yarrow

I don't know if Scouter would add any but Yahoo has a scouting room and no one is ever or hardly ever in it. If a time were set up I am sure many could go there and chat say Thursdays at 9:00 EST.

Thoughts?

We visited four of the 5 local troops when my boy crossed over skipping the local LDS troop as a personal choice. We did not have the experience you encountered. All of the scout leaders were friendly, informative and attentive. Many of the older scouts stepped up to answer any of his questions and help him with nights activities. Our area has one troop only 5 minutes away the others are 20 minutes away.......still we chose one of the ones futher away. The town the troops draw from is small and the number of Webelos limited so I think they all actively recruit. THey call, invite boys, and schedule fun activities. Sorry your experience was so bad.

My guess is you have done plenty of pins and that these boys are more interested in hands on activities. They can do fun events like tours, bowling, swimming, etc. and they can do community service. Now is also a good time to build up some camping gear since as a new scout they will probably go on a campout pretty quick. Dutch oven cooking is fun too. They can also work on an Akela award since they have a little time.

We had a girl scout with a similar problem. The assistant leader did the nurturing, concerned part took the scout to the corner or ajoining room (open doors of course and said that her injury required that she rest and that she rejoin the group when she was "recovered". In these situations there were not any actual injuries. The parents were informed on picking up the scout that she had been injured and that she needed to be checked and watched and that unfortunately she had missed much of the campout or meeting and they were given a list of badge requirements and activities to complete if she was interested. After a while the scout figured out that if she howled she got only some of the attention she wanted. She got adult concern and a chance to rest by herself.......not much fun. It stopped.

Generally the only Scouters that post here are involved with Boy Scouting but if you check the archives there are plenty of G.S. threads. I have a Girl Scout troop but I checked the site and my council isn't listed. Do you already have a recipe from Mile Hi in Colorado? If not reply and I'll have my Seniors send you one. K

I ran the problem by the SM. He has known the boy for years and thought that it might be youthful indescretion and that he would think it over, try and check the facts and perhaps speak to him. THe SM is a wonderful, kind and thoughtful man. I am sure he will make a good decision and I don't intend to further make it my business anyway. Thanks for the input.

We have an SPL that was elected back in October and ever since the ASPL has been essentially running things. The SPL is likeable, funny and friendly or he wouldn't have been elected. I don't think the adults would have elected him. He has a high drift factor. The ASPL is an Eagle scout and new to the troop and much more aware and poised; however, I'm not sure it is fair or right to allow the boy to "take over". I don't think the SPL will grow from this experience and seems willing to step back and let the other boy lead. I'm sure some of you have had this experience in your troops.....because it is boy led I presume we just let it go.

One scouter wanted to know.......

"The Bird Study requirement says to "observe and be able to identify at least 20 species of wild birds". Can we count the ones observed at the local raptor center, where they care for injured birds? They are in cages, but they are definitely wild birds."

Seems to me like that was not the intent of the badge.

How do you make time for presentation in your troop meetings? Many badges require this and I would like to see it as regular portion of the meeting. Say ten minutes and have the SPL invite anyone up to do one that is prepared. It benefits the scouts to present to a big group too.

The earrings worn by the boys in our troop appear to be small studs and not a hazard and one of our older boys always has his necklace although he seems to be a fine youth. the chains of wallets and low slung pants don't work though. I have seen boys running with one hand on their pants to keep them up and to keep them from falling. Good grief

I really like you suggestion on a piece at the meeting on what trustworthiness means. I'll pass it along. THanks.

Sounds like he's ready. He must have his Arrow because of the age question. I presume he does. The local troop and the kids he has always be with is not neccessarily the best troop to join. Good he is branching out. Congrats! and of course your "reason" is .......let this be his guy thing. I avoid the campouts and only camp with my girls in Girl Scouting. My boy has 3 sisters....he needs a guys only thing. I attend all the meetings as Secretary and keep abreast of what's happening but camping..... he's on his own without mom saying "Honey, don't you think a jacket would be a good idea?" Learns more, slowly, but still good for him. You sound like you are ready, good for you.

Some of the badges have difficult requirements and are seldom if ever offered. Take Farm Mechanics for example. Hard for a city boy. Anyone have creative solutions for some of these wierd requirements in some of these badges? Any favorites?

Kicking him out would not be a good choice.........as I said Scouting is a place where he can be guided in making moral and ethical choices. However a "firm" talking to seems not enough. I would support a suspension from the next few fun activities and requested community service considering the magnitude of his poor choice. Thanks for your input all. I will carry this to the SM and see what he thinks is best.

There are a lot of badges that have requirements that seem to be able to be filled in a number of ways. Some I think follow the intent better than others. I know at Merit Badge Colleges that the letter of the requirements are usually met but I am not sure about the intent. For example: when a badge says to present your information from a badge to a group or troop I think the intent is that the troop benefit from the presentation. At a MB College they might break into groups of 3 and each present the information to the other 2 in the group. The letter of the requirement is met but I'm not sure about the intent. Anyone else see this as a problem or a less worthwhile experience?

