qwazse

COR may replace the CC or any adult leader, but that won't solve your current problem. As concerned parents, the CC and CM may still promote their agenda -- no patch required. Are the boys setting the schedule for the troop, or are you adults doing that? (I mean, it's awesome if the PLC decided that they want to cover a different Eagle required MB every two weeks, but it's rare that boys will do that. It doesn't leave much room for shooting, fishing, or wilderness survival!) Whatever, you have parents who want a different program than what your troop offers. Giving them a chance to go your separate ways could be healthy for the both of you. The question is when to do that? Do the two units wait until a bunch of boys cross over, then deal with divisive parents who are "shaking things up", or do you let Webelos parents know there is a debate about how the adults are working the program and let the different parties make their case? As troop CC you will probably have to call each prospective parent in the Weblos II den and discuss the possibility of their son joining your troop. Listen to their opinions. It might give you an idea of who would like to be in your unit, and who you'd be butting heads with anyway. Hopefully in the long run, the boys who would get the most out of your troops program will be the ones who cross over. Oh, and make sure you have a good understanding of what the SM thinks.

Our council does a haunted trail. Maybe something of the sort would suit your pack and be well within the reach of your den.

Beaver had managed to convict GClose about getting too involved in addressing a boy's advancement issues. Issues that seem to be reveal subtle character flaws in an otherwise fine young man. Beaver's contended that much of that dialog should have been referred to the SM. Now a few months ago I might have nodded my head in agreement, but at the last Eagle CoH that I attended, 5 mentor pins were handed out. The boy had a reason for each. One went to an MC. His reason: "There'd be times that I felt that I could ignore my mom, but Mr. ___ I was scared of him. When he told me something, I listened!" Why he didn't fear us SM's and ASM's, I haven't a clue! But there it is. That MC's authority helped us do our job. So, yeah, y'all need to be letting us SM/ASMs/Advisors have our say with the boys. And if you're getting dragged into the mix, let us know what's happening. But sometimes a boy connects with an adult for reasons more significant than the patch on their sleeve. So figure out if the boy is using you as a go-around, or as a sounding board. If it's the former, set the boy straight. But, if it's the latter, carry-on. We need all the help we can get.

Tell me the scout slogan. What was yours today? All the best for you and the boys!

One step (I think it's a big one): make sure your 18 y.o.s register to vote. "it's time for you to start running my country."

If only I had a dollar for every hour an adult leader spent agonizing .... G&C, I could give you a list of other things to spend loosing sleep about, but I reckon the Mrs. already has one for you. I love your "let's make it happen" attitude, but that implies that both parties hold up their end of the bargain. The boy has until his 18th birthday to show he's holding up his end. SM Chris, let him know you will be happy to hold his eSMC on the night of his third activity. If he wants to push it through without signatures, I'm sure he can take it up with your district AC. For college apps now, he can put "Life Scout". There's no shame in that. When he gets his bird, he can send each admissions rep a postcard announcing the accomplishment and asking to add it to his file. (Same applies for any recognition for any hard work he put in band.)

Call BS on the BS and let the chips fall where they may.

1. Ditch notebooks. 2. Get a big old canvas, some ropes and spars, paint. 3. Help boys make sign that says: Troop ###, no notebooks allowed! 4. Watch membership double. 5. Have fun trying to keep a dozen boys organized.

Eureka teragon 4 served my boys and daughter well for 9 years. I think I'm gonna go through the effort of patching it's most recent rips.

How many youth really make good, thought out decisions about things that may not involve them in a few years without outside input. Actually, most of them ... If they've had to put up with the crap most adults have foisted on them for at least a season of camping!!!! As a practically matter, the SM tells our committee we should spend $ on equipment. Committee checks budget and adjusts fundraising goals accordingly. How the SM interacts with the boys to determine what is needed is between him and the boys. Committee never sees a written list.

IMK, Seabase does have a lot of novel stressors. Not sure if they would be triggers for PTSD. But, I've seen normal kids freak out over: being in 25' of open ocean for the first time, being only able to get 44' away from everyone else, being in a different part of the country with a different culture. Heck our stay in Miami Beach was tough on some who thought English should be the 1st language in their own country! To the OP, every campout I miss nags me to no end!

First of all, thanks for all of your service and hard work! I think you need to work to regain that civil relationship. Explain that your previous efforts were all in good faith, but overeager, to make the district work better for her her families and her boys. Then focus on other packs who would welcome you letting their parents know of district events. If your son wants to invite a buddy from that pack to an event, that's the only parents you should talk to. You could certainly invite every den leader and CC to roundtables, but that's it.

In BSA, the charter org has claim to the unit supplies, including $$s. If the charter org folds????

Our crew held it's court of honor this week, a younger sister (age 10) asked if she could help start he campfire. I replied affirmatively saying "Far be it from me to prevent a little one from lighting a fire."

