DeanRx

I just can't believe how some parents act / react to this event! As a father who HAS put in the time (both with my son and the PWD committee AND as a cubmaster) it saddens me. Yes