MaScout

They can use canoes in still water (i.e. a lake) with all the proper precautions...PFD, adult in canoe with them, Lifeguard & First Aid/CPR, etc.

CA Scouter -- grow older, but never ever grow up! We don't forget how to play when we get old, we get old because we forget how to play!

yeah...it feels so good when they make it! We are a "young" troop. When our 6th Eagle had his CoH, the owner of the local paper started visiting with me. He commented on the leaders' time committments and how much they invest in these boys, then complimented us for doing this and getting nothing in return. I said, "Oh, but we DO get a lot out of it. Look around. See how proud he & his family is. Look at his future. Look at his character. See WHO he is. He will come home from college & seek us out. We have the memories. That is such a better reward than any amount of money you could give me." He looked in my eyes, he looked at the young man, and he couldn't think of a thing to say... Aaah. It do feel good.

Dan's asking about the rank requirements, not the Swimming Merit Badge. You can't choose hiking instead of swimming. It needs approved through Council, but with proper documentation, they should be pretty accomodating. We had one Cerebral Palsy boy who had some changes made, although I don't remember what they were...probably PFD. He also needed some modifications made for the 5-mile hike. Ma

Good point, Kittle. Sometimes those of who love what we do tend to forget that it isn't everybody's niche. I've often said it is such a blessing that there are teachers who like to teach young children and those who do better with the older ones. Just tonight at church, we were discussing how everyone finds their niche. Why should Scouting be any different? We each have our strengths, and not everyone's is the same. Thank goodness! What would a troop be without SA's, CC's, treasurers, taxi drivers, etc.? Bless you for your supporting role. Are your reasons for not wanting to be a visible leader selfish? Or are they self-less? Since I am so involved in so many areas of my children's lives, I sometimes deliberately step back and let them grow without me. This is for their betterment. So, NO, I don't think you're being selfish. I admire you for doing what needs to be done, but allowing your children to spread their wings, too.

So...while I was composing my lengthy reply, several other great posts were made. ScoutNut, I meant to include just what you said..."for the same reasons a male wants to be a SM!" I especially liked the "Who wouldn't want to be a SM?" Spoken like a true believer! MK lists "characteristics"...what I was trying to say, but took a lot more space to say! What he says is SO true. And while I agree that it is good for the boys to see women in a leadership role, I still feel that ideally, (if all the qualities were the same), it would be better for the boys to have a male role model than a woman as SM. Finally...WHAT WAS I THINKING?!?! I left out the most important reason. The REWARDS! Now, we all know a SM gets double a SA's pay, so what ARE those rewards? You all know already, or you wouldn't be so committed to your programs. It's that pride you feel welling up in you when one of "your boys" earns his Eagle. It's that feeling that steals over you when one of your Scouts is accepted into Yale or a Military Academy, or is recognized in the community for selfless service, or when they volunteer to coach a Little League team, or they rescue someone who has fallen through the ice...and every one of these boys puts some of the credit on the BSA program. It is the intense pleasure you get when they are home for vacation & stop by the troop meeting. It is a bond & a brotherhood. So, as ScoutNut said, "Who wouldn't want to be a Scoutmaster"?!?!?!?!

Wow! What a question! My answer is similar to GWDs. Who is able & willing to take on the position? There are soooo many factors to consider here. GWDs husband works a rotating shift, my husband works on call, so they are not able to be SM. The able part is two-fold, though. Not only are they able time-wise, but also whats been touched ondo they have the Scouting skills, people-management skills, temperament, etc. Then, when you find a male who is able, is he willing? This is a hard combination to come up with when you are in a small community. Right now, our troop is almost completely female-run, with my husband being the only man who is consistent in his participation. I am the SM because I am the only adult who is able and willing. Barry says it well when he says first choice Since we dont have a man for first choice, I stepped up. Gwd says, I've learned that, while maybe not the best situation, a female SM is not the worst thing that can happen to a Troop. I waaaay agree with what has been said about male role models. Our troop started in 1996, and Ive been the SM most of that time. For a year, we had a dad who was able and willing. I gladly stepped back. It was awesome! The boys had a great experience. But when he had to move on & I stepped back into the position, the boys were very accepting. I have the Scouting skills, and I LOVE SCOUTING!!! I have great respect for the ideals in BSA. I have the time to devote to making our Scouting program the best it can be. I attend training whenever I can make it. I want to become the best leader I can so I can share that with our young men to help them become the best they can be. I am a pretty good SM. Our troop is mostly boy-led (although we still back-slide). We work towards boy-led enough that our UC, DC, and DE have all sent troop leadership (adult & youth) to us to see how it works and for mentoring. Thats not to say were perfect, but we are always working to improve. When I started, I did get some resistance from some men in other units. That has dissipated over time. Partly because Im not cocky about it, Im not fighting political correctness, and I happen to be quite good at what I do. (GWD sometimes its not bragging, its stating facts.) The adult males have mostly gotten over the stigma of asking a woman how to read a compass or topo map, or how to splice ropes or tie various knots. I cant think of one person in our District who doesnt support me now. There are some areas I hold back in. I dont attend the Philmont Trek with our boys. Our family backpacks extensively, and I enjoy it very much. (We spent our 20th Anniversary sitting on top of the world, actually a mountaintop in Wyoming.) But I dont attend because this is a guy thing. Ive had several men in our District urge me to attend. But lets simplify thisit would make the boys uncomfortable when I went to the bathroom with only a rain poncho for privacy. The whole picture is much broader than that, but that typifies the situation. Our local Packs Webelos-2 den has a Dad I have my eye on! He took SM specific and OLS training last month. I have had very open discussions with him, letting him know that if & when he is ready, I am ready to step back. He wont be stepping on toes. (Our Troop committee is in agreement on this.) I am a female SM because I love Scouting, I want the best for our youth, I want a quality Boy Scout experience available for my son as well as others, and I happen to be the best choice for now. Sorry the post is so longbut I wanted to answer completely. Ma Scout

