yarrow

I have received some pretty pathetic letters from my girls and sometimes from the boy when they are at camp. Fortunately the mail delays the arrival of these letters and I know from experience that they never want to go home by the time I pick them up from camp becaused they have had such a good time.

I have never received a phone call but if I had I know for a fact that I would not rescue for homesickness........it's not fatal and generally not even long term damaging. Keep the kids busy and distracted. Most bouts occur the first night and may disappear if the scout is allowed to stay up and read or play cards, or talk to another night owl. The next night they are generally too tired to fret.

One campout one of my Brownies periodically wept, but stuck it out and never asked to go home just always had wet eyes. We kept her busy (she was only 7)extra hugs, let her sit on our lap when working on a project if she needed (might not fly with all the boys) and kept her company at night. The next year she was the first to sign up. Most girls and boys can suck it up. We also tried a sad chair or spot within sight of the activities so that the camper could be homesick but still SEE the fun they were missing. They usually didn't stay sad for long because they were missing out and not getting too much attention.

My daughter has finished her project. All that is left is the presentation. I think it went well although it seemed like watching a train wreck a couple of times. She made raised gardens for the elderly at a local home. They did the planting in the spring, but what with the drought here and the facilities lack of staff some things died. All and all though it went well.

In the public sector being overweight is now largely considered a disease or disability worthy of extra consideration. How does that fit with those who can not do the rank hikes, swims, and personal fitness badges required to get rank. Are exceptions made for this as for other handicaps?

Holy maccarole..........two cords. He won't finish his service award until October so he won't get the cord until then, but he finds them very confining and in the way. I have safety pinned them to the seam under the arm to keep them from catching on his elbow, but still he doesn't like the cords. After you are done with being a Den Chief do you still wear the service award cord?

My boy is going to continue as Den Chief. Seems there isn't a hard fast rule on age. He is not terrifically mature but he NEVER causes trouble or acts up. He just doesn't have the leadership qualities that you see more often in older boys yet. I will switch the cord. Forgot about that. The Den is doing some summer activities which he helps with. I have noticed that the adult leader is a little unaware of a Den Chief's responsibilities and gives him a little too much of the work; however, he is growing by leading the meetings too. One advantage to having a younger boy is that he well remembers his Cub Scout experience. My boy has signed up to plan and run the requirements for the Scientist pin because he remembers that it was fun. I find so far that being Den Chief is MUCH more work than almost any other POR. No wonder it's hard to get Den Chiefs.

The camp is outdoors and I presume the "churches" are outdoors also. Why don't you have the scouts sit down in visual range 20 feet appart to meditate. They are not attending, but rather meditating on their Duty to God. Make sure that they stay in visual range and of course you will need to sit at the back of whatever "church" they sit "outside of".

Thanks for your input. I know he has enjoyed working with the boys, but I thought I had heard there was some age limit for working with Webelos. I like the idea of continuing as Guide; however, they are in a pack near us that does not normally feed our troop. When I say near I mean 20 miles from the troop he goes to. He is not in the local troop because we found it too small (12 boys) we drive into the nearby town to attend a large (50-60) boy troop. I don't know if they (the current Bears) will crossover into our troop next year.

Sorry, just a simple question. My boy has been a denchief for a den of Bears. They just crossed to Webelos. May he stay with this den? He is currently 12 but will be 13 in July. If this is a problem how can it be waived. He has really gotten to know these kids.

Frankly FCFY is not much of a stretch for most boys if the program is being provided for them. If they have to hunt it up for themselves it's very much harder. Regarding Patrol leaders my boy was "elected" PL at 10 on the basis that his new boy patrol all wanted to do it and they ended up with "one potato, two potato" . Eventually over the last few years most of them have gotten a chance to be either PL or APL. They are all happily easy going. One time they even elected a boy that never came. Found out the hard way that that didn't work. Such great learning experiences.

Differences between the programs..........

