Momleader

I wish we could eat the delta. We had a rough time the last couple years with council fees coming up and eating that delta in September.  

They know we announce dues/fees at the start of the school year and their financial year begins in January?  

Things went good tonight. Couple odd questions I’ve never been asked before and I’ve been a Cub Scout leader for almost 15 years. Both my own kids are eagles. 

1. Does the cost to join include the uniform. (No, never has in our pack over 50+ years)

2.  What den are your kids in?  One in college and one is a high school senior and  JASM (Eagle). 

3. So if your kids are pretty much done why are you still doing it?  I wanted to give the snippy answer ‘because parents aren’t volunteering to be leaders and the kids deserve the chance to be cub scouts’. I gave the adult answer ‘ I saw how much my kids had fun in the pack and want other kiddos to have the same fun and I work with scouts up until they are Eagles’. 

That is a really good idea!  

Spreading out the work helps prevent burnout

Qwazse - that’s freakin brilliant!  My friend just said that the DE told them they weren’t allowed to do that per council because the scout store already does it and the funds are for FOS and that other fundraisers are usually ok but they really should sell popcorn first since that’s the council approved one.   I have 4 uniforms that needed updating at my house. I was gonna take them 🤪 and save my sanity

On 7/22/2019 at 12:36 AM, fred8033 said:

They absolutely have the power to say no.  The have little power to enforce.  

Just be considerate.  Support your council by selling popcorn and friends of scouting.  Beyond that, I wouldn't ask about other fundraisers.  Focus on making your unit provide the best scouting program.  The rest is noise. 

I’m all for being considerate, but I don’t think it’s considerate when the council adds a council program fee of $30/Scout & Leader saying they did away with FOS and this is a more equitable way to raise the funds - then less than 6 months later sends FOS letters to every registered family in the unit looking for more money  

Ha!!  Some days this would be good

Talking with a friend in another council (next State) over the weekend about fundraisers and different ones that were profitable. 

They told me their Pack & Troop was doing a badge sewing day. Shirts updated, sashes even stuff for girl scouts updated. They had some moms & sewing machines, matching threads all lined up and willing. $5 to update a shirt or buck a badge. 

Local council found out and pitched a fit. Because the scout store does it and the $$ goes to friends of scouting. (They charge a lot more than $5/shirt).   

They also said they were made to feel it was because they don’t sell popcorn  (their HS football boosters sell the fancy prepopped cones of popcorn and has the market) 

I understand there are rules for a reason but this wasn’t going to make the group rich at all. They were hoping to use the $$ for some shared equipment (large grill and new fire pit supplies).  But seems councils always need their cut - even if the offer no support of a particular event/project. 

If the local council is like my council the’ll demand a cut - like 50-60%. 

Feeling cynical - just heard our council shut down a units fundraiser (see fundraising section) 

Just heard that we will find out by December at recharter time if council fees, insurance and national fees are changing for 2020. 

Excuse my language but: How in the fudge are we able to budget responsibly for this and set fees for this upcoming year?  

Popcorn isn’t the bandaid they need

We brought coolers of water and popcicles to the park and flew kites. Lots of fun and pretty cheap. Amazing how many kids had never ever done that.  

Oh, The meeting is all set and planned. We are going but we have lots of parents who are very attached to the loops and pins their kids earn...to the point where the parents ask if there is a patch, loop or pin for helping at the community service project, hike or event this is before they will commit to coming.   (There are lots of classroom treasure chests in our area that may have contributed to this concept of getting a prize every time. )

Did they get rid of the first aid requirements at each cub rank?  I see it is a Webelos requirement and a Tigers Elective. But didn’t see it as either at Wolf, Bear or Arrow of Light?

I was hoping to do a whole pack meeting event at the fire department to wrap this up for all ranks and have the head EMT present the loops/pins to each scout at the end of the meeting. 

Hi There - 

Went to the scout shop yesterday for some awards for the pack - looked at getting new Den Leader Guides.  We pass them down from leader to leader (thrifty).

Didn't buy new ones last year (not in budget)  Its not in the budget this year either, but I will buy them for the pack if there have been substantial changes in the 2018 edition.  So, what besides the cover has really changed?  

I tried looking at them at the store but the manager says they keep them shrinkwrapped and if I wanted to look through it I would have to buy it.  which I understand to a point but they also wouldn't tell me other than the cover art matches what inside changed...

Could anyone let me know before I go spend $40 of my money on these for the pack?

I’ve actually driven past the completed project and it looks great. As a former teacher I feel that the supporting documentation should be legible to be complete.   I understand the workbook is just supporting material, but why not put your best foot forward and do a quality job on the entire process not just the physical building portion of the project.  I guess I will know more when I get the workbook from the scout. More to come.  

I’m helping out in the district with Eagle Scout Project Proposal approvals and Eagle Board of Reviews. 

I approved a project from a scout, it is now complete and just found out that the scout hand wrote the workbook rather than completing it on a computer (the proposal was done on a computer).   Is is out of line if I ask the youth to type it in the workbook in the format they are supposed to use by national?

If it is an issue of not having a computer, couldn’t the youth use the public library and a usb storage stick?  

Maybe the leader had suspicions that something was going on with some of the scouts that was wrong (theft/bullying evidence or illicit substances).  If the felt the need to look through the belongings then there should have maybe been at least 2 adults from the trip and a senior member of camp staff there as a witness. 

With Many youth taking medications daily and the things that could go wrong - I would think the leaders of the troop would have a lock box for medications and an adult responsible for making sure the only kiddo who takes the pills is the one on the Rx. Just think for one minute how dangerous a child’s stimulant medication for adhd could be for someone with other conditions - depending on the dosage it could be dangerous or interact negatively with something else they may be taking. Kids experiment and if they are leaving their pill bottles out in their tent that is pretty irresponsible of them. 

