Lynda J

How old is the SM's son? Is his son close to Eagle? Maybe the SM doesn't want this boy to make Eagle before his son. I have seen it happen.

Have a unit in a different district from mine that has a SM that won't let two boys start their Eagle project because his son lacks two badges before he can start his project. I ran into one of the adults from that troop at Commissioners College recently. She and her husband are starting a new troop because of problems with the SM and Committee.

I would get with your District Advancement Chairperson and talk to him.

The scarry thing is that if his boy get really discourages he may drop out and not complete his Eagle.

Kevin gave me $10.00 this morning to send and our troop is going to take cases of water to our local food bank. THey are getting a truck ready to head our by Friday. I am cleaning out my pantry tonight and sending canned goods.

And prayers are gives on a regular basis. My grandmother lost everything she owned in l961 when my home town was hit by a 100 year flood. At 75 she never recovered from it.

Fingerprinting doesn't suprise me. It is offered at almost every Merit Badage college as is Art.

It is also a fairly easy badge to do.

I wonder what Unclassified means though. Lots of those badges

We do much like Eagledad. The boys get one part of their blue cards and the troop keeps one. This way if for some reason a scout loses his binder we have copies on file.

As for incomplete. Even if a scout never complets a certain badge he learns something from it.

About a month before COH we let each boy know where he stands on incomplets badges. Part of the time they get at least one of their inc finished.

Had one SM tell me that if a boy has more than 3 incomplete he refuses to give them any more blue cards. He and I had a little disagreement about BSA policy on this one.

We have two boys in our troop that are Apserger Autistics. One is undergoing treatment the others mother refused to see he has a problem. The one under treatment is doing great. Yes we have to work with him more. Many times I have sat down with him and held his hands in mine and made him look me strainght in the face. The other boy is harder because of the lack of medication. I feel sorry for both of them but the one not treated more. If either lose focus on an outing we will try to target them back to what they were doing. It works. You just have to make that speical extra effort.

We have to agree with FB, mom does not need to be doing everything FOR him. He needs to be taught to be as independant at possible. For his own good and well being.

Working with special needs kids can be a real challenge but it has it own rewards.

Welcome Rick. I know what you mean by recharging batteries. Working with good kids is such a kick.

Watching faces when they learn to do a new skill.

or when they teach another boy to do one.

I grew up with this. My mother graduated her last troop of Girl Scouts from high school just after she turned 70 and was talking about taking on another troop. I'm 58 and can't imagin not working with kids in some way. Just love it.

The guy that works for me had the school call him about 6 years ago and tell him that he was to take his son to this certain Dr. and have him put on retalin(sp) or he could not come back to school the next day. I really questioned this and went with them to this Dr. This guy looked in the boys ears, listened to his heart and looked down his throat. Charged them $50.00 and wrote the prescription. 0 testing,not even any blood work or check his weight. THe kid was a basket case within a week. He couldn't study, couldn't sleep, and couldn't hardly eat. I talked them into taking him to another Dr. and having his checked out. They finally did and the other Dr. had a screaming fit.

Seems the other Dr. is refered to as the ADHD drive through clinic. The new Dr. took this kid off the medication, did over a month of testing and finally gave him something else. The teacher had a fit and threateded to suspend him from her classes. Since Kevin is in the same school system I sent to the Superintedent with my concerns. He was non to happy about it. Informed the teacher that she was to never refer a student to a doctor or she would not be teaching in the system again. Seems 60% of her class had been sent to this same "quack" and had been put on medication. It also make me wonder about parents who would so blindly medicate their kids.

I have ADD and ADHD kids in my troop. They can be hands full. And I don't have a problem with kids that truly need this medication being on it. But IMHO I think we are to quick to put kids on medicine. I have seen kids as young as 3 on ADHD medications. The comment was "he is just so overactive that I couldn't handle him"

It can be an easy way out. But we program our kids to "pop a magic pill" to control their behavior, then take a pill so they can go to sleep, at such early ages, then we wonder why when they get older they are so easily attracted to drugs.

When my boys cross over just over 2 years ago I found several ceremonies on ScoutXing.com that were great. I gave them to the boys and let them pick. They selected one named for Neil Armstrong.

Since we had talked to the troop. They sent their SPL to our meeting and he sat down with out boys and made the plans. It was great for our boys to see that, like we had been saying when they went to Boy Scouts they were the ones that had to make the plan.

We did our part of the crossover and then they were presented to the SM by the SPL and ASPL. The other scouts presented them with their troop scarves and books. At that time we left the Pack meeting and joined the troop for a meeting with parents and for the SM to explain how different the troop would be run that how they had been accustom to things with the Pack. He also made it clear that while he welcomed all parents helping that from this point on the troop was run by the boys for the most part and it they wanted to work with the troop they were expected to take training.

all of our adults except on are registered with the troop and have had at lease Committee training.

Everyone is correct. And for one thing that trainer needs to be informed that they are teaching the wrong information.