I have three girls in GS and one boy in BSA. I run the programs about the same.........

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here's my take

I have been a Girl Scout leader for 10 years and came up through the program. I have been a Cub Scout Den Leader for a number of years and am now a trained leader for our Boy Scout troop of 80 as well as the troop Secretary. I have also been the Program Director for the Cub Scout Day camp of over 200. I do scouts, as I am sure do you.

Boy Scouting and Girl Scouting structures are different. I wish they would get the two together and take from each program the good and get rid of the things from each program that drive me crazy.

The programs are structured differently as you know. Boy Scout troops and Cub Scout Packs are very larger and much more like 3-5 Girl Scout troops put together. Girl Scout troops are more like Dens or Patrols in size and as a result have some limitations in program and finances. Heck by the time you get to Senior troops you are lucky to have 3-4 girls. In a Boy Scout troop the numbers are not that different though. In a troop of say 30 you might not have more than 3-4 17-18 year-old boys either, but you have lots of younger boys providing more opportunity for leadership and variety of program. It is one of the Boy Scout structure's strengths. I might also add that the Boy Scout program nationwide is funded cooporately a little better. Not fair or right, but there it is.

The Girl Scouts, even though girl led much earlier, still reflects the interests of the adult in charge. If the leader is just not a camper, even though the girls want to camp, they might not do much camping. I provide a varied program with a slight leaning toward camping and physical activities, not because I love rock climbing, but because this group of girls do. Last year I had many more girls that loved crafting sooooo we did more of that.

Boy Scouts have more Camping and Leadership, Girl Scouts have more Service and Leadership. Both have badges (a little more skills oriented in Boy Scouts and a little more career and service oriented in Girl Scouts, plus Girl Scouts include the gender issues that women have come to focus on since the 60-70's). Women are more service oriented. The amount of service that Boy Scouts are required to do (of course some do more) for rank advancement until Eagle is a joke compared to what Girl Scouts do. Each Cadette and Senior interest patch requires a ton.

The path to a Gold Award is really hard. The path to Eagle not quite as hard. I have a 12 year old boy with Life rank and all but 1 Eagle required badge and a huge number of extra badges. He is not an over achiever and not particularily ambitious. It is just easier. The badges, because of the range of ages in a Boy Scout troop are designed to be done by a 12-14 year old boy. My 17 year old Girl Scouts has taken on some Challenge projects that were harder than many Eagle projects by far and it's just one step towards the Gold. Unfortunately if you put Eagle on your application the interviewer says "Ahhh", if you put Gold Award they say "Huh?" Truly unfortunate.

Girl Scout troops are structured more like a Cub Den in that they don't have rank advancement, they just move up by grade. The Gold, Silver and Bronze awards add another element but once again are service oriented. I have worked with 4-6 5th grade boys and 4-6 5th grade girls......trust me they are different, due to the delayed maturation of boys. Girl Scouts allow camping earlier and with less adults as well as cooking, real cooking, and knife work. Girls are just ready sooner. I run both programs about the same, borrowing resources from each for the other. Girls like knots, boys like knots. Boys like rock climbing, girls like rock climbing. Boys like sewing,yes they do, girls like sewing. In their interests they are not that different.

However due to the small size of Girl Scout troops regardless of the girls' interest in camping, in most cases, if the leader is not a camper, they won't do much camping. If they were in larger groups, like the Boy Scouts, I think you would see mixed ages......some camping, some roller skating, some crafting.

Anyway I like both programs. Both include God in their promise, but the Girl Scouts have opened up the interpretation, hence their growing membership enrollment. That does not preclude your promise to a Christian God, but allows for different spiritual beliefs within the troop as well. Faith is a personal thing. If you are looking for an experience in Girl Scouting with only like minded individuals you can find it in a troop, but keep in mind that no one who wishes to join in the future will be excluded due to a different interpretation.

