Mrjeff

Thanks, I'm failures with the Arrow of Light. So is an AOL unit made up of kids who have earned it, or are in their 2nd Year of WEBELOS and are working on it?

Everybody knows what BOAT really stands for: Break Out Another Thousand😂. And any boat owner knows that a boat is just a hole in the water into which money is thrown 🤣. God bless and Scout On my friends!!!

I'm mainly involved with the OA and Eagle BORs so please excuse my ignorance as I have been away from the Cub world for a long time. Could someone please tell me what an AOL unit is?

I always like to rely on personal experiences and real world observations. I've been in Scouting for a long time and I have three adult sons and two adult daughters who participated in Scouting along with two grandsons. Out of this group I have 3 generations of Eagles that include two sons and one grandsons. My oldest son started going to Scout camp when he was Cub Scout age, about 8 years old. He joined the Boy Scouts at age 11 and by the time he was 15 he had all of the camping that he needed, earned Star and quit. The other two were bound by the old Cub Scout rules of no camping exc

If the program isn't any fun, then nobody wants to participate. Nobody wants to do something that is a drag, tedious, unpleasant or nasty. In other words, it isn't any fun. The best way to keep something from being too much fun is to stop the activity before it comes to a natural end. Again this requires active and engaged adults.

It look like Eagledad, MattR and I share a grand philosophy as far as Scouting goes.

I agree that ignorance is not bliss and the role of the adult in Scouting is to reach the goals and aims of Scouting (wich the kids just don't care about) and do it in a way that's fun. It's just that simple. Although the concept is simple, the methods of doing this is not and requires thought followed by action on the part of the adults. I tell folks all of the time that I didn't learn very much from the Marines concerning living in the field. The Marines give you your stuff, say pack it up and let's go. Everyone is able to survive, but us old Boy Scouts knew how to be comfortable and th

First of all, I never suggested that Scouting should be "Just Fun". Also, adults who want to feel good about themselves should reevaluate their role in Scouting. Adults and youth alike participate because Scouting is fun. If the adults aren't having fun then the aren't either. If the kids aren't having fun then they simply quit and then the adults are no longer needed. It's not that hard to make planning a good menu and then shopping for food a fun activity. It's not that hard to make cooking a great meal fun. It's not that hard to learning about good citizenship fun. It's not that h

This is what I mean by adults overthinking, over evaluating, over supervising and overregulating a whole great big organization. Much of what is stated as fact are nothing more then someone's good idea that is not based on research. Rather, it's based on emotion and theory. The age old question of what forms a person; environment, social standing, education, early childhood development, nuclear family, diet, etc. By the time a child reaches Scout age much of their persona has been formed. With everything that they are exposed to and the pressure they feel as they try to establish their ow

I've been around troops who had their meetings by playing basketball and it was fun. Before they played ball they had an opening ceremony and patrol meetings where they planned their own meals without adult influence. If they wanted bologna and Captain Crunch every meal, then that's what they had. Has anyone ever taken kids to the grocery store and helped them shop for their food? If not, why not? They are expected to do things that they don't know how to do and once they know how to do it they enjoy doing it which spells FUN.

I've been around troops who had their meetings by playing basketball and it was fun. Before they played ball they had an opening ceremony and patrol meetings where they planned their own meals without adult influence. If they wanted bologna and Captain Crunch every meal, then that's what they had. Has anyone ever taken kids to the grocery store and helped them shop for their food? If not, why not? They are expected to do things that they don't know how to do and once they know how to do it they enjoy doing it which spells FUN.

I love that, too. And I concur with everything you say!

I disagree and I don't believe that the emphasis should be on anything but fun. Rather then make everything a lesson the adults need to focus on the fun and guide that in the direction that let's the other stuff happen. And just exactly what's wrong with an outside play group with uniforms?

Well, there have been a few replies that are closer to some of the outcome of Scouting. Build character, good citizen, horrible paperwork are all great examples of the results of being in Scouts but I have never heard a kid use those to say why they want to be a Scout. Wicked adventures, get outside, have a knife, build fires, camp out or go hiking are closer to the mark. Those other things are interjected by adults to help form the positive results of being a Scout. Sadly, its the result of well meaning adults that we been required to wash much of the fun out of Scouting. For example, bu

You win that one🤣🤣🤣

Can anyone provide a TWO WORD statement answering the question why have Scouts? Not one word, not three words, TWO WORDS as to why have Scouts. As I have said in the past I have never heard a youngster say that they wanted to be a Scout to learn lessons, gain maturity or become a leader. I did hear one say that he wanted to go to the US Air Force Academy and needed to put that he was an Eagle Scout on his application. Scouts is there to let kids have fun, period. It's so good to stand in the background and watch kids have fun. Watch them play, ride bikes, try new things and see new place

Ouch, that is indeed a problem. I can think of countless and legitimate situations where an adult Scouter could inadvertently find themselves in this predicament. I have seen adults pull the "YPT COMPLAINT "like a loaded pistol. I would hope that any investigation into this was complete and thorough and done by someone without a vested interest. Best wishes in the future.

I couldn't agree more! But the more people just through up their hands and point out all of the negatives, the worse things get. To fix these problems, a [...] lodge advisor who has a good relationship with the CE, and who gives support to the real LEC is a must. That Advisor along with the CE need to stand fast when good intentioned adults want to interfere with the business of the LEC. National Committee? Who are they and what do they do other then to stir [...] people off. Try talking to one of them and see how far it gets you. The leadership within the lodge should focus on all of th

It seems that a lot of folks put the cart before the horse. I think the real issue is why someone who has completed the Ordeal not want to be in good standing. The OA has a lot to offer a young person especially when they get a little older and would like to be involved in Scouting leadership that really does let the kids run the show. It also keeps them involved in Scouting after earning Eagle. This is only possible if the unit supports the lodge by encouraging active participation. If a policeman does not get his required annual training no one is going to say "that's OK, well take ca

Thats incorrect but do as you please. Everything in scouting nowadays is only a suggestion and it really doesn't matter what suggestions are followed or interpreted. As long as noone gets a bad feeling and gets an award for showing up everything is fine. I would encourage you to research the origins of the customs and traditions of the OA and that organization has the same rules concerning membership status and dues.

Its not my place, but I apologize for the confusion created by the election team. Unfortunately its common for new members to take on tasks that they aren't really prepared for and can only duplicate their own experience, weather right or wrong..

Ok, its a pretty simple train to follow: attend the ordeal, complete the ordeal, remain active by paying dues, attend events, wear Sash. Or attend the ordeal, complete the ordeal, don't remain active by not paying dues, don't attend lodge events, no Sash. Obviously I did read the post and perhaps you should read the mountains of literature available explaining the purpose and mission of the OA. In fact it's now impossible to register for an event like NOAC unless you are an active member of your lodge. Should I continue?

I'm not sure where some of these points come from, but several are incorrect on so many levels. For example the OA Sash is only worrn at OA events or while conducting OA business. You can breathe because your correct that ones first responsible to their unit and just like most things in life a person gets out of the OA to the level they contribute. The OA should work in conjunction with the units to enhance the Scouting experience and not compete with each other. Oh well, that's enough for now.

Thank you so much for that reply!

AMEN!!!!