Lenae

Sort of unrelated, but not entirely unrelated, any chance this "no den camping before Webelos" rule will be changed or abolished under the new program? I've been reading as much as I can find about the changes coming, and haven't come across anything mentioning den camping that I recall, so I suppose that's wishful thinking, but I figured it couldn't hurt to ask. (How's that for a run-on sentence?)

My son is a Tiger right now, and we received a flyer from his elementary school for spring recruitment. I will say, we'd been planning on putting my son in scouts from his birth, haha, so we didn't really need to be recruited. However, of the boys that currently make up our den of 9, 5 of them were first introduced to the idea of Cub Scouts that spring. Our pack sent out flyers inviting the boys to join in at a fun night/graduation party pack meeting. They had a scavenger hunt, couple of fun games, not too much adult talk before the kids were released to play, and cake. :-D The boys loved the cake.

I'm trying to figure out a Go See It for 'How I Tell It' and I'm sort of stuck. Our pack is from several collective rural areas/small towns. So we do not have a local newspaper. When talking to the parents, they thought the boys would have more fun going to a TV station, but no one was willing to take on the responsibility of contacting any of the nearby big city TV stations. So, any suggestions on how to go about doing this? An email or phone call? Do TV stations do this sort of thing? Allowing groups of kids into their studios for tours?

I've been lurking and reading for a while now, but haven't posted much. I just wanted to post and say I really appreciate all the help I've gotten from this forum and the members so far. Cub Scouts is shaping up to be an amazing program for my son. This weekend, he's headed to the "Top Sellers" party for our councils popcorn fundraiser. He sold just over $1600 is product, and earned a trip to a waterpark, and some other prizes. My husband and I are really enjoying getting to know the other parents and learning about scouting as we go. Even my daughter is loving getting to tag along. Here are some pictures I've taken of our Cub Scouts adventures so far. And yes, I have permission to post the photos.

Mud Mayhem

Pinewood Derby, my son got 1st place in the Tigers, 3rd overall

Go-See-It to a local museum. The boys and parents dressed up in pioneer garb and had a lot of fun at this very interactive museum.

I planned to get email addresses from interested parties after the messaged me on Facebook. I don't have email addresses for a vast majority of sons extended family, so no way of using the generated email from Trails End online selling. I'm not selling through Facebook, just using it as a way to connect with people and let them know son is selling popcorn as a fundraiser.

What are the rules regarding online popcorn sales? My son has a lot of extended family that lives around the state, and the easiest way to reach all of them would be through Facebook. I don't want to break any rules though. I couldn't find any info that relates to social media in the context of fundraising. We plan on doing door-to-door sales and have also signed up for some Show & Sell time slots, but being able to reach our family through social media would be awesome. I was thinking of just posting a general alert that son is selling popcorn as a fundraiser and please message me for more info.

Thanks for the ideas, I've got a lot to start writing down! I think we're going to nix the snack idea. I don't like kids snacking all the time anyway, but it's usually the expected norm. I'd rather have more time for a game or whatnot. We do have space for the boys to run and play, we'll be meeting either at a church with a large open field near it, or at our community grange. Both buildings have big open rooms and it will only be Scouts there, so no need to keep quiet or anything. Again, thanks for the great ideas. I'll be adding them to my meetings notebook.

Our regular den meetings are starting soon, so my husband (the official Tiger DL) and I are planning out our first couple of meetings. I'm looking for ideas for fun activities, songs, games, jokes, whatever. Tried and true ways to keep the meetings fun and involved. First two meetings are working on the Bobcat badge, if that's pertinent. Also, a question. Do you do snacks at den meetings? Our meetings are at 6:30pm, so some kids will have eaten dinner already, some won't.

I know this is an older topic, but I was reading this old article on Bryan's blog. Seems to say pretty clearly that it's not allowed.

Q: Can Scouts and Scouters pose for photos with political candidates at these events?

A: Yes. But photos of candidates or Scouts in uniform or BSA marks and logos are not allowed in political campaign materials of any kind.

 

While I often criticize the BSA national leadership for poor communications to the rank-and-file in a number of areas (advancement probably being number one), I have to say that in the area of the two-deep leadership and no one-on-one rules, they do about as good a job as one can do. I think there ARE examples given in the training, aren't there? I don't remember. Plus if people would just read the guidelines, and take them literally, they would understand that two-deep and no one-on-one are different rules (though with similar purposes) and that if you keep them separate and apply each one, you won't end up with ridiculous things like requiring two leaders and two Scouts to walk down the path to the mess hall to pick up a lost item. People get the two rules tangled up, and also don't understand that the "unit of activity" to which two-deep applies is the OUTING, and not every single separate minute or square foot of the outing (while no one-on-one DOES apply everywhere, at all times.)

