qwazse

Ready, set, don't go until you see the whites of their eyes!

Don't know if the Rubicon forks so you can actually cross it twice going the same direction, but ... He was surrounded by men and women of good character, who didn't belittle him for his stance, and helped him to have lots of fun while he figured out what he really believed. The kid got to complete a project that he will be proud of as long as it stays on that wall. He can tell his kids that when push came to shove, he was honest with his values. Scouting helped him reflect on important matters. None of those are detrimental. Chalk it up to a success. "worked for nearly 12 years to become and Eagle Scout" -- Pity ... now even cubs is no longer about fun. It's all about the bird.

Folks, "local option" is a myth. Here's how it will play out: - policy is removed - leader of unit 666 in CO X identifies as non-heterosexual - COR or IH attempts to remove him/her on principle - co-leaders (in the same unit or outside) rally to his/her side citing BSA's newly minted open sexual orientation policy - Council staff tries to explain COR's prerogative to concerned leaders, but the person in question has very strong ties to 666 - leaders appeal to the courts or press (whoever listens) "Discrimnation continues in BSA" - blogs and chat rooms copy headline ... it's pointed out that other scout assossiations (e.g. UK have) no such option. - pressure on National to impose "non-discrimination" on every level. Like it or not, progressives and reactionaries, we're all in this together.

fun for boys ... [vs] ... teaching or even demonstrating Scouting skills I think that's where we find a clash in philosophy. Some people see those as opposites, others synonymous. For some boys, the "building from scratch" is part of the adventure. But you're probably right. The boys who think "I've already roughed it 12 nights this years" is less likely to buy in to this Jambo's marketing than the boys who think "I've only roughed it 12 nights this year."

Requirements are signed off on an individual basis, but that doesn't mean they are "done" as individuals. I stole jblake's line and used it on our PL's: "Take care of your boys." As far as the requirements are concerned, our PLs are given the T2FC grid from troopmaster on their boys. They are to set their agenda based on the requirements most boys need/want to work on for their next rank. Now that we have most of our boys at 1st Class, they decide what MB's they might want instruction on. We might invite a counselor to a meeting so he can give his contact info to the boys and arrange more follow-up. FWIW, honor patrol is not on our boys' radar. My woodbadge buddy reorganized his troops COHs so that the SPL calls the boys up by patrols, and awards are given to the boys by rank in each patrol.

BD, maybe HC's parents aren't soliciting $$$ on FB to pay their mortgage so they can still take the family to Disney. Best think of Jambo as the boy's first national convention/trade show. It's also an opportunity for your boys to work under a different SM. The "primitive" conditions (I.e., more patrol cooking) was a plus in my book. For some folks, getting in on the ground floor is a big deal. Our troop always takes the first week of summer camp b/c one of the ASMs likes to be available for National Inspection. Besides, if nobody was first or last there would be no camp. (Kahuna, I'll send you our fee for prepping staff for your week.) Although I made a good faith effort to promote it, I can understand why a youth-run crew or troop might not do it. I'm pretty sure my officers thought the discussion was a waste of time from the get-go. I took meeting time to present it anyway because I had just spent a year taking calls from all over the country to fill spots on our Seabase contingent, and the folks who brought it up with their units made our trip a success. The advisor for our council contingent to Jambo deserved at least that from me. That said, if all your boys are reading Boy's Life, they know about Jambo already.

Fixing the problem would take a certain level of awareness on his part. Has the guy done Woodbadge? If so, then he should know about self-assessment. It might be time for him to have one. I try to get my youth and committee to evaluate me in my role as Advisor every few years. I used to think I'd do this every year, but i found that it took quite a long time to change even the simplest things. I'm not saying you need to help this guy straighten out. I'm just pointing out the thing that I've found to be most effective. Like BD implies, sometimes the best favor you can do him is transfer your boy to another unit.

I think your guy is in the "I yam what I yam" stage. I've seen it, caught it, and dished it out too. Completing a swimming partial is a hassle. Took son #2 four years. Your, video should have been between your boy, you, and a merit badge counselor. SM should have only been shown completed signatures. Multiply your video by 10 other "requests for sign-offs" and the guy is probably posting a thread about *helicopter parent ASMs* to blow off steam. (Not saying it's not his fault. He may be a generally accommodating guy and generous with cookies ... until that one extra mouse!) And moving scouts anywhere? There's a reason for venturing and venture patrols. Bottom line: do the boys know he thinks the world of them? Your answer to that will determine if he needs help or if you all need thicker skins.

