Scoutfish

I am not a psychologist, psychiatrist, psychoanalysist, nor have I ever played one on tv. And I don't really care for Holiday Inn Express's either! This subject comes up every now and then, and at some point, it allways comes down to it possibly being a mental issue and that we are not qualified to make that judgement WRONG! That is exactly why we MUST make a decision: We do not know what this kid is going through, so it means that we are not prepaired ( this is a general blanket statement) to handle it as it potentailly gets worse. We may not understand how far it will go. BUT...we do know exactly what kind of trouble it is already causing to the rest of the troop, leaders and program in general. What interests me is that even dad can't seem to get a handle on his son or recognize what may set him off to begin with. Now, I also have an inkling that dad enables Jr at home and away from the troop. Seen this in cubs: dad says one thing to Jr, then gives in instead of putting his foot down. Jr learns that he only has to hold out and dad caves in. Of course, when all the pack leadership doesn't cave in, the boy has a mental meltdown because he isn't used to not getting his way. Now having said that, I am reminded of an old 80's slapstick movie I saw once: This group of scientists were traveling in space and the ships head scientist/doctor discovers an alien life form. All the crew warns the Dr that keeping the alien on board is a bad idea. The Dr blows them off. At one point, they hook a translator to the alien who starts singing ( with hat and cane)..." I want to eat your face..and you knees would really please me..." The crew is freaking out, yet the Dr dismisses it as a different species culture and that the alien can't be blamed for its different mental state. In the end, the alien kills the Dr and all but 2 of the crew. So heres the problem as I see it: The boy may have medical/mental/hormonal iissues. It may not be his fault. You can't really blame the boy if he has no control over it. OR The boy is immature, is bullying his way around, and has been spoiled to the point he always expects to get what he wants. He can't handle being told no. So, you don't want to do a dis-service to the boy..... BUT......You can't put the troops safety, health and well being above one boy. No, I do not mean it so much as physical health, but if you want the other boys to get the most of the program, enjoy participating and staying active. You have to protect the health of the troop itself. Dad either needs to see this taken care of, or Jr may have to stay home.

I have been Cub master of my pack since the first of June this year. So far, it has been fairly smooth going. But last night, something just occured to me: TOMMORROW is our first pack meeting since we came back from summer break. Although, all of the leaders/committee know I am Cub Master, and a big handfull of parents do too.....not all know it. Not all the scouts know it. Now, TOMMORROW night is also our second night of sign up at 1 of 3 schools. This is also the school that we get the biggest draw from out off the 3. I did not notice/realize the scheduling conflict until last night! Now, I feel I should be at the sign up as I am the Cub Master. But then again, I am the Cub master! I am the Emcee and master of ceremonies at pack meetings. I am/was planning on welcoming all the scouts as well as parents back, intoducing myself as the new Cub Master, and also go over any new rules and policies the leadership/committee made as well as new Adult Leaders. I was also going to present our National Summertime Activity Award ribbon to be hung on our pack flag pole, hand out fishing derby participation certificates , and present two Summertime Activity pins to the two boys who participated in all 3 events. Okay, after typing this all out, I feel I may have discovered the obvious - Do the pack meeting - but now I think I'm just looking for confirmation that I am choosing wisely. So he options are: 1) Be there to give a good impression to the POTENTIAL scouts and possible future adult leaders....or 2) Stand with my EXISTING group of scouts and leaders who already invested time and energy into the program. Okay, I guess it's obvious.......stick with who we have, not he we "might" get! AWESOME! You guys have been a great help! (This message has been edited by scoutfish)

You know.......They should have called this activity badge "Paersonal health" instead of "Fitness". Fitness conjures up the idea of sit ups, push ups, jumping jacks,etc....

