jhankins

Gift wrapped On a Thumbstick Under lock and key in a plexiglass case With a flower between the 2 beads ... Hope those help!

1. A den chief is only as strong as the den leader he's placed with. If the leader is weak -- the Cubmaster needs to work with the leader first. Be sure that the den leader knows what to do with the den chief -- a kind of training for them as well. Don't compromise on the requirements for den chief. A younger, not quite First Class boy sometimes isn't ready for the position and may not be mature enough to be in the position. Provide lots of opportunity to praise your Den Chief(s). Doing this will make it a more positive experience and they'll spread the good word to the troo

It's not Scouting that's harming those kids, it's the parents. In my neck of the woods, we avoid community team-based sports because the parents are brutal not only to their own kids, but to the others! The type of youth you mention is probably one that would benefit in a shift of program focus. Perhaps the youth in question would benefit from a Varsity Team or a Venturing Crew instead. It's our job as leaders to notice these things, offer suggestions to the youth, then approach the parents.

I'm not sure it's the best way, but I use a 3M art glue stick. It doesn't leave a nasty residue on the back of the patches, and with a little TLC the patches can be moved.

That's kind of redundant, isn't it? The only reason to really attend Wood Badge is to better yourself in your duties you enjoy...

Bottom mounting a sleeping bag/pad?

Burning bridges really only hurt the ones you love, and the ones especially close to you. What attorney in their right mind would drag youth, parents, and their own reputation through a contempt hearing at $300 an hour over the very same amount of money? What attorney would put up with a client blasting it all over the internet? I really hope your son can get past all the garbage in his way and enjoy the rest of his teen years.

Wood Badge is for ANY Scouting leader, whether you're going to be in the program three years or 80.

There was some talk when I was at National about changing to a fiscal year, but it never went anywhere. Keep making your suggestions, and it might crop up again.

If you look at the relationship between COR, CC, and SM -- you have a unit-based Key 3. They work together, but ultimately one person is responsible.

It's a great thing to see when someone's vision comes to life in their mind. Congratulations, that's a big first step on punching your ticket! Hannibal Smith had it right all along

As a cub leader, Wood Badge helped immerse me in the patrol method and helped me realize how it works in a very personal way. I don't see how waiting and experiencing it in a troop would always be beneficial. For me, getting to live it made it more real and impressed upon me the need for a boy-led troop. Learning how the system works all the way through Scouting links it all together for a cub leader in ways that help teach the boys more thoroughly.

Wood Badge is the pinnacle of adult leader training for those that are active in the units. There's a PhD program for Commissioners, so I would be hesitant to call Wood Badge that. Some of the very best leadership studies and information are explained to participants: from Max DePree, Ken Blanchard, to Steven Covey -- you'll be receiving some of the very best information out there. One Covey or Blanchard course for 2 days will cost you around $1,600 (plus expenses). a 6 day Wood Badge costs between $160-$300. One word describes what Wood Badge is all about: Leadership. Learning h

I'd love to see Jamborees on each coast, anyway. Everytime I cross Jamboree Road, I say a quick prayer. San Diego has land that's just waiting for a jamboree.

Divorced parent here -- Non-custodial doesn't mean that there's no visitation rights. Ask the dad to produce custody agreement, if he does and he can visit his son, make sure Mom has granted permission for this occasion. This should be a standard youth protection issue for any unit. Schools already do this to see if a non-custodial parent can pick up a kid at school --should be the same for us.

My council is 38,000 square miles-- Two of the largest and poorest counties in the country. Wood Badge has been happening for many years, but due to council mergers, district mergers and general bad blood, the representation of the entire council has been absent. Until two years ago, three of the 10 districts have had no staffers and no participants. This year, we're down to trying to get one district to participate. Four-Five years seems to be the trend for staffing, but if you're marked for a Course Director position, my council still holds to the addage that you must hold eve

Another way to look at the ticket: Vision: Where you see yourself in Scouting in the future. What successes you'll have. Ticket Items: What you're going to do to get there.

In my experience, troop bullying has been rare. But when it has happened, the youth have brought up the issue to the Scoutmaster, who has addressed the issue. If it happened again, well, the youth decided to handle it themselves. It didn't happen again after that. While I don't approve of the actions taken by the boys (and they heard it from their COR), positive peer pressure certainly can be beneficial.

Between FOS and camp fees, a camp should cover its own expenses. That includes, utilities, supplies, equipment, salary and benefits for the ranger, program supplies, staff salaries for the summer, and strategic building funds for the ten year plan. But that's utopia and it usually doesn't happen that way. It sounds like the NE Region wants councils to downsize properties, sell them, and consolidate camp attendance. Bad idea, imo.

One of my favorite parts about the course is that every person, if willing, will learn something about themselves. I re-read my 20 questions about once a year and use it as a kind of barometer to where I'm going and how I'm doing on my own personal vision. Thanks to that, it hit me that if we continue our own assessments year after year, we'll continue to learn about ourselves.

The rules for camp staff controlling medication changed last year. I can't find my folder with my notes, though. It was something about taking responsibility for medications isn't something camp staff should do, and that's the unit's responsibility. I just moved, but I'll keep going through my rubbermaid bins of folders..

Congratulations! I finished my first staffing trip as a Troop Guide last September, then was invited back for the Area Leadership Conference to staff again -- you just never know when a future course director will see something in you and invite you back. I'm glad you had a great staffing experience. It truly does solidify Wood Badge's meaning and its lessons when you get to teach it.

Even if it was required, it's not difficult to get uniforms for boys if you approach it the right way. 1) Hand-me-down library for boys who grow out of their shirts 2) Parent who shops flea markets, swap meets and thrift stores for old shirts and patches 3) Approaching COs for donations for uniforms or trading service for donations for uniforms 4) Uniform pieces as raffle items 5) Scout stores usually have uniforms turned in for donations My pack and troop gather uniforms and offer them to every unit in the district should they have a financial need Scout. $12 will get them

I'm glad you had a wonderful experience at Wood Badge. It sounds like you and your patrol "got it." Some don't, but it's always wonderful to hear those that do! Regarding your Day 5 evening campfire -- the time where the troop is left to their own devices is a way for the troop to show their team development. I would say your troop was definitely performing. Giving your staff a gift of song really is appreciated, and it shows the staff that you "got it" too. Good luck with your ticket, and let us know how it's going!

In my previous pack, we did a bridging ceremony for every den: Tigers to Webelos. It was meaningful for the boys, and as a parent, I enjoyed the pomp and circumstance of the transformation that is a boy changing his neckerchief color. The boys look so much older after you just change the color around their neck and the hat on their head! I can see both sides to doing/not doing a bridging for every rank, but it may work for some and not others. I don't think it robs a Webelos --> Boy Scout ceremony of anything, it just reinforces its importance.