Faith

@ Packsaddle, flames is what I've been told so far. This is my 2nd year participating (last year all I did was make gift decorations & walk.) Our pack has participated in this particular parade for the past 10+ years but I'll definitely check on that to make sure we're doing things correctly. Thanks! @ Berliner, that is a good point. Last year, since I walked (saying pretty much what you said + chants, oh the chants), I didn't get to view it from the viewers' perspective. We actually do stop a few times (the entire line does.) But I understand what you mean on the height part. I've ne

This year, our pack is participating in the local Christmas Parade. We are to design a float to represent our pack. This year, we decided to go with a camp out theme (tent, small trees, boys sitting around a fire, etc.) The fire is what is stumping us. I've looked around online, found numerous tutorials for 'fake fires' for plays, parades, etc. Most seem so...small (toliet paper rolls for logs, cellphane sheets for fire, etc.) I wanted to ask if anyone here has had any experience in making one and what worked for you? If you haven't made one yet, what do you think would be a good method t

Just adding my two cents. Our den is pretty large this year and lots of siblings attend (boys and girls.) We let them all participate but they aren't registered. It helps keep them all occupied and they love doing stuff as well. We recently had our annual cuboree and all siblings participated in the activities with each den and earned a patch at the end (we had tons of extras so they all got one too.) Any way we can keep them all happy, I'm for. It beats telling a parent they can't bring them, then losing the scout too. I don't really have any opinion either way on girls joining cub scouting (

My den (wolf) currently has one scout that is in 1st grade. His mom held him back in Kindergarten (else he'd be in 2nd) and when he was signed up for scouts this year, the recruiters put him in our den instead of the Tigers due to his age. So far it hasn't caused any conflict but he is the appropriate age (he's actually older than some of our scouts that started school early due to how their birthday falls.) If a scout didn't meet the age or grade requirement, I'd suggest waiting.

Great job! We went from 1 Tiger, 10 Wolves, 6 Bears, 4 W1 & 1 W2 to 9 Tigers, 26 Wolves, 9 Bears, 9 W1 & 2 W2. We had similar numbers last year but due to lots of switching around with leadership and other factors that I'm told affect this kind of thing yearly, we lost most of that. Sincerely hoping we can do better this year (right now I'm the Wolf Den Leader and so far 16 have showed up to all our meets - may have to split the den if this keeps up.) Hope y'all can keep your numbers as well throughout the year

That site's info along with a few others is exactly why I was confused. Since I helped coordinate this originally, I relayed all the information I found on it. I went on to assume (as stated earlier) that since we had a few brand new Tigers attend all those meets (which was obviously unknown at the time I turned over all the info), I understand why it was done the way it was. It was our pack's first time so I assume this is also how it'll be conducted from here on out (it would have to be to keep everyone who continues year to year from getting duplicates.)

Thank you SN I assume that is what we went by as well, which is fine. I was just confused as most sites that I have personally seen said the other way. I think its written that way online since so many don't have a chance at Tiger (last year we knew nothing about scouts until September, as only private schools had recruitment days in May 2012.) But the main thing is he earned it and was very proud - as am I I hope we can continue to try for it yearly!

I just read where someone asked this question in the thread below. Apologies for a duplicate, I had read that thread awhile back and that question had not yet been posted (it was only on the question in the first post.) So it seems lots of packs do it differently. Again, like I said, no big deal. I just expected it to go how the sites listed it. But then again, since we had new Tigers at the events this year, I guess it would be awkward to give them and our den both the Tiger pins.

Hi everyone. I had a question that ties in to a question I asked awhile back. Our den earned the Summertime award for attending all the activities in June, July & August. They were working on Tiger rank last year and earned that this past February. We started working on the Wolf rank this past June. Since none of them were scouts last summer, they didn't have a chance at this award when starting out to earn the Tiger rank. According to most sources I found online, they were to receive the award for the rank they just completed, not the one they were moving into. Last night they w

I like the idea of the time span but I've already seen in my short time the burn out and strain it causes. I'm hoping that won't be the case for my son (or his den) but I saw what one year did to some, no idea what's up ahead for us (gonna try to stay optimistic.) If there was a better way to combine some of it and make less repetition, I think that would be a start.