Our troop has a no phones at camp rule. Leaders have them and if a child truly needs to get in touch with someone at home they can by using the camp office or leaders phone.  Have you seen some of the stuff teens post on Snapchat - and nearly every kiddo has a phone with a camera - do those need to go everywhere (latrines/shower house) with them?  No they don’t.  Not to mention how many parents will be upset if the phone is damaged or lost at camp (we’ve had parents irate over missing beach towels after camp)

This year we had one cub earn s STEM NOVA award. We ran it as a trial basis. I took the training to become the pack’s counselor for these.   Now lots of parents want to know how their cub can earn this award next year.

I’m also the pack’s religious emblem adult - I facilitate the sessions for Protestant children and process paperwork for the other religions if they participate. 

Trying to plan next year out - as my own children are nearly adults - I’m asking parents of Cub age kiddos here advice on this question:

Background: Pack Meetings are 1 time a month and typically have a guest speaker or themed event (project or activity based). Most of our dens meet 2 times a month (some 3) in the evenings. 

Question:  What if I planned a meeting on Sunday Afternoon for 1/2-1 hour once a month for STEM meeting and followed up with a Religious Emblem Class afterwards for about and hour.  Would that completely fry young families? 

Saturdays are kinda out since Sports are usually all day when you have more than one kid in your family. And then there’s the birthday parties in afternoons. It makes 2 night campouts a big challenge for us

Personally I wish cubs would switch to a navy blue polo style shirt with the Cub Scout logo on the chest and a flag on the sleeve and a red or gold merit badge type sash. It would be more affordable for parents and - more easily passed down or kept as a momentous of the time in life. 

Our pack is thinking of ordering pack hats this summer. Then a child can wear it until they lose it from K-grade 5. 1 hat for $14 one time  (maybe 2 if they lose it) vs $14 x 5-6 years.  

We also hold a uniform swap for the shirts and neckerchiefs - but some don’t want to pass it on because the patches earned are on the shirt with badge magic. A red or gold colored Cub Scout Sash would make that easier too

It’s a shame about the injured child - but Would this have made news or the parents sue if he was building this in the yard at his neighbors house?  

Scouts and adults in our council already pay a per member council fee. It would be a real slap in the face if they then charged a unit fee on top of that. Especially since they charge us $40 to process the charters  (which are done by us electronically before being turned in with fees)

As we wrap up one Cub Scout school year we are planning next fall’s recruitment event. 

This past year we barely squeaked by and parents have said they aren’t going to  pay more than the dues we charge. Our town’s merchants group cancelled a big event where our main fundraiser has always been held last year and next year.  The PTOs and high school fundraise the hell out of the community - like something every couple weeks - it’s awful.  

Does anyone know if the fees for National are going up?  If so what the rumbling?  Anyone hear a number?  

Asked at the council offices but got no reply. We heard at Roundtable our council fees will probably go up but they will wait until August to announce it - since the council fee is almost the same as Nationals we are worried.  

What’s the scoop??

Could someone please publish the latest link to the "communication standards" we are supposed to use when writing something for the paper?

I'm helping the troop public relations scout (a scout who writes press releases and sends into the local newspapers)  It occurred to me that with all the changes Boy Scouts of America to Scouts BSA I cannot find the information on national's site.  And with the linked troops in the area it makes me wonder...how does one refer to ourselves in writing?

We used to publish as: Town Boy Scout Troop 1234
Should we now call ourselves: Town Scouts BSA Troop 1234B (all male youth members) and if a Linked girl troop starts up Town Scouts BSA Troop 1234G?  

Is it still acceptable to use the words Troop 1234 open to young men ages 11-18 or Troop 1234G open to young women ages 11-18?  Will our troop have to change all the troop numbers to include a B or G addition - or is that only required if troops are linked?

There must have been some written guidelines published but I can't find them today.  

yes, a message was sent to our DE with this question but they are still busy with getting the new Troops for girls up and running and paperwork processed, and scoutbook stuff so this is low on the list.

How many freebie meetings are potential scouts allowed to attend and participate in?

I’m involved in both the town Pack and Troop at the Committee level and there are several youth who have been attending Den , pack and troop meetings as “guests” regularly.  All the Parents have been given the applications and offered payment plans to pay registration costs.  Some have been given the paperwork several times - yet it never returns when they drop off or pick up the scout to be.  

The youth aren’t in the same family so it’s a couple of families this has been happening    with, and while both Troop and Pack are willing to help find them financial aid to pay the fees - both can’t register the youths without paperwork.  

How many freebie try it outs are allowed?  When do you say - “we’re sorry, your child can’t continue to visit weekly without the paperwork”?

Our DE had the brilliant answer of go recruit more girls (we have very strong brownie units in town) - gee, like we hadn’t thought to try that!   A real hard part of this situation is the dad who is the leader has the lions. The daughter is a bear and the bears and lions meet st the same night and time just in different church classrooms. The bear den has a leader and assistant leader (both men - and both who have asked me to attend den meetings since they feel uncomfortable having her be the only female in the room). For the most part I have gone to the meetings and worked on pack paperwork in the back corner of the room but I’m going to be selfish here - my youngest is almost out of high school.  I don’t mind helping with paperwork for the pack  and such but having to go for den meetings every other week is starting to get old.  

If the girls dad was able to be in the room I would feel better about it sliding. It isn’t her fault the mom isn’t around - why should she miss out. I don’t know that going to another pack in one of the neighboring towns would work for the family.  

We don’t want her to miss out and we can’t afford to lose a leader over this. Since none of the other lions parents would step up to be a leader and those are next year’s Tigers.