Within Boy Scouts we have chosen not to join a LDS troop because of the predominately LDS membership. It doesn't fit with our beliefs. Just a personal choice. I am also sure that not everyone within our current troop believes as we do ........but more share the same beliefs and so it is a better fit for us.

This is from the official GS site. Please note that GS is growing percentage wise for whatever reason, and that generally tends to be very inclusive and respects diversity, much like BSA.

"Girl Scout Promise and Law

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Promise and Law provide the framework and ethical code for the Girl Scout program. The values expressed in the Promise and Law serve as the foundation for all activities in the Girl Scout program. Girl Scout membership is extended to all girls who accept the Girl Scout Promise and Law.

Girl Scout Promise

On my honor I will try:

To serve God* and my country,

To help people at all times,

And to live by the Girl Scout Law.

Girl Scout Law

I will do my best to be

honest and fair,

friendly and helpful,

considerate and caring,

courageous and strong,

responsible for what I say and do,

and to

respect myself and others,

respect authority,

use resources wisely,

make the world a better place, and

be a sister to every Girl Scout.

Used thoughtfully and often in your everyday life, the Promise and Law can help you take action when you are faced with a decision. They can help you define or articulate the personal values that will give meaning and direction to your life.

*The word "God" has always been used to represent the spiritual foundation of the Girl Scout movement. Since Girl Scouting is for all girls, girls whose beliefs are expressed by a word or phrase other than "God" may substitute that for the word "God" when they say the Girl Scout Promise. When written, the word "God" is always in the Promise. "

Hope this clears up the question of God in the promise. It allows the individual their own interpretation. In my case Christian. All my girls in my troops are at present Christian and so our prayers, graces, are currently on the Christian side. We do however explore diversity and include songs from around the world and study various cultures regardless of the predominant religion of the country. More to follow...........

Our troop has a mixed policy. All the money a family has put into the account of their own accord is refunded directly to the scout regardless of whether or not he stays in scouting. All the money earned through a fundraiser organized by the troop is forfieted.

Well, my boy and several others are two year campers are going to take Camping MB and #9a,b were to be done outside of summer camp for obvious reasons. They have done the 20 days/nights camping required and were careful not to count the summer camping more than allowed. Plus they have done at least two of the higher adventure type activities on several campouts (didn't intend to imply on an earlier post that those were required for every campout) so I believe those campouts should be counted toward #9a,b. We also have several 16-17 years olds just starting this badge for Eagle push. I would really hate to tell them to restart their camping tally for this badge. It would be very discouraging. Like I said the advancement chair and SM didn't have a problem, just this one dad (whose boy has missed/skipped several of the campouts that included the higher adventure activities). I'm sure from one perspective he is correct.

Some boys are going to take Camping MB at summer camp this year. Requirements #9a and 9b require a minimum amount of camping and also that certain activities happened on these campouts. Things like 15 mile bike ride, rappeling 30 ft, Hiking up at least 2000 ft, etc. These obviously will not be done at camp.

Some boys have been in scouting a only a few years, others many more. The advancement chair and SM had no problem signing off on the camping done prior to the upcoming summer camp badge, but now one of the dads is complaining that the camping must now be repeated to qualify since the badge is now just being started.

In the case of our new scouts that would mean that they would have had to come into the troop and immediately signed the blue card for Camping MB and for some of our older scouts there may not be enough time left for them to do the 20 nights and activities again. What's up with this? Seems a little picaune. I understand the sequence of doing merit badges and the application needs to be filled out before the badge is started, but I also don't have a problem on this particular badge to allow counting their current camping tally.

How do you handle this badge?

Always wonderful to gain an Eagle. Your son sounds like an impressive laddy. Congratulations!

The troop chose to wear shirt, tie and slide and to skip the sashes. Everyone looked nice and the family and troop member were appreciative. It will be hard for all the boys, but since they all come from different schools coming as a troop (which is how they know this boy and his sibling) was the tie that binds in this case. Thanks for your condolences.

