starwolfmom

I've seen that recipe, too, except with a tortilla for the base instead of a napkin. That way, it's completely edible! Elizabeth

jd--Sounds like you belonged to MY sons' pack! Except for the pinewood derby item, the list you made would describe our pack. I wanted to attend our next committee meeting (all the den leaders and the CM, who is also the CC), but it's the same night as my big boy's Court of Honor, and he's getting Life that night. Guess I'll shoot for the april committee meeting instead. Elizabeth

I wish our pack used the program helps, but any observer to our program would think that there was no such thing. Our pack meetings have no theme, and there are almost never any songs or skits done by dens at the pack meetings. It's kind of pitiful, really. When my older boy was in this pack, I didn't know anything about the resources available to Scouters; once I joined his troop committee after he crossed over and began getting Scouting magazine, I saw the wealth of resources available, and it frustrates me that our pack doesn't care to take advantage of them. Elizabeth

In our pack, the Web 2's get a shadow box with all of the badges, arrow points, belt loops and patches they have earned in their Cub Scouting career displayed. The bottom of the frame has two hooks which hold their arrow from their Arrow of Light ceremony. My oldest son, now a Life Scout and freshman in high school, still has his shadow box on his bedroom wall. Just the other day, he and another boy from our pack (he and this boy are now SLP and ASPL of our troop) were reminiscing about their crossover and how both of them LOVE their shadow boxes. Elizabeth

I'm sad for you, too. I'm in the Lansing, Michigan council (Chief Okemos Council), and I've never heard of Lost Lake. We usually go to the Northwoods Scout Reservation near Lupton, Michigan. Elizabeth

The program for last night's B&G listed the pack's committee members. It consists of cubmaster, assistant cubmaster (who is the dad of a boy who crossed over last night), awards chair, popcorn kernel (the CM's father-in-law), treasurer (who is also the Bears den leader), Tiger cub coach, and the wolf, bear, Web 1, and Web 2 den leaders. (We only have one of each den) There is no COR listed, although my son's den leader (and treasurer) told me that the Web 2's den leader was the COR. Since her group crossed over and she announced that she is done now, I wonder if she will continue to

johndaigler inquired if my pack has any of the following: Pack trainer, Webelos-Scout liaison, activities chair, camping-outdoor activities chair. No, no, no, and no. Our pack has never gone camping as a pack (not even when my now-Life Scout was a cubbie). The den leader of the Bears got her den (which my younger son has been in since Tigers) interested in Cub Scout Day Camp, but we have get to get anyone else interested in going. When our council had a Cub Scout Healthy Hike in the fall, more than 1,000 cubs participated, but not us. Scout day at the ballpark? No, unless you wan

In several threads having to do with pack discord (notably the one about the do-nothing cubmaster) people have suggested going to the committee chair. Well, in our pack the committee consists of the cubmaster and den leaders, and one or two other people. The CM is the committee chair, the Bears den leader is the treasurer, the WEbelos 2 leader is the COR. I'm sure that this is not kosher, but I'm not Cub Scout trainer (I'm trained as a Boy Scout committee member). We don't even publish when committee meetings are held. I had to get the information from my son's den leader

What anarchist's troop does sounds similar to what our troop does. Our Scoutmaster and several boys (always including the SPL and ASPL) wait on the other side of the bridge to receive the Webelo who is crossing over. He is then surrounded by the Boy Scouts, who take off his blue loops, put on the red loops, take off his plaid neckerchief and put on his new red neckerchief, and give him his book. The new Boy Scout then stands with the troop members until all of the Webelos have crossed and been transformed into their new accessories. Elizabeth

Thanks, everyone, for your replies. Someone asked how we keep order in our pack. Our (now former) Cubmaster was a start on time, end on time kind of guy who brooked no nonsense. At our blue-and-gold, once people were eating, he did the lower dens' awards. Things kept moving and by the time dinner was over, everyone had their awards except the second-year Webelos. Then all attention was turned to the AOL and crossover ceremony. Only after that was completed did we have the entertainment portion of the program. So . . . everyone stuck around, and everyone paid attention. On T

Last Saturday, my oldest son participated in his first crossover as a member of a newly-formed OA ceremonies team. This was the team's first crossover, and they were missing two boys (down with the flu), so two of the boys were doing multiple parts. I was so proud of the boys. They did their parts beautifully (for their first time) and imparted the right degree of solemnity to the pack's crossover at their Blue and Gold banquet. My vent? The behavior of many of the Cub Scouts at this pack event. Sure, it was the end of the evening, but I know that in my younger son's pack, behav

These posts took me back several years to when my now-Life Scout was in third grade, working on his Bear badge. Always indolent by nature, he was not working on his achievements at home (despite my encouragement and offers of help), and his cohorts in the den were. It was the den leader's hope to give all of the boys their Bear badge at the B&G, but he wasn't going to force it down their throats. Well, the big night came, and Matt had NOT completed all of his requirements. Seven little boys were called up to the stage and received their Bear badges, while one little boy sat with m