Best tools are human resources. Go to roundtables, get your SM and CC there. Meet up with other scouters, and try to share one or two activities with a different troop. Give the PLCs of different troops a chance to have a craker barrel. Organizationally, a council calendar, a school calendar (if most of your boys go to the same school), and your CO's calendar are beneficial for all three. You don't need a copy for each member, but there's gotta be a time and place where you all sit and fill in key dates. Anyway, how you handle at is up to you. A phone list of all adult volunteers in the troop is essential. A list of council camps and favorite spots is helpful. Yes, there are handbooks for every position. They work if folks read them!

Can't judge the SM by the church he pastors. Hopefully he will talk to you about it. If I were him, I'd send more of my boys to you. Except for that sidebar with mom. I would expect the boy to be able to handle anything you'd have to say to the mom. But this is why I will not write a note for anything for a boy until he talks to a counselor. For example, camping nights: a counselor may just ask a boy to list his activities until he comes up with 21 - no troop master, or signature required. I save time, the boy gets a chance to reflect. The MBC earns props in my book. If MBC sakes for verification, I'll do my best to put the paperwork together for the boy.

Modesty among venturers ... it's a thread in itself, but ... The Baltimore Ravens Cheerleaders performed at last Jambo. So that ship of discretion has already sailed!

Our crew's screwed.

2c and 2morrow, Of course it wasn't persecution! Please take the hyperbole in a light-hearted spirit. All I'm trying to do is make practical use of that negativity. We have folks on the fence about going, and a list of cons would help. But rather than interrupting every thread that talks about transportation and the like, y'all can ask me to core dump here. Seems to be working,

Here's to a good working relationship with the CC. Since the poor guy got himself "stuck in the middle", take advantage of it. I would have him tell the anonymous parents a couple of things: 1. You're grateful that they voiced a concerned. 2. You were discouraged that you made this process so intimidating that they were afraid to talk to you directly, or if they did talk to you, they felt shut out without you realizing it. 3. If the boy can tell you he's having trouble with your expectations for requirement x, you'll help him figure out if you're being fair or if he has a better idea. 4. If there's a way to adjust to his limitations, you will. But (and I've seen this happen a lot) many boys would rather try and do the requirement as it's put to them -- even if they have a disability that makes it nearly impossible to do that way. Giving the boy a week or two to improve his work can sometimes surprise parents, SM, counselor! Part keeping the CC as the go-between is to maintain his relationship with the parents while also supporting you. Part of this is to encourage the boy to keep working with you. And part of it is to train the CC in MB counseling so that when you free up those hours for the Mrs., he can take up your slack!

So lots of us or our boys (or young women venturers) have passed up the chance to go to this Jamboree. Clearly we have our reasons, but then get persecuted for stating them: If you don't want to go because you are sure that you preconceived negative notions are correct, or for whatever reason, there is not need to insult it. Let's put aside any idea that conventions are impervious to insults and usually don't need defending. (The good people of Goshen proved that's not always the case.) I think there is a need to lay out why someone passionate about scouting would not do Jambo. I went to Jambo in then 80s and had a blast. I had attended other youth conferences, and in terms of sheer numbers this was the largest. It was my introduction to two of my hobbies (satellite imaging and minimum impact camping). I brought back plenty of swag, and would show it to my kids from time to time. Result: none were interested in Jamboree. The simple issue: for the time and money they could be at Seabase or touring Italy or they could afford a couple of soccer camps. Of the venturers who did go to Jambo this last time, two could not afford our trip to the Bahamas. Those who did go to the Bahamas and could have probably socked away the $ for this Jambo, went on a trip to Europe instead. Or, it's time to save for college. So if I pull off a trip this year, it will require a shoe string budget. On the bright side, there will be plenty of summits that won't be swarming with thousands of youth!!! And I think a lot of my crew are after small, intimate gatherings. Jamboree is like theater, nice work if you can get it ...

On the road 19hrs to her college, my daughter and the Mrs. requested a reading of the Hobbit. So, we stopped at a Walmart and picked up a paperback. Left it with her to finished the last five chapters on her own. (Pity, the voice of Smaug is one of my favorites.) That's the downside of a kindle, you just can't toss it to the kid who liked the story ...

