SemperParatus

Balloon stomp - one of my favorites! Here is a good story... "Robert Roberts writes about a fourth grade class in which the teacher introduced a game called balloon stomp. A balloon was tied to every childs leg, and the object of the game was to pop everyone elses balloon while protecting ones own. The last person with an intact balloon would win. This is a zero-sum game. One person wins; everyone else loses. The success of one causes the failure of others. The object of the game necessitates a winner-take-all mindset. Everyone else is someone to be rooted against. Balloon stomp is survival of the fittest a true Darwinian exercise. The fourth graders in Roberts story entered into the spirit of the game with vigor. Balloons were relentlessly targeted and destroyed. A few of the children clung to the sidelines like wallflowers at a middle school dance, but their balloons were doomed just the same. The entire battle was over in a matter of seconds, leaving only one balloon inflated. Its owner was, of course, the most disliked kid in the class. Its hard to really win at a game like balloon stomp. In order to complete your mission, you have to be pushy, rude and offensive. Roberts goes on to write that a second class was introduced to the same game. Only this time it was a class of mentally handicapped children. They were given the same explanation as the first class, and the signal to begin was given. But the game proceeded very differently. Perhaps the instructions were given too quickly for children with learning disabilities to grasp them. The one idea that got through was that the balloons were supposed to be popped. So it was the balloons, not the other players, that were viewed as enemies. Instead of fighting each other, they began helping each other pop balloons. One little girl knelt down and held her balloon carefully in place, like a holder for a field goal kicker. A little boy stomped it flat. Then he knelt down and held his balloon for her. It went on like this for several minutes until all the balloons were vanquished, and everybody cheered. Everybody won. Who got the game right, and who got the game wrong?"

Does the DL want more parent involvement? Some DL want that, some would prefer that the parents just drop the scouts off and pick them up. I think it is a matter of the DL communicating with the den parents what she expects from them. This could be done at the next den meeting, while the assistant den leader does something with the scouts. At this age, each parent has their own preconcieved ideas of what scouting is about. To some it is a babysitting service, to others it is a chance for their son to have some independence out of the house, to still others it is an activity to be shared. By taking the time to explain the den leader's expectations for the parents upfront, everyone can hopefully get on the same page. As far as the service project. Its not clear from your post as to what had been communicated (new versus used) to the den. Even if it was communicated clearly in writing or speech, you will find that many folks simply do not take the time to read or listen. This seems especially prevalent in scouting for some odd reason (insert smiley thingy here).

We use Quickbooks (advanced Quicken), although Quicken would work just as well. You say you are to handle scout accounts, does that mean you are to be the Treasurer? The Treasurer should be keeping the unit books (deposits/checks/bank recs/ etc.) and the Scout Account maintenance is basically the biggest component of the books. A Scout Account is a liability of the troop (money that the troop is holding for the scout's benefits and owes to the scout). The fundraising allocation between individual and unit should be determined by the troop committee. Like EIKY, we allocate individual sales fundraisers 100% to scout accounts and group fundraisers to the troop's general funds. Scouts and parents can make direct contributions to their accounts. Many times, adults that are to be reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses(e.g., unit admission charges put on a credit card, propane purchases, COH supplies) will hand in the receipt and just ask that it be credited to their son's account rather than have a check cut to them. Withdrawals are typically handled by simply debiting the account for dues that are owed and trip costs based on sign-up or attendance sheets. Rarely is a withdrawal handled as a payment directly to a scout. Our troop policy is that scouts that leave the troop forfeit their scout account balance unless they are transferring to another unit, in which case a check is cut payable to the other unit. Scouts thinking about quitting usually have small balances or make the attempt to use up their account balance through trip attendance (which gives us an opportunity to change their mind). Negative accounts will occur. For example, a scout has $10 in his account and goes on a trip that costs $25, without paying in advance for some reason. Our treasurer basically prints out an individual account summary each month and distributes it in mail folders at meetings. Negative balances are noted for payment for the scout/parent. Payment is typically expected within 15 days. Adults that go camping alot and pay fees can have their own account or you can just include their activity in their son's account. In a large troop, scout account maintenance is a big job. I thank our treasurer every time I see him. Good luck to you.

