Hedgehog

Our Troop has been to Camporees (West Point and others) where there were Girl Scouts and Venturers. NYLT is co-ed due to Venturing. OA allows female adults to be inducted. Cub Scout Pinewood Derby in our Troop always had a "non-scout" division (read younger or female siblings). Rick: Really? I guess I have to be specific. "I also see the co-ed dynamics and understand that there are reasons that co-ed scouting would not work as effectively as a program that focuses on single-gender development between the ages of 11 and 14 due to the cultural, educational and political factors

For me, equality of opportunity has always been a conservative value (with apologies to any Liberals on the forum). I've never been one who has seen demonstrations, protests and battles of words (read name calling and personal attacks) as a solution -- it makes those involved feel better about themselves but does nothing to find solutions. I also don't see life as a zero sum game - just because someone succeeds, someone else doesn't necessarily lose. I don't like the idea of co-ed Scouting at the Scouts BSA level. There is something unique about the program in the way it nurtures 11 to

The issue is one of Troop culture. Culture begins with the leaders. The older Scouts take their cues from the leaders. The younger Scouts take their cue from the older Scouts. Our Troop has a Scout with on the Autism spectrum, a Scout who is Downs Syndrome and a Scout who is in a wheelchair due to spinal cord issues that affect his ability to walk and use one of his arms. The Scout on the Autism spectrum does need more adult interaction than the others. The older Scouts (who are his same age) have been taught how to support him by treating him as an equal. The Scout with Downs Syndr

Remember EDGE method - Explain, Demonstrate, Guide, Enable. The guide and enable parts are what work to keep them interested because they are doing. Have fun with them. I love when I talk to Scouts about knife safety and saying "Thank You" before I let go of the knife. I then say, "let's practice." I hand them the knife and hold on to it until they say "thank you" and then I let go. I then say, "OK, give me the knife back." They do, I take it and tell them "You failed." I continue to do it until they realize that they should hold on to the knife until I say "thank you." Actually,

I would start with having a signed permission slip with language similar to what is on here: https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/19-673.pdf. I can't say that the waiver is ironclad, but I see no reason NOT to have it signed by every parent. I suspect that our CO has insurance, but I've never asked. I have contemplated getting an umbrella policy. My recollection is it is around $350 a year for $1 million and $450 a year for $2 million and $600 a year for $5 million. As @Saltface said, make sure that there isn't a gap between where your home and auto policies stop and th

Dog tags. They have a small chain that is supposed to go around a toe or something. Can get them inexpensive on the internet. Have the Troop and Patrol on them. One on the Dutch Oven and one on the lid.

@Cambridgeskip, it's not you, it's me. @David CO 's "three act story" comment was a jab at me and an attempt to discredit what I've said. I've written and deleted three responses and then realized that I don't need to justify my experience, my story or the depth of my faith to him or anyone else on this forum. If what I've posted helped some people to move toward a common ground, than I'm glad. For others, nothing I can write will make any difference because they are focused on winning the argument rather than seeking to understand. As a result, this is my last post in this thread.

Each patrol has a Patrol Box (pots, frying pan, cooking utensils, cast iron griddle, measuring cups, paper towels, wash bins, etc.), stove, lantern, Dutch Oven (and lid lifter / lid stand), propane tank, stand pipe, pop-up garbage can and 5 gallon water jug, large clear plastic bin for food and a cooler. We have around 10 troop tents and a couple of old loaner backpacks. I think there is a sleeping bag that someone donated that we haven't found a home for. I also have a bunch of hiking shoes and scout pants that people have given me to be provided to new Scouts. We encourage Scouts to

I'm not sure. If the girls in my Crew are any indication, I'm guessing the older ones will be out to kick @$$ at the camp games. I do know that the majority of girls in my Crew opposed the BSA opening the Boy Scouts program to girls. I also know that the Crew hasn't liked attending Boy Scout events (both the guys and the girls) but has loved attending Venturing Events. I"ll have to ask the guys in the Troop what they think when they are at camp this summer. I'll also be interested in my son's opinion about how the camp he works at will be different. My sense is that most of the

@The Latin Scot I understand and respect all of what you said in your post. I think that what you said about making everyone feel loved, appreciated and safe is the common ground I was looking for. If people start with an agreement on that idea, the disagreements become less heated and maybe as @Eagledad suggests, the discussion becomes more pragmatic.

@gblotter that isn’t quite what I was trying to convey. My point was more along the lines of despite all the gloom and doom and despair on the forum, you can run programs within National’s guidelines that provide a quality Scouting experience for youth - both male and female. Despite your suggestion, some of my son’s best experiences this past year have been at OA, NYLT, and Council Events and Summer Camp. All of which are run by youth. My solution is for people to focus on what is in their control by building a youth-led, patrol-based fun seeking program. I don’t think Scout un

I didn't intend to be self-righteous or grandstanding. If I came across that way, I apologize. My purpose was to encourage people to look at this a different way. Let me tell you a bit about myself. I'm very conservative - voted Republican every time except once where I voted for a third-party candidate that was more conservative. I'm Catholic and take my Church's teachings on issues like sexuality, abortion and compassion very seriously. If you asked me about transgender kids three years ago, my response would have been to consider those kids abnormal freaks (my words, not any of yo

We are on a patrol hike on a campout. My 13 year old son and his buddy are leading and we just trekked up to a scenic overlook and looped around to a second overlook. My son tells the group that we have to double back to get back. A parent disagrees and points to a trail saying, "its right there." Son take out compass and has buddy go 100 feet down the trail to see if it turns to go in the right direction. It doesn't. My son repeats, "we have to double back." The adult repeats, "it's this one right here." My son looks at me and asks, "what should I do?" I responded, "lead." He said,

Certainly... if you allow me to edit and expand it. Send me a messaged I'll send you an edited version.

