Scouting Mom

A group of us took some Cubs to the last jamboree. We were camping as families, not as a pack, in fact, we weren't even all from the same pack, so tour permit rules didn't apply. However, we spent the day at Jambo, the kids were even allowed to participate in a few things, nothing major but enough that my oldest is very excited about the possibility of being an actual participant next time. We then spent the night at the campgrounds at Kings Dominion Theme Park. We spent the next day at King's Dominion. It goes without saying that that part was a hit. I can't speak to any rules a

So, this isn't just my area. My daughter has been looking forward to joining scouts since she could talk because her brothers have been scouts for years. I've read enough here and a couple other places to know that Girl Scouts and Cub/Boy Scouts are radically different, but that's ok because although my daughter has been involved with camping and other outdoorsy stuff since birth, she is very much a girlie-girl. What little I know of girl scouting today, and can remember from my time in scouts waaaaaay back when, it's just up her alley. Her: Mom, when can I be a girl scout? Me:

And since we don't live in that wonderful ideal world with CORs who are closely involved and UCs who make their presence felt... A few years ago, the parents in our pack decided they'd had enough of our CC. He was much like the one described here and was basically suffering from burnout. He'd been running the pack single-handedly, despite new parents who wanted to step up, begged to step up, but he didn't like them so he held on doggedly long past his need to move on. Well, something happened and it went out by email to the parents. For several parents it was the last straw. Not one

As z Tiger leader last year, the biggest stumbling block to getting the boys through Bobcat was having the parents go over the child protection stuff. The kids all got their part down fine. There's nothing that says the boys have to memorize anything. The closest it gets to that is that they have to "learn" the promise. As already pointed out, there is no requirement to withhold the Tiger Totem or beads, just the actual rank badge.

I'm confused, is this a Webelos den or not? If not, parents sign off, DL needs to accept that, end of story. If it IS a Webelos den, then the parents need to go back and read the beginning portion of the handbook that explains how Webelos is different from lower ranks and it needs to be re-explained to them that the DL or his designee is the only one to sign off. This process is part of the transition to Boy Scouts and to bypass it is doing a disservice to the boys. Can the CM trump that? He's not supposed to, but in reality yes. Should he? Absolutely not. And I agree with th

Our Council mandated that everyone use online advancement as of June 1, 2008. HOWEVER.... There is a glitch in the system that I don't think they've fixed yet that prevents inputting Tiger rank after the boys have been moved up by ScoutNet. This is the only rank affected. For example, if you have a Tiger who earns his rank in June (He was almost done and granted a little more time, which someone already pointed out is permissible according to the Leader guide) then there is no way to go back and input that rank online. If the same thing happened to a wolf or a bear scout, the system w

This is now readily available on BSA's website. http://scouting.org/CubScouts/FastTracks.aspx

I guess I was unclear in my last post, let me try again... The quote you gave from the NCS site refers to "National Camp School certification." Not NCS Day Camp Certification, or NCS Resident Camp certification or anything more specific. The site you provided the quote from doesn't even do Day Camp certification. NCS provides certification includes 24 different programs. From talking to people who have attended a total of 4-5 of those programs, they have varying lengths of certification. The "Program Director" session description is for Boy Scout Resident Camp, and there is anothe

Hmmmm....Adirondack Campus doesn't do Day camp certification, only resident camp and things like shooting sports and aquatics. I was talking to another person who had been to NCS, but for COPE and Climbing courses. He said his certifications were good for 3 years. So, the statement that NCS certification is good for 5 years doesn't apply to those courses either. So maybe that's only for resident camp management. I don't know, but the implication that ALL NCS certifications are good for 5 years seems to be incorrect.

I agree that two years is a waste of resources...it takes that long for a director to work out the kinks. Where did you find that info? I know since it is NATIONAL Camp school, it shouldn't vary from region to region, but maybe as someone said, the word on the policy wasn't properly spread.

Am I wrong or is this just Program Helps without the monthly themes? If so, and if it's going nation-wide this coming Fall (which seems to be supported by a quick search on those councils doing the pilot), than why have Program Helps at all?

"My certification is old (91 vintage) but the certification was good for Five (5) years for CSDC Program Director. Has National changed the rules?" I've been involved with our day camp for the last two years as a lowly staffer, not worthy of NCS training, but this year's Camp director said he card expired after two years and when he recruited his Program director for this year and his own replacement for next year he said he was looking for someone who could make a two-year commitment. Also, his predecessor only ran day camp for two years, so I'd have to guess that any change in those ru

Tiger Cubs and their parents always benefit from an experienced leader. Your local pack will love you. Just make sure you are aware of the changes over the last few years. Last week, I caught a Webelos mother and a Boy Scout mother teaching their new Tiger Cubs the Tiger Cub Motto, which went out in 2006.

