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Hi all, if you remember, son was almost done with his paperwork for Eagle scout.  Had his workbook done, only needs to do letter of ambition.

Well, last nite, after he emailed his SM to ask if they can meet to have the workbook signed, he and I  talked.  The email was not very complete, did not have good details as to what he needs from SM and I scolded him and asked "what"?  He told me he doesn't want to do this anymore, he is done.....tooo much paperwork, he wants to stop.

He said that he does not like this troop, his second because of needing Sundays.  He said that they do not accept him, he does not feel welcome.  They have not had a meeting for 7 weeks now.  He asked the SM in mid May to please sign his LIVIT for NYLT to get his beads before he turns in his eagle book.  There was a campout that weekend and son thought there would be a meeting that Sunday, SM expected him to come out to the campout (had to miss because of basketball tourney during the day on Sunday) 50 minutes away.  Son was also told there was no meeting that night.  Also troop cancelled last meeting because it was the Sunday of Memorial Day.

Now, son is so discouraged, that he does not want to even "look" at his Eagle book any more, and it look beautiful by the way, in a binder all in sleeves and colored pics and all.

I am very sad, very disheartened, very disappointed in scouting.

Yes, this is an adult run troop. Son was trying to change it by being SPL, but when hubby, the Unit Commissioner stepped away from the committee meetings and all, they went back to their evil ways.  Now, they cancel on a whim and tell the boys where and when they are going, which is not much.

I just "want" my son to get the signatures that he needs and walk away, head up.  Now i am not so sure he can even do that without a fuss with SM

Hi all, just wanted to update you with the info that my son has completed his Eagle scout workbook. Looks pretty nice if I have to say so.   He will be taking it to have it signed off by the benificiary next Monday and then off to Scoutmaster.  Yayyyyy!!  Boy, is that a lot of work.  Now all he needs to do is his Live-it for NYLT beads, his life ambitions essay and his application.  Should be done by December... LOL.  No, really, I am hoping by fall he should have it all wrapped up.  Had his final Eagle merit badge counseled last evening.  Has 22 merit badges total with a possible 4 more on the way from summer camp.

He is happy that he now can see the end of that long dark tunnel of paper work.  Boy oh boy was it something else keeping him on task.  The reason I was rather prodding him is to make sure he can finish by December before all the requirements have to be re-done for ranks.

Just wanted to share the good news.

OH, ALSO, he and hubby seem to be turning the troop around a bit to be boy lead.  Scoutmaster finally started "talking" with son and telling him how he wanted the meeting plans wrritten up and such instead of texting.... gee, not rocket science to figure out face to face is better?  Scoutmaster even mention to hubby that son really does know what he is doing "somewhat" anyways for a 14 going on 15 year old.  He now runs the meetings himself AND the boys even listen to him.  I am just so proud and happy for both son and troop.  Can you tell?!

Have a great Tuesday.

Thanks so much all of you, really.... when I typed chills, I meant it gave me chills to read how you want your scouts to rememeber you by, and I wished my son had leaders like you  

chills guys.................

Tears..........desert rat. Thanks

SPL did not get chance to appoint, SM did the choosing.  SPL does not even "know" all the boys positions.

Now that you mention it, son did say that he is learning that the world is made up of difficult people.  Maybe this is a learning incidence to deal with difficult people.  Hubby said ASPL is a yes-man to SM. I will mention it to son to talk with ASPL and see what he can do.

Thanks desert rat.  Yes, I am being mama bear.  I am so DOGGONE proud of this kid and no, he is not giving up, yet.  He is starting to wince at the busy work, but is doing it.  I am hoping he will get accustomed to it and just automatically do it.  And yes, I take personal offense when someone disses my son. Have been dealing with this seems like forever, but son still goes on.  He is a great kid, of course Mama Bear will say that, right?  Mama Bear Syndrome to the hilt.  I just don't want to tread anywhere I shouldn't that's why I am getting it out with you guys.   And THANKs by the way.

Maybe this is just a wrinkle with the SM and son and they can iron things out.  I would feel more comfortable without the texts, that's all.