Don't be fooled by "crows flight" distances. Roanoke is an extra hour (or more) drive away than is Charleston. For those of you with time to kill (?), a flight into Morgantown and a drive down Rte 19 through the mountains is usually pleasant. (Not like the Rockies, but something to see if your are a geologist. Civil engineers: the pull-off on the north end of New River Bridge is worthwhile.) I suspect the folks at WVU would be happy to give potential students a tour of the main campus on your leg there or back. On the other hand, they may already be setting up a booth at Jambo!

... Ya know, the guys who were molesting boys.....not the gay men, ... So, the guys who are in those files because of molesting girls ... they aren't straight? I love how folks like to mix their delusions. While I've met a few homosexual acquaintances who were lifelong mates, I've known just as many who were vile self-absorbed nihilists. For good or bad, they are lumped together in the same basket. When you are asking folks to be more open minded, they don't just think you're talking about the quiet pair of bachelors (or bachelorettes) down the street. They cringe at the thought of the whole kit and caboodle having unfettered access to our young people. And in response the sidle up to BD's table and thank him for a job well done!

Interesting that you did not mention Introduction to Leadership Skills for Troops.

If your troop involves boys in O/A, the other reality to point out is that in O/A elections, this stuff can be a deciding factor. At least in our troop, the obnoxious do not garner votes. Just one more thing to politely advise the boy.

Explain to the store owner the issue at hand. You could make the case that to make up for your error, your boys made sure they weren't selling between midnight and 12:35am! But regarding the SM I'll tell you a quick story. My daughter was excited for her first GS cookie sell, she had her form and we were on our way to take older brother to troop meeting. So I encouraged her to go around to adults taking orders. It was a couple days before sale start date, but what did I know? Anyway we got flack for it. Nobody was mean, just a phone call to my wife. But my daughter was mortified that we broke a rule, and asked why they gave us a form if we couldn't fill it out. (Like homework, start it as soon as you get it, right?) That was the end of her short lived GSUsa career. So if the SM shows up tomorrow, ask him to introduce himself to the boys. Because, if they decide to quit scouting because of an adult's unseemly behavior, they'll be able to refer to him by name. You could also make amends by inviting him and the Mrs. to your Blue & Gold. Dinner covers a multitude of sins in my book!

Tell your boys that there are folks who want to put a bunch of BS in the BSA.. Your doing your best to keep it out of it. There are some things they can do ... Carry a rope in their back pocket, when boy starts on his high horse, say "10 seconds" throw rope down, and say "bowline.Tie it now." If outside, "find north, now". Toss the boy your compass, ask "what's the bearing to the next tree". If the boy knows his stuff, they can be annoyed. If he doesn't (more likely) then they'll know what the real rank is under the patch,

S947, there's no age limit on calling scouts on their bad behavior. If they're foolish enough to post it on the internet that Al Gore and I built, they'll hear from me. I figure they friend-ed me for that very reason. 2C, sometimes it comes down to a "reality check." I'm not "doing it all" so that I can do scouting, and even then if one adventure goes over budget the next one (e.g., Jambo) doesn't happen. My responsibility as an advisor is to point that out to the kids and suggest they content themselves with only their highest priority activity before paying the crew a deposit. To adults, I don't feel quite so inclined. I've had to be direct once or twice, but it falls on deaf ears. (E.g., for high adventures, deposits are non-refundable. You cancel? Not my problem. It's your job to sell your share to your replacement.) I just try to keep the "needy" ones as far from the treasury as possible. Not the "poor" ones. There's a difference, you know.

See if parents who were scouts in the late 70s have their leadership corps emblems. Duplicate. Put on sleeves. They looked better anyway. IMHO, the device should be a ring (or arc) that fits around the usual patrol patches. So troop 1's VPat might be flaming arrows, but troop 2's might be bears. Or a troop with age-based patrols might promote the bears to VPat one year and and the flaming arrows the next. Or you could be allowed to be member in your original patrol and the VPat at the same time. (I think that was the original intention.) However ever it is set up is SM's prerogative. Just seems to me whatever patrol(s) should be identified in one place. Anyway, as long as the boys are recognized for "amping it up," it's all good.

BD, folks just don't relate to the need for a boy to hike and camp. They can relate to the "importance" of preserving their middle class dream. Ya know what's totally awe inspiring? These are probably the folks who will rant endlessly about the latest public figure's financial foibles .... Check some of their old FB statuses just to see. I might suggest that FB strategy to a guy who just got his car repo'ed. I know half his problems and can guess the other half, but he's too proud to out and ask for help.