"These people are more obnoxious in getting their beliefs publicized, but those beliefs are essentially the same as those held by many others in this country: homosexuality is a sin and should be punished/eliminated." Then please explain why they say those Scouts died because the people of Nebraska and Iowa are evil. Why do they carry signs that say "God Hates America." How are these beliefs essentially the same as those held by many others in this country?

Hats for leaders are optional. I've always been told that as long as it has a BSA logo on it, it's good, so buying a lookalike and putting a pin on it works. Someone I know wanted a campaign hat. I think he said he had a size 8 head. He found a look alike hat online and put a pin on it and you wouldn't know it wasn't the real thing. I don't know where he got it though.

I saw that press release yesterday, but it wasn't from a reliable source. I checked into it and found it is, in fact, true and the stuff they posted on their website is worse. However it occurred to me that are probably counting hits on their site and salivating over the attention they are getting. There is no other reason for them to protest these Scout funerals. A high profile death (they are protesting Tim Russert's funeral too) draws them out of the woodwork so that everyone knows who they are. Those of you who say they were protesting back in the 80's just prove that...who cares

As you can see from the responses you have so far, every council runs day camp very differently. Of your concerns, however, there are some universal truths. 1. Day Camp is run by volunteers. Although it varies from place to place, in our council the only paid staff member isn't really Day Camp Staff, but the District Executive whose full time job making about $35K is to spend his days pushing paperwork and his nights and weekends making sure scout units are thriving throughout the district. 2. Someone, somewhere, is responsible for a budget, but the pressure is likely to keep costs

We took some Wolf Cubs in '05, along with some younger siblings. They had a lot of fun, even though there were a lot of things they couldn't do. We only did one day though. Seeing everything would have taken at least 3 days. My former wolf will be 12 the Summer of 2010, just in time to meet attendance requirements, as long as he has his 1st Class and his Dad has been offered a staff position. They are both walking on clouds.

In 5 years of Cub Scouting, I've only seen two books come apart, both of them Tiger books from this year. The first one of these was a boy who got his book in April, even though he couldn't officially join until June 1. This same boy had earned his Bobcat by the first den meeting on June 6th. He's earned more elective beads and more beltloops than any other boy in the den. By October his book was being held together by a rubber band. The poor book just couldn't handle it. LOL. But that's no excuse. Since the Tiger book is the most recently updated book, maybe it has something to do w

Most scouts I know of change shirts either when they earn Webelos, because they've run out of room and need somewhere to put the new badge, or when the other boys are moving up a rank (May or June) and they don't, they'll move up to the tan shirt. Boys joining in the 4th grade should save the cost of the blue shirt and go straight to tan...no point in buying two shirts, when one will du. Of if a boy outgrows his shirt sometime in the 4th or 5th grade, no point in buying another blue shirt.

I took BALOO a few months ago purposely from a trainer who I had never had a class with. My husband teaches BALOO and I had helped him prepare for his classes, so I knew what HE'D teach me. I wanted a different perspective. I discovered that the trainer I had was inclined to present "best practices" as "hard and fast rules." And when I challenged her on one thing I knew was wrong, she glossed over it quickly, so that the other participants wouldn't realize that she was adding to the rules. According to this trainer, Cubs can't camp without their own adult...period, set in stone. Now,

If the rest of the pack in grade based, the Tigers should be too. If the wolves are all second graders who (depending on when their birthday is, and when the school cut off date is) are 7 and 8 years old, the Bears are 8 & 9 year old 3rd graders and the first year Webelos are 8 & 9 year old 4th graders, then the Tigers should be 1st graders, be they 6 or 7 years old. If the boy was held back and is 7 and in Kindergarten, then technically, he can join as a Tiger as of his 7th birthday, even if that is in the middle of the school year, however then he technically cannot move up to

Officially, the inspection sheet says neckwear is optional for adults, at the discretion of the unit. In our pack none of the adults wear anything on the neck. In the local Troops who have personalized neckerchiefs for the boys, the leaders generally wear what the boys wear. The general exception being if someone is going through Wood Badge, they wear that neckerchief.

The assets belong to the CO, however in most cases they are encouraged by the DE, the Council or whatever powers that be, to release the assets either to the unit or units the scouts are going to, or to some other part of BSA, such as the Council. Good public relations being more important than a few tents and a relatively small bank account, the CO will usually agree. I know of a unit who wanted to fold for lack of membership, having only the bare minimum of scouts and too few leaders. The individuals who stayed with it wanted to join a neighboring unit. Council didn't want them to fo

First of all, let me point out that as committee chair, you "outrank" the cubmaster. I know you don't want to create hard feelings, but if you demand the dens be separated, it is in your power. Pulling rank is generally a bad idea, but it should give you some leverage in the negotiations of how to arrange these dens. The fact is, joining the dens should never have happened without your express approval as both DL and CC. The CM doesn't have the right to do that on his own. Another thing, as both DL and CC, it is easy to burn out and not do either job very well. Also something you may wan