Well, I am not sure if he is the"troops" UC or the Council.  I think the council.  Council wants him to "clean" up the troop because they have been not doing things like they should have for the past few years.  No new recruitment in almost 3 years and lost 9 families.  SM was doing advancement as well as signing blue cards and keeping them from the boys.  Told them what and when they would work on them.  Now, as the UC, hubby has reassigned advancement to another individual, which SM has called a naughty name to, and the Committee Chair has been given their full power, which they did not know they had until UC told her a few months ago.  So, SM has lost a little of his "hold" on things.  He is busy with work and if he cannot go camping or do the outing, then no-one did in the past.  Now, my husband is available plus two others to go.

So, yes I think SM is getting aggravated, but Council wants things repaired and UC needs to repair?

Sigh.........where does one begin...Yes, it has been me asking all the Eagle scout procedures for the work book and such.  Also me with the SM issues.  Things are going, slowly, but surely.  Workbook is being filled in, slowly, project was finished mid February.  Now son was newly elected SPL in February, with prodding from me and his Dad.  SM is not making transition easy for this kid.  His idea of communication is through texting and some emails.  Son has a very light case of autism, he is VERY high functioning--A-B student in school.  Just has a "communication" issue because of Asperger's.  We/he do not disclose it unless it is really needed.  Don't want to use it as a crutch.  We liken it to "well johnny has brown eyes, you have blue.  Jimmy has autism and you don't" and go on with living.  He has gone through all kinds of therapy early before kindergarten which had done wonders for him.  I am hoping that the SPL position will help him with his "milktoast-ness" and learn to speak up for himself.  But  again, it is tough because of the Asperger's and SM is a............ welll, lets just say he is like a male apendage to son.

My husband DOES NOT like to tell people of this issue. But, I am thinking that it might help to disclose it, with communicating with SM and Committee.  SM just seems to be piling lots of busy work on son such as calling, emailing, and texting troop if they do not sign up for an outing to make sure that they will/will not go.  And then there is that lost meanings in texts/emails that one may or may not understand and the texts seem to go on forever..................I am rambling.

Guess I just want to hear that all will be okay while he is going for his Eagle rank.  I just don't want things to get too riled with SM and then he puts a wrench into the Eagle situation.  Son transferred to this troop 1,5 years ago because he needed a troop that met on Sundays due to sports, so he is kind of new to this SM.  He is on the Freshmen football and basketball team, 3.9 GPA.  Is doing AAU basketball.

SM and hubby (Unit Commissioner) have been going round and round with how this troop is run/NOT run and he needs to put things in order and I am afraid my son is caught in the middle.  I now feel guilty for talking my son into running for SPL, he was on the fence and said it would be too much, but we said we would support him thorough it.  NOW, it seems that SM is throwing a lot of stuff at him and explaining through emails/texts rather than actually talking face to face.

Oh, son is also working to earn his NYLT beads.  He is setting up a camping outing for the troop in April to add to everything else he has going as well.  The kid is busy busy.  

Please tell me it will all work out?

You guyssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss!

Stosh, you serious about starting over???  sigh

Okay, okay, I understand.      Just want to make sure it will be okay... thats all.  He is procrastinating so much as it is.  He might have the report done by the time he ages out.  He is 14.5.  LOL

He "did" write all the items down in his note book with pricing and units, but now cannot find the receipt.  Sounds like he should be okay with that?  Phew.  Did not know how he was going to get new receipts.

Hi there, I have another question for the workbook write up.  My son can't find his receipts for one of the stores he purchased items at.  He has the other receipts, but cannot find the one stores.  What should he do?

Thanks guys!

Hi again, can you tell me how much time a Life scout needs to serve before he is eligible for the Eagle Scout Rank?  Son has been Life scout now since July of last year.  Was the PL until February and is now the SPL.  

Does he need to put in 6 months with a troop and THEN another 6 months after that with a leadership role.  Or would it be both at once?  

Sorry if I am confusing here.

Thanks

Hi, you guys have been so informational to me this week.  I was just wondering in the BOR for Eagle, or when the actual workbook write up goes to council, will they actually call all the companies that made donations towards the project?  Or do they just call the references that sent in letters of reference.

My son has asked some of our clients to donate, and just wondering if BSA will call on them for donations such as friends of scouting or just to make sure they actually did make a donation?  These companies would rather not be bothered, but they need to be listed, right?  Also, will they call all the box stores that my son received donations from.  Just wondering.

As we delve deeper, makes me nervous for my son to get all this stuff right.  He has asked his coach what he needs to write and the coach said "everything".  Well, that is going to be pretty much, but I am sure he will do a great job.

Thanks

Okay, just spoke with Hubby and he said as the UC, he really should not do the SM position.  He has someone that will be able to do it, but not until January.  So, that is a predicament.  He is very big on Scout Law, I spoke out of turn before.  He is just holding the current SM to his duties and reminding him that he should not speak to committee members as the was he did.

Thanks Stosh.  My mommness needs to calm down a bit.  Maybe SM will realize that my son can help and maybe even take a load off of him a bit.  Let him lead and see where it goes...........

Thank you for the suggestions Krampus.  Son is going to sit down and make a few plans for future meetings and is going to incorporate fun things, team building exercises and also learning activities, such as knots and things.  This troop has been so out of the loop of real scouting that it hurts.  I feel so bad for the scouts that have stuck it out with this regime.  And I now changing over will take time.  The parents seem  to agree that they want more of a scouting expereince for their boys, just don't know where to turn.

Hubby says that he has to talk to COR about removal, and he has been working on trying to obtain their contact info, but it seems nobody can help him get it.  It was'nt the top Chairwoman that was called a name it was the one who handles the finances of the troop.  I don't even know all the ranks or names of the committee.

I just want my son to have at least "one" good year of scouting, up until now, it has been a disappointment.

Well, all I can say is this...............I am being a "mom" here.  Yes, he is my little lovey, no, he does not need my direction.  He did quite well the night of the meeting on his own.  It was just that my little lovey was viciously attacked, IMHO, over a text message, expecting him to have a plan for the meeting or use the plan that was already created from the last SPL.  I did not like the tone that the SM master used with my lovey.  Son was a bit miffed and baffled as to what the SM maeant by any of the texts as SM never met with him after he was elected SPL.  Troop only has maybe 12 meetings a year, so son didn't really have a good chance to see everything behind the scenes.

Son is ready and willing to make a go of this.  I will stand behind my lovey, encourage him, have his strive for excellence and he WILL NOT stoop down to this SM's level of scouting!!  I just am hurt "for" my son that he is being talked to in texts like this.  I believe in respecting everyone.  

Guess "I" am not scouting material, wasnt' even a girl scout, BUT I know right from wrong and personal human kindness.  This guy stinks and the rest of the parents think so too, unitl now, they just did not know where to turn to fix things.  This troop had a mass exodus when this guy took over three years ago.  Had 20 families then, only 9 now.  No new recruits the past few years, gee wonder why.  Why did son go here?  Because it "seemed" like a nice troop and he wanted to earn his Eagle.  Had to find a troop that met on Sundays instead of during the week to do sports and scouts. He is willing to work double duty for the sports and scouts to get'er done

Committee is very disgruntled with SM, and Chairwoman that was called bad name wants to quit post, my hubby, Unit commissioner has calmed her, telling her that he will take care of things and will put SM in his place.  KIds DO NOT like going camping 4 times a year and my son is going to change that with HIS LEADERSHIP.  He will get them camping once a month with hopefully day outings inbetween.  My hubby is just trying to do this diplomatically and let SM hang himself, make the noose a little bit tighter.

Heretic, not sure where you are coming from?  Son "just" was elected to SPL postion two weeks ago and is VERY responsible!!!  He just needs direction as to what the SM wants. SM was very inappropriate in expecting that my son "knew" how to run things, when he was never even spoken to about the SPL position in this troop.  Son wants to help change this troop with REAL boy leadership and REAL boy involvement, but needs a bit of direction is all.