Maybe have the boys in the den come up - read a little poem in her honor and then present her with a bouquet of flowers or a big kiss (one of those oversized Hershey Kisses).

I can't believe I missed it. Groundhog Day is special to me because that is the day I proposed to my wife. Happy Groundhog Day to All!!! It is a day of mystery and tradition - http://www.groundhog.org/history/tradition.shtml Now...why doesn't the BSA honor the lowly Groundhog with patrol emblem status?

Cubiemom, I am very sorry. Believe me, I meant no disrespect to you. Only a feeble attempt on my part to point out a very strange coincidence of a rash of disheartened cub moms from Pittsburgh at the same time. Please forgive me if I caused any upset. Here is the website for the Greater Pittsburgh Council, you may be able to find a name and phone number who can put you in touch with a quality pack. http://www.gpc-bsa.org/ Best of luck on your search.

So, if I followed all of this... #2 (current CC) is the source of the problems by accomodating #3 and #4, rather than deferring to #1 as the incumbent den leader. Although, it is not entirely clear it may be that #1, #3 and #4 are all listed on your recharter as Den Leaders of the same den. Is that correct? I guess what it comes down to is who do the boys and the parents in the den (the other six - let's call them #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, and #10) go to as their den leader? It sounds as if #1 is still running the den meetings/program and #3 and #4 are just on the periphery trying to act as leaders by undermining #1. I can certainly see where they can be lots of problems when one den has three den leaders that do not get along or agree about things. I guess that is why the BSA doesn't allow for multiple den leaders. Now, assuming the CM (#11) is useless as you say, and #2 is not doing you any favors, it seems you have several options: a. #1 can make the attempt to patch things up with #3 and #4 directly. Forget about the past and all of the baggage (I know that is very hard), and let's figure out how to make this a workable situation going forward. b. You can try and involve #2 and #11 in the process, although it sounds like #2 would not be an impartial mediator and #11 is still basically useless. But, who knows. c. You can try and go to you Unit Commisioner for assistance to help sort out all the problems, although my experience is that they really do not want to be brought into inter-pack squabbles. Yours is basically a den issue between #1, #3, and #4, while #2 and #11 really do not seem to be too concerned about the problem - even though they are precisely the folks that should be concerned with fixing it. d. #1 can put his head down, plough forward, act like a den leader, ignore #3 and #4 and focus his time and energies on #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, and #10. Eventually, #3 and #4 will be marginalized as leaders in appearance and may give-up, shut-up, pony-up, or blow-up. e. Pray for crossover to come as fast as possible.

BelindaB, Welcome. Oh the terror that our quaint Pinewood can cause. Use this as a teaching opportunity for your son and as a great way to model the Cub Scout Motto -Do You Best. Stress the importance of learning about using simple tools and his imagination and remind him that it 'doesn't matter whether you win or lose." Don't worry about being laughed at - that rarely happens. Usually, parents prefer to talk and laugh behind your back. Couple of simple hints for you and your son so that you are not 'embarassed': 1. Cut the block down with your hand saw to a simple racing shape - kind of an elongated triangle is simple enough and has some aerodynamics to it. Shape the rest with a carving knife. Have your son sand it like a mad man. 2. Have him paint it like he wants. Spray paint works best, although I guess latex could be used. Throw on a couple of stickers and it will look like over half the cars there. As long as he is happy with how it looks, that is what is important. Believe me, on race day you will know the degree to which a parent has usurped the activity - by the shape and the paint. 3. The wheels - I have never thought the whole polishing thing does that much (my son won two PWDs in a 100+ boy pack and he/we never polished an axle once). Just make sure the wheels are straight and don't rub up against the car body. Go to the craft store and ask for a tube of 'dry graphite' - that is the lubricant of choice. But make sure that it can be used based on the pack rules. Give a little squirt to each wheel and spin them to help spread it. 4. Weight - this is the most important thing in racing. Go to the craft shop and buy some of those little metal weights (they have sections that snap off to vary the weight) and attach them to the rear of the car until the car's weight is exactly equal to the weight limit allowed by the pack. Every PWD car that I have seen win (and thats at least a dozen years) had the same thing in common - heavily weighted in the rear. Almost to the point that the car can barely sit still without popping a wheelie. 5. On race day, stress again how much fun it will be to see the car going down the track - win or lose. By the way, one year we had a scout show up on PWD day with his complete kit still in the box (don't ask me how this could happen). He attached the wheels to the block of wood, squirted them with some graphite and won a couple of races. That car got the most attention of the day. Everytime it raced the chant, "BLOCK...BLOCK...BLOCK" would fill the room. That scout thought the PWD was the coolest. (This message has been edited by SemperParatus)

