Tampa Turtle

We have a large unit and use Quickbooks. I think it is because there are usually a few mom's who do it for their husbands business and it is a know standard. I am sure it is a bit of overkill.

Thanks. I already signed up for MB counselor for Disability Awareness. I will look through the book.

I have a Boy Scout (my some) 1st Class who has Tourettes, Asbergers and a few other disabilities. He is excellent at Scoutcraft and loves scouts but has gotten a certain amount of bullying from the other boys who do not understand what Tourettes is about. While the SM and ASM's are cracking down on the bullying behavior my son and I would like to do an "in service" presentation on Tourette's to the boys at a Troop meeting. My son is pretty open about it. I am a member of the Tourette Society of America (TSA) and have some material. I was wondering if anyone has some good ideas on how to handle this sort of thing. Especially if they know personally of any older scouts that may have done this.

We used to have 150 bodies on a campout as well. We also did a SWAG estimate for the paperwork based on past experience. If we went over we would pay the difference. We also pushed the paperwork, money collection to the den level. That said we had a well financed pack and subsidized most of the campouts. We usually had the dens provide there own food.

At free comics day at his school my kid got "Lincoln hates Werewolves" with "Jesus Hates Zombies". I was not exactly happy with some of the content....gotta look at all the stuff that comes in....

We had the same issue a few years ago. We had a majority of Bear families that wanted to continue meeting during summer break (usually I got zero interest). The CM decided that our Bear career ended at the end of the school year so we did work on some activities once a month. I think we did Physical Fitness activities like swimming which was easier to do during a less hectic summer. I had a "scratch" group from several different imploded dens and 3 schools. It worked great for bonding and helped them advance enough that we could take our time and do the AOL work slow and steady.

I am not a big fan of the AOL as this gig goal but our guys pretty much knocked out the program over 1-1/2 years with an average of 14 activity pins. Mostly this was by meeting once a week to mirror the Boy Scout meeting schedule.

I do think the Outdoorsman, Naturalist, and Forester (the most Boy Scouty activities IMHO) should be pushed out to the "Webelos 2" year. The boys need some majority, both physical and mental to make the best of them.

Any summer pins were awarded at the 2nd pack meeting once school started.

I got a very nice stubby 9 LED metal flashlight at Office Depot for $4 on sale.

I agree with Mr Hawkins on the Robotics badge, it is just an updated high-tech version version of an earlier analog --say a Soap Box derby car...actually much more demanding. My boys love to build and tinker at home...it can be bamboo and lashings at home or work on a robotics kit. Of course BSA seems to be moving away from emphasizing Scoutcraft. I think Scoutcraft still appeals to a lot of boys.

I am seeing more boys struggle with 7b - "the useful camp gadget". They seem to have no imagination or have fun with it. They just want the solution --if I see one more weather rock on a tripod I will scream. I should just hold a campout off the Florida coast and make em all build a raft to get there. Actually, that sounds like fun...

Boys Life really bugs me. The stuff in it is always way too expensive. The recent issue had bikes. Started with a $100 walmart one, then $500, $1300, $6000. What ever happened to a scout is thrifty? I am all for getting good quality gear but the way National and Boys Life presents it you better be a rich kid (I am middle class and with myself and 2 boys I cannot really afford it)

I survived 6 PWD and am glad my boys are past them; I will pron help our feeded pack this year.

Improvements I would make:

(1) Make the rules very, very clear to parents. The position of weights is part of the strategy.

(2) Have a "good sport" award to the boy who cheers others the most. They get a trophy too.

Parents are the worst at PWD. We have had to have a large male hang around the weigh in table because some dads will try to intimidate the lady leaders. Even with software it is hard not to mix up the cars with so many races. We usually do not allow repairs and do not let other adults touch the car after weigh in -- we had some dads try to sabotage others.

Big difference: Mom's!

Boys act differently with their mom'd around. In our Pack restroom quality issues dictated where we would have our cubscout campouts. We did food as dens--usually some dad likes to grill. We had a very big pack so when the boys and siblings came it was 150+ kids.

Have to be very careful with the cubs with things like fire, knives, and running between tents. Lots and lots of fun activities needed. Need to tire them out.

Another issue is that the proportion of parents with little camping experience is higher than in Boy Scouts so they will look to you as leader to be knowledgeable. I got good at setting up lots of different kinds of tents!

I didn't get trained up until my 2nd year as Tiger leader. I sure wish I had --the Tiger boot camp I put my first boys through!

I had a very hard time finding time for the training until they provided it in my neck of town. So my advice is make it as easy as possible on your leaders. Take it to them if possible, feed em, and provide some child care. We have had some training over a pack campout--everybody was there anyway. The YPT online training has helped as well. We were lucky as our Cubmaster was the district trainer as well.

I am torn on the issue. I usually already copy the parent when I email a boy or if a boy emails me on a MB question. I would want the same with my boy. So this does not impose a new burden on me. We also have had some cases of cyber-bulling so I know it exists.

On the other hand the guidelines scream BSA-CYA and I live in dread of another mandated online training course.

