jr56

You have the boys plan activities where they have to use the knots they have learned to build things. You can also have them do patrol competitons with things like knot relays, building litters and transporting patrol members in a race, etc...

At least consider yourself honored that they see something they like in you. After multiple attempts to be accepted by the hierarchy in my council, only to be snubbed as they ask the same people over and over, I've finally told myself, the heck with it, and walked away.

I always wear a neckerchef. My troop has custom made ones, but hardly any of the boys wear them.

Maybe start by making some low key inquiries of key leaders in the troop as to how this process got established, and if they are comfortable with it. If it is firmly entrenched, and everybody is happy with it, you probably won't have much success changing it. One thing you can do is set the proper example yourself, and hope the idea catches on.

Agreed LisaBob, that's a fight you're better off not even getting involved in.

Obviously, there are councils out there that limit the number of merit badges a counselor can sign up for, but as far as I know, the advancement policy and procedure manual says nothing about a limit. Seems like they are in violation here.

Usually the DE and the DC work closely together. So if you contact one, you get the other one too.

Thank you for sharing.

Welcome to the forum. Yes this is an old problem. Your best bet is to ask specific parents to do specific things. Something simple, that won't take alot of time. There will always be a few that will not help, no matter what you do. If you need something really bad, just say that the activity will be cancelled if you cannot get the help you need to carry it out.

Advanced mathmatics gives me a headache.

True, I have also known several scouters who didn't earn their Eagle, and regretted it later. But you are right, it's not the end of the world if they don't finish.

Every school I have ever attended has been closed. I must not be very good luck.

Happy Thanksgiving to all. Welcome to the holiday season.

I would say, let them try it. If they have been active at some point for 6 months since earning their Life, then they have fulfilled that requirement.

Ed, given the parameters you laid out, I would probably vote no.

I've seen many of the same problems over the last 10 years or so, and have tried many of the solutions put forth on other posts. In the end, you try to be as accomodating as possible and serve as many youth as you can.

I still like the llama idea. But I still don't see any llama pop-ups appearing..

To make a long answer short, sounds like you are already on the right track. Try to consolidate the units as much as possible to concentrate the available adult leadership help. Hopefully, after a period of time, with good support and training, the units will grow stronger, and more units can be split off and formed. Better to have 1 or 2 units, rather than have them all fold and have no units.

Congratulations Foxes Rule c-11-96

How very sad, my prayers are with the boys family.

Agreed, the BOR review should be held, if the consensus is to not award him the advancement at this time, then the appeal process must be explained to him. Let the chips fall where they may after that, so to speak.

Keep up the good work, my prayers are with you and your family. It is a testimony to how good a job you did that eveybody still thinks that you are the person to go to for answers.

I agree that some of the uniform costs are excessive. I really don't see that much of an advantage to the polyester/wool combo myself.

I usually tried to have an ASM advise each patrol, for situations like this. As AM I couldn't be everywhere at once. The other advice about contacting an older junior leader was also sound.

Don't get too upset Its Me. Most scouts and scouters don't wear the uniform shirt when doing outdoor activities, for various reasons that have already been stated by other posters. I always wear the uniform, just because I feel I should be setting the proper example. In the end, you just have to do what you feel is right, and not worry too much about what everybody else is doing.