blw2

I just wanted to do one with a loop before we finished cubs.....

I've thought about this several times..... my theory us scouters that have interest enough to put energy into it... going to round tables, training, and even reading this forum... we like the "game of scouting" we are either continuing from playing the game as a youth or we regret not playing as a youth and are enjoying it now. For many or perhaps most, the primary motivator is our sons, which may extend to the other boys but there almost has to be a piece of us that wants to play the game too. Baden Powell wrote that an important trait of a Scoutmaster is being a man-boy (or was it boy-man?) ....anyway, being able to relate to the boy. So what's wrong with that. Some boys go for the bling and strive for the advancement others don't, and just ride along with the patrol for the fun of it.

I wonder if he, or any of those pro folks, read and participate in this forum. My sense is, no. It seems to me that this is the most active scouting forum around (at least that I have found), even if there are only a relative small number of folks highly active.... and if I were over the BSA, or even a higher up, I would be sure to check in daily to any and all scouting related blogs, forums, etc.... to get a pulse....

all that being said, & by my rudimentary understanding it all makes sense.... but that being said, why not just fill out the stupid piece of meaningless paper so they can have it in hand? It seems to be not that big a deal, and might grease the skids for some overzealous paper hound.

wonder why the data on leaders and units is so spotty

i was thinking a similar thing when I first read this post... It would be nice to have a real outdoorsman type at the helm..... maybe this guy is, i don't know.... despite the questionable regard that some hold..... I was thinking of Bear Grylls. He's high positive energy, sort of likeable, and has been shown on TV fast roping out of helicopters (not scouting stuff really, but "cool"), rappelling off mountains, building shelters, etc... I think that image would be preferable to someone that looks more comfortable in a board room or behind a desk.

On the other hand, assuming what you say is true about it being less intro and less able to "ease into it" it might actually be a good thing. For the last couple years, i've seen parents reluctant to step up to lead tigers but when they do they ease into it, and this I'm thinking might set the tone for meeting schedules and agenda that are....well, too relaxed.

well you're may very well be right... I haven't read through the stuff like you have, only a couple of intro lectures.... from my perspective the tiger program does start them too young, so it's balancing on the edge anyway. I just hope you're not right about loosing more boys. I was under the impression from the u of scouting and other intros I've seen and read, that the program was going to be better and perhaps more completely laid out for the leaders.... If it requires more planning I'm afraid @SeattlePioneer may very well be right!

I thought the service stars were a nice idea. so i bought them for our boys and leaders a few years back. Quickly realized they were too easy to loose they get caught on jackets and backpack straps just like my official BSA name tag..... pins are just no good. I'm shocked that my son's religious medal device has lasted more than a year now.... I have thought several times of gluing the back on.... or peening the pin over. I wish they'd come up with sewn on name strips and a better solution for the service stars and such.

I think it sounds odd nice gesture, sure, but odd... not a hill to die on for sure.... just guessing, but it seems to me that this outgoing treasurer was only passing along a nugget of tradition. Somebody probably had a good idea once to make such a donation.... then the folks that followed also thought it was a good idea so it continued 6 treasurer's later this guys is probably just passing along the tradition..... saying it needed to continue.... I would take as "his opinion". Our pack doesn't do it to my knowledge our troop doesn't either Like @@Stosh suggests, I too have always considered the pack to be a ministry outreach of the parish..... not a tenant.

oh, you had to go to cast iron care! can't use a scrubber? I say baloney can't use soap you say? hogwash! I've been using cast iron a long time....taught by my dad.... But my father in law is very opinionated in other schools of thought with it.... I must admit to getting a bit angered when folks tell me things absolutely that i can or can't do, when I know better... and CI is one of those areas so fraught with differing opinions and wives' tales.... that it is laughable in a way... But back to your story.... it's spot on! What was he instructed to do??? Love it!

yes, very good point, @@SlowDerbyRacer! I think the other burden is the dimension. By my thinking, and I could be missing something, but IMHO it just means a small area. Something the boy can get down and explore up close, without moving.... Maybe it's one small bush or a puddle maybe use a magnifying glass..... it's amazing what we never see when running past....

The 1 foot hike is interesting. I used to do a lot of scuba diving. This was a suggested thing to do on a dive. I tried it occasionally. I was an advanced diver with high level tech certs, and I enjoyed the more difficult dives.... something with a challenge. But when diving off a commercial charter boat, the 2nd dive is often planned as a shallow and easy dive. I used to dive down, and blow through the dive thinking it was boring. On occasion, I would dive down under the boat and find a good lively head of coral.... just spend the whole dive, or at least a long while just there relaxing. It can be quite amazing what you don't see until you stop and look for a while. I'll bet the 1ft hike might be good and boring in my backyard for example... where you'll find well grass, and not much else since my monthly lawn service kills all the bugs..... but if you take the scouts to a location out of their normal experience.... someplace with lots of life and variety a wetlands area, maybe someplace along the shore.... a tidal pool, or a rock jetty or riprap, under a pier, in or near a little creek, etc..... and then stake out a small area to keep the wandering minds contained (maye it's a 3ft x 3ft area, close enough).... I think you might be surprised that this isn't necessarily a bad idea.