Yeah, you definitely have your ducks in order at least on this! Great job. My head was spinning just reading all that. Between just my job, two kids and the regular meetings I'm about beat. Those scouts are lucky to have you trying so hard to keep it fair and going for everyone. I really do hope more step up and lend a hand!

We aim to have ours completed either by the end of the meet or we return and complete it the next meet. I love the idea of sending them home to let them finish them there but in the past, doing this showed me that a lot won't complete them (they'll flat out tell you nope, lol.)

That is hilarious. We have so many jokers in our bunch, I wonder if they'd go for that since we didn't have much ideas on encouragement of sales. Great threat Jasper, hope to see more responses! I've attended 9 pack meets so far, the best for us was the popcorn catapults into bins. They made the catapults as the gathering activity. The winners got samples of popcorn and Cubby to keep for a month.

For our Tigers we were doing one hour meetings twice a month. We're gonna try to do that again this year as Wolves and see how it works. The scouts who stuck with it were always on time except for one (every meeting they were late by 5-15 minutes, depending.) Now that they'll most likely be dropped off with myself and the assistant den leader, hoping that will encourage everyone to be on time. We always show up 20-25 minutes early to have everything set up and ready before the rest of the scouts arrive since I have the time.

Welcome to the forums! Glad to have you here

When I first joined this forum I thought it was a happy little family, helping one another out, etc. Booooy where did I get that idea from. You said exactly what I wanted to but words escaped me. Some of the adults here act like the teens I moderate on a day to day basis. Yes, she may have went against what most would have done or chose the flat out wrong way of handling it (again I don't know all the rules/regulations for this kind of thing so I personally cannot say) but some of the comments here are just downright rude and uncalled for. I've learned over the past month its easier for some t

This thread has taught me to never, ever get involved in the financial side of scouting. Hope y'all get it sorted out GM and that it does not hurt the scouts' program in the long run.

IMHO, this is a horrible idea. Just too young. Guess it all depends on the children too. For me it would be wonderful as it would give my younger son something to do since he's was introduced to scouting at 2 via his brother. On the other hand, I know some 5 year olds who would not be able to participate in something like this (without going into specifics, you just know they are too young.) But then again the same can be said about some Tiger cubs (I have a few that are very attached to their parents, wondering how it'll go this year as Wolves when most of the parents won't stick aroun

Thanks for the information! Have you participated in it any specifically? Any significant issues you've run across so far? (Yes, I'm nosy.)

IMHO, this is a horrible idea. Just too young. Guess it all depends on the children too. For me it would be wonderful as it would give my younger son something to do since he's was introduced to scouting at 2 via his brother. On the other hand, I know some 5 year olds who would not be able to participate in something like this (without going into specifics, you just know they are too young.) But then again the same can be said about some Tiger cubs (I have a few that are very attached to their parents, wondering how it'll go this year as Wolves when most of the parents won't stick aroun

My youngest will turn 5 in 2014 but won't be in Kindergarten until 2015 (late birthday.) I haven't heard anything about our pack implementing this but it would definitely be interesting to see and I'd gladly sign him up as he also tags along to some den/pack meetings and loves them. I wish I could find more online on how it went for those who have already started it. Time to go nose around

I asked this same question the other day. This is what I found on MeritBadgeDotOrg: http://meritbadge.org/wiki/index.php/Lion_Cub_Scouts Wikipedia says "Lion Cub Scout, a kindergarten-age level in the Cub Scouting program of the Boy Scouts of America to be introduced in the 2014–2015 program year."

Boo, hiss. JBlake, I think in your 40+ years of volunteering, you must have forgotten what it's like to have young kids. Yes, you do sound like a "hard nosed Grinch" to quote your earlier post. Since you are venting about spoiled volunteers who expect to *gasp* bring their young children with them while they volunteer all day with their older children instead of putting them in day care for the week as you suggested (really? In my area, that would cost about $300 for the week) -- I hope you won't mind me responding with my vent from the other side as a burned out volunteer momma. Reg

I know we've cancelled smaller events in the not so far away past (last 6 months or so) due to lack of volunteers. A lot of planning went into this camp (a lot of people backed out towards the end of it) and if they had of cancelled and re-scheduled, I have no idea if it could have continued or not. Most of us who did volunteer requested time off months in advance (I had to ask off almost 2 months in advance) and wouldn't have been able to. Our pack is very small (at least compared to the numbers I see on here) and the other two packs that were included in our district didn't have one scout jo