I am an ASM now but did 3 dens of Tigers. When I got the Tiger Leader know I felt I EARNED it. The boys were enthusiastic but very wild; a meeting could go south in a minute. Man I sweated out the planning for those meetings...

I think the recognition helps a little bit.

I think gentlemen should refrain from partaking when on duty and "on duty" would mean the entire trip. I am not saying that dealing with the lads has not made me want a good stiff drink. On the occasions I have been around fellows who have enjoyed a nip on a campout there usually was a few moments when they said something about a boy or a boy's family a bit too loud, or swore a bit more.

Gentleman,

I agree with the middle course. Kind seems salvageable. We have some "official fire tenders" in our troop. I like the idea of making a lad do Fire Safety MB. Also the medical visit.

I would break the class into 3 parts.

Part 1-8am Basic training for the clueless. Before the herd.

Part 2-930 to 4 Basic Baloo -G2SS, boys and fire, camp games,common safety problems.

Part 3 -helpful tips, tour permits, cocktails.

I would watch the lefties a little more closely. It seems most knives place the cutting blade near the top if placed in the right hand. In the left hand it is lower and apparently harder to control. Also a two blade knife is easier than a thick Swiss army knife. At least that was my Bear experience twice -- the lefties were disproportionately struggling.

Also I had them practice holding Popsicle sticks first.

Thank you for the feedback.

I an not so much worried about the investment issue but which were "keepers". I since have looked at a bunch at the scout store. I though Sailing, Archery, and Rowing were pretty good, lots of terms and facts. I thought Camping was pretty so-so and Reading not really worth it. Architecture/Landscape Architecture were pretty good though it slights Architecture. (I am trained as an Architect). Model Making was very good. Wilderness Survival seemed pretty dated. I agree the color helps --the books look a lot like the "DK" books the kids have. Very graphic.

I will make any boys I counsel read them. I am finding too many boys just using the Merit Badge worksheets and not knowing much about the material -- I think it the "Merit Badge Academy" attitude that seems to be creeping into the Troop as well.

I am new to do some MB counseling on the side. I am intending to purchase some MB books since our Troop library is depleted. Flipping through some of the books I see some are pretty good, some pretty minimal, and some outdated. I was wondering what the older wiser SM's think of the MB book quality? Which are great and which are duds?

While I backpack slowly well...like a turtle...I think it is too be included in a program if it all possible. Yes some boys will hate it but then some boys will not like aquatics and some boys will hate camping. It is still character building and an important skill. The first time a young scout does 10 miles he knows he could in an emergency walk a distance if he needs to. I always think of the New Yorkers on 9/11 who had to walk 10 or 15 miles home because the buses and trains were shut down. Carrying all your stuff on your back quickly teaches you that you do not as much stuff as you think. Plop camping does not achieve any of that.

All that said I am eternally grateful the Good Lord made Florida flat.

Every parent has something they are really good at. Some are really into a hobby, others are good cooks, some great organizers. Ask everyone to do something. The lazy ones will grab the easiest duties first; I have had some parents with extra$ and no time subsidize snacks, etc. Sometimes mom will volunteer Dad to help out for one meeting if he is not a regular ("Joe is a marine biologist for the state, he can do a presentation for naturalist" or "Fred is a coach he can help with physical fitness next week"). Make sure you praise the parents.

If you can get a "core" group of parents to help it becomes infectious and helps you concentrate on the program.

I would also use the BearTrax or WebelosTrax, etc spreadsheets to track awards. Also map out a rough plan for the entire year, or if you are not gifted organizationally (as I am) find someone else to do it. You can also find other leaders can send you theres that you can adapt.

As far the times and meeting dates, if you are the leader just make a decision. No time ever works for everyone.

I think Assistants are really important. A lot of folks will do assistant DL if they are not the main one. I had 20 tigers one time and a very nice ADL whose main function was to peel off the occasional troublemaker for 5 minutes cooling off. It made my job easier.

Praise and recognize any adult who helps you in front of the group.

Also when recruiting a leader, especially a man, emphasis how he will grow in the eyes of his child. Also more than one leader was born when his wife insisted he spend more time with his son(s). Finally remind any recruits that while it is work it there are a lot of new and fun activities they will get to do. If it wasn't for scouting with my boys I would have never camped, hiked, kayaked, snorkeled, marched in a parade or played balloon stomp. It is nice as one plows through middle-age to get the opportunity to learn new things.

Number one woe?

I hammock camp now....worrying about having 2 trees in the right place, doing my knots correctly in the dark Friday, and staying warm if the temperature dips.

Number two?

Did I pack the Gold Bond.

I would recruit an Assistant and offer to sit in and "coach" a couple meetings. Give them any program helps and background material (How to Box, extra games and supplies). Reduce their anxiety.

At Camp Woodruff there were some outstanding teenage girls as instructors; the young lady doing Bird Study was wonderful in her enthusiasm. One was a lifeguard who was greated by shouts of "Hey, Good looking Girl!" everytime our Troop marched past. I needed a whip.