scoutldr

Sorry, Beav. If I showed up at a scout's home with a shrink in tow wanting to discuss their kid's medical conditions, I would probably be escorted off the property...and with good reason. I think the ONLY acceptable course of action for a scouter is to discuss the scout's BEHAVIOR during activities, without regard to medication regimens. Disruptive behavior is never acceptable, with or without medication. I expect scouts to meet standards of behavior, as outlined in the Scout Oath and Law. It's up to the parent, scout and their physician to decide how to get there. If there is a doctor's order for medication, I will see that he gets it on schedule. If not, it's a behavior/discipline issue.

Ditto what Lisa said. Sounds to me like the SE got wind of the fact that there was no Camporee planned and rearranged the DE's priorities for him at the last minute. Maybe a not so subtle way of convincing him to get those District positions filled, so he doesnt' have to do it himself. This is not the unit's problem...

Gotta wonder about the irony of a thread on forum courtesy that quickly deteriorates into personal attacks. Personally, not much offends me, except for people who insist on their point of view even when presented with the facts. A former CO of mine (oops, I mean, "a CO under whom I previously served") would call them the "defiantly ignorant." I even enjoy Merlyn's point of view, and I am forced to admit that it sometimes makes logical sense. His contribution here is valuable, as are others who steadfastly adhere to the other end of the spectrum. Our country would never have been successful by steadfastly adhering to any particular dogma. We are a consensus society, and no one gets everything they want all the time. That's what makes America great!

As our DE lectured us one night at a District Committee mtg, WE are the District and WE are the Council. When a unit fails, a whole lot of people failed. The CO agrees to operate a unit under the Charter agreement. This includes not only providing a place to meet, but also selecting and approving unit leaders. The Pack Committee agrees to see that leaders are trained and that they operate the program as intended with the resources provided by the Committee (fundraising, recruiting, training, etc). The Commissioner staff agrees to "be a friend" to the unit, monitoring key metrics of unit health and offering suggestions for improvement. The parents agree to support the Pack leadership by helping out where needed and to work with their boys at home on advancement. And finally, the scouts agree to "do their best, follow Akela, help the Pack go and give goodwill." The District Membership chair is more focused on creating new units and school night type events. The Commissioners are the ones who are supposed to nurse "sick" units back to health. Unfortunately, a lot of Commissioner staffs are non-existent, ineffective, or are "in name only".

I was never on active duty, but I did take two years of Army ROTC in college. Our instructors were in Infantry CPT and an Armor CPT just back from Vietnam. The Lieutenant Colonel was God and we never got to talk to him. They taught us Von Clausewitz and the Art of War, and how to handle your calling cards when you pay the CO a courtesy call. The supply Sgt taught us how to clean our weapons properly and how to lose money at poker. The Senior cadets taught us how to march and act important, since they had just been to Ranger school and could kill a snake and eat it raw. The only lesson I remember is that "discipline is what happens when the Leader is not around." You don't gain that by yelling and lecturing.

"Natural consequences are better parents than I could ever hope to be"...that's classic, Oz (good to hear from "down under" again!). I, too am a firm believer in "you made your own bed"...within safe limits, of course. I tell parents that my only obligation as a scouter is to bring them back alive. If they become wet, bit, hungry, dirty, angry, cold or smelly, it's because of choices they made, not me. They have the knowledge and tools to prevent it. And I don't disagree with Eamonn. By the time a scout is Venturer age, it's too late, and I won't try to teach the pig to sing. Eleven year olds are a bit different. They need to be shown what a properly balanced meal looks like. (which even the schools have given up on). If they choose not to eat, that's their choice, but alternatives will not be available, except for medical or religious reasons. I've also observed that as scouts gain age and experience, their menus mature as well, from Mac and Cheese, to steaks, salads and dutch oven cobblers. Another thread once asked about good movies to show in group settings...how about "Supersize Me"?

All I can say is, "you shoulda seen it two years ago!" I think today's forum is a LOT tamer than it was, and I enjoy it...to the point of being addicted. I honestly try to address the issue, not the person. If I ever fail, I appreciate a gentle reminder. I am a logical person who expects common sense and consistency from the world. I am often disappointed, but I feel obliged to point out the illogic where I find it, under the principle that nothing can be fixed until it is recognized and acknowledged. It's just a GAME, folks...B-P himself said so...

NOUN: Inflected forms: pl. syllabuses or syllabi (-b) 1. An outline or a summary of the main points of a text, lecture, or course of study. That's one of the main reasons I gave up being a trainer. The SE was not happy with the number of training courses being offered, and stated, "how hard can it be, just go read them the stuff and play the videos." For me, each course was the same level of effort (preparing, finding a location, printing flyers, borrowing a laptop and projector from work, printing handouts, endless phone calls from people who can't read, etc), whether one person showed up or 50. It should be noted that the guy who replaced me as training chair two years ago has yet to deliver his first course. (This message has been edited by scoutldr)

"we're not set up to handle that level of stupid..." I like that. My favorite bumper sticker is "Stupidity SHOULD be painful!" Now, I'm not perfect and have done my share of stupid. But I have paid what I call the "stupid tax". At least in this case the parents could be located. I've taken scouts to summer camp, and the parents decide to go out of town for the week, without telling anyone. (If the scout knew, he probably would have had objections to going to camp). That's just irresponsible, and I resented it.

Lisa, point taken. I have to wonder in amazement at the units who have adults "apply" for the position of SM or ASM and then compete for the job in interviews with the CO and Committee. In our area, a highly transient military town, that just doesnt' happen. If you can fog a mirror and pass the background check, you're in.

