BetterWithCheddar

Thanks for the follow-up. Were it not for my involvement as a youth, I think my wife would be more apprehensive about our son joining Cub Scouts ~ the constant barrage of Abused in Scouting commercials greatly impacted her perception of the BSA. Cub Scouts has been a source of joy for my 1st Grader, but my wife remains skeptical. She often cites the "weird vibes" she picks up from a small number of people, although most families we've met through Scouting have been great.

Thanks for the input. Another challenge I grapple with is getting Scouts outside. Once the school year starts, it gets dark and cold (at least in the Upper Midwest). We could schedule a few one-off outdoor Den meetings on Saturdays, but I worry that would complicate family scheduling. Right now, our Pack has a leader call on the 1st Tuesday of the month, a Pack meeting on the 2nd Tuesday, and Den meetings on the 3rd Tuesday (so Tuesday = "Scout Night"). My multi-year plan as a Den Leader is to "ramp up" with more meetings / outdoor activities as the kids get closer to Scouts, BSA, but rig

As a youth in my home council, each camp staff also had a Venturing Crew. This may have been an attempt by the council to juice up its unit count in the early days of Venturing, but it also allowed staff members to register with the BSA when they were no longer affiliated with local units. This mainly covered college students who became estranged from their Troops, but a few junior staffers from weaker troopers opted to shed their Troop-level registration in favor of the camp-chartered Crew. A small number even completed their Eagle work through the Crew. Is this still a thing?

The easiest way to ensure a child's activities are safe is to volunteer. You don't have to be a registered leader to show up and help ensure kids are having good, clean fun. My son's other big activity is basketball and I have no desire to be a coach; however, I don't mind being a "coach's helper," parking lot attendant, usher, etc. This isn't a big time commitment. I was already planning on being there and reading a book in the corner. If you need me to put out some cones, I'll gladly put out some cones.

I agree with @InquisitiveScouter. If your son enjoys the comradery of scouts his own age, is there a Crew or Ship nearby?

May I ask: What does your husband need to see in order to be convinced that Scouting is safe for your child? Is there another pamphlet, training video, or 60 Minutes interview that's going to put him over the edge?

I work for a large financial services company. They spend millions of dollars on cybersecurity each year. Recently, my employer opened a beautiful, state-of-the-art facility dedicated to cyber defense. One executive suggested we drum up some good press by inviting the media to tour our new facility. He was vetoed by the CEO. The financial services industry doesn't want to advertise how much they spend on cyber defense because, after a certain point, it causes customers to question the safety of their funds. I think the BSA is getting diminishing returns on their youth protection efforts.

Our Pack meets at a local elementary school. If you asked my son what's his favorite part of every Pack meeting, he'd probably say playing freeze tag before the meeting starts. Containing 40 Cubs is a challenge. We're considering appointing two parents as hall monitors for every Pack meeting. In the OP's case, I wonder if stationing a pair of supervisors just outside the meeting area would help curtail rowdy behavior? They could also approach it from the standpoint of incentivizing good conduct - maybe each week the best-behaved patrol earns a pin for their patrol flag?

Agreed it would be impractical for most units. I was actually thinking along the lines of the Council operating a "mini-camp" closer to one of its population centers. Barring some type of enrollment boom, it would almost certainly require a major donation or the closing of a "full-size" council camp, but consider the possibilities: Available for Unit Meetings (Monday - Thursday) Available for Unit Outings and District Events (Weekends) Summer Day Camps / Merit Badge Clinics for Scouts, BSA Cub Scout Day Camps Driving an hour or more (both ways) to a Scouting even is

I'm envious of this facility - and that's strictly for one unit? Wow. I live in the suburbs of a mid-size city. Scouting is still pretty strong in the metro area (not what it used to be, but hanging in there). Unfortunately, our closest council camp is about a 90-minute drive for most families. That doesn't work so well for your average over-scheduled young family. I'd love to see the Scouts operate a small camp within a 20-minute drive of the population center - it wouldn't have to be a big production. Just one nice building like the one pictured above, a few campsites, and some tra

I recently bought some used pins online featuring Garfield (the orange tabby cat) wearing a Cub Scout uniform. My plan is to use them for awards at Pack meetings when we have Den competitions ~ the winning Den can add a pin to their flag. Searching eBay for scout pins sparked a bit of nostalgia for me, since I remember Garfield from the comic strip and his Saturday morning cartoon show on CBS. Best I can tell, the BSA has used Garfield-branched merch on at least 3 separate occasions: 1978: They produced a set of pins with Garfield (this was also the first year the comic strip went i

Based on what you described, I think a 6-month suspension from Scouting is in order. Set terms for re-joining the Troop, such as staying out of trouble for the duration of the suspension. Clearly communicate that further incidents will result in dismissal from the Troop. Yes, some kids need Scouting. And yes, some bad apples can poison a Pack or Troop. Find a balance and draw a line.

