The Latin Scot

I concur. For those many of us who love Scouting but don't do high adventure often (or in my case, ever if I can help it), there's almost nothing that would ever bring us all the way out to NM. Putting it in a major metro center would not only make it more accessible to the general public; it would give Scouting a good, independent center of visibility that would help as it struggles to build its membership and restore its former numbers.

Well, I for one am always grateful to those who are generous enough with their time to help guide and tame the discussions that go on here, and compared to some other forums I have been a part of, I have found the conversations here to be predominantly civil and considerate. Thank you, moderators, for all that you do to provide a safe place for learning and discussion. I know I have benefited HUGELY from it as I have used this forum to expand my understanding of Scouting and connected with people of similar purpose!

There are a number of factors; they range from liability and supervision concerns to simply wanting children to spend as much time with their families as possible (hence why family camping is okay, but den-organized camping is discouraged). We wean them into it a little more slowly as well, which is why our 11 year-old Scouts only go on three camping trips before they are 12. But after that it seems they do nothing BUT camp; honestly sometimes I feel I never see the 12 year-olds anymore! So maybe that's another reason we wait until they are older - once they are old enough we hardly see them a

A lot of it is for our LDS packs as well. We don't endorse overnight camping in the Cub Scout programs, so making it required would have meant that no LDS children could have advanced. Having an alternative was very important to us, so I imagine that's one reason it isn't necessary in the program requirements. But hey, maybe after we leave next year they can make it a requirement after all!

This is 100% right. As a Webelos leader, it's on me to make sure boys are totally prepared for what they are going to encounter in the Boy Scout program. If they haven't earned the rank of Scout within a few weeks of moving on, I can only assume I failed to prepare them somehow. Whenever my boys get close to turning 11, I spend the last few weeks with them preparing for the Scout rank by reviewing the Scouting Adventure adventure and making sure they are comfortable with the requirements. We also visit the 11 year-old patrol frequently so that the boys are familiar with how their meetings are

Well then it's important for you to know that I AM in an LDS pack, and that's how we do things - standard LDS policy is that boys advance by age, so from 10 to 11 they are Webelos Scouts. The BSA has always been very accomodating to us in that regard; it fits how we run our children's programs, and the BSA has long granted us the right to operate our program in that way. And I never tamper with advancement criteria; if anything I am known for being determinedly orthodox in my expectations. So I would be happy to know what other things "concern" you, as I am confident that I run my program as c

Wait ... I don't remember starting a whole new thread on this. Was this me, or is this some moderator wizardry? Not that I mind! It makes more than enough sense as its own topic. I just want to make sure I haven't lost my mind.

Good merciful wilikers ... that things is WEIRD!!!

That is EXACTLY the kind of attitude we want to promote! Thank you for this @RememberSchiff!

Ugh, mono is the WORST. I had it in college and it was AWFUL; I wouldn't wish that on anybody.

What I imagine you are registering as hypocracy stems from a very real dichotomy of personal feelings. Allow me to help you understand my position better, as my feelings are very consistent, but obvious expressing them on an online forum makes it easy to be misunderstood. The reason why some of my posts reflect my dedication to supporting Scouting while others demonstrate more frustration than appreciation is that, frankly, I no longer consider "Scouting" and "The Boy Scouts of America" as synonymous terms. And for me that is indeed grievous to suggest, but that's the way it is. Sc

You forget one thing - Scouting is an imperfect organization. A great organization for many decades (far less so now), but still imperfect. There are better paths, as the Church has clearly realized. And I'm afraid the thought that the Church "couldn't make it work with the incredible resources available from BSA" is as far off from the truth as one could be. The Church was one of the most successful of all the BSA's Chartered Partners for almost the entirety of our century together. We DID make it work, and with incredible results at that! Regions with heavy concentrations of LDS Scouts such

Ugh, this is just going to make things even more difficult for an organization with enough problems on its plate already. And what of the new Scouting Museum? That place just barely opened, and now it's going to be all but devoid of visitors for almost two months ... it's like the BSA has been cursed!

Congratulations!

Ah. Once again I stand corrected. Maybe I should just stop blabbing about things I clearly don't understand fully.

Thank you for the specification - I stand corrected; looking at the photo those are indeed leggings. They go up too high up to be spats, which somehow, manages to makes them look worse. What I find odd, even ironic, is that none of them wear the Honor Guard Emblem, a badge specifically created for events such as the parade in the photo above. The Honor Guard Emblem sets the boys apart in their role; it's a special, "extra" for those who want to dress things up; it's even accented with white, so it will go with their gloves and flag carriers! Why in heavens did they sacrifice money (and th

Well, I will say, I finally got myself a new pair of shorts to replace the de la Renta pair I had inherited from our uniform exchange, and WOW do I like them better! It's a very durable canvas material, they're more comfortable, and a much more pleasant shade of green (I like the undertones of blue and gray far more than the brown and yellow undertones), AND as a young looking person in general, the simple cargo shorts are far more natural-looking on me than the odd pocket design of the 80's. I admit, I am a fan! As for spats - I think they look very odd in the photo above. From a color

Welcome! Glad to have you here!

That is a good idea. Funny, the more I hear about these School-based calendars, the less I like them. And taking the summer off just sounds like lunacy to me. Summer is the season for Scouting! No School to compete with, the boys have time, the weather is great - I accomplish more in the summer months than I ever can during the rest of the time. I think inviting the Webelos to your Troop meetings is the EXACT answer to your situation. Just make SURE to have activities planned that will engage them and that their parents can observe if they wish. Not having Scouts is a catastrophe for that pack

My boys would LOVE that, and it passes of requirements that they need to complete as well! I am sending you a private message now!

That's why I dislike the idea of a program "year" starting in June or September or whatever. My program is ongoing, with no "beginning or end." The way my CO runs it, boys become Webelos Scouts when they turn 10 and cross over to Boy Scouts at 11. So I don't wait for any specific times to award them any rank - once they complete the requirements, they advance in rank. SO usually, that means 3 - 4 months after their birthday they earn their Webelos rank, and 6 - 8 months after they earn their Arrow of Light. This results in boys earning these ranks throughout the year, and usually there are onl

That's right, I forgot you are in OC too! I am doubly lucky since I live only 10 minutes down Los Alisos from Oso Lake, so it is incredibly convenient. Yet somehos this was that first time I have ever been to that campsite despite living in this neighborhood my entire life! And yes, it was a LONG, back-breaking day; my allergies went bananas, I got burned, starved, smoke and dust every where , dozens of whiny tired boys who coudn't keep silent for 10 minutes much less 24 hours - and I love every minute of it. I made friends, I got a fresh perspective on service and leadership, and after 2

Well, I never point out people's errors unless they ask me for specific help, which I always offer in a mild, it's-no-big-deal kind of way. But I will admit, all of my boys know that my favorite game to play at large Scouting events is "Spot the Error!" It's amazing the breadth and variety of mistakes (or flagrant violations) made on the uniforms of some people. In fact at my OA Brotherhood induction ceremony last night, there was a gentleman with what seemed like a half-dozen OA event patches sewn all over his shirt - both pockets, over the shoulders, one on the back, pins on every epaulet, a