Mafaking

"Why is this good enough for advancement here, but not good enough for the troop down the street? Aren't you all part of BSA?" BSA supplies the program material for individual Chartered Organizations to run the program. Program administrates at the unit level are not required to be certified let alone trained beyond the basics. The program itself is fuzzy on purpose to allow units to emphasis and utilize different aspects of the program. Don't elevate scouting beyond what it is, an extracurricular youth program geared towards the outdoors. By the way Irsap, I thought

'A guy and his buddies were canoeing. Somehow, the fellow ended up in the water, instead of in the canoe. He let loose a blue streak.' I wonder if this guy used to be a scout? My guess, Yes! Now if only his SM had given him the 'Why Real Men Don't Curse' speech he would not have been fined.

jblake47, I disagree with you on this one: "The BOR that jumps in at the last minute and then strikes a pass/fail pose isn't doing their job" That's like saying one can never pull the emergency brake. The BOR pass/fail or approval authority within the BOR is in fact a policy tool used to maintain BSA & Charter Organization standards for rank awards. If the BOR is simply a rubber stamp then do away with it. I bet a Board made up of senior youth scouts would have also kicked this scout back. Show compassion, be specific and get this scout and the program back on the ri

Our monthly campouts are a minimum $25.00 and usually higher Typical two night outing Food $13.00 @ five meal Gas $5.00 Camp fee $4.00 State Park Fee Camp Fee $4.00 State Park fee ---------------------------- Total $26.00 Add an extra activity, tour, boat ride, MB fee, Cope instructor... and the cost will usually be $10.00 higher or $35.00. We use fundraisers to bring this down some, but this is a typical fee. Even with this two or three outings with long drives of big tickets items and a $50.00 fee can be seen for the outing.

Between summer camp, winter camp, monthly camps and dues about $1,000/yr. Not including uniforms and gear, just outings and dues.

What do we do now? First get with the SM and review what your concerns were. Then establish what the scout must do. For example, lead a or plan an outing. If its a scribe, present a topic or two on advancement. What ever is needed have the SM be specific as (two canpouts, and two more months). This literal and itemized approach by some is over the top. Its in the scout's interest to make sure he has fulfilled his POR. The world of scout is not dis-served by the actions of your committee. Its functioning much as it should. By not passing a scout while maintaining a sense

I some what agree Eamonn in that it reflects badly on the SM and his program. But the committee of one scout unit out there kicking back a scout who is not in their interpretation ready for the advancement is in fact good for scouting. I see a lot of posts citing the root cause of all these matters as scout spirit. I am convinced that the root cause is in the POR's. Most scouts aren't ready at 11, 12 even 13 for the high demands of being an SPL, PL or quartermaster. The maturity and sense of responsibility isn't there for most. In the original post it was identified that th

Up coming trips, their planning stage and events leading up to these trips. For example whether a campsite has been reserved. Campout arrangements, for example the plan to use backpacking stoves or special packing instructions for an outing. Budgets for outings. PLC items decisions and plans My plans for the PLC Money we plan to spend Money we don't have that I want to spend Most of what is delivered to the scouts through the PLC and youth leadership I deliver to the parents at the committee meeting. The scouts will have already been instructed on how to pack but mom may

Brent. Is right on top of this topic. I can't add anything other than an amen to each of his posts. Kenk, What one looks for is growth. As a pine tree grows different than an oak and a Palm different than an elm, scouts grow different based on their make-up and expected grandeur at maturity. Did your son, plan is own project, establish his own needs for the project, make the calls and speak with the adults for his project? Did he write his own project description in his workbook, assemble his own photos tally his project's receipts? IF he did these things as he sta

'What issues might we face if the just crossed over Scouts attend?' Confused scouts who may think that cub scouts is more for them. A weakness to accept their new patrol as their new unit. An issue of others scouts in the troop considering them as unready and too immature for Boy Scouts.

Brent, There likely is a correlation between bad troops and an excess use of profanity by the scouts.