Well, my den meeting bombed. I should have come here sooner for feedback. I appreciate the replies. For context, this was a Tiger Den with 5 of 6 Scouts returning from Lions and one new Scout who joined in 1st Grade. We were able to cover the Cub Scout sign, salute, and motto quickly. I had the kids repeat the Scout Oath twice, but did not require them to memorize it. Then I had a breakout session for Scouts and their parents. I wrote each point of the Scout Law on an index card, placed them in a popcorn tin, and had the Scouts choose 2 index cards from the jar to discuss briefly wit

I find marking up popcorn by 300% to be immoral. I'd prefer to teach my son salesmanship with a box of $2 candy bars.

I'm hoping to crowd-source some tips for leading a successful Tiger Den Meeting where the primary focus is on earning the Bobcat Badge. I know the kids are excited to earn some recognition (let's be honest, badges are cooler than loops and pins 🙂); however, I'm fearful of our Den meeting turning into "night school." The Bobcat Badge requirements don't lend themselves to the "learn by doing" philosophy as easily as most adventure loops. How can I keep the Scouts engaged and avoid delivering a lecture?

Our Pack hosted a recruitment event a few weeks ago and I'm so glad no parents asked me about how the $100+ membership fee is used. I didn't want to have to explain it funds a bureaucracy that has little or nothing to do with the experience your child will have in Scouting this year ... figured that'd be a bit off-putting.

Great point. I'll add: If the BSA is going to survive, it has to be OK with being every family's 2nd or 3rd favorite activity. I'm a Den Leader and it's not uncommon to see kids arrive 15 minutes late in their soccer or baseball uniform with a bag of food from Subway. You'll never hear me make a peep about their timing or appearance. I'm just glad they made it.

They usually give us the hard sell on uniform pants every time we visit the Scout Shop. Guy, my son is 6. He'll have the knees blown out of them in 4 months if he doesn't outgrow them first. 😂

OP: The OA is an honor society for Scouts, much like NHS is for high school students. A scout must be elected by their troop and then perform a day of service as a sort of initiation (referred to as an "Ordeal"). If your son's troop does not hold a regular OA election, your troop leadership must arrange for one to be held. If they are unsure of where to start, I suggest someone reach out to your local professional (probably a "District Executive") or your Unit Commissioner (an experienced volunteer who acts as a liaison between troops and the District). OA is not intended to replace

I don't know much about the local youth basketball program since my son is only in 1st grade, so I just signed up to be a parking lot attendant for a few of the high school's home games - basically, I just need to direct the visiting team to the gym and make sure no grandparents slip on the ice. Easy enough. What I like about the basketball club's volunteer model is 1) they didn't charge me to volunteer and 2) their baseline assumption is that I'm not out to endanger children (sarc). I'm just a dopey dad who doesn't mind freezing his buns off in mid-February to make sure people get to and

My wife and I are in our late 30s. Our one and only child is in 1st grade. He started Cub Scouts last year and I've enjoyed connecting with many of you virtually as I've gotten re-acquainted with Scouting. My son has also been sampling sports at the YMCA for 2 years and they've been great - low cost, low commitment, emphasis on fun and participation, etc. (highly recommend to parents with young kids). This year, he's old enough to participate in the local youth basketball program. They require $200 in program fees, $200 in apparel / equipment fees, and parents to volunteer a certain numbe

That is some serious dad cred right there. I'm just proud of myself for remembering to leave our dog with the neighbors before rushing to the hospital.

I know I've posted something similar in the past, but I'll reiterate: I've never been fully comfortable with using Native American imagery as a youth in the OA, despite being an active lodge member. The big draw for me was always recognition and the opportunity to fraternize with scouts my age (never AIA). I'm hardly the PC-type, but I've avoided the use of certain logos out of respect for individuals who may not be accurately represented by the OA-sanctioned symbolism. Personally, it doesn't bother me if you're a fan of AIA and are participating in them respectfully and with good intenti

That is really disappointing to hear. I'm sorry that was his staff experience.

Very true, but they still get kids outdoors. The average parent (me included) loves flush toilets and structure. They're more inclined to bring their kids to camp when these two needs are met. More Flush Toilets + More Program Structure = More Kids at Camp