What's with earrings, off the fanny pants, necklaces and wallets with chains worn with the scout uniform shirt? I was a another board and it seemed to be a hot button for a lot of scouters. Hasn't been a problem in our troop although several do wear these items. My poor boy bemoans his lot as his mom won't let him wear any of these "cool" articles of clothing.

You are right JMc......tough call as to whether to kick him out of the troop. I have heard of troops that have after a suspension kept thieves. Go figure. The SM knows this boy, as he has been in the troop 5-6 years. A talk with the boy should be able to get him the facts. I would hope the troop after a suspension would keep him in, after all Scouts should be a good supportive moral and value based experience. I don't know if he should be advanced though. And the school did take action. He was thrown out of the IB program. Don't know if he was suspended but over a hundred students paid for his cheat.

I didn't intend to sound harsh, but I am relatively sure the information is correct. I am not sure what our policy is for boys who break the law or cheat in school. The punishment, if any(which I imagine will be the case), would be up to the SM and I don't believe he would bring it to the attention of the committee or boys. I'm not sure what the point of that would be anyway. However; this is not some elementary age kid, this is a 16 year old Life Scout. This was deliberate cheating with forthought, not just peeking at someone else's paper for your own benefit, which would be bad enough. I wonder now....do we have Eagles that have cheated, lied, harrassed, bullied, or broken laws?

What do I know........I thought scouters got to wear their Eagle patch.

I agree let's redesign some of the Merit badges. I, for one, hate the badges, as does my son, that have a three part division with pictures in each part and several are Eagle required.

Most boys only wear the shirt for camp and if they wear it a lot it's not that expensive. Price some of the T-shirts from Abercrombie and Filth that some choose to wear to school. The whole uniform is pricey but most don't wear it. My skinny boy still finds the pants too tight but it is in comparison to the off the fanny styles currently out. The shorts were shortened in the 70-80's when OP made REALLY short shorts and the boys who wear "shorts" down to mid-shin now find them too short. All styles change and the Scouts are always behind due to demand issues. Girl Scouts are up to date on styles but there is no continuity and you can't make a girl wear a uniform anyway, except for Brownies and they are just as expensive.

This is a awkward question because I do not know all the facts first hand. Last semester a Chemistry test was inappropriately passed around the school purportedly by a boy in our troop (I think it likely) who took the test early. All the grades for this class were nullified and a new test was given because many people had copies and no one could be sure who knew about the test when the rest of the classes took it later. I know my 10th grader paid for this cheating behavior as did many others who did well on the first and not as well on the second. The boy has since been "kicked out" of the International Baccalauriate program. My question is should I let the SM know and how? It certainly doesn't meet with my idea of scout trustworthiness. I have been on the fence about the problem because I do not have the information first hand but from a number of students. Children of friends and of course both my High Schoolers.

I'm not sure people think of the "flags" on toothpicks as "real" flags. I think that they are represent their patriotism without feeling the need to have it treated in the same fashion as a "real" flag. The "flag" on the uniform and on most clothing items is not an actual flag but representative of the honor that Boy Scouts hold for their country and flag. Some only have 12 stripes printed and somewhere between 40 and 50 stars. I don't panic when I see his shirt on the floor because I don't consider it a flag on the floor. He's still in trouble because he has his uniform, socks, pants, shoes, papers, backpack, coat...etc. on the floor. When do they learn. All the same when people think Scouts they think American and wholesome and honest....I like the "flag" to be on the uniform!

I also do not like the "Scout" rank patch but I don't like many of them. The full emblem is the most attractive and what looks good about the second class patch. If they are going to do an "add-on" patch progression I would like to see a Hollow "Compass point" for the "Scout" patch instead of the dull brown one and then add the scroll below that and so on. I don't care passionately but he's right it's kinda ugly.

I could skip the brotherhood patches, but some people are happiest when there is stuff all over the uniform. I prefer it plain, we don't add too many of the temp. patches of other klingons. Soon the uniform can look junky and pretentious. Just my take, others love all the patches.

I ran a thread much like this about a year ago. Here's my take. I understand that most troops have like age patrols, but I don't like it. I would rather see patrols with various ages and leadership that works it's way up and graduates. There is hardly a boy that would not benefit from being in a leadership position and in like age patrols some boys get that position too much of the time. My boy is in a second year patrol and has had opportunity to be PL so this is not just sour grapes. Now to competition. I understand our friend's problem... he is gung-ho and I love OGE's idea with the caveat that all troops provide a gung-ho patrol to only compete against others of the same. Otherwise all the other "competing" patrols should be mixed and include first years. The mixed patrols might also get a kick out of watching the gung-hos go at it.

Thrilled for you and glad it is your wife who is PG and not me........I have four and am soooo done. Love them all though and Congrats!

Our troops favorite trips are usually the new locations and one old favorite where we never have any scheduled activity. The new trips attract older boys and the one that we repeat every year is low key and non-threatening for brand new scouts (we usually have it just after cross overs). It's enough for the new boys just to get gear together. I wish we did more backpacking though.

Go to the Hornaday Award site. An Eagle project may count toward the award as long as it falls into one of the project catagories for the Hornaday award.