Tampa Turtle

Lordy, lordy. I was just up in Savannah and visited the Julia Low house. Must have seen a thousand Girl Scouts and leaders and talked to dozens. They all seemed just swell--not the little green shirted demons at all... When I see these topics I think "you know, Boy Scouts is enough". But I do not have a dog in that hunt.

It seems you do not think the boy is pulling a fast one so I would fix it and give it a pass.

They were probably around -- there seems to be organic problems with true ADD kids and while you adapt you do not outgrow it. So a lot of them grew up and achieved less than they might have with help. A much higher percentage of kids with ADD/ADHD end up as drop-outs, in prison, or abusing alchohol/drugs. Not all but at 2-3x the average. But yes it is hard to identify with all the other "background noise" of boys coming of age. I know as a parent it has been hard for me to judge when he is having problems he cannot stop vs. "being bad". In our case I know he has been punished many t

Well said. Ain't free speech a pain.

All normal kids go through a no stage; of course they get corrected. Basement, be thankful that you have a child that did respond to discipline and boundaries--it made your life infinitely simpler.

Which dates? For each rank or individual achievements? Our Troop we usually want something in writing from the old scoutmaster, a signed book, or a Troopmaster (or equivalent)print-out. But we have had a boy or two who "thought" they were a much higher rank than they actually are. On occasion a boy has been burned with a unit collapse but we will work pretty hard to clear things up.

Most of the radio is before my time but I used to enjoy listening to CBS Mystery Radio at night in the 70's as a kid. I had to turn it down when my mom came up to the door to see if I was really asleep. Occasionally it would really freak me out. My earliest TV theme song memory: "It's about time, it's about space, About two men in the strangest place. It's about time, it's about flight - Traveling faster than the speed of light." Not a very good show but I was 5.

I agree that the standards for being a volunteer is not the same for conviction. (obviously) I want to have a right to a fair trial and not a false conviction. I DO NOT have a right, no matter how much I want it, to be a Scouter. For example, If I am a grade-A jerk of a Scouter who is impatient, careless, and angry with the boys maybe I should be barred even though it is not a crime... If I am an adult who lusts for young boys even if I have never acted on it I probably shouldn't be a scouter either even if I haven't committed a crime.

I don't know enough to say that ODD is just being a bad kid. My oldest has multiple disabilities and can make one tear your hair out. But scouts has been great for him. I agree with eolesen that the parents shouldn't bail--they should be in the area just in case and better yet helping with somebody else's kids. That is what many of the "special needs" parents do since there own kids come with higher overhead they need to pitch in. I found my son was often better with another parent and I found it refreshing to work with boys who were easier to teach--it was a nice change of pace. At the

I like Chic-fil-A but do not eat it often as fast food night at the Turtle nest is on Sunday and they are closed. And I should not eat that stuff. But the one near my house is packed all the time--it is hard to get a parking space. My observations are my social circle view Chic-fil-A well in part because they are closed for the Sabbath. Walking the talk and all that. I think the company is getting unfairly beat up over the issue--the founder is entitled to his opinion. I was on vacation this last week and in several southern cities I visited the places were packed to overflowing with fol

Back to the original thread... BSA after the Rapture...they'll be mighty disappointed when all the Girl Scouts are gone!

Basement, I saw a polling presentation that most self-identified traditionalist "born-agains" don't walk the talk any better than american Catholics. Or are culture in general is spawning a lot of cafeteria behavior toward laws--folks hate speeders on their street but speed elsewhere, etc. But a fun discussion.

My wife had a similar experience. She was a key volunteer with a "Webelos Age" church youth group--was pretty responsible, did a lot of work, and was pretty quiet. Actually an unsung key person. When our youngest moved on to the next age group she decided she would volunteer there. (She usually works with the girls and gives our boys a lot of room) She got called in for an interview by the Youth Director 1/2 her age who basically told her, while they were short of volunteers, they really didn't think she was a good fit. Now she has run camps for kids, did all that stuff, and actuall

I don't get the analogy at all...

I would say "great"! Then: (1)Talk to them about how they would see their role. (2)Explain they need training,YPT, other etc. (3)Talk about the Uniform. (4)Explain how our Troop functions, etc. (5)Assign them to "shadow" another ASM. I'd then see how they work out before letting them get to any "critical" areas--lots of different folks with different capabilities. But what do I know I am a ASM.

I always took off the Class A, announced "I am officially off duty" and that was that. My old Pack leader reminded us once you are a leader you need to remember boys will be influenced by the example you lead--no Tampa strip clubs for me! ;P

We had a Patrol want to come up with a "temp patch" award device for special service to the Patrol (some sort of feather-dongle thing)like saving a meal disaster, great leadership, bravery, etc. I've never seen them so excited. Mostly we reminded them that it was "unofficial" and that they needed a "fair" way to decide who to get it, no hazing, etc. Had to use a delicate hand since we did want to rain on their parade. Man the first couple guys seemed so proud, more than any COH Advancement I suppose because it came from the Patrol. By the way one lad got it who wasn't even in their Patrol

In my experience in dealing with Catholic and Methodist churches (as well as few Jewish congregations)many middle and older aged clergy seem to be more "liberal" then there congregations. Some of the younger folks seem more conservative but not on all the traditional issues. So ya never know. In a Catholic Parish is the Arch Bishop breathing down your neck on this issue and how do the movers and shakers in your congregation feel about it. Will they pull donations? I've seen Priests "imposed" upon some parishes and others where there was tremendous pressure to remove an unpopular one. So that i

BSA can get away with it because no one knows or cares about LFL. More folks have heard about Sea Scouts than LFL.

Hmmm my $0.2 if gay adults join. (1) LDS is organized enough and independent enough to spin off on it's own. (2) Catholic Units will be split. A top-down directive against scouting would kill some C.O.'s. I do not think the Catholic Church could organize it's own competitive organization. They might try. (3) United Methodist Churches. No blanket order either way but as a "big tent" denomination some C.O.'s would lose support especially in conservative areas. I think a minor net loss. (4) Schools. Greater support. This may lower some barriers for establishing some units. Th

I guess I am a cafeteria uniformer. I am flexible on the pants --My boys are using non-BSA green tactical pants but they LOOK like the uniform--but the epaulette ribbons need to be the same color. Folks get confused enough as it is. So I think the guy was wrong. He (and the Adventure) patrol should have made up unique neckers, temp patch, or Patrol patch. Plenty to work with there.

I have cribbed much of Kudu's presentation for my old Pack and it was highly effective. A couple mom's blanched but the boys were always go-go. Then the pressure is on the adults to walk the talk and make sure there is adventure! We could not do at School Hours but at a PTA sponsored Movie and Pizza night. My old Pack was sponsored by the PTA and used the school for pack and some den meetings.

At first I didn't like it but upon further reflection it could be a good idea. The cub scout oath/boy scout oath switchover confuses lads anyway. It all seems kinda cobbled together.

And you mention this because Scouters shouldn't play with Trains?

Philosophically for me Sunday is church time and family time. We even have "family movie night" Sundays and make the kids do homework on Saturday so we just "re-create" on Sunday. But that is just us. I know groups who meet all sorts of different days--it is all really just an experiment to see what works. I do know a lot of folks have a lot of opinions on nights--there is never a perfect one.