This hung next to the front door of my parents house for as long as I can remember. My parents loved working with kids and did most of their adults lives.

A HUNDRED YEARS FROM NOW

.....IT WILL NOT MATTER WHAT MY BANK ACCOUNT WAS,

.....THE SORT OF HOUSE I LIVED IN,

.....OR THE KIND OF CAR I DROVE

.....BUT THE WOULD MAY BE DIFFERENT BECAUSE

.....I WAS IMPORTANT IN THE LIFE OF A CHILD.

When my father died in 84 a young man I had gone to school with came to me and ask to speak. I said he could. He got up and said my dad was the reason he was where he was that day. (He is an attorney in my home town and is now the DA.)

He said that when he was in high school he was headed down a bad path and that my dad was the only adult in his life that was willing to take a belt to his back side and then hug him. He said had my dad not cared what he was doing he had no doubt in his mind he would have ended up in prison.

My dad could be a hard man that demanded you do everything you could do the best you could do it.

For that I will forever be greatful. I think that to many times we want to make things EASY for our kids. We don't want them to have to struggle. We don't want then to "fail". But in failure there is success. There is learning and growth.

Kevin will be acting as a Den Chief for a Web I den this year.

He is 12 Star Rank working on LIfe. Has been PL and APL. He is really excited about working with the younger boys. He is already going through all my old Cub and Web books for ideas on what he could teach. The Den Leader he will be working with requested him. She talked to the SM and them ask Kevin if he was interested. He was.

I think this Position can be helpful for both Webs and the Scout.

He helps the Webs transition into the troop easier and it gives the Scout a sense of leadership and helping the younger boys.

As soon as this leader ask Kevin he had me take him to the Scout Shop so he could get his Den Chief book. He has read it cover to cover.

A Den Chief is as good as his excitment for the position. And as good as the Den Leader will allow him to be. Kevin has a meeting with the Den Leader next week to go over what she wants him to do and he plans on presenting some on his ideas to her at that time.(This message has been edited by Lynda J)

I have the same problem. Espcially with the shirts. If they fit in the shoulders they won't button in the front. For the pants I buy a larger size and take in the waist. You can have them "made to order" but it chaps me to have to pay to have the pants made when I can make them myself. I know what is involved into getting a good fit and believe me you can't do it by mail.

Unlike Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts do not offer a package where you can get the pattern, material and all the snaps. My mother was tiny and she made her GS uniform. She was wearing a 0-2 before it was the fashion. She was also 4'9" tall.

By earning the Rank of Ealge it becomes a part of that person. A part of their sole and being. I don't care if they are Army, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard of what they will for now and for ever

BE AN EAGLE.

In fact it is probably the reason those young men were there.

Director 4 years

5 days 3:30 to 8p.m. M-T Friday 3:30-6

Friday was always family day and with leaving at 6 the leaders could have time to get things shut down and we could get home at a reasonable time

Cost $60.00 on time $70.00 late.

We did not have an aquatics program

But had Archery, BBs and loads of other stuff

Our Webs did an overnight on Thursday night

We do not provide food of any type., Easier that way. Don't have to worry about likes and dislikes or allergies. Kids and adults bring their own food. We had ice chests to store them in.

First year I directed we had 112 kids. Set it up where the Webs were a totally different camp with their own director and program. Second year had 145 third year 179.

Sure was a lot of fun and a lot of work.

Kevin is currently Star and working on Life.

He is 12. He want Eagle by 16. Made a banner and hung it on the wall that says

"16 = EAGLE". He doesn't want to make Eagle before that because he wants to be JASM and has to be 16 to do that. THen he said he has 2 years to earn Palms. Plus he said he wants to have fun making eagle.

I agree Eagle is much more than the patch on the shirt. And leadership ability and maturity is all part of that. To me 16 is perfect. Young enough to understand and old enough to understand.

This is the way that many Councils have been doing recruitment for a while. In most cases it does not work. I hate it. Last year the Pack ended up with 3 new boys only one stayed in.

Kids want to see what they will be doing when they join Scouts. They want to see their friends that are in Scouts. They don't want to be talked at by some fuddy duddy adult. They get that from teachers all day.

I don't remember if I have posted this here but I do believe it says exactly what groups like this are.

Your face, your smile, I have never seen

I don't know the color of your skin

Your voice and laughter I have never heard

I don't know if it's soft or loud

Your hugs I have never felt

I don't know the strength of your arms

Your hand I've never touched

I don't know if it's calloused or worn

But to me you are my Friend

Dearer and sweeter than many I've found

The question comes to me, "How can that be?"

You don't know a face, a touch or a sound

But is it the physical nature of a person

That causes me to call you my "My Friend"

Or the feel of a touch or strength of a hug?