I'm back (and probably just for a limited time). First, for the Merit Badges, it is the Merit Badge Counselor, not the Scoutmaster. Second, a Merit Badge Counselor cannot add, subtract or change requirements. The specific requirement is: Camp a total of at least 20 nights at designated Scouting activities or events. One long-term camping experience of up to six consecutive nights may be applied toward this requirement. Sleep each night under the sky or in a tent you have pitched. If the camp provides a tent that has already been pitched, you need not pitch your own t

This isn't about agreeing with or understanding the concept of gender identity. I'll be the first to admit, I don't understand what those kids are thinking, feeling or going through. I just know they are kids who need love and acceptance and who deserve a chance to get the benefits of Scouting. I've got Scouts that outwardly are not normal -- one on the autism spectrum, one with Downs Syndrome, one in a wheelchair. But with the rest of them it isn't evident until you get to know them. I've got a Scout with hearing loss in one ear, a Scout who has an inner sadness because his Dad pas

So this whole discussion is purely hypothetical based on which might happen by people on both sides who have never knowingly met a transgender person. We have two transgender kids in our Crew. One is gender neutral and one identifies with the gender that is different than what is listed on the birth certificate. Guess what? They are kids like any other kid. I'll vouch for the fact that NONE of the kids in our Crew or Troop are normal. They are all goofballs, goobers, geeks and misfits -- that is why I like them so much. There is no other group of kids I'd rather spend a weekend camp

To paraphrase that great sage Meatloaf, one out of three ain't bad.😁

Our rule is if they want to do it, we find the adults necessary. Kids are so over scheduled these days that nothing is spontaneous and everything is planned in advance, so it isn't difficult to get the adult leaders if it is going to be a Scouting event. The difference is that is an individual activity not a team sanctioned activity. Do my son and his buddy's who are Scouts take bike rides together or go hang out at the nearby lake or go into town to get pizza together? Of course. Does that need adult supervision? Of course not. Could a whole team meet on school grounds, use the

You need two registered leaders. That could be the SM, an ASM, a Committee Member or a Chartered Organization Representative. Is the problem with not having adults or not having them registered? If it is the second, have them registered as Committee Members -- the training isn't as extensive as for a SM or ASM. The G2SS rule is here: At most, that is two adults per patrol. At the least, it is too adults for the troop. My sense is it would depend on the scope of the activities -- if the Troop is meeting in a park with each patrol in a different area, I could see two adults for the

I haven't been around the forums for about a year. I was too busy with the Troop, the Crew, raising a son and working a paying job in between all of that. I also figured there would be a lot of drama with all of the changes in the BSA program. I came back yesterday only to realize that, according to most of the threads and posts on the forum, THE SKY IS FALLING, SCOUTING IS DOOMED and everyone is RUNNING, not walking, FOR THE EXITS. Just WOW. Former House Speaker Tip O'Neal would say that all politics are local, I would say all Scouting is local. Scouting is thriving where I am

I'm not sure what your position in the Troop is and that has an effect on how you should deal with this. My advice is to focus on what makes Scouting great. "Friendly" and "Helpful" are good starting points. Call up the dad and arrange to grab a cup of coffee or a beer. Make a friend out of him by explaining you are both on the same team. "Servant Leadership" is the next step. Explain to him that you are willing to work WITH him and his son to help his son succeed. Then hit "Trustworthy." Be honest about your exasparation and you observations of how the his son is affecting the other S

When the Webelos and their parents come over to visit the Troop, the boys are temporarily assigned to patrols and the parents are taken aside. The SPL or ASPLs then talk to the parents to tell them about the program. As SM, I'm in the room but I couldn't get a word in edgewise. The first words out of the SPL/ASPL is "we are a boy -led Troop. That means that the adults are here for just health and safety reasons." The second thought is "We are a patrol-based Troop. The patrol leaders run their patrols and our jobs are to help the patrol leaders succeed and to coordinate the patrols to wo

Right now, there is a lot of overlap between the Troop and the Crew. We have three senior guys from the Troop in the Crew and potentially, three guys from another Troop joining. I expect some of the Crew will join the to be created girl Troop but will continue with the Crew. I have good ideas who will make good PLs and I know that they will make sure the Troop is youth-led. Within our CO's BSA Unites, we have had to redefine the role of the Crew. Originally, it was "Boy Scouting for Girls" but the Crew turned it into something different. This is a group of friends (some friends b

The key is that there is no overlap in youth. Different youth = different youth leaders = different Troop. The level of interaction between the Troops is decided by the Troops' youth leaders. The rest is details.