CharityAK

Our troop will sometimes work towards a merit badge together - related to an activity. For instance, they spent a weekend canoeing and met most of the requirements for the canoeing badge. They then rented out the local pool a few weeks later and wrapped up the rest of the requirements. One of our fundraisers involves helping a local farmer who then gives the boys a percentage of his Farmer Market sales. Many have earned their gardening badge in the process of helping this farmer. But...the troop discourages using regular meeting time to earn merit badges in a classroom like setting.

My son joined scouting at age 14. He's just turned 16 and will most likely make Life in November. He says he was the only 6 foot Tenderfoot his first year of scout camp. He took a lot of ribbing for it, but the boys shut up after he passed them by. His second year of scout camp he was a Star scout and on camp staff as the cinematographer. He has several other extracurricular involvements as well - including well on his way towards a black belt. It's difficult for him to manage them all, but there is always time to do what is truly important to you. I see no reason why middle/highschool age bo

I was thinking just a one-time thing to get the library off the ground. Yes, this bookstore has an awesome collection of books appropriate to scouting. This is Alaska afterall...the ultimate outdoors playground. After I posted, I read somewhere that there is a policy that an individual must receive something in exchange for their gift to the troop - that a scout is not allowed to ask for a donation. So...I imagine the door to door book donation drive wouldn't work? But is it acceptable to solicit donations (discarded books) within troop families and the charter organization? Charity

By checking books...I simply meant transferring data from the handbooks to the record system (Troopmaster) so I could keep the records up to date and have a heads up for encroaching need for BORs. I do not sign off on the boys' books. Our troop is still evolving...we have no one filling positions such as scribe, librarian, guide, chaplain's aide, quartermaster yet. I believe that is one thing the new SM hopes to address. Charity

That's why I really had hoped to address the issue without having to get into my own personal opinions about women in leadership. It is just that...my own opinion and not meant as a criticism of any woman who feels called to contribute in public leadership. My opinion stems from my spiritual belief system and it is not a statement of right and wrong for others. I am deeply grieved if I offended any woman here. It was not my intent. I figured I'd probably get asked my reasons for being uncomfortable in uniform and I knew my reason had potential to be controversial. I am not criticizing other wo

One of my recent projects as a Committee Member (Advancement Chair) is to develop a troop library - which so far has consisted of some binders of adult leader training materials and a couple dozen MB pamphlets. I've bought some books and donated them. General reference stuff on knot-tying, outdoor cooking, wilderness survival, etc. But while at Amazon.com making a wish list of items for the scouting library I got this idea and wondered what you thought. We have an outstanding used bookstore in our area that makes really fair deals on book trades. I was thinking about having all our troop

Thanks to everyone for the input. Answering some of your questions/concerns. Our troop has been a somewhat casual troop by a leader who was fantastic in his personal relationship with the boys, but didn't adhere religiously to policy. Not even all the leaders were always big on uniforms themselves until we gained an ASM who was more of a by-the-book guy (now the new SM) and who began to enforce a uniform rule. So the boys have thought absolutely nothing of me not being in uniform to date. It has not been an issue of a negative example. No adults have ever shown up at BOR or COH in uniform

I really hoped not to get too deeply into the whys as I don't want to offend anyone. I am not comfortable with BSA female adult leadership in public leadership or regular, direct involvement with the boys. I don't have a problem with the supportive, behind-the-scene roles. I feel that one of the historical strengths of BSA has been its strong male presence in boys lives - though I know in today's current PC climate this is heresy. Only the SM and the ASM in our troop have worn uniforms in the past. I feel uncomfortable "posing" as one of them. I'd prefer to remain "just a Mom helping out

Hello All I am Advancement Officer and Treasurer for our troop. I like to help behind the scenes, doing paperwork, errands and other things that could absorb the SM, ASM's time so that they can concentrate on the "face time" with the boys. I'm not comfortable being directly involved with the boys during meetings and/or taking a public role. I prefer to let the guys lead so that the boys have that male role model thing going on. Our committee chair is a woman and I notice she prefers the same non-public supportive role. Since I don't consider myself "technically" a "leader", must I w

This was an interesting thread to read through. Obesity in children is a real issue. What to do about overweight scouts gets tricky. There's the hypocrisy issue when leaders w/a gut get on an overweight scout's case. Then there are the parents who will squeal that you're hurting their child's self-esteem. Then there's the "fat people's" lobby which is getting more vocal and powerful every day. It's just not acceptable in today's politically correct climate to address the issue of obesity. I'm able to pretty well control this issue for my kids because we homeschool and I control their food

I'm going to be building up our troop's library which right now consists of one cardboard box full of odds and ends. I've bought a gorgeous book on knot-tying and have ordered the NOLS Cookery book, the NOLS Wilderness Handbook and Survival Handbook by Peter Darman. What are your favorite merit badge/scouting skills resource books? What titles would you recommend? And how do you run your library? Do boys only use the books on the premise or can they check out and take home? What type of a check-out system do you use? Any tips? Charity