Ditto Michelle. They receive the BL the 1st time, subsequently, they are recognized, but do not receive the actual BL.

I'm thinking "out loud" here... Hmmm... Our Troop (boy's decision) likes to put on a "New Scout campout" every spring, a couple months after we get a new raft of Webelos bridged in. Hmmm... What if the adults held a "New Leader's campout" alongside them...??? While the older boys teach the younger Scouts, what if the more experienced Scouters coached the new parents in the same skills? Hmmm... I think this idea is starting to grow on me... Ideas? Beyond that, what about the idea of holding a "Scouter's Skill Development" campout? Or maybe during Spring Camporee or other large gathering of Scouts & Scouters, have an area for the adult leaders to practice & review their skills with leadership who is good in those areas? These might even be youth who teach adults... We've had Scouts teach Pioneering skills at OLS, as they were some of the best in the council...Know & utilize your resources, and all that. Besides, it's good to be reminded that sometimes youth really do know more than us! Lots of planning. Might not get a good turn out, especially initially, but if returned to each year, the attendance MIGHT improve... Maybe if some of us developed a plan, we could pool our ideas, and it wouldn't be as much work... Hmm...

Barry, No, I was not a Boy Scout. I was a Girl Scout. No, they are certainly NOT the same program. However, in the Scouting program, I was fortunate enough to have leaders who didn't "siss-i-fy" the program. Moreover, I had a family (all sisters, so kudos to my Dad) who were really into camping and outdoor survival. I question who might have been better at lashings at age 12, you or me, but I won't debate it with you. Why not? Because it simply doesn't matter. Experience is a great trainer. Not all people get to experience outdoor skills equally. That is very sad, from my point of view. For some, they are delighted they haven't had those experiences. I agree with your idea of brother troops, too. While we don't have any standing affiliations, there are several troops in the vicinity that we often share ideas & help with. Isn't that what Scouting is all about? "Brother"hood, a common goal to help the youth grow into better leaders, yadda, yadda? While I'm trying to take no offense, and what you have to say may be true in MOST cases, I just have concerns about absolutes...All, always, never... Ma Scout

We've had several boys who have had this problem in the past, and it is always handled discreetly. There are several options... 1) There ARE medications available. Ask your doctor. The simplest one the boy takes about an hour before he goes to bed, and it suppresses the bedwetting. It IS prescription, but it does wonders for the Scout's self-confidence! The boys we've had who use it generally only use it for camp outs or sleep overs, but don't rely on it at home, unless there is a severe problem. 2) We have had a few boys who take large pull-up diapers with them. They slip it under their shirt when they go to the latrine just before bedtime. Then they remove it first thing in the morning. He takes a plastic bag with him to place it in, and either discreetly takes it to the garbage under a jacket, or an adult leader walks him to the latrine as his buddy and takes care of it when he emerges. If your troop has troop tents the boys use for monthly campouts, and they use the same ones for backpacking, do NOT allow your son to use them unless he has the situation under control. Urine has a lot of salt in it, which is an attractant to bears. You might talk to troop leadership and explain why your son should take his own tent. Wet sleeping bags CAN be passed off as moisture on the inside of the tent, which the bag brushed against. Are any of your son's friends (in Scouts) aware of the concern? We have one boy who's friend always tents with him. He is very discreet, too. Sympathetic and understanding. Above all...encourage your son to go camping! It is too much fun to miss for ANY reason! Best wishes and keep Scouting! Ma Scout

..."always some degree of unqualified adults starting troops, but adding women increase the problem by 10 fold." Whoa there! Them's some fightin' words there, Eagledad! Why 10-fold? Why not 2-fold...as in once for untrained men and once for untrained women? Personally, I am better equipped, trained, and capable than any of the men in our troop. I've had many people both in and out of Scouting say that if they were stranded in the wilderness with only one other person, they'd want it to be me. The Native American who has run our summer camp wilderness survival for years sometimes refers people to me for assistance in basic skills development. Yes, we ALL need to practice in order to retain our newly learned skills. Ever hear of "see one, do one, teach one"? It's a great adage, and it works! Keep teaching it. Teach your Scouts, then have them show you, then have them teach others. Our OLT is awesome...tremendous effort goes into teaching these new skills. Opportunity is made for practice. Sometimes our District holds Scout Leader campouts, where the leaders get together to review and compete in their skills. The key is learning it thoroughly the first time, then reviewing and practicing. This is true, regardless of gender. YIS, Ma Scout