Yeah...that is a tough one. I don't know..Maybe buying having the scouts "design"an after school snack that is healthy, but not too over the top for them. Kinda likeP: Choose between baked chips vs deep fried. Choose between m&m's and friut cocktail. Apples and orange slices vs candy bars. Get Officer Friendly ( does he still exist?) to talk about abuse. You might even be ableto stretch it by visiting a local EMS station for talks about drugs, drug abuse, tobbacco, etc. Maybe even visit a local minor league Baseball team if you have one- you know..constant training and keeping in optimum shape. Maybe even a member of the military could visit during a den meeting. It's a tough one for sure since half of the fitness regimine involves family discussion.

NOPE! I never said that not getting a patch negates everything he/she did. What I said ( although it turns out to be based on me not being able to read) was : "So, a couple of bucks negates everything he did" Of course, this was my INCORRECT understanding of how not selling some magazines would prevent a leader from getting the award due to the requirements. I never said or even implied that I thought, felt, believedor stood behind not having a patch meant his services were worth nothing and therefore negated.

"I've been a Scouter for over 25 years. I have a closet full of uniforms with red tabs." Nah, I didn't necesarrily mean you were a cub scout when younger, but you got 25 years of experience in scouting. Compared to my 2 1/2 TOTAL COMBINED years. You probably do know what seems like ( to me) everything!

WOW! Amazing isn't it? those five simple words change everything. Apparently, those words blended into the title of "Performance". I totally did not see that! NOw I have to smile because that means: 1) That is no longer an issue. 2)I can give these leaders some wearable recognition.

"Why do we expect absolute perfection from our Eagle candidates when we don't from our adult leaders and professionals?" ABSOLUTELY! Shortridge just nailed it! Now, I am not saying that it should be written in crayon at a first grade level, but just as BSA ensures that the program is deliverd at an age appropriate level, we should do likewise, which means expecting age appropriate write up in return. If a 14 year old write it up, look at it with 14 year old eyes. If a 17 year old writes, look at it with 17 year old eyes, not 30, 40 or 50 year old eyes, otherwise, you are doing a disservice to the boys themselves. Me, well, It's no shocker that I probably mispell at least 2 words a post. But so far, everybody has been able to understand what I wrote. Same for the Eagle application: If you understood it enough to know what was meant and how it should have been spelled, then the application did it's job: it informed you of the intent of the applicant.

As the new Cub Master for our pack, I want to make sure I recognize all our leaders and volunteers for what they do. Not so much for our own benefit, but so the boys and the parents will maybe understand the time, effort, work, and training that the leadership and committee put themselves throughh. So anyways, I pretty much see the point of most of the requirements. Except one: Under the requirements for the Cub Scouter Award: "Give leadership to a promotional effort that results in at least 60 percent of pack members subscribing to Boys' Life magazine." Come on ...really now? Do we really need to put making BSA money - anywhere under being recognized as a good leader? That one requirement, while the idea not a bad thing in general , shouldn't be the slightest part of what constitutes a great leader. The way it's set up right now, you could could...in theory..have a leader who retains and advances 100% of his den, leads the boys to genuinely earn awards such as World Conservation, leave no trace, quality unit , Summertime den , and summertime activity for his entire den(s)....................... Yet fall short of the award as he didn't convince 60% of his boys parents to suscribe. So, a couple of bucks negates everything he did. Granted, the leader who does all that probably doesn't care about any award, but as a Cub Master, I'd like to be able to present that award! I'd like to see that knot on his shirt!

I was only joking , with a tiny hint of sarcasm!

So I have been playing with my DO quite a bit lately. And somehow, I am going to do a short bit/ demo on DO cooking at our next pack campout. But you know what..... I don't have anything to lift the lid. So far I have ben using the tip of a shovel, a thicker stick or even the handle of s spatula. I have decided that I can'y put it off any longer: I am going to have to buy a lifting d4evice for my lid. Now, I'm thinking I want to buy the lifter handle with the hook and two side sytabilizers over the hot pot tongs, I mean, I could eaily just use a pair of vice grips as the tongs. But I think I might have better lid control with the lid lifter..meaning I have better control over it not flipping and "peppering " my food. So what has your experiences taught you? Which do you prefer? Do you use something else entirely?