What is the appropriate scout uniform to wear to a funeral when part of the troop is going? As much of the full uniform as each boy has? Just the shirt, tie and slide as long as each boy has them? Should a sash be included? OA sash? Is a black arm band ok? The deceased was a brother of a boy in our troop but not a scout; however, the family is big into scouting.

Thanks all, I came to the right place. My boy has been wearing his sash on his belt a lot because most of the older scouts do. Also the full sash display looked showy, he earns the badges for himself not for too much show. Ok, he won't wear it on the belt from now on, arrgh. I know he can fit 60 badges on the front so I will run them up the back. I bought the long sash on the recommendation of the shopkeep at the scout shop, so it will work. Many of our boys wear their OA sashes to meetings. Not kosher, huh?

I have no problem with the boys putting special patches on the back. Hope that wasn't another GS slam.

I would like separate BSA and Girl Scouting programs, but would also like to see a "Young Venturing" program that includes both. There is something to be said for some boys having the "coming of age, all guy experience". Not all boys need this but many do.

If you have been to the Girl Scouting forum you can read about the differences in the programs. It might be to the benefit of both to have a combined program option. I for one would find it efficient to put my daughters and sons in the same program.

When a scout has filled the front of the sash, do you start on the back. I have seen several options: I have seen a boy around district that wears two sashes "bandito" style, criscrossed in front. I have seen one sash worn and one hung from the belt. I have seen badges up the back, but some say the back is only for patches from activities or camps. In Girl Scouts we use the back for patches but also if needed run badges up the back.

I would rather use the back than use two sashes.

Find a new troop. Some troops because of the SM or boys are just toxic. When we were looking for a troop I went with my boy to 4 in the area. The only thing I insisted on was that he not join the local troop. He was disappointed an was the only one in my den to cross over to another troop. Didn't look good, although when the local troop had a melt down less than a year later (SM quit, Treasurer quit, Committee chair quit, and the Advancement Chair quit) I felt at least that the right choice was made. He has since made so many friends and seen the problems in the other troop that he feels that while at first he was resentful that now he is grateful.

Troops change.......a bad batch of boys may leave or graduate, problem adults may move or retire. Perhaps your current troop will change soon, but for now for your son's sake I would change troops, and let him know that the change doesn't have to be permanent.

You're right. So many experts are out there and many willing to work with youth and of course the great part is that we adults probably learn the most.

You're right. So many experts are out there and many willing to work with youth and of course the great part is that we adults probably learn the most.

If you don't have a counselor for a badge your boy or others are interested in or the district doesn't you have your boy ask them. Make sure he knows what he is asking and can describe the extent of the commitment. Show the man/lady a MB Pamphlet and have the counselor papers ready for the prospective counselor to sign. Our troop pays for their registration if necessary although most councils don't charge for counselors.

We have adults with expertise in our troop assigned to some of the badges. Some have more than one. Our district maintains a list also. On unusual badges the scouts sometimes have to hunt up an expert and then we register them as a counselor. (My boy had a semi-professional stamp collector, Master birder, and Community theater director register because he was interested in Stamp collecting, Bird Study, and Theater. The opportunity was offered to the rest of the troop but there weren't any takers.) The forms allow for restrictions on the application so that if a counselor only wishes to work in a certain county or area or if they only have specific dates or times available they can indicate so on their application form. Some of our specialty counselors did not wish to become committed long term and placed many restrictions on the form. Not ideal, but sometimes your resources are not really interested for the long haul....just a couple of months and in this county for example. Works well for us.

Oh and also, the merit badge colleges have district registered counselors too. We have at least 6-8 MB colleges in the drivable area over a year period that are run by several districts. In Colorado "drivable area" is more broadly defined than in a smaller state. It's 20 miles for a gallon of milk for me and we don't think much of driving 200 miles for activities (camping, MB Colleges, etc.) Bet Texas is the same way.