While spouses may share tents, my husband & I don't usually, either... First, he usually takes a "tin teepee" if he can, and I prefer (as SM) to be outdoors in a tent where I can hear what is going on. Besides that, I LIKE sleeping in a tent, or even under the stars! He's not so keen on it. When we go to summer camp, if we take a large tent, we share. If we take smaller tents, we don't, simply for space. MaScout

We try to find a middle ground. I like most anything, so I suppose that makes it easier. We always caution them to select "Scout appropriate" music. They know what is & is not appropriate. On the rare occaision they slip something in, (& this is usually because they forgot the lyrics were there), at the first bad word, the CD comes out & is banned. We really don't have a problem with poor selections. And when they get really noisy or obnoxious, I slip in one of my Celtic CD's or an orchestra, which I turn on really loud until they settle down!

Yes, LDS units (all LDS people) consider themselves Christian.

Our troop often has a bugler. At one time we had the privilige of having two. We sometimes have them at summer camp. About half the time at District events. It is awesome when there are two -- one on each side of a canyon with one answering. We also do all the flag retirements for the American Legion in our town, and always have the privilege of at least one bugler, sometimes two (have to "borrow" a friend sometimes).

I use a subdivided notebook. You can get ones that hold 4 or 6 CD's per page. they usually have a clear front so you can see the label. Then I organize by topic & date... For example, all the photos are together, all the training material is together, yadda, yadda, yadda. Then I use a LIFO (Last In, First Out) type organization...the most recent stuff is in the front.

I found this website when I was researching for some night games. You might want to check it out. http://www.inquiry.net/outdoor/night/index.htm See the Patrol Method forum under holding a Lock-Out for more ideas. Good luck and have fun! Ma Scout

'Atta boys are good for many things, and great motivaters for some situations & some boys. I like the idea of the Scout Oath & Law coin for this particular task, as a motivator. Patches are very popular...check your Scout shop and see if there are any patches you might use for motivation. Our Council sells extras from old campouts. Maybe something like that would work. But there are usually some "Good job" or "I Did My Best" patches available too, which are often good for motivation. Sure, the satisfaction of "a job well done" is great, but not always the neccesary motivation for a lad. Maybe some of the previous posters are great motivators personally. I do know we have had leaders in the past who thought offering prizes for required work was bribery and totally inappropriate. I also know they often led through intimidation. Our Scouts said of one in particular, "He was potty-trained at gun point, and he leads that way." I'd rather offer a reward.

Our District Advancement Chair has always told us that Eagle is the only rank that can be revoked. I can't quote where this is written, but have believed this to be true for many years. I may have believed wrong. However, a young man (Eagle) in our community was arrested for drug trafficking and this issue came up. We were told the proper steps to take for Eagle revocation... That aside, the guy sounds like a blustering fellow who is a little full of himself. He needs to follow the rules and chill out. Is he your District Advancement Chair? If not, ask the DAC to assign you someone different and explain why. If so, go to your DE or your Council Advancement Chair for help.

Long, T38 -- I'd be glad to email you a copy of the compass game, but I need your email address. Please pm me and include it in the email body. Thanks! MaScout

Wow! The response has been great! I sent out my scanned copies to several people. If you wanted a copy and I didn't get it to you, please pm me again. If you got several copies, I apologize. My computer was wacking out tonight! Hope it will blow up well enough to read! Ma Scout

I have it already scanned into my computer, per a thread in one of the other forums. I have emailed it to several people. If you want a copy, pm me with your email address, & I'll get it sent pronto. Ma Scout

If you are tired, (which I always was when I was expecting! ) by all means take a break! I always preferred SA to WDL, but I prefer working with older youth in all walks of life...teaching, church groups, etc. However, I did really enjoy my time as a WDL, as well as the other Cub positions I held (CC, DL, TDL). I did a lot of research and gathered together a lot of fun ideas...we worked on a lot of badges as a group, but they often didn't realize they were "working". For the dead boring stuff, I'd mix it in with some of the fun stuff. Good luck & I hope you return refreshed! Stay in touch with this group & I'm sure you'll be able to keep your enthusiasm lit. Ma Scout

We do the same as kittle...it kind of follows the "no more, no less" rule in Boy Scouts. If they don't do the work, they can't earn an award, as the award is based on the work being completed. We talk to the boys and let them know ahead of time what the expectations are and why they aren't getting a particular award. But it is up to the boy & his family to complete the requirements if they want to advance. Kinda' hard for them sometimes, but not fair to the other boys if they actually do the work. We had one who didn't get his Arrow of Light. He had the choice of staying in Cub Scouts until he finished it. He was sad he wasn't getting it, but understood when we explained. He chose to bridge with his den.