I don't need those for you to be my Friend

You have shared with me the words of strength

At times I have felt weak and worn

You have brought me a smile, a laugh

Uplifting me and bringing me joy

You have lent an ear to me and listened

Then gently guided and directed me with your words

You have hugged me tight and wiped away my tears

Then generously gave to me above and beyond

You are more to me than just words on a screen

For behind those words is a person who cares

A person with feelings, a tear and a laugh

Who holds my mind safe and secure

For even though I don't know your face, your touch

I feel and see you in my mind

I see nothing wrong with incentivies. We tell boys is they sell so much popcorn they can pick prizes. We give ribbons for Pinewood derbys. We award badges for work done. These are incentivies in their ways. I don't agree with handing out knives since BSA policy is that a scout can't carry a knife until he has earned his chit.

The year that Kevin entered Tigers the recruitment was almost like a Scout Show. Lots of Cubs and Scouts that were already in and lots of display of crafte and skill being shown. It was great Kevin still is friends with the Bear that talked to him that night and showed him how to tie a square knot. This boy is still in our troop. And we had 22 boys register about half are still in. The next year was the same and we had about the same number. The next year the Council said they wanted to handle recruitement.

They sent a DE out to "talk at" the boys one evening at the school. We had about 40 boys show up, 11 boys sign forms and finally got the money on about 7 of those.

This is not the way to get kids into Scouting.

They have been talked at by an adult all day at school. It isn't fun to go in the evening and be talked at by another adult. This past year I took Kevin with me in his BOy Scout uniform to the Cub Night at school. He took some of the things he had done, pictures of campouts and his badge swap collection. The DE was actually upset he was there. The boys that were there loved looking at Kevins things and kept asking him questions. After a little while the DE ask me to take Kevin home. Kevin and I left. The other Unit rep there said they signed up 2 boys and neither of those ever showed up at a meeting.

Boys interested in scouting want to see what they will be doing. They want to see the fun they can have they want to see the things the boys already in are doing. They don't want to sit and be lectured to.

Felony convictions can follow a young man his entire life. OUr past Unit Commissioner's son was involved in an auto thieft when he was 17. The other two boys went to trial and were no billed. He, being the good scout he was admitted what he had done, and plead guilty. He is now in his 30's and when he applied as a adult in our council he was turned down. And this was with the CO a letter to the Council stateing they were aware of the case and accepting him as a registered leader. It seemed a little harsh to me.

My boys like District events. We also take part if some Council Events. Most of those get to big though.

My suggestion is, if you go to a District Event that you think is poorly planned, step up to the bat and help. District Events are planned by leaders just like yourself. There is, in most cases very little if any help from Councils for these activities.

And like many other things when the same people have to keep planning the events they begin to run out of ideas and energy. They simply get stale.

Our District still does Tap Outs. THey are done at our Spring Camporee. It is beautiful. I cried this year since Kevin was tapped out. He got to do his Ordeal on his 12 birthday. Not seem him much more excited about anything in a while.

We had 4 boys and our SM tapped out in March.

But I think the Tap Out/Call Out is a very importanat part of the OA process. There were 22 boys tapped this spring and there were almost 100 boys there to watch, including 6 boys in our troop who had just crossed over. When the OA members came around and tapped the boys their eyes were as big as dinner plated. Very impressive.

An added tip. If your boys are selling popcorn see if they want to be working on the Salesmanship merit badge. They will be doing almost every requirements.

Just the same with boys taking drivers education.

They will complete Traffic Safety.

I agree with Semper. The next one. Because if he does not earn the next one he can't make Eagle.

Does the Charter Org know what happened? If not they do need to be told. Has he admitted to taking and using the cards? If not you need to wait until he is convicted. But the CO does need to know what is going on.

I don't know about a scouting gene. But I do think that in some cases parents instill in kids the need to give back to your community.

My parents had Girl Scout troops before I was born. They were on the Charter Board for NoArk Girl Scout Council in North Arkansas. They also had the church youth fellowship, were sponsors of the Riding Club, and chaperoned every school dance we had during school. My mother graduated her last troop of girls from high school just after she turned 70. My troop started with 17 girls in 2nd grade. The same 17 girls graduated from high school together. My parents charged each of us with giving back a year for each year they gave to us.

So now at 58 I am still giving back, still involved in scouting though it is Boy Scouting now. Of the 15 girls still living all but two are involved in some way with working with kids.

I was assistant leader of my first GS troop at 22, directed my first day camp at 28. During most of that time had at least one troop and for 6 years had 2 because the leader of the Senior troop moved and the troop would have folded had someone not taken it over. I did take a little break of about three years where I didn't have a troop. Then I got Kevin when he was 4. When he started 1st grade I put him in Tigers. He is now 12, a Star Scout, almost Life. Lacks one badge for Eagle. Wants Eagle by 16 so he can earn palms and serve as JASM.

My wonderfully wise Gran had a saying:

"Your community is like a tree, you are a leaf that nutures it or mistletoe that sucks it dry.

Be darn sure you are always a leaf.