CassieLN

I am also not sure about this. In the past our pack has said that a power of attorney is needed for medical care if the scout is with another adult besides the parent. I have a scout whose parents have been unwilling or unable to camp with their son for some time. I am tempted to offer tp take the boy to overnight cub camp (and have him sleep with other boys), but then I would also probably be the only adult with him while driving him there, etc, and since I am a leader I don't know if this is kosher. I am sure there wouldn't be problems/accusations, but don't know if I should go out on a limb...

Seven beltloops per scout per year is the norm for our pack. Even more than that can be done without difficulty. Even if a scout doesn't come to den meetings, you don't know how active he is at home.

My question is: why were the belt loops not awarded throughout the year? Obviously, he didn't do them all in the last month. It is important to emphasize to parents to turn in belt loops when the child earns them so they can be recognized as soon as possible. Also, I find it gets other kids motivated ("Hey, there is a bicycling belt loop- I want to do that next week!")

I have a special case this year: a scout who has high functioning autism. I am familiar with autism, and this scout is motivated and fun. His father wanted to be ADL (probably would have been DL if his job allowed for it). A few months into the year, the father's job changed and required a lot of travel. The scout didn't want to come to meetings without his father (he had it into his head that it was a dad thing instead of a mom thing- common for austic children to get attached to "rules" even if they are flexible!) The scout ended up not participating for most of the year. I kept tabs on the father and I know the family works with the scout at home. Today I learned that the scout has 9 arrow points and 14 belt loops. I am thrilled- the family has managed to keep the scout active despite the circumstances. I know that your sitation is different with a scout without special needs, but who are we to question what goes on at home?

You said the belt loops in question were weather, citizenship and math. Below are the requirements. Only math requires a den presentation. I believe that you have to trust Akela that the other two were done.

WEATHER

"Complete these three requirements:

Make a poster that shows and explains the water cycle.

Set up a simple weather station to record rainfall, temperature, air pressure, or evaporation for one week.

Watch the weather forecast on a local television station."

CITIZENSHIP

"Complete these three requirements:

Develop a list of jobs you can do around the home. Chart your progress for one week.

Make a poster showing things that you can do to be a good citizen.

Participate in a family, den, or school service project."

MATH

"Complete these three requirements:

Do five activities within your home or school that require the use of mathematics. Explain to your den how you used everyday math.

Keep track of the money you earn and spend for three weeks.

Measure five items using both metric and nonmetric measures. Find out about the history of the metric system of measurement."

I have had this issue a number of times.

I would inform the parent while giving an "out"-- make it sound like you are doing your best to accomodate, but they have to meet you half way:

"I see that Johnny has missed opportunities to present the poster for the citizen belt loop at the den meetings (please see requirement X in the provided link). Since the awards ceremony is next week, perhaps he could arrive 30 minutes early with the poster for an impromtu meeting with a few early arriving scouts? Otherwise, we can arrange a time for him to show the poster in the next den meeting, and he can then recieve the awards for these belt loops at the next awards ceremony. According to my records, he will recieve XYZ at this ceremony."

Do you have no other den meetings/awards ceremonies this year? If that is the case, you would be going out of your way to provide the opportunity for the scout to "make up" the work at the last moment-- but chances are the parent won't take you up on that unless they are really serious!

In cubs, I tend to give the parent the benefit of the doubt. Yes, I know that there are parents cheating the system, but it will ultimately affect their family.

I am also thinking about what to get for the Webelos 1 who will be moving up. Our Webelos II are already in BS. I was thinking of getting the BS handbook covers or a walking stick (telling them that they will need it!) or some other sort of camping gear.

We have a bridge and we give the boys the rank awards before they cross the bridge and get their new uniform items. The past few years we have had a campfire ceremony. I like the idea of having each boy "frock" the next level down.

I haven't been around scouting too long, but long enough to hold every position on the committee (in the same year!) and to be a Tiger Den leader and Webelos den leader, so learning on the fast track!

From what I have heard around the scouting world, it is wrong to hold back awards- at any level- in order for other boys to catch up. There will be scouts who never do the necessary requirements. Does that mean that nobody can every advance?? If a boy deserves an award, he should get it at the next pack meeting he attends. It is true that Webelos den leaders need to sign off on requirements, but I feel that the requirements can still be done at home as long as there is proof. I ask my Webelos to bring in documentation. Just about everything for the Webelos badges can be documented. There are several badges- Family Member, Traveler, Handyman, and Scholar- which can be done at home if the den leader agrees. Also, several of the Webelos badge requirements (like the parent reading the Webelos book info and the religious portion) are often done outside of the den. When my son did badge work at home he documented what he did. I also believe that doing activity badges should not entirely at the whim of the Webelos den leader. If the boy has interest in something in particular, then he should not be held back from doing that badge at home. He may have to repeat the badge work if the den does it later, but he will just get more out of it. I am tired of parents being told by school and scouts that they must hold their child's interests back to go at the same rate as everyone else.

As far as the rules, it depends on which is being broken. I don't believe there is a place for free-for-all-in-the-name-of-fun chaos. Scouts is supposed to teach character, and this can be done and still have fun without scouts disregarding other people and property by being disruptive. But I don't go so far as to worry about tucked-in shirts. That's just me, because I think that the rank-and-file military aspect of scouts should be downplayed for boys.

Karate is not allowed by BSA. I wish it was- my boys do Karate and would like a belt loop for it.

What to do about boring and unqualified den leaders? That is a common tough question. If you cannot make it to the meetings yourself to help, then I would say try to line up outsiders to teach the Webelos activity badges. Tell the leader: hey, I found a great geologist/engineer/scientist/musician/etc who is willing to teach a badge. I would imagine the den leader would be happy to have someone else do the work! Our pack has one den leader who is great at finding resources: her Bear den has gone to a car sales lot, a hospital, a grocery store, the police station, the boat marina, etc. She says it is easiest to farm out the work, and the boys are really getting a lot out of it. Also, boys listen better when you bring in the "guest expert."