Circle the choice that does not fit: 1. Keep myself physically fit 2. Make ethical choices over their lifetime 3. Help other people at all times 4. Eat only Twinkies if that makes you happy - you're not MY kid I guess I see this as one of the primary purposes of Scouting...to expose kids to a proper, healthy, ethical, and moral lifestyle by teaching them to model proper behavior, regardless of what's expected of them at home. Granted, we all don't raise our kids the same way...but we were approved as leaders because it's perceived that we are good role models and teachers. If all we are is a provider of entertainment or transportation, since everything else is their parents' responsibility, then count me out.

Since we know so much about it, we should be spelling "Asperger's Syndrome" correctly....named after Austrian pediatrician Hans Asperger. And I don't buy the argument about saving money. Every June, my wife, a school nurse, would have to flush hundreds of dollars worth of Ritalin and Adderall because the parents couldn't be bothered coming in to school to pick it up. Now with the long acting drugs, she can get back to her real job rather than spending hours a day handing out pills while the kids lined up down the hall.

What adult in his/her right mind would want to be alone with a kid like this? Impulsive, disregard for rules, selfish, spoiled... what a set-up for a YP catastrophe!

It's not just a syllabus, it's a "script". It also includes posters,a CD with power point slides, and a VHS tape. When I was a trainer, I would spend a lot of time preparing handouts, flip charts, etc. If they won't give you the materials to do it right, I would politely refuse.

At our camp, youth and adults use separate facilities. Ditto what Gern said.

I believe Cooking and Swimming should be back on the required list (not optional). Also, the three 5 mile hikes for 2nd class.

There are three basic concepts to YP. 1. No one on one contact. 2. Two deep leadership. 3. Buddy system. These are minimum requirements and are not mutually exclusive, as mentioned above. If the buddy system had been enforced here, it would be explained to the scout, that if you don't go, your buddy doesn't go either because an adult can't be your buddy. That's the way it is, so the two of you work it out and let me know your decision. This is a "teaching moment" for safety, negotiation, courteous, kind, help other people, etc. If the scout can't find a buddy for the next trip, then Dad will have to attend.

I have a popup blocker too, but I just got another one. SCouter-mom, check out the t@b made by Dutchmen. A modern version of the teardrop...

Just heard the SE being interviewed on the radio on the way home from work. He stated the "scout is a First Class Scout and has been in a little over a year and has been trained in basic hiking, camping and survival skills." Also that the leaders are "Fully qualified". Another reason for ensuring that scouts actually know the stuff before signing off their books. It may save their lives one day.

Went to an RV show last weekend...sure is tempting. Toured a $600,000 motor home.

Boy Scout missing in rugged N.C. park TRAPHILL, N.C. (AP) -- Search teams combed mountain terrain Sunday for a 12-year-old Boy Scout who disappeared during an outing. About 10 scouts and the adult leaders of Troop 230, from Greensboro, noticed that Michael Auberry was missing between 12:30 p.m. and 1 p.m. Saturday in Stone Mountain State Park, officials said. The troop had gone on a hike earlier Saturday, and the boy and an adult stayed behind, said David Bauer, a ranger with the Blue Ridge Parkway. It was not immediately clear why they stayed behind. After the troop returned and ate lunch with Michael and the adult, the troop noticed the boy was missing from camp. Searchers found part of his mess kit less than a mile away late Saturday, Bauer said. "At this point we're looking at every possibility," Bauer said. "The most probable thing is that he walked away, went out in the woods and went to investigate." Searchers were moving off the trail and into rugged terrain Sunday afternoon and were expected to suspend the search when night fell because of the risks involved, Bauer said. The boy was wearing pants, a shirt and a coat. The Sunday afternoon temperature at Mount Airy, about 25 miles northeast of Traphill in northwest North Carolina, was in the low 40s, the National Weather Service said. Stone Mountain State Park covers nearly 13,750 acres. Search crews included volunteer firefighters, National Park Service staff and rescue squads from the state park system and Alleghany and Wilkes counties. A Highway Patrol helicopter equipped with an infrared sensor that can detect body heat was sent to assist the search. (An earlier version of this story incorrectly implied the missing Boy Scout went out on a hike with his troop. He stayed behind at the camp with an adult leader.) 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy.

Anyone else getting annoying popup ads from Monster.com when logged on to SCouter.com? I don't get it while on other sites. It sure is annoying.

If the adults can't accomodate both, the boys need to choose one. It's really not fair of the District to schedule stuff last minute. Were it my troop, I think we would stick to the original plan. Our Council calendars are set for the year, so the troop can plan around it.

Ea, you're not alone. I think that's just the lot of this generation of youngsters. They love their creature comforts, which we have busted our butts to provide them. Very few scouts that I know will say they like being out in the elements. Heck, my sons (28 and 24) aren't even interested in getting married and becoming parents! My oldest says kids are a pain and too expensive (True!), and would hinder his lifestyle. My younger expressed a desire to re-register in the BSA and work with the Troop, so I paid the fee and sent in the paperwork. But every Monday night, he seems to have something better to do...like watch TV. Much less spend a weekend in the woods. For the Generation Y, it's "all about me"...they will do only what they want to do when they want to do it.

We have a rule in our council that unit leaders may NOT also serve as Commissioners. Not sure if that is a national policy or not. That rule should also apply to other district and council positions. Now there are some troops that have more ASM and MC than they have scouts. We always suggest that some of them may be better utilized at the district level.