Maybe write a 10 page essay on why he should be eagle?

So I have been playing with my DO quite a bit lately. And somehow, I am going to do a short bit/ demo on DO cooking at our next pack campout. But you know what..... I don't have anything to lift the lid. So far I have ben using the tip of a shovel, a thicker stick or even the handle of s spatula. I have decided that I can'y put it off any longer: I am going to have to buy a lifting d4evice for my lid. Now, I'm thinking I want to buy the lifter handle with the hook and two side sytabilizers over the hot pot tongs, I mean, I could eaily just use a pair of vice grips as the tongs. But I think I might have better lid control with the lid lifter..meaning I have better control over it not flipping and "peppering " my food. So what has your experiences taught you? Which do you prefer? Do you use something else entirely?

WEll, you may not know it all, but you know what you did when you used to do it. As a new Cub Master who didn't used to be a scout myself....in comparison..you do know everything.

WEll, you can TELL him how cool scouting is, or you can SHOW him!

We call them pass accounts. I have no idea why, just that we do. So, anyways,. when our scouts sell popcorn, they get 20% of the sale. You figure that Trail's End get's 33%. The Council gets 33%,and 33% goes to the pack. We give the scout their 20% out of our 33%. NOT 20% of the 33%- but their 20% comes out of the 33% the pack gets. When we hold our annual BBQ chicken dinners ( 90% of pack funding comes from this) we give the scouts 15% towards pass accounts for individual sales of tickets. Now, this is not actual cash money per se, but "On paper" money. We do not write checks to the scouts. It stays seperate on paper only, but in reality is in the general fund. The scouts can use money they have in their accounts to pay for recharter, camping,council camping, trips, supplies, non pack provided equipment, uniforms, etc. When a scout crosses over to BOY Scouts, any un-used money will either go to the next year Tigers or back to the pack. We let them know this every year and will constantly tell the 2nd year Webelos that they better "Use it or lose it". But we never give them actual cash. They participate to help the pack or council, not make money. The pass accounts are basically incentives that can be used towards the scouting experience.

Well, It's been 3 months now since I became Cub Master. Yeah, I know that it still a very short time overall, but still long enough for me to at least know what I got into. We have had several leader/committee meetings, had our first den meeting , I went to my first roundup as a representative of the Pack and I even had to get a little bit strong armed to get somebody to do their duty ( that they promissed to do) as a committee member. So I went to the first of 3 Cub Scout sign ups last night. We have 3 schools within 6 miles of our CO. Signed up half the boys who showed up as compared to 2 and 3 that the other 2 packs signed up. No, I know I wasn't the only persuading factor, but of all the Cub Masters there, I was the only one who actually talked to the boys instead of at them. I also walked around answering all the questions I could instead of sitting at a table and waiting to be approached.I also joked with the boys instead of just talking to mom and dad. So, I think my biggest issue or worry will be our New Scout Orientation meeting in 2 weeks. I know what I want to say, but hope it all comes out right. I decided that this time though - unlike past orientations -I will also give the CC and the Treasurer time to stand up and explain their part of the pack to the parents instead of me trying( I mean that sincerely too ) to explain their agenda. If I make it through that, I'm home free! Edited to add: Oh I forgot one thing: Talking to a customer for who I was installing a garage door a month ago- He said that If I enjoyed being a Cub Master, apparently I wasn't doing it right. I thought he was being funny , but it turns out he was serious! (This message has been edited by scoutfish)

