scoutldr

Anyone remember filmstrips and records...advance one frame when you heard the beep...

Yep...not a new thing. Going after youth soccer teams and registering them as Cub Scouts was a thing back in the dark ages...mid-80s as I recall. No Scout uniforms or real program...just soccer. Kinda like the old Learning for Life program that went after kids in school and registering them as Scouts, but not really "Scouts" because then they could register everyone, not just straight young men, without offending the major religious groups.

In my experience, Council never looks at blue cards. just as they don't check the signatures in a Scout's handbook to verify rank requirements. Just the Advancement Report that the unit submits when purchasing the badges...(now electronic??). Unless things have changed...

The BSA has said, to paraphrase, "That's just legal mumbo-jumbo that the law requires. We promise we won't do anything other than the usual criminal background check, same as we've always done. Scout's Honor." I can't believe people are being so naive about this. As my dear late dad used to say..."I was born at night, but it wasn't last night."

If i remember correctly, isn't that how Scouting got started in London?

There is no "harder" or "easier" in BSA advancement...there is "meet the requirements-no more, no less". Many of us have observed the summer camp or MB "Fair" where the group sits there being talked at, resulting in a signed blue card.

Great discussion, but @DuctTape has it. Merit Badge "Universities" (or whatever the local term is) circumvents one of the MAIN purposes of the Merit Badge program. It is NOT supposed to be "listen to this group lecture and answer a few questions and get your blue card signed." It is to teach INDIVIDUAL initiative, decision-making, and action. Having Mrs. Billysmom say "OK, Saturday we are going to the MBU and getting some meritbadges and here are all the ones you can get. After all, we need to get you to Eagle by age 16 so it looks good on your college application" Rather, it is: 1. SCOUT decides he needs to earn a MB if he's ever going to advance past First Class. 2. SCOUT approaches SM and says, "Mr SM, I think I would like to take Advanced Nuclear Physics MB" 3. SM says, "That's Great, however...how about something more useful right now, like Dog Care. I hear you have a new puppy?" 4. SCOUT, "Ok, sounds good, what do I need to do?" 5. SM: "Here are some names of the Dog Care MB counselors approved by the District. YOU (NOT YOUR MOM) need to call them and see if one of them has time to work with you". And here's a blue card to give to the counselor. 6 SCOUT: "(calling MB Counselor with parent listening in) Hello, Mr. Dog Care? My name is Billy from Troop XXX. I have a new puppy and would really like to earn the Dog Care MB. My SM recommended I call you." 7. MBC: "Nice to meet you, Billy. How about Saturday at 9 am? Be sure to get a copy of the Dog Care MB Pamphlet and look over the requirements before you come. OH, and please bring a buddy or a parent with you!" 8. SCOUT: "Thanks! I will. See you then!" 9. Scout and MBC then meet (following YPT requirements) as often as necessary to get it done and signed blue card is returned to the SM. The program was NOT designed to be a group effort like a freshman lecture hall in college. It is designed to get the SCOUT to get off his/her keister and take initiative and initiate some "Adult Association" and learn about a topic from a recognized "expert" in the field either by vocation or avocation. It grinds my gears when a troop registers a bunch of parents as MBC without regard to their expertise in the field and are listed in the District as "for Troop XXX only." Then at the EBOR, we observe that NONE of their MB were obtained from outside the troop or summer camp setting. By prodding, pushing and leading scouts to the MB trough and spoonfeeding MB we are cheating the Scout out of one of the most important developmental lessons in becoming adults.

Remember "Scouting Rounds a Guy Out", which immediately made me the butt of all fat jokes.

My 8 yo Granddaughter goes to dance class for "only one hour a week". I just wrote the check for November...$126 PER MONTH. Her recital costumes will be over $100 each...and she will need two. But it's her passion, and she doesn't do any other extracurriculars. Me paying this allows her mom to have the latest $1000 iPhone, so I guess it's worth it.

My Council has announced the following, in addition to the national fee of $60 per youth: $12 insurance, $12 Boys Life and $30 Council Program fee, so $102 per youth member. Add to that the cost of unit dues, uniforms, and summer camp and other outings, you are looking at around $500 per youth per year. All adults also have to pay the program fee and insurance fee in addition to national registration. Scouting is now officially out of reach for a significant number of families with multiple registered members.

I hear this a lot with new parents...of my Grandkids. Constantly asking them what they want to do, or bargaining with them. Kids that age don't need to give their permission.

My Council doesn't charge for units to camp at Council camps, unless you need equipment from the quartermaster barn. Not yet, anyway.

@RichardB, I think the confusion is over the term "overnight". Is it limited to one night, as in, "go camp overnight and come home tomorrow"? Or does it mean overnight for as many nights as you want? Also, the rule used to be "Cubs only do family camping", but your chart above shows family camping and "den/pack overnighters"...can you define the difference, please?

That's the only way we cooked back in the 60s...wood campfires. No propane or white gas ...no trailers or patrol boxes either...everything went in our backpacks....

Smoking in the presence of Scouts is unacceptable. Fine a new Leader.