EagleonFire

These kids are to young to do one on their own yet, they need help converting feet into their steps. In all honesty I probably push them to do things that are several years over their head but I don't want them to be the typical Camp Fire group. I want them to be able to go toe to toe with any Boy Scout group 2years older than them. They will have a tough row to climb since there isn't as many training and high adventure opportunities as a Boy Scout troop would have so they gotta be tougher and ready to do it on their own

They do focus on healthy living skills quite a bit but the no sodas on campout scones from my years as a Boy Scout. During the summer in Oklahoma a kid drinking sodas all day and not having water can get dangerous. It can easily reach 105 degrees here ona summer day and in fact was in the low to mid 80s here this weekend. That with physical exertion requires water. We still do flavored waters to go along with regular though

Well my group is 5-8 years old. So yes I make up rules that keep them healthy. In hopes that it becomes a healthy habit in all of their future outdoor activities. They do get to make many of their own choices but for the time being my group is young enough that they need rules to teach them the right way

I never said they were more important. I said what the rules are in my group. I also gave you my opinion. Soda does nothing to keep the kids hydrated so I don't allow it. It's hard enough to make sure they are drinking, I don't want to fight what they are drinking. I couldnt care less about the sugar or other unhealthy effects of it. Shoot, the way we sat on a campout is far worse than the effects of a soda.

Oh and there is no need for alcohol on any scouting function. If you can't go an entire campout without touching a drink then you have no business being any kind of influence on the kids. If your that hot a glass of water will suit you much better. Heck I won't even allow the adults to break out the soda's until the kids are in their tents for the night. If it's okay for you why is it not okay for them

How is this even a discussion? In something that is supposed to be for the kids I find it very disappointing that adults even have to talk on whether they need to keep it in their pants during a campout spouse, significant other or not. This just seems like a given. Besides after a day in the woods covered in dirt and smelling like a campfire who would want to touch each other anyway.

Yep, he took it upon himself to decide that we wrote down our paces instead of our feet. And made the kids follow him on that one. He should have trusted the kids

Oh and it was a bit of a different course, designed the way my old Scout Leader did for me. It was a course where you take off from one point, find the next marker, on the next marker is the feet and coordinates to the next marker. They had 8 markers in total they had to find before they found their prize

They did, the only major hiccup we had was one of the Leaders that was walking with one of the groups decided he knew better than the kids when he didn't find a stake where he thought it should be but instead spotted another one about 40 yards away. What he did was essentially take away 2/3 of the course from the kids. ( which I had them go back and redo). If he would have just gone with the kids paces he would have sen the kids had actually gotten him on the perfect bearing but about 10 ft too short. Oh well it was fun. Their prize was their very own brand new Silvia compass. I trie

No need to apologize. I am talking about a campfire council. The Camp canoe is only one piece of what they will be funding. And I get being a little frustrated with council members. I get frustrated that so much attention is given to outdoor school programs and facility rentals ( a scouting camp hidden in the middle of a metropolitan area is a goldmine for weddings and corporate retreats) I feel like all attention should be given to the clubs

Bringing a kid would be the number 1 choice but they are having the meeting at a time when I would have to pull a kid out of school about 30 minutes early. I just don't know if I can bring myself to do that. My piece is supposed to be mostly about club level stuff but I feel like I have to talk about the Camp CANOE for a bit. It looks like I need to just get to off my lazy butt and get to Walgreens at the very least. I really appreciate all the input guys.

It was just straight orienteering and no advancement, just for fun. It was a good way to spend about 2 hours just trying to learn a new skill.

I'm pumped, tomorrow is the first campout of the year for us. This will mark the first trip out with the new -to me- camping trailer, which makes me stoked not having to pack and unpack a pickup bed looking like the clampets. This will also be the kiddos first run at a compass course. We will still have to do the math for their steps for them but other than that and some general giluisance they are on their own. If they find the end then a prize will be waiting for them!

They don't have to.

