ManyHats

My son's den currently has 10 boys. At the beginning of the year 10 was too many. They tend to get rambuncous and loud when they are all together. We finally realized stations of 3 or 4 worked great. We started out with just one leader then added an assistant and a den chief.

I guess the CC ultimately can make the call to break up a den, but I can't believe he or she would do that without discussing with the DL or having major complaints to back such a quick change.

We're hoping to have a head count by the end of the week. Our Pack currently has 28 boys. I don't expect the entire Pack to be able to come. I do expect some siblings, though. Our scouts range from new Wolves to 2nd year Webelos.

How much do you "schedule" your campouts?

This is the first campout since we've been involved that wasn't with the Boy Scouts. We are camping at a park where we can fish and visit an observatory - weather permitted.(This message has been edited by ManyHats)

From what I've heard our Pack is never in the running for the Spirit Stick at day camp and field day. We're a pretty small Pack. What suggestions do you have? I thought if we thanked and saluted each station it might leave a good impression. What are some good marching chants or songs?

I picked up the spiral bound Wolf book this year. (I didn't know there was a price difference.) It was a lot nicer than the perfect bound Tiger book my son had the year before. Just the fact that it lies flat and you can use your hands without losing your place is a big plus. When I went to the scout shop to pick up a Bear book they only had the perfect bound ones. I'm sure they are trying to sell what they have. I guess I'll wait until I have an online order so the shipping isn't so much.(This message has been edited by ManyHats)

We just did one for our graduation with all the pictures from this year.

On the road again - Willie Nelson - field day (cubmobiles)

Life is a Highway & Route 66 - Cars CD - Pinewood Derby

Monster Mash - Halloween

Drive - Alan Jackson - various

Thanks for all the info.

I'm a Cubscout Treasurer. My husband is the CM. Two leaders in the Pack have the lodge patch. I assume they earned it as boy scouts.

I've heard/seen conflicting info on lodge flaps. Could someone explain how you become a member?

We're still planning this summer. Here's what we did/doing this year.

Aug - Roundup & town parade

Sept - Field day

Oct - Halloween party

Nov - Campout & BS cooked Turkey dinner over camp fire.

Dec - Christmas party and parade

Jan - Mini golf, lazer tag and games

Feb - Cake bake/auction

March - Pinewood Derby

April - Blue & Gold graduation

May - Luau

June - campout & Day camp

July - possibly cave trip

Aug - Minor league baseball game

All our leader and committee members wear BSA official shirt, but pushing the complete uniform is a problem in our pack. My husband is 6'10" and switchbacks don't come close to 38 length. I did order some olive green jeans that make him look more official.

My question was more directed at neckware. It sounds like that is totally up to the individual and bolos are acceptable for female leaders/committee members.

Just curious... What neckware do your female leaders/committee members typically wear? I've seen some wear the bolo, but I just see it listed under male leaders. My official title is Treasurer, but I have several other roles. I think the cubmaster and committee chair are the only ones wearing any neckware right now in our Pack.

I agree it's a great resource! Thanks for all the responses. It helps knowing other people are in the same boat.

It's also a great place to vent and cool down before blowing your stack at parents or other leaders and committe members.

We started to see a decrease about a month ago in my son's den. They had finished the requirements for their rank and the den leaders were trying to cram in several electives before graduation Wed. night. Now we are done with meetings and will just have Pack events until roundup in Aug.

Do you need to wear or bring your uniform for either of these training sessions? We're having a hard time getting information. We did finally get out of them that you need to bring your own tent and food would be provided.

Thanks for all the input. Last night went better than I expected. We didn't have a chance to talk to the parent before the ceremony. We discussed it with her after the ceremony and explained the belt loops can be earned at any time. The bringing in posters, etc. isn't a new standard for the pack, but hasn't been stressed. The committee feels that if the scout did the requirements it shouldn't be a big deal to show his den leader and may encourage others to work on more things at home.

BTW one of the 3 we didn't give the scout, the mother said she didn't list that one.

We made a big poster announcing the roundup and showed a picture of the fishing pole that would be given away that night. It was posted at school for several days. Brochures were also sent home with all the boys at school with the signup date. I'm not sure how much that helped, but we did have several boys come.

I wasn't rushing anything. I sent home a paper stating all awards for the banquet had to be turned in by last Wed. Our graduation ceremony is tomorrow night. IMO this parent wants her son to be highly awarded at the banquet. I guess we didn't state electives and belt loops can be earned at any time.

We have at least one copy of the belt loop book. I can send them to the web, but that's assuming everyone has access to the web. I really don't want to make copies of the entire book. If you send a list of the belt loops available, I think we'll run into the same problem.

The point is they had all year to work on electives, belt loops etc. The deadline for turning in all that stuff was last Wed. I didn't get this particular scouts until Mon. morning and obviously he hadn't done all the stuff she said he did. Rules are rules. What are we teaching them if the rules don't apply equally?

On another note how do you distribute information about all the belt loops, so everyone has the opportunity to work on them at home?

Next year it will definitely be run different. There has to be a parent meeting to state they have to sign the books and turn them in each week. I admitt the sheet was too easy. The sheet was sent home to check off what electives they had done, but it clearly stated to refer to the book for detailed instructions. We didn't question the electives they sent in. But in addition to the electives this parent said little Johnny should get 7 belt loops and 4 pins. None of the other Wolves that have been active will be getting anything close to that many.

The kicker was last night this parent told a committee member little Johnny was home making his door stop and said she told her husband he had two nights to complete all the electives she already turned in as being completed.

Your right the boy won't know any difference, but the parent will be all over the committee.

He is a Wolf, but the requirements for the belt loops are the same correct? The last den meeting was last Wed. They were suppose to have the elective sheet turned in then. I finally got his elective sheet along with belt loops and pins this morning. Our awards banquet is Wed.

Here's the part of those 3, I felt we could question.

Make a poster showing things that you can do to be a good citizen.

Do five activities within your home or school that require the use of mathematics. Explain to your den how you used everyday math.

Make a poster that shows and explains the water cycle.

I don't feel the scout is too shy to show his poster. I feel it was more, what can we cram in and say he earned so he gets a ton of awards at the banquet. I have a feeling when questioned the parent will say he made a poster for the service project she counted for the citizenship belt loop. But in my opinion that's not fulfilling the requirement.

Swimming, Fishing, Bicycling, Citizenship, Weather and Math were the belt loops listed. Citizenship, Weather and Math were the ones I felt we could question. Do you make them show proof for the others?

We have a scout that IMO doesn't really want to be there and scouting isn't priority for the parents. His participation isn't high. (Example - he was at the parade, but didn't want to march so he didn't) He's missed several meetings and showed up 15 mins. before the end of one (even though he was in the same building the whole time)

We sent home a sheet with all the electives and asked the parents to mark which ones their kid has completed. You can't really question some of those, so he's going to get 7 arrow points. More than some of the boys that have been to every meeting and participated. The mom got online and decided he should get 6 belt loops and 4 pins. 2 of the belt loops require posters and another has "Explain to your den".

Do you read the requirements literally and make them bring the poster or discussion to the den meeting?

To my knowledge we don't get anything like that. I did have to get a nonprofit letter from our charter organization in order to apply for a donation from a large company. It has a taxpayer identification number, but the tax exempt number is totally different, right?