Sorry I am not in lock step that this is a patrol issue at the root or at all. This is a a time - value issue. A simple camporee at the council scout reservation just doesn't surpass the value of other opportunities available to the scout for that weekend. It's mom not the patrol leader dismissing the camporee as low value. Simple knot tying and skill games don't match up against band, football, soccer and friends birthdays. "These skills were taught at summer camp." thinks mom. "Why spend money and time to re-learn these skills. He has already been signed off." Also likel

Packsaddle, I'll provide them with a mock list of approved gibberish words to be used in place if the real ones. I get the point on the "Real Men". I happen to know that my son's dad curses occasionally and the best I can tell he is a real man.

Last month it was knot tying. Yawn! I need skills in the soft art of getting boys to do their jobs as patrol leaders, scribes and quarter masters. The gentle push to get a scout to commit to an Eagle project. Adult management skills. Getting high school aged scouts to go on campouts. IMHO, the Patrol Method forum has some of the most relevant discussions for a SM.

Look at the inside cover of your recent Scouter magazine. A uniformed youth, complete with neckerchief and backpack, wearing a locator on his back. It looks like a dog control device. Now if I could push a button and get it to fire off a few volts of electricity, I bet I could keep little Johny from wondering off on his own.

Yep! I got some colorful language flying about the campsites. Not in front of me but its occurring at scout outings. I hear about this from the moms and dad who have to talk to junior about his new found adjectives. (This message has been edited by Mafaking)

"Wow. We say the Pledge, do announcements, sing happy birthday and have cookies. " Sniff! I wish we got cookies. All we get are old Wood badge cups and pens that usually say "Jerry's Tires and Service". And we have ti stay til 9:00 to get the stuff. You go because you know you will see Mr W or Mr X there and you want to go over Y and Z items with them.

Edgy but likely to appeal to scouts in the 13-16 range. Profanity aside, scouting could use more of the bravado edge displayed in this video. An old cartoon teenager: "Dad, every time I jump and gas peddle the motor shakes. What causes that?" Dad: "testosterone"

Jamist, I suspect your timeline and expectation might be a little too ambitious. You really don't have a Big Thing coming up in the pack, at least not from the parent's perspective. I think you are doing all the right things but you may have overwhelmed your lead parent. Ease up some, its not a business obligation its a youth group organization for first graders. Getting the den to have regular meetings is important. These parents have to build relationships among themselves to figure out who can and will do what.

As a CM its part of the job to develop your den leaders and staff. So accept this responsibility early and then develop your strategy on how you will develop your talent. Since you were den leader you know what it takes. Divide up these task among the parents there. Plan to nurse this den along until Thanksgiving or so and expect that by then they will be able to more or less self manage. Help develop the calendar for this den. For instance, October is fire safety, create the den meeting plan then look someone in the eye and ask, "can you do, x?" Do the same for November and

If you want it to really last and are not just training scouts then go to a boat store and buy a spool of actual rope whipping material. Its much stronger than dental floss. A West Marine, US Boat store and likely any quality sail rigging store will have this material. The other thing I have done for natural rope which requires a natural material for whipping such as hemp twine used in macromay(sp). After whipping the ends I then dipped the ends in wax or just melted wax from a candle and let it saturate through the whip and rope end. (This message has been edited by Mafaking)

i/[if what we're talkin' about is makin' a scout ready for bigger adventures (what NealonWheels mentioned), or makin' him self-sufficient as an outdoorsman (da traditional view of First Class), or a lad demonstrating proficiency in outdoor skills (the BSA Rules & Regulations standard), I don't think it's possible for most boys in most troops to do in a year.]/i Agreed! More like two plus years i/[How long do we think it takes for a boy with no knowledge to learn to recognize and respond to heat exhaustion and dehydration, and distinguish it from heat stroke? ]/i About a

My scouts would be thinking; what other ways can we get to the Village Hall roof without climbing through the window?

I think about half of the original post is true but even less in his second post.

Beavah That is about as efficient an explanation of the current committee / scoutmaster arrangement that can be said. It would be nice if the program were to catch up to the typical arrangement you described, instead of pretending that troop committees are made up of the town's chamber of commerce people.