I'm assuming you've already tried to reason with him privately about it... If he isn't being responsive, then I'd suggest treating him just as you would any other scout. Do you have a policy that spells out expectations for scout behavior during meetings? If so, what are the consequences for disruptive behavior as spelled out in your discipline policy? I'd be consistent with any scout needing correction. It sounds as if your brother is not the only one who is pushing the limits. Charity

I'm assuming you've already tried to reason with him privately about it... If he isn't being responsive, then I'd suggest treating him just as you would any other scout. Do you have a policy that spells out expectations for scout behavior during meetings? If so, what are the consequences for disruptive behavior as spelled out in your discipline policy? I'd be consistent with any scout needing correction. It sounds as if your brother is not the only one who is pushing the limits. Charity

We do our COHs in pretty much the same manner as FOG. In addition, we have a potluck dinner afterwards. There is usually some sort of gift of appreciation given to some volunteer who gave more than usual during the last quarter. Parents seem to enjoy the chance to chat and get to know one another better over dinner. Charity

Perhaps I'm not understanding pack's question... Le me rephrase what I thought she was saying. Perhaps I misunderstood? Pack is frustrated with parents who have their kids in so many different activities that they (the kids? the parents? both?) are unable to give the necessary time to Scouting. Pack thinks the parents have misplaced priorities in that they are willing to be involved in sports, but not scouting. Pack wants to know how to get parents to value scouting more than they currently do. Is that correct? If I misunderstood, please correct me. If I understood correctly,

I totally understand your frustration. Our troop does not have as much parental support as I think it should have either. And I observe fairly frequently what I consider to be bad parental choices. However...I am a total believer in parental authority. Unless the parent is being abusive, they have the right to make the parenting calls in their child's life - even if I think their decision and reasoning behind it is lame. My husband and I are totally dedicated to our children's welfare. We carefully think through each decision we make on their behalf. We know our child better than an

I have been looking for "We Missed You" type postcards that we could pre-stamp and drop in the mail to each absentee scout after 2 consecutive absences. I've looked through the scoutingstuff website. Anyone seen anything like this? I used to get them from my Sunday School teacher as a girl. Charity Advancement Chair/Treasurer/Committee Member

We had BORs last night and I am still experiencing warm fuzzies this morning. I was so pleased with the boys' progress. I wanted to share about our newest Life scout. This was the 3rd BOR I've sat on for this young man. He almost didn't pass the first review. He couldn't make eye contact, mumbled, sat stone silent while we tried desperately to get him to warm up. I was so impressed with him last night it almost moved me to tears. He came in with confidence, looked us straight in the eye, shook hands and expressed his appreciation for us being there. He made eye contact, talked confi

My #1 job is being wife to my wonderful husband of 23 years and mother of two great red-headed boys (ages 12 and 16). In addition to that, I am a home educator. I have homeschooled my children from the beginning and we will forge ahead until done. Thus, I am unable to hold a "regular" 9-5 job. Homeschooling IS my full-time job. The pay is lousy, but the rewards are innumerable. I had a home business developing curriculum (primarily science) for homeschoolers, but as the business grew it demanded too much of my time and I have set it aside until the boys finish their education. I have wor

Packsaddle - you recommended 4 older boys with good leadership skills...This is what we've got to work with as far as leadership skills. The rest of the troop is comprised of recent crossovers - young inexperienced boys, but highly motivated. By the time they "come of age" they are going to be fantastic scouts! We have very little of the middle ages. We have 5 boys ages 14-16. Boy #1 is a screw-off (kicked out of previous troop, vandalism problems, rigging scout elections, etc.) but very charming, good social skills, charisma, a likeable kid-on-the-edge. Former SM (just resigned)was

I am a committee member, scout parent, treasurer and advancement officer of a troop in our small town. Population 5,000 and outlying areas brings total population to about 20,000. Our troop has an enrollment of about 20 scouts with only about 12 in regular attendance, another 5 showing up from time to time and 3 who don't really show up but who want to be kept on the rolls (parents hopeful that a disinterested scout will come around). Of the 12 active, involved scouts, 6 are siblings which means that there are actually only a handful of parents from that pool who are willing to help.

Did he give his reasons? I can think of some that might give instant insight in the situation. -concerns about predation (a Boy Scout in our neighborhood is currently doing 2 years in jail for molestation - it happens) -a bedwetting issue or night terrors or something else that the father might be protecting his son from embarrassment Charity

Irresponsibility and expecting others to do your job for you - whether it's people who look to govt. programs to provide things they should be providing for themselves/their families or parents who expect schools, daycare, churches, etc. to raise their children for them. Selfish parents who are too busy "having a life" to bother investing in their children make me absolutely crazy! Another one...the dishing on men that the media constantly serves up. I am so sick of men being portrayed as either mindless idiots, cruel abusers, or disgusting pigs in ads, TV, movies, etc. If the media port

Not a rant...appreciate the response. I just wondered if I had missed something because I've heard other people refer to stocking badges quite often. Thought maybe our district council was the exception... I can understanding the reasoning and do not resent it. Charity

I thought it would be best if the boys participate, just not sure how we could do the logistics of that and still keep things a secret until presentation. I'll mull that one over.... Charity