Hi to you. Man, what is going on in Pittsburgh? You are the third mom in the past two weeks from that area who has joined this forum with pack problems. Don't tell me, you have an infant and you have just been asked to be a cubmaster too, like the other two ladies. Call your local BSA council office, ask for your District Executive and get a list of packs to visit in your area from him.

A chocolate lollipop with 75th anniversary wrapped in clear wrap with blue and gold ribbons always goes over well. Here is a site - they have 75th Anniversary molds. http://www.chocolatevault.com/anniversary.htm But, if you want to pick out the blue and yellow M&Ms, please feel free to send me the leftover red, green, orange and brown ones.

I like to wing the words. If they are written out and memorized, they are so boring. The boys never remember what is said, so I always go for the visual. Here are a couple of things I have done, after the scouts are brought forward and the appropriate words have been said about what a great accomplishment it is... 1. Put the tiger cub badge in a blown up balloon. The ballon is placed between the Tiger Cub and his parent who are facing away from each other. Working together the Tiger Cub and his parent break the balloon to get the badge. Parent presents badge to son. 2. Attached the badges to a remote control car that is driven up to the front by someone out of site. This works well around PWD time. 3. Theme of Search Discover Share - hide the badge in the meeting place (somewhere or on someone) then let them play the 'old button-button-where is the button-game'. Everyone gets into the act making lots of noise as the Tiger finds his badge. Once found, he brings it up where parent presents. Have fun!

Absolutely.

There must be something about brand new moms being a target for CM recruitment. Two weeks ago, there was a new mom with a six-week old at home that had posed the exact same question on this forum. Have you been to pack meetings and committee meetings to see what the old cubmaster appears to do? Do you think you would like that? Realize that there are a whole lot of behind the scenes stuff the CM does - recruiting efforts (adults and scouts), planning, handling adult conflicts, supporting den leaders, arranging trips, calendar planning, etc. When I was a CM, I probably spent at least 10 hours a week doing CM stuff at first. Over a couple of years, I was able to knock it down to 5-6, once I gained some efficiencies through experience. During certain times of the year (PWD and B&G), it can be especially time consuming. If you think you can handle that kind of time commitment with a baby in the house, then seriously consider it because it is incredibly rewarding and fun. In helping you decide, here are some thoughts for you (my apologies to Jeff Foxworthy): If you like getting up in front of a crowd and sharing your enthusiasm...you might be a cubmaster. If you like spending a half dozen weekends a year running crazy activities with 50 of your favorite 8 year old friends...you might be a cubmaster. If you are highly organized...you might be a cubmaster. If you don't mind dealing with conflicts among committed adults who each think they are absolutely right...you might be a cubmaster. If you have compassion for the young and a fire to see them succeed...you might be a cubmaster. If you commit to getting trained by your local BSA district so that you can run a model cub scout program...you might be a cubmaster. If you are creative and consider yourself somewhat of a performer...you might be a cubmaster. If you are willing to delegate tasks so that you don't get burned out...you might be a cubmaster. If you believe that Scouting is one of the best things a boy can do...you might be a cubmaster. If your pack has a good committee chair that takes care of all the administrative stuff for you through others (money, advancements, fundraising, etc)...you might be a cubmaster. If you have a 7 month old baby at home and a spouse that will support you in this endeavor by providing child care on pack nights, committee meeting nights, recruiting nights, training days, weekend activities and trips, etc. etc. etc...you might be a cubmaster. Good luck in your decision.(This message has been edited by SemperParatus)(This message has been edited by SemperParatus)