So that I am clear, this means; At least two leaders on the outing (day camp) and never 1:1. But during the outing, it is acceptable for one adult to walk somewhere with at least two boys. Like your example of walking to the lost and found. The only time 1:1 is allowed is parent/child. Am I understanding correctly?

What if a parent takes his son to the bathroom and another cub comes along, but the parent has to go in the bathroom because the cub who isn't his son needs help? Then you have a one-on-one issue.

I think this instance is exactly why Tiger Cubs have to have an adult partner. Older (neurotypical) children can handle themselves in the bathroom.

This was at day camp, and at some of the stations, the nearest bathrooms were hard for the little guys to find on their own. The camp leader was pretty rude about the whole situation. During the scouting event (camp) we definitely had at least two leaders over age 21 who did YPT. Also, there should have been no reason for the parent to have to take the two boys, because he's allowed to be 1:1 with his own son, right? The other Tiger was working on his wagon and didn't need to use the bathroom, and didn't want to go and not get to finish his wagon. He would have gone if needed, but he preferred to not. After a little row, the dad took his son to the bathroom. Camp leader hemmed and hawwed and said "I'll be telling the CM and CC about this!" But I was pretty sure the parent was in the right.

The background: This has been bugging me for a while now, and I don't know who is right. Our pack took 6 boys to camp, 5 of whom had a parent with them every day. Our camp leader (who did take YPT, as did all the parents who went, but doesn't hold a regular leadership position in the pack) told a parent that he could not take his son to the bathroom, that the boy needed to go with a buddy. Dad felt that the bathroom was a bit too far of a walk for the boy and his buddy (both Tigers). The leader then told the parent that he could not accompany both boys to the bathroom because he didn't have a second adult to go with him.

The questions: I thought that Tigers were supposed to have their adult partners with them all the time, which is why all of our Tigers had parents at camp. Was our camp leader correct that the parent could not take his son by himself? And, I thought that 2 boys:1 adult was an acceptable ratio in terms of YP, or does it have to be 2 adults and 2 boys?

Anybody remember having their Bobcat pinned on upside down' date=' then once you did a good turn, your parent(s) would allow you to turn it right-side up? For some reason, I remember that being a tradition when I was a kid, but 4 decades have produced a fairly muddled memory.[/quote'] That sounds like a fun idea. Is it something we could do now?

You may want to consider when to award him the Bobcat. Typically I like to see the tigers working on the items together and earning bobcat together. Some of the parents may get annoyed if at the first meeting the den leaders kid walks away with a bunch of awards incuding Bobcat before they even understand the program. IMHO one of the goals of the den leader is to get the scouts to come together as a den. Working on the requirements at the same time helps this. By no means do I intend to say that the your son did not earn the items and should not of gone to summer camp. It is a great thing that he did. The other thing is with awarding Bobcat is there are several ceromonies. If you have all of the tigers on the same schedule you can award it as part of the ceromony. But if everyone is at a different pace it is harder to justify a ceromony at every pack meeting. http://www.macscouter.com/ceremony/Bobcat.asp

Our local Cub Scout camp is closing, Scouter Mountain was sold to Metro. It has pit toilets and is fairly rustic I would say. This is the last year for their program, after this they'll be hosting "travelling camps" where they change sites every year. From what I understand, these camps will be a heck of a lot less rustic. It's disappointing, for sure. I have been using the woods for a toilet since I was old enough to use a toilet, as has my husband. But I do know that we are a dying breed. I heard most of the parents at camp this week complaining about the pit toilets.

Question:

So your son is entering 1st Grade in the fall and you joined this Spring? That is what I am getting out of this.

If your done with Bobcat, you can get it awarded at the next Den Meeting. But Pack Meetings are the way to go. Make a HUGE HUGE DEAL ABOUT IT!

 

Beltloops...yup..anyone can earn them. Do for you.

 

Also there is a IOS (Apple) App called Packbadges. It is $4 and well worth it. Has all the requirements for just about everything. It's good.

Yes, he is entering 1st grade in the fall. Our pack doesn't have regular meetings in summer, so the first pack meeting (or den meeting for that matter) will be in September. I don't know what the other new Tigers have done in regards to Bobcat, so we are just going to wait for regular meetings before we worry about awarding it. I will look into the Packbadges app, thanks.

Tigers can earn beltloops

 

AWESOME job of the BB gun

Thanks, I am super proud of him. Looks like he may be a real natural at shooting events.

Summer camp should provide a list of what the scout should have earned. They may give that to the actual scout or to the unit. Yes tigers can earn sports and academic belt loops (at least next year).

