qwazse

3/5 done. Expect shorter post from me for the next couple of months.

Ya, sure. Make the boys do more paperwork and table any real working independence. The boys will love you for that! If you are going to "ease" your way into more youth leadership. Give them a serious responsibility. Choose a real route to hike. Collect real money. Buy real food.

not afforded the opportunity to earn initials on these requirements so they did the right thing and lost The lock-in sounds like a lot of fun. The boys who went are winners. They'll get all the initials they need when they're good and ready. The other boys got helicopter-parented for the sake of a few check-marks, if that's winning it's a rather Pyrrhic victory.

I have one youth who is working on her venturing Bronze religious award and touches base every month or so as to her progress(who's helping her with what, etc ...) Keep in mind that each bronze award requirement is roughly as time consuming as an elective merit badge -- although the process of getting signed off is nowhere near as formal as the blue card system. It would be a much different award if she came to me saying "Here are affidavits that I did these requirements ... how 'bout some bling?" They may very well be letters from all of the people who I would have had work with her, but I would have been left out of the loop. So much for that "advisor" patch! So I see E732's point. In this day and age a kid can pop you an E-mail so distance doesn't matter. The kid shouldn't be required to shuttle blue cards halfway across the country if there's a responsible adult that can fill in for an SM, but an SM should be kept in the loop. But sometimes you gotta let the water over the dam. When the boy's back from camp, I would saddle the kid with presenting a bunch of material that he learned. Not as punishment, but having earned so many MB's he's probably picked up a few interesting skills that could benefit the rest of the group. If there is no indication that the boy knows the material, that's when you really need to have words with the camp director!

Fred, Just because something sounds like "aVenruring concept" doesn't mean it is. True, I expect more of my crew in terms of management. But the boys in the troop sometimes have moments of brilliance. Plus, the boys have a responsibility to tend to 11-13 year olds, whereas in the crew any such obligation is voluntary. Like jblake points out, you can only push as far as the adults can stand. I would also add that you want the boys to leverage their talents. One scribe might need more intervention from your Advancement Coordinator than another.

sorry, triple post.(This message has been edited by Qwazse)

Sorry, double post.(This message has been edited by Qwazse)

I'm with CP. If the boy held a POR for four months, and nobody questioned how he was doing his job at at the time, then he's good to go. If only other boys' parents would help them live up to their position! But I would ask the boy if he would like to do things differently for his next rank. Maybe he would like to do the position differently. More help from a friend inatead of a parent, for example. maybe a different position, like instructor which may challenge his communication skills. this information will help his new SM get him plugged in to troop life.

"Justify" it to whom? I don't think the OP was suggesting there was the NA police out there. Really, the only folks we need to justify our actions to is ourselves. There's no outside entity obliging us respect or disrespect any other group. That said, the way we imitate NA culture should reflect our ideals. Is it ... Trustworthy: Do the dances reflect the character of the tribe or tribes who might witness a ceremony? Does it give non-NAs a fair vision of NA culture? Loyal: Are we being faithful to the people whose ancestors walked this land long before us? Helpful: Are we assisting the tribes who need our assistance? Friendly: Are we building and maintaining ongoing relationships with tribal leaders? Courteous: Does what we do show respect? Do we learn boundaries? Kind: Are we humble? When we offend, do we make an effort to be understanding? Obedient: When given boundaries we stay in them? Cheerful: Are we taking up solemn responsibilities with joy? Are we sharing the joy we gain with others? Thrifty: Are we using our resources wisely, and not playing a game of costume "one-upmanship"? Brave: Are we taking a stand? Clean: Is how we act and speak about another culture high and pure? Reverent: Are we working out our duty to God through understanding NE culture? If this is what your are doing as you incorporate NA cultural practices, then you have your justification. This doesn't mean you'll be free from criticism from everyone. It just means you're living up to your ideals to the best of your ability.(This message has been edited by qwazse)

Also I've been told a lot of the changes are a result of emergency medicine on the battlefield. ... and campus shootings ...

So where are the boys supposed to learn the skills????? Don't worry, BD, they'll all have EDGE. No need for references!

Why can't we sell decorative tins? That would bring the price closer to $5 per unit. The line could be "Scout spirit enclosed, just add your favorite holiday treat!!"

KC - you bet your graphite pole lighting can sneak up on you (in the Appalacian foothills)! Especially if you are in a sound dampening wooded ravine and the closest thing to your are noisy scouts. The first strike you notice may be five miles away and closing quickly. I've started to carry a weather radio that is pre-set to national weather service channels. It does ease the mind a little bit.

IMHO - The largest reason why some folks don't believe in uniforming is that rolling out a new model uniform every couple of years has lead to very non-uniform uniforms -- especially from the waist down. At Scout Sunday I noticed this even in our shirts. Some boys had their Centenial uniform with khaki green epaulets, others had red epaulets. Our council just merged so shoulder patches were not all changed over. One mom who usually only sees me at scout meetings noticed I had my venturing shirt and the Kelly green epaulets. My newest female venturers said she felt odd sitting with the scouts when she and two of my officers didn't have a uniform even though they were compliant with the crew's dress code and looked sharp! In a sense, National doesn't believe in uniform. Their marketing promotes comfort (which some of here debate) and trendiness over conformity. So, why should we bother? Honestly, on the parade field some of those "all blue jeans" troops with vintage shirts look more uniform than the "national supply" troops where half the boys are in the latest style and the other half are in what their older brother got when he crossed over.

