to get kids not in major troop leadership positions to lead these efforts in the hopes of getting them to lead, getting a taste of the

with the troop, we are the dinosaurs (Big Bodies, small brains is how the SPL refers to us). We are there as a model, to show the boys a way of doing it. I like the posted roster, I will suggest it. As for separate meetings, we talk at troop meetings when troop is planning for a trip. We decided to make the patrol to keep us scoutmasters working towards our goals and remembering what our jobs are, we had to many 'helicopters" you know, adults who hover around their kid(s). I am working on a helicopter totem now, for our patrol award ceremonies, separate from the kids. The adult patrol is g

I am trying to see what the fees for pow wow attendees are, and what do you get, beside program for your money. As an example, our last pow wow: fee $30.00 (early registration, 2 month prior - $25.00) you recieved of book on either on CD or in print form, a patch, lunch, class handouts, their was also a juice/coffee bar on arrival with bagels and donuts, The year before, you recieved above, plus a T-shirt and outside entertainment at the Blue and Gold. Both years supplied excellent program, IMHO What do you pay to attend a pow wow? What do you get for your money? Thanks

Bob, I did not see your suggestions on recruiting den leaders, where would I find it? Jbroganjr