In addition to being the mom of a Boy Scout and a Cub Scout, and a non-Scout with Asperger's Syndrome (high-functioning autism), I'm also a freelance writer. I've done a couple of short pieces for Boys' Life, and just got my first assignment from Scouting magazine--an article on how leaders and parents can work together to help boys with Asperger's Syndrome or autism spectrum disorders to have a successful experience in Scouting. If you are the parent of a Scout with AS or autism (either Cub Scout or Boy Scout) or a leader who has worked with Scouts on the autism spectrum, and you feel

I know that my older son (now a Life Scout) has kept all of his neckerchiefs from his Cub Scouting days as a visual reminder of his progress. In fact, one day when I couldn't find his younger brother's Bear neckerchief, I asked if we could borrow Matt's old Bear neckerchief from his top dresser drawer (where he keeps all his Scout stuff), and he looked stricken--as if I'd asked to borrow the crown jewels. NO WAY was he going to let his irresponsible little brother wear his Bear neckerchief! Eventually we found Greg's neckerchief, but I learned that you don't mess with Matt's stas

My son, who is a Bear this year, made most of his own car, with just a little help from dad with the power tools. When we got to the race, we saw lots of really spiffy looking cars--almost professional, really. But Greg's car got a lot of attention from the adults. "Did you make this?" "Are these the weights?" "Wow, that's some car." It was chunky and clunky compared to some of the other cars, painted in our school colors, and he loved it. The car lost all of its races--by a large margin. Then came the "special" awards. Most Original, Best Paint Job, and "Judge's Choice." My

I have been less than happy with my younger son's pack this year, under a new Cubmaster who came in last March, after the CM for the previous 7 years left when his last son crossed over. I've been trying to be charitable, trying to give him the benefit of the doubt, sure that I would get used to the new man's way of doing things. Then . . . at last week's meeting (a Christmas caroling practice for tomorrow's pack meeting), he really got my goat. The man has a whistle--like a coach or referee would use--that he blasts to get the boys' attention! EXCUUUSE ME! Whatever happen

Thanks, all. Glad to know she's not violating the letter of the law. I think it would still be a good idea to have more than one adult at the den meetings, but I won't get on her case about it. Thanks. Elizabeth

Yesterday, my younger son had his first Bear den meeting after school. I work full-time, so the deal was that he would go to his den meeting (right there in the school) and when the den meeting was over, his leader would deliver him to the after-school child care program (in another part of the building). This was fine with me--one less meeting to get a kid to at night (I've got four kids, so we're go-go-going all the time). When I picked my son up at 5:30, I asked how the den meeting went. Fine. Who was there? He named 5 or 6 boys. Who was there for adults? Mrs. Den Leader, he sai

Our troop had been one of those that didn't meet officially in the summer. We had summer camp in late June, Governor's Honor Guard at Mackinac Island in July, nothing in August, then tried to gear back up in September. This year, though, we decided to change that. While we didn't have weekly troop meetings, we had at least two activities planned in June, July, and August, in addition to our regular camping. And you know what? It's been our best year ever--the boys are active and enthusiastic, they've bonded closer together, and are really excited about Scouting. It was the best move

She didn't call it a "tour permit," but I'm guessing that's what it was. She doesn't have it back signed yet. I think it was getting passed along up whatever channels they have there at the council office, but no one had contacted her to tell her 'no way' yet. and I don't know if it said "Laser Tag," or "Zap Zone" (the name of the place) on it. Maybe the guys at the council office don't know that Zap Zone is a laser tag joint? Elizabeth

Well, I ended up talking to my son's den leader (who is also our pack treasurer and the cubmaster's right hand). I told her about the laser tag being against regs for safe scouting and let her know that I didn't want us to get into any trouble. She didn't know that it was against the rules. In fact, she had submitted our game plan to the DE (or somebody at the council office) more than a week ago, and hadn't heard anything from him to the effect that we couldn't do it. She plans to give him a call today to check. (Of course, our council office is already under the watchful eye of nat

Thank you all for your quick response. I guess I'll be making an unpopular phone call to our Cubmaster this evening. Elizabeth

Our November pack meeting is scheduled to be an evening of laser tag at a local laser tag emporium. The boys, of course, are thrilled at this idea. However, in the back of my mind, I seem to recall that BSA doesn't allow for official troop/pack activities that involve "gun play," except in the case of supervised target shooting. I know that my older son's troop nixed the PLC's idea for a laser tag outing--saying that the boys could get together on their own, outside of Scouts, to play, but that it couldn't be a troop-sanctioned event. Does anyone know chapter and verse on this

My son would LOVE this option. He practically lives in his convertible jeans, especially in a Michigan autumn, when he rides his bike to school in 40 degree weather and comes home in 70 degree weather. And it would sure beat having to have both long and short Scout pants. Count me in! Elizabeth

Thanks for all the suggestions and empathy. When I did the flyers, I gave each Webelos leader enough flyers to give one to each of her boys--they obviously didn't share them with their kids. On the plus side, three Webelos 1's and their leader did attend the fall camporee and have lunch with our boys and I think they had fun. I'll try the personal invitations for our next event (neither den has a den chief, but I'll send my son--our ASPL and a "graduate" of this pack). As for the pack itself, they don't really do much "by the book," even under the cubmaster before this one. Pro