I have felt like the OP, that the CC or someone else should be doing it.... well at least pushing the bus.... but just as with scouts, it's up to them to go get their books signed if they want the patch... so why not put the burden on the scouter to push the paper if he wants the patch I do get a kick out of those large collections.... but if they are earned, hey I see no reason not to wear them. Nothing wrong with that. The attitude that some folks have mentioned is what is wrong, not the knots..... Our last pack meeting is coming up, & I wish that I could award some knots to our Den Leaders for their service. I've looked at the options and requirements, and sadly none of them have earned any even though they have served their dens well...... (no round tables attended, etc...) I would appreciate the Cubmaster one, now the scouters key I think, to recognize and remember my time in service to the pack. I meet all the requirements but one I think.... we don't have a summer program (because that's the way its always been done..... not because I wouldn't like to, but because there's no support for it.... and that is a requirement, so no....

something I have struggled with a bit... and I have noticed our den leaders on occasion doing the same.... when an opportunity arises that we need to pick a scout to do something, many times we will purposely NOT pick our own sons.... .....or we'll pick the new boy when really one of the original plank owners that has been around since Tiger and come to almost every meeting really would enjoy the honor, and perhaps deserves it.... does that touch on what you are getting at? side note: Cambridgeskip, what is that you're seated in, your profile picture? I'm an instrument rated private pilot

as a cub scouter, I found the baloo thing frustrating.... in an effort to help my pack have more people get baloo I tried and tried.... could never find a class to take.... they were offered rarely, they were NEVER offered in the summer when our pack duties were light and I could more easily attend I think it took close to 2 years before I was able to attend one.... we were told to bring our camp chairs, and I was set for a day in the outdoors. wrong.... 100% indoors in a church hall. Even the outdoor cooking... we all wrapped our tin soldiers in the kitchen, and staff took them outside to grille while we sat and listened some more.... teachers were stuck on their scripts. Bless them, as I know they are volunteers and were doing their best to help us all.... but I don't think any of us were amateurs needing rudimentary training on staking out a tent or the talk about different kinds of sleeping bags.... oh or lanterns..... we were lifelong campers, former scouts, many eagle (I know that doesn't necessarily mean much, but it does mean they have been camping a time or two...)..... but they stuck to the script. there were some interesting rat trail discussions with the group, but as Eagle94 said about the iols, the only thing of value to most would be the discussions about rules and requirements.... tour permits, etc.... but even all of that was a hotly contested discussion. Clear as mud. I considered it 99.99995% a waste of time. but even still I think I wouldn't want to test out since it was only a day, well not even a full day & There was some group discussion that was valuable, networking, etc... and then moving forward, OWL seems to never be offered round here without being combined with IOLS.... and even those are rarely offered. I must admit that I'm not too excited about giving up a valuable weekend, knowing that it is very likely to be BALOO, part 2.... but I'm starting to think about doing it soon..... I like the idea of combining all three, but I don't think that a cub scouter should be required to invest a weekend just for baloo.... and honestly, I'll bet it would be possible to cover all three very well on a single long saturday anyway.

I'm thinking a tepee looks a little more "cool" than what the indians in my area used for shelter....

well they're not at the troop mtg anyway, are they.... The committee can meet at the local pizza place if they want!

oh yes, I've hit it at least 4 times since my son was a tiger.... then I keep bouncing back

looks to me that it's not a national level thing, but a council level.... just based on looking at one page of google results....

so you're gonna quit based solely on the new program? come on.... Really? almost 4,000 posts here, so i can tell you are an active scouter is it honestly that bad.... or is there some burn out or other things going on here?

fair enough! that is a pretty rare thing.....

that WB21 outline was interesting. thanks for posting that badwolf! based solely on that it seems that it could be a worthwhile exercise, although exhausting! I've been to many full day training weeks like that, with very little break..... and they will drain an introverted person like almost nothing else. If it were hands on woodcraft and scout craft, I'd be eager..... sitting and listening.... not so much.

I'm getting the point, but I don't think I'd go so far to agree. choices are good, to answer these many opinions, likes, dislikes, body types, climates, etc.... so the offer microfiber shirts for lighter and cooler wear, and whatever that poly blend uncomfortable stuff is for a nicer look... etc... but anyone seeing anybody wearing any one of the many combinations will immediately identify that it's "Boy Scout". So while not uniform to a stuffy extreme, what they offer is at least somewhat "uniform" and is readily identifiable....

I'm not sure, but wasn't woodbadge started to be such a thing as I described in my earlier post?