 

I don't think the Pro Marksman is the actual requirement. Although I am going to agree he probably earned it. My understanding of the requirements it must be completed at a district / council. Because of this the BAS doesn't actually publish the requirements on their website.

http://www.scouting.org/Home/CubScouts/CubScouts/UniformsAndAwards/sanda/asterisk.aspx

 

But some non official sites list them. But even these have slight differences

http://www.boyscouttrail.com/cub-scouts/acadsports/bbshooting.asp

http://meritbadge.org/wiki/index.php/Cub_Scout_Sports_BB-Gun_Shooting_Award_Requirements#Belt_Loop_Requirements

 

At camp they are normally going to get pretty good range safety instructions. Depending on the camp and the instructor (and the time allowed) they may or may not get great shooting technique instruction. But I don't think that hitting the bulls eye 5 times is the requirement.

 

As far as when he will get it. That is up to the unit. The software we use did not award anything until bobcat was achieved. I don't know if that was a limitation of the software or policy that the Bobcat needs to be the first award. We had a kid join as a web 1 last year he earned some items prior to his bobcat but he ended up getting those once the bobcat was completed even though they were entered earlier.

His last day of camp is today, so I'll try and get in touch with someone who can tell me for sure what he earned, if anything. Thanks.

My Tiger Cub and I are just finishing up a week at day camp, our last day is tomorrow. Today, he earned a certificate for Pro Marksman in BB gun shooting, meaning he hit the bullseye 5 times. I was told by a mother of an older boy that he has now earned a BB gun shooting belt loop. Can Tigers earn belt loops? Also, he hasn't been awarded his Bobcat badge yet, though he has completed all the requirements with his den leader (my husband). We're waiting until regular meetings start in September to start working on the Bobcat badge and the Tiger badge all together, as a den. So, if Tigers *can* earn belt loops, can Tigers earn belt loops before any rank has been earned? Also, are there other belt loops or awards that are earned by attending summer camp?

Wow.. if your shop actually has the 1910-2010 patch...I want a couple! I can't find them anymore.

When Lenae says' date=' "We should be teaching our boys..., " I wonder who she means by "we." Does she mean Scout Leaders? Male Scout Leaders? Before Youth Protection, it was not uncommon for respected male leaders to have a man-to-man chat with boys about respecting women. I don't do that anymore. I don't want to go there. Maybe Lenae and the other moms could talk to the boys, but I don't know that it would have the same effect. [/quote'] When I say "we" I mean we. All of us. Parents, scout leaders of both genders, teachers, church leaders, everyone.

their attire was brought up and they said it was socially acceptable clothing and we need to teach our boys respect.

 

One leader chimed up if you dress like a tramp you get treated like a tramp.

I'll preface my post by saying I dress modestly, and I dress my young daughter modestly. That is my choice as a female and as a mother.

However, this attitude is absolutely disgusting. While I may agree with you about keeping boys and girls separated for various reason, to suggest that these girls are tramps because of how they dress is vulgar at best. Boys can't control themselves, so we should cover the girls up? Are you kidding me? Alcoholics can't control themselves, so should we reinstate prohibition? We SHOULD be teaching our boys respect, and self discipline. Giving boys a pass to act like rude, nasty little people because they can't possibly control themselves with all those hormones raging? Give me a break. A girl can dress however she chooses, that doesn't give ANYONE any reason to treat her any different than they would treat anyone else. We respect people they are human beings and innately deserving of respect. How someone dresses has absolutely no bearing whatsoever on the person they are inside.

I DO agree that there should be certain dress codes required for certain events. If a dress code needs to be drafted for your particular summer camp, perhaps that's something you could work on. Maybe you could even work on it, without *gasp* calling teenage girls tramps. But let's keep in mind that if girls can't bare their midriff, maybe the boys shouldn't be able to either? If we are going to make one gender dress a certain way, then we ought to follow those same rules for both genders, yes?

When I went to get my son's new Cub Scout uniform, the woman working in the scout store gathered up the required patches and briefly explained them to me. She included the 1910 World Crest Ring Emblem. I haven't observed many uniforms from our pack, but I did see the CMs uniform this past week. His shirt did not have the added ring around the World Crest patch. Do most Scouts/Scouters wear the ring? I know this is a pretty silly question, but I haven't networked much with other parents in the new pack, so I don't know who else to ask. Thanks.

If we go out of our way to find pants that look nearly identical because the official pants don't fit, is that giving 100%? Is wearing the uniform pants that look ridiculous because they are the BSA official pants doing our best? That's what I'm trying to figure out. At this point, I'm leaning toward having a son whose pants fit over having a son who can't run and play (hardly even walk) because he has to hold his pants up the whole time.