Not taking personal! Just trying to put some meat on boy-adult balancing act. Oh, and I haven't pulled out an inspection sheet since I was SPL. Except for once at the request of one SM, and then the boys were allowed to inspect the "old fart patrol." I have answered honest questions about insignia to the best of my knowledge -- looking up an answer when I was stumped. And, I have been able to outmaneuver most uniform police. So, I think we're both talking from opposite sides of the same coin. My ongoing approach (applied regularly to scout-son #2): Make clear what it means to be "in uniform" or not. Use a reference he can return to (just because it's better than EDGE). Avoid making a Federal case of the whole thing. And, let him bust my chops when it applies. FWIW - the best way I've seen this operate is when the SPL goes around the room and gives a vintage patch to each person in proper uniform. Minimum lecture, maximum action. Adults may qualify too (although we usually wind up tossing the patch in the bin on our way out the door). It's a great way to get those old collections out the door but not in the garbage.

I love the concept (and the challenge!) Additional question: how do you all pack it so you don't have carbon smudging all your gear? (I'm really not as fastidious as that just sounded, but I was just wondering.)

jb, I'm not against the boys. And they are welcome to comment on my insistence on wearing shorts (even in Winter) at CoH's because I'm not a fan of the pants. And wearing my comfortable non-uniform kaki's at meetings. As long as they can take it when I pull out the inspection sheet and hold them to it, they're welcome to dish it out. Adults, now that's a different story. As far as the SMs are concerned, well I'm sure they each did the calculus as to weather my laundry list of nuances were worth keeping me on their roster. Each addressed me on the issues they saw as important, and I've made adjustments where we all agreed it would improve the safety of the youth OR where it was clear the poor guy had enough hassles (by the adults in full uni with five rows of knots) without me adding to them. BS's worries about undermining leadership are, well, B.S. Talk to the man. Tell him you appreciate the things he brings to the table and you'd like him to bring one more. If he can't or wont but is still good for the boys, shut up and keep him around. If the boys bring it up, teach them how to be respectful in their ribbing. (You know, the way you'd want a caring adult to be.)

whatever you do at weigh in, encourage your boys to build solid cars that they can maintain and repair for years. Our boyscouts have a no-holes-barred PWD where they pull their old cars off the shelf. If it can make it down the track, it can race. modifications include duct-taping wrenches and soup cans to the cars. however, modest weight adjustment with a properly placed propeller seems to work best!

The form is on scouting.org if you search for youth membership application, it should give you the current link.

Does anyone require their scouts to provide their own PFDs? Our troop doesn't have its own gear. But I have my own tandem kayak and some families have their own canoes, paddles, and PFD's. Regardless, when we go to the outfitter, they will offer to loan from their collection of PFD's at no xtra charge. (They fact that we are renting a bunch of canoes on off-season means a lot to them.) We spot-check and if one of theirs is in better shape than one of ours we take it and stow ours. So, take a play from the outfitters, make sure your troop has a complete collection. The boys who take this up as an activity beyond scouting will eventually acquire their own gear.

TT: Most charter orgs would agree that "unhealthy" is the mildest way to describe it! But the issue is how do you help everyone grow given that this seems to the problem of the day. Well there are several topics that should be part of SM minutes or discussions at campfires: - Music/Video piracy. - Hacking. - Parental restrictions. And the age old "if you're doing something you know your parent's don't approve of, should you be doing it?" Or more simply, "don't break your Mama's heart!" In general, adults need to make clear that being clean and trustworthy doesn't always come easy. That's why they are in The Scout Law, and just because it's hard doesn't mean you're off the hook if you're doing less than your level best. But that's just general conversation. I think your "specific conversation" needs to be focused on your son. You need to know what *he* thinks. Has he tried to do the same thing? Is material being shared on troop outings? Should he take a stand? Does he feel intimidated by it all? Then, if you think the SM could be a positive influence, give him the heads up. Between the two of you, you can decide how to tell the parents. If you do wind up in a conversation with the scout (and I honestly don't think you will, unless the parents make him talk to you about it), explain to him that you're just starting him to work on the kind of thing that he'd have to address in Family Life merit badge anyway.

You phone company should have records of these incoming texts. (Or at least be able to archive them for you in the future.) Are you sure this isn't part of the scouts signature line? I had one youth who's messages to me end with "~ wierdo". Turns out he had chosen a default emoticon for which my phone did not have an image. So, instead of some goofy looking face, it spelled out the text! It is imperative that you confront the boy and his parents immediately. They need to understand that you welcome these meaningful "on record" conversations with boys, but sometimes a boy doesn't understand that texts are *not* private in that they don't disappear, sometimes a boy is trying to say something important but winds up being hurtful because he doesn't know exactly how to say it, sometimes a boy is in serious trouble and needs help. You, the boy, and the parents need to figure out which it is. You can make it clear that texts are fine, and you'll keep a record of them to help sort out problems in the future, but you also expect a certain level of decorum. Explain to the boy that you are responding to him the same way as if an adult friend would start behaving this way. But just like you'd demand an adult friend to straighten up immediately or get help in this situation, your demanding from him some respect and a full-out attempt to get at whats wrong promptly and peaceably. [if I'm a little sensitive to this, it's cause one of oldest son's former classmates committed suicide last week. There's no indication that anyone "missed" any signs, but we're all just a little on alert.]

If you can score a kayak paddle or too, you might find them useful for your gaurd boat who may want some extra maneuverability, our the newbie who needs a little help.

SW PA has a lot of camps within 2 hours drive. I think 7 different councils are within 90 miles of Pittsburgh.

First, congratulations for your hard work and success. I've never seen it done before, but I figure his/her next of kin will gladly recieve it on their behalf. Just attach the pin to a thank-you card. At your court of honor, read your card before giving to the family member. If they aren't present, read the card anyway and make a commitment to take it to them at the next opportunity.