I appreciate all the input. The twelve minute mark may be a bit of a stretch for this old hillbilly but I will do my best. I was informed that this is for about 1/3 of the camps funding, so no pressure. It will work out though, I am contemplating bringing pictures for them of some of our kids just enjoying the camp and taking on the low ropes course, zip line and rock climbing wall. I will also probably speak to how we will be sending one of our kids to their camp C.A.N.O.E. this summer. And I get frustration that you don't feel like your council does anything for you but that's jus

My wife and I never share a tent on a campout. Her decision. We trained the kids from the get go that if they come out of their tent at night that they go straight to the Leaders tent. And since my co Leaders have a tendency to be off and on in their consistency she thinks I need to be at that tent for them to find.

Ah context, I guess I should have given some of that. This will be for a meeting, no formal dinner. I was asked to speak on how the organization has benefited the kids and was told to just speak from the heart on what I think it does for the kids. I am pretty sure I was asked because I am the most experienced of the new leaders and don't have the negativity of some of the old guard in the council. I also think it may have to do with the fact that I have jumped the councils case a few times on things I didn't think were right for the kids and every time the CEO has exceeded my expectations

I just got a call from my council CEO asking me to come and speak at their united way meeting. I know this is a big deal for them as it is where a large portion of their funding comes from. I was wondering if any of you all have had to attend anything like this and if you had any advice to offer?

LOL! I had a parent get into a tizzy last year beacuse our campfire club was just too expensive and she was going to move her son to Boy Scout in the next town over. I smiled gave her the name of their Scout Leader and told her about what a great guy he was and how BSA is a fantastic organization. I didn't mention the costs that come with it. Through fundraising my kids are each given a uniform shirt and all of their camping is paid for. The only thing parents are out are registrations $15, 3/4 of their emblem vest $18, dues $4 per month, and adults must pay for their Meals when camp

Dang you must have even taught that one about declination. Well done sir. And those bacon cheeseburgers will do it every time. My little ones (and their parents) will be doing their first course this weekend. They will have brand new compasses and homemade donuts at the end. And as for the eagle candidate remember that while he made some mistakes he is still a kid that is trying to show he can be an effective leader. Not that he necessarily already is the most effective leader. I got my eagle nearly 20 years ago and still somehow seem to make mistakes. I always felt a lot of being an

You sound like one of those old coger's that would drop off a group of 13 year old boys at the front gate of a 1300 acre ranch with nothing but some vieanna sausages, the water they brought with them, their compasses, and the distance and degrees to their next marker. Man I hated those vieanna sausages.

Oh and I have heard the horror stories from some of the old guard campfire Leaders about that WOHELO book. When it's broken Dow it doesn't seem much different than having to earn each rank it just sucks that 1 you can't push to earn it earlier 2 the kid and leader have to hold on to all of this stuff and documentation for 4 years and 3 there is no short term reward to keep a kid motivated.

There is a leadership piece where the older kids have to teach the younger kids and to receive their wohelo have to spend time with a different campfire club teaching and assisting but nothing like the patrol method. That is something that I am bringing to our group. We do a very small amount of that now, they are just to young and inexperienced to go full on patrol method now but it will be in full effect in about 2 more years

I'm still learning myself but it seems to be more based on building self esteem on talking about self worth instead of skill building. Some of the other things is in the younger ages the kinds earn emblems much like merit badges but when they get older they earn beads for to completion of a what would equivocate out to a merit badge. Different colored beads for different categories of skill. Then the beads are laced onto a more traditionally native style of dress or tunic. Much like you would find in OA. The other big one is it seems to be very much unstructured with a ton of discretion lef

So do your little ones still meet every week like the rest of the scouts? If so ask if they can move to a twice a month program? My cub meets every 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month. And they are 5-8 year olds. the parents seem to like it because at this age it's not to much but still something productive and the kids seem to like it because well all things scouting is cool! Also I dont know how much freedom you get with those kids at that age but I know when I take these kids on a campout they are always pumped for the next month on how they are ready to go again. That may keep your numbers