LFL, I know what you are referring to. Here's what we did: Printed out (in color) the patrol badges that are available for purchase from the scout shop (of course you can have custom ones made up if you choose through BSA Supply). I handed this to the den, with the instruction to pick one that they think will best represent their collective personality. I left the room (just outside the door) to wait 10 minutes. After two minutes or so...they were finished and let me in...the choose was easy...the Ravens. Homework was assigned for the next meeting that each boy would think of a patrol cheer and then present it for vote at the next den meeting. It was pretty obvious that some of the parents helped them along and there were several good ones to choose from. What we ended up with was 2-3 different cheers that we would change up on different occasions. Again homework was assigned for the next meeting that each boy would try designing a flag - I handed them each a couple pieces of construction paper. At the next meeting, I brought the flag materials (cloth, pole, rope, fabric paints, markers, etc). They all compared their different versions and came up with a basic focal point symbol which was applied. Then each could add one additional symbol and their name to the flag. Make it fun, keep it positive, and I bet they will surprise you with how well they work together. Avidfan - Webelos can choose patrol emblems and names too...its not just a boy scout thing. As Den Leader she should be involved and not back away. (This message has been edited by SemperParatus)

Hi - jack! Sorry, I couldn't help it. Nice to meet you. Welcome to the forum.

You say you are a new den leader and your husband is a new cubmaster...of a pack with 2 boys. Just out of curiosity, but why did you join a pack that appeared to be essentially dead? Perhaps in your own reasons you will find that which will attract more adults and their sons.

Whoa...you are up to your knees in it here. Sounds like your Big3 is being given way to much credence/power/authority by somebody/everybody. The COR has obviously filled the power vaccuum caused by the changeover in SM and absence of the CC, much to the detriment of troop relations and youth development. He needs to be reigned in (as do the other 2) by the other parents. If you are alone in this 'fight', you will not win. All of the other parents/committee need to be together on this and it should really be the CC/SM (with the help of District bigwigs) that leads the effort to dethrone the COR (and the other parent who threatens to fold the troop). If the other folks aren't willing to stand up for their own scouts and the troop, then maybe the best course for you is to follow the other 14 families (or start a new troop with them) assuming your son is okay with a move. If your son is happy, advancing and getting some leadership opportunities, then maybe you just need to ignore the 'adult problems'.(This message has been edited by SemperParatus)

Wow...that's one I have never seen or done before. How about something like this...not knowing how many boys are in your den. Each boy holds his den strip in his hand (already removed). Boy 1 - "We were Den No. X". Leads den in the old den cheer. Presents his den strip to the CM. Boy 2 - "We are now the XXXXXX Patrol. Holds up the new patrol emblem. Presents his den strip to the CM. Boy 3 - The XXXXXXX is a symbol of XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX. Presents his den strip to the CM. Boy 4 - Leads den in new patrol cheer. Presents his den strip to the CM. Boy 5 - Leads den in new patrol song. Presents his den strip to the CM. Boy 6 - Patrol XXXXXX Fall out. Presents his den strip to CM. or somethin' like that?

Dan Rather...where are you? Do I smell another 'memogate'?

CR, Sounds like the SM has a lot of work on his hands to get these boys in line. As far as your question, I don't think you will find anything in print. This is primarily a unit issue. I can say that in our troop, the SPL, ASPL and PLs are expected to attend summer camp if it falls during their leadership service. While we have had circumstances arise where a PL has not been able to attend, it is pretty much settled that a scout running for SPL during our April elections should have already made his summer camp deposit and is slated to attend.

What is your motivation for inviting them? To show the other den leader how to do it right and the boys what fun they may be missing? Or, just to have a get together and some fun? When I was in cubs, the other comparable rank den leaders and I always planned little outings once or twice a year just for our dens. The boys usually new each other from school or sports and we always had a good time. Maybe consider a joint fun outing, to take some of the perception away that this is some attempt to 'fix' his den or model den activity. Have fun and get to know them first, then worry about how their den is operating.

"When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight." ~Kahlil Gibran Laurie, May God keep you and your family in his care during this difficult time. Mark

Excellent. I am sure you will have a lot to offer. Welcome.

fotoscout, Being relatively new, I have no idea what your ideas are regarding the safety hazards of marshmallows (and I am too lazy to read your 707 posts to find out). Please enlighten me. Thanks in advance.

Any friend of Joni4TA is a friend of mine. Welcome.