troopmom

Very insightful. I feel the same way in that the good kids shouldn't be expected to hang around bad behavior. However, the scariest part is that the boy is very popular at school. It is sad to see this quantity of youth attracted to such delinquent behavior. He is a likeable kid who does stupid things. Since I first posted, the outcome (I think) is that the boy is going to leave the Troop. We have had two of the sessions at the fire dept. given by a fireman who used to be a SM. Wasn't that a Godsend. The boy attended one session and had had surgury a few days before the other but was giv

Yes this forum is very helpful. Y'all as a whole give me the courage to stand firm with my convictions and stick to BSA policy. It's nice to have old timers tell you their opinion (especially when it agrees with yours). The suggestion about the patrol outing is very helpful. I never thought of that as being an alternative. Is it really ok for the Patrol to go with only one or no adult? Are there any restictions such as no canoe trips(safety afloat)? Thank you all so much for giving me a place to vent. How much is the fee here anyway?

THANK YOU. Those are my sentiments exactly.

Okay guys, I'm not talking about menu planning. I'm talking about things like climbing equip. If I let my son on his own, WITHOUT guidance be responsible for rounding up climbing equip. he would get rope from Home Depot. This is where I'm coming from. The past 3 or so trips have been cancelled because "the boys didn't plan it out all of the way." I think that if the boys don't have it planned out then an adult should notice that they may not know how and work with them. My theory is first show them how, then watch them do it, then let them do it on their own. HOWEVER, we had a 50 miler planned

Yes, Scouting for Boys was BP's but it was a set of 5 or 6 small books. I lent mine out so I can't check to see if one of those has a similar title. I'm searching now. I bought when Scouter.com had a store.

I am confused about the gray line between boy and adult responsibilities in the Troop. For example, when we plan a campout I recall reading that the boys are to pick where they want to go and what topics they want to cover on the campout but the committee then has to consider it for approval and therefore is responsible for the finances, travel logistics, parent/leadership participation, and supplies(like climbing equipment for a climbing trip). I often butt heads with other adults about this because the boys can't be responsible for the regs. covered in the G2SS. Am I wrong; are the boys supp

That's great. In our area Home Depot will donate for Eagle etc.. I wasn't thinking, again. However, REI said they won't give to Scouts when they were asked for a larger donation in our local area. My point is still---if we except sponsorship from a corporation and another public group tightens the screws on the corporation because they donate to BSA, wouldn't we(BSA)then feel the pressure to make exception to our policy, what ever the case may be.(This message has been edited by troopmom)

I've linked it to most of the committee and will have copies for dad. CHECK!

Okay here goes, open your shirt. Just kidding actually I'm somewhere in the middle. My oldest son could have been an Eagle by 13 but he couldn't do what he wanted and lost his drive. He has found a similar project now and wants it done yesterday. He is now 15, 16 in Jan. He has always been a model Scout but didn't know how to handle rejection. There is your not mature. I also have a 13, 14 in Oct. who found a project at the same place, my younger sons' school. He will finish it because they need it done and he is committed to do it now. He is a typical loses interest child but I don't think th

I agree with NO sponsership because it potentially ties our hands. Currently we are a private org.. If we take sponsership then we are beholden to the sponsers who are also beholden to others groups--ie,st REI and Home Depot who support gays and therefore won't donate to us. If we used Galyans and Lowe's who currently do support Scouting, but then the gay rights groups throw a hissie, will we be forced to change our private policy? To much obligation for me.

He's not an ASM, just a dad/committee member. Thank y'all for the support. It let's me and others on the committee know that we are not off base, thus feeling firm in our decision.

Two of my kids that are old enough are doing it, but just starting. It gives them credit for stuff they already do.

Here is a site that had a multitude of info.. We used it to teach LNT theme and the boys were captivated while we talked about smearing. If you don't know what that is then this site is for you. http://www.princeton.edu/~oa/index.shtml We also used it for teaching Tracking/Stalking. Look under natural history on the menu.(This message has been edited by troopmom)

This year a camp where my son is on staff used two rifles and it was pleanty loud. Made me jump everytime.

SharonNC, no, the dadwas not there. and when the Committee suggested probation consiting of the offenders' parents being required to come on campouts for a period of time, he pitched a fit informing us that we "can't make parents go on campouts." He isn't much for spending time on campouts apparently, not one yet. I don't think it would help though, this past weekend junior broke his foot climbing on a fence a church that he had been told not to climb on. I would have been totally embarassed but dad talked openly about it to everyone. I too am very confused at the behavior. About the MB, a

Just so everyone knows, at the Troop we are calling it a "training opportunity". Would y'all have responded better to "proper training opportunity" or "proper punishment"? I was just marketing. However, the dad does say this is not the proper punisment to which we reply, it is a training op. But thank you for the thought. I have advocated having a written discipline policy for a long time although most of our problems were no more than being obnoxious at Troop meetings. This was the proverbial straw for our camel and we are currently writting a policy.(This message has been edited by troop

sparkie That will part of the training session provided.I agree this boy may not learn and he will be kicked eventually but the others who were involved will learn how stupid they were and get a MB, too.

Thank you for your reply, Unfortunately he was at the committe meeting when we discussed for an hour and a half the instructional opportunity as we have called it. We explained how a boy came up with the idea, the PLC approved and then we voted on it and now the committee approves. He argued during the whole discussion time that no Troop would use a MB this way. He was told that that is what we are going to vote on and that we feel that if a scout and his family don't feel that the deed was dangeous enough to require intense fire education, at least more intense than firem'nchit, then we don't

Thank you all for your reply. Slont, I know what you are talking about with pencil-whipping MBCs but in this case we have done what you're talking about. We have set up a 3-hour session with a fireman who happens to be a Webelos den leader in my pack and is signed up as a MBC now. The session is on Troop night, the firestation is right next door, and this guy is great with kids. He also intends to show pictures or get a burn victim. Fat old guy, I also can see how the no-show parents could cause trouble and we may need to institute that policy although we don't have it now and this dad is tr

I forgot to add the newest saga. some are saying the SM is responsible for discipline not the committee so we should wait for him to return on the 17th of Aug.. Some of us are afraid that he will waiver and say that they don't have to do the training. I know COR is final. he used to be COR and I'm not sure if he is currently. I feel that if we tell the boys one thing then someone else comes and changes it by whining enough, we have done a diservice. I hope someone can help.(This message has been edited by troopmom)

I have been involved in our Troop for 5 years and have been to the last four summercamps. This year at camp we had 25 boys and 4 adults with me acting as leader as I have for the past 3 years. let me state that we have never had dangerous problems so this is new to me.We have had a weak SM and now we have a new one but he had to go out of town. He also has a "boys will be boys" attitude though. okay here's the incident. This year we had some new boys go with us and lighting ones arm on fire and throwing paperballs on fire during class became the cool thing to do. These new boys were at the c