jps

Sorry, I hit the submit button twice. JPS

Yes, I will pass him and any other scout, IF THEY MEET THE REQUIREMENTS. Yes, I will continue to work with them as long as they are willing and I will try to help them to become better swimmers. AquatDir and Youngblood, my credentials and exerience know of what you speak and I share your concerns. AquatDir, if you run as a good of waterfront as you say, I admire you for it. You do not have any easy job. However, go back to the rules. Strong manner is not the same as no goggles. Safety is and will always be a concern for me as well, but I do not share you opinions as to these devic

Yes, I will pass him and any other scout, IF THEY MEET THE REQUIREMENTS. Yes, I will continue to work with them as long as they are willing and I will try to help them to become better swimmers. AquatDir and Youngblood, my credentials and exerience know of what you speak and I share your concerns. AquatDir, if you run as a good of waterfront as you say, I admire you for it. You do not have any easy job. However, go back to the rules. Strong manner is not the same as no goggles. Safety is and will always be a concern for me as well, but I do not share you opinions as to these devic

Sager scout, good points. I have taken it further when possible, I ask the scouts to jump in the pool with a PFD on so they can see how it feels and why they need to fit it properly. Some of the same skills they need for some of the watercraft MB, but may not have been taught. On the good ship JPS, the family does man overboard drills, abandon ship drills(no great height involved on this craft) and how to run the boat when Dad fell off drill. These are not scout activities, but mostly stuff that I think are important to know. Some of these things I found out how to do the hard way, but

Youngblood, your right about the inflation. However, it would probably make it harder to actually inflate the clothes when wearing a PFD than without. As to falling off the cruise ship..the fall would probably kill them which would make nose plugs and gogles moot. Seriously,thanks for the input. Just between you and me, I have doing drills in the pool with him that are subtly showing him that his nose plug is a hindrance. It is a process. JPS

I agree with the logic of the swim aids and I agree that a swimmer who can pass with the aids can probably also pass without, I agree that he needs to learn to swim without, and I agree that he may panic the first time in the water without; but... SHOW ME THE RULE THAT SAYS NO SWIM AIDS. Youngblood, I have seen aquatic directors do as you have stated and have always thought it wrong. I agree that we need to insure the safety of the swimmers. This seems to be another one of those 'customized requirements'. Hmm, maybe I will make it interesting for the aquatic staff this summer at

A minor tempest in the pool I am working with a scout who insists that he needs to wear a nose plug and goggles when swimming. (This is a work in progress, and I am quite aware that the goal is to not depend on these aids.) However, several of my esteemed fellow scouters insist that the scout can not pass the swimmer test while wearing them. They refer to past experiences at summer camp, during which the testers told the scouts they can not wear goggles or noseplugs. I ask them to quote me chapter and verse of the requirements that states he can not wear the goggles and nose plug w

We use the term loosely. We us cabin camping as an opportunity: an opportunity to introduce those who have never enjoyed the beauty of the outdoors in winter and who may not see it otherwise, an opportunity to teach winter outdoor skills to those scouts who do not yet have the skills to camp outside during the winter and of course to have a great time. It should be noted that some of the members of the troop opt to sleep outside in tents and that is great and guess what? It gives those who may not think it is possible to learn and see how it is done. Cabin camping is like boatin

We usually just string a rope between bunk beds or the like. We have tied off to attachment points on the walls. Think Clothesline.... Tell the Scouts what you want to accomplish and then let them loose with the resources avaiable. BW, this could lead to an interesting camp gadget! Send us the pictures! JPS

We do the the temp. wall. Remember the privacy wall is just that it need not reach to a 10 foot ceiling. Think about one of the Doris Day movies when they hung sheets to seperate the man from the woman at nite. As Bobwhite said, follow the rules, it is alot easier to setup a temporary wall than to try and straigthen out a situation that may arise if you didn't follow the rules. Just think what you would say to someone who asked you why you didn't follow the rules. JPS

Tips for scouts Here in the midwest winter camping tends to be wet and cold. 1.) What do you tell the scouts to wear for pants? Most of them do not have technical clothing and jeans are a horrible choice, but what they usually wear. 2.) How do you dry your clothing at nite when tent camping in the winter. Hanging in the tent does not work and you certainly can not put them on or under your bag. JPS

Looking for some suggestions for a whitewater outing for Boy Scout Troop that is located in South Suburbs of Chicago. Alternately, looking for a canoeing/camping outing suggestion. Thanks for your help. JPS

Thank you all for your input and suggestions. This board is truly a valuable resource for information and feedback. JPS

Some points of clarification: Most youth have multiple interests. Being a Scout does not preclude playing competitive sports, or going to social events. Opting to attend an alternate activity in lieu of a scouting activity is not always failing to honor a committment. When a scouter become involved with scouting with his child or in any other acitivity, there may be a time when the youth does not wish to participate in a specific activity,for whatever reason, leaving the adult to either honor his committment and not spend time with his child or to excuse himself from his committment.

Well, there certainly are some interesting ideas to my original posting and I thank you. The posting is going in a different direction so let me throw some not uncommon situations: 1. Dad/Mom is going on a scout function and their son/daughter says, "I would really rather go to soccer, swim meet, school dance, etc. and I would like you to be with me." Now you have commmitted yourself to be somewhere other than your child and your child would rather be and your child wuld like you to be with them. So where does that put you. 2. Scouters that I have know, have children who have droppe