SN, Not so much nitpicking as highlighting a core difference, as Howe requested. And (regarding the drama) pointing out that things may not be all that different. I think that that is the biggest difference ... a BSA unit leader will opt to regard highly the youth who are desperate for a physical challenge -- especially if they are in a position of responsibility. (To a limit ... the crew president who wanted us to visit a rogue state had that idea swept under a rug!). The troop will either form a venture patrol, or a standing patrol will start planning unique excursions, or the crew will form a sub-committee for an activity that may only attract 4 youth. Especially with our crew, it's rare that everyone on the roster is in the same place at the same time. A GSA unit leader, as you just described, will try to have the girls come to a consensus on an activity that will attract the most youth. The end product? From what I've seen from merging the different cultures into a venturing crew, the BSA bred tend to toss out grand ideas, the GSA bred work to bring everybody on board and pay real close attention to someone feeling left out.

soothmom, do you go camping year 'round? If you ask your HS age youth what they want to do for a December activity (the closing weekend of deer season being all hat's available) and one of them says I haven't gone backpacking in forever ... Do you suck it up and make it happen? Or, do you go with the majority who will probably just want to go skating and maybe shopping one Saturday afternoon? That's the difference that I observe between Boy Scouts/Venturers and GS units. I don't by into How's drama difference. I've seen the same from boys. Things may be going smoothly,then boom! (Usually when I finally get in my bunk for an afternoon nap.) But maybe my crowd is a little older. Or it could be the group culture. I know my daughter had it rough on sports teams until about 8th grade.

Stop thinking at a unit level. The minute someone mentions getting help from OA or venturing programs, they are better served thinking at district or council levels. I'm not talking about organizational boundaries here. It's just that those kind of youth will more likely get their buddies together to drive 10 miles to help stomp bottle rockets than walk across the street. Talk to the lodge advisor or lodge chief. See if they know a couple of talented boys who like working with kids. Chances are they won't be in the troop next door. If you know a couple of youth in the troop, give them a call. It seems that the leaders are putting your requests through a beaureucratic meat grinder, and by the time an announcement gets to e boys, the sausage is rotten.

Let's be very clear. *they* don't *all* have smartphones. My kids have to pay for their data plans. Son#3 is 15 and has a humble track phone that he only uses for emergencies. Why? 10 cents a minute out of his own pocket. That said, webcams are dirt cheap. There would be nothing stopping a lad from rigging one up.

It sounds like you have the same up and downs that we have with projects. The more you have the more spread thin you are. My rule is that if there isn't a youth to head up the project, we won't do it. That's not as tough as it sounds. Usually all we need is a youth willing to talk up he project at meetings. Also, linking projects with an overnight opportunity helps boost numbers.

adult leaders in the 1970's as being jolly folks Yeah, it's like in the 80's someone pounded a gavel and said "no more gay adults 'round here ..." (This message has been edited by Qwazse)

Some thoughts: I didn't get cited Most troops should be boy led. Using that to distinguish your unit is lame indeed. But, boys do notice when they are being controlled or manipulated and do tell other ASMs where barriers to youth leadership have been put up. Thing is, most cub parents don't actually talk to the boys in the troop, so adult leaders can get away with spouting that mantra. I think it's healthy for a Webelos den to visit three or four local troops. No matter where they cross-over, they should have picked up several ideas of how scouting should be implemented and the diversity of boys who are out there. I think it's also healthy for a den to support it's CO. At times that should occur in concert with the CO's troop (e.g., scout Sunday or a clean-up day). But, IMHO, support should not include putting blinders on the cubs and funneling them to just to the one troop. The troop will just get a cub who has no vision of what scouting is like in his area. On the other hand, crossovers who have seen what's gone on in other troops come in with more ideas for program. Plus, they like us! They know there are other boys "out there", and that means we have more opportunities for fellowship, which translates into more fun. Also, when there's a project for the CO, it might mean that some boys from another troop will be available to help with it.

I'll second TT about the cheerfulness. Anybody can be cheerful on a sunny day. Scouts have that uncanny ability to squeeze joy out of what other folks consider miserable conditions. Although there's no specific forum about translating values into everyday life, a lot of the discussions hinge around how to be trustworthy and loyal, yet kind and courteous, scouters. (In the adult world, we sometimes find those to be on opposite sides of a spectrum.)

The point system kinda falls apart when you have a boy who is two different crew VPs plus SPL at the same time. (Or crew pres and vp at the same time.) That happens with us a lot, but what I see (as with the multiple hat discussion in the other thread) is a youth trying to be a leader in a way that isn't defined by any one patch. In any case, I remember hearing about this a few years back, and wasn't impressed. It's just one more thing to put on a resume. I'd be more impressed by a job applicant who has led a little bit in scouting, a little at church or community, maybe team captain, etc ...

On most farms, the best campsites are some distance away from where the owner will let you park.

Boy keeps materials. Use for odds and ends at home or other service (not necessarily eagle projects). I have a funny feeling that if they haven't for this endeavor, this family will contribute more than the value of those materials in helping others anyway.