" He informed the scouts to "keep it a secret." Isn't this a violation? I've been trained through three or more different youth protection programs and they mention the secrecy as a red flag." Well..... It's a grey area isn'tit? There are suppose to be no secrets right? But what if a couple ASM's have a talk with the boys about making some sort of gift, or presentation for the SM's birthday, retirement , or an award he got? Still asking the boys to keep a secret, but that's not what the spirit of the rule meant. Now, is it really a secret, or a secret onlyfrom certain individuals? I mean, you know about it, the SM knows about it, and now an entire forum has a vague version of it. Definantly not secret anymore! I'd have a talk with the young man and explain that : 1)He's acting in ways that don't particularly suit a leader. He should never ever try to do anything that might divide the boys up. 2) His actions..allthough not necessarily covered under the spirit of the meaning of no secrets...pose the potential to cause others to think that he may be indeed potentailly violating YP. If people think he's violating YP, it's a big hole to dig out of , if he's even able to. That is not something to be laughed off or taken lightly. Basically, somebody needs to tell him: "Yeah, your not an old fogey yet, but you need to step up and act like an ADULT LEADER...not an ADULT PAL!"

Just got home from our first sign up night. We have three as we have 3 schools- all within 6 miles of each other and all within 4 miles of our pack CO. 21 families showed up. The Cub scouts were represented by 3 packs including mine. I signed up 9 scouts and 3 leaders. The other two packs signed up 2 and 4 scouts, 1 leader. Not bad considering this was my first sign up. But I'll be honest- we were not competing with each other. WE just stood up and took a minute or two to tell about our pack. But I think the kicker was this: when parents had questions for the Cub Masters, the other two gave dry,( Bueller, Bueller, Bueller ) straight from BSA , book answers, I spoke as a person. Now I have to do it again two more times.

I agree on that: Do your best and put some honest effort in it. Just saying though, I wouldn't grade it, or reject it, nor would I worry about being depressed when he's 50 years old because of a simple error. I mean, we want the scouts to make an effort to be neat and professional, but we just have to remember ...he's not a professional anything..except a professional kid.

"Will his wife still be as impressed with his boyhood accomplishment? First of all: You said it: BOYHOOD ACCOMPLISHMENTS. Not adult accomplishments, English professor or english teach accomplishments. Secondly, That's just tough crap for the wife! What would she think if she found out he ate boogers at age 4? What would she think if she found out he wet the bed a few times at 6? What if he threw up in public and somebody saw it for heaven's sake? See, I can look back at when I was 6. 9, 12, 15,and 18 and enjoy stuff because I know that was THEN,. not now. I did all that stuff with the mindset of a 6, 9, 12 , or 18 year old. Not the mind set of a 39 year old. It's called growing up and maturing. Now, I may be wrong, but isn't the point of BOR's and EBOR to look at the boy's personality, and accomplishmenst in the troop, community and family? If you want to start grading papers and chastizing on grammar, then call it SCOUT SCHOOL. Matter of fact, just have him wear his uniform at school and save time! Likewise though, every person on that BOR/ EBOR had better be able to prove they make no such mistakes themselves.

I've never been one to say "soda", "soda-pop", "pop", or even "drinks". I just say whatever it is by name: "Would you like a Pepsi or Mountain Dew?" "Help yourself to some tea or Dr Pepper." I just call the drink by it's name.

about 45 minutes from my house is "The Worlds Largest Frying Pan!!!" About 22' across. Is divided up by baffles into - maybe- 24" ( at the widest) pie shaped sections. Pretty good place for spiders to hang out.

"It ain't Pittsburg anymore and ain't been for a lotta decades!" The last time I had a deep conversation about Pittsburgh, Terry Bradshaw was still QB'n for the Steelers! And still had hair on his head! And I guess me learning "yens" ain't so bad as you learning the difference between: Ya'll, You'all, and You'all's

Tough call As an applicant for eagle, he should have taken the time to check for accuracy and spelling. This isn't a camping form. But then again, this isn't school, english 101 or spelling class. You obviously knew what was intended as you were able to correct it...so therefore, the info was there. You gotta decide: Are we gonna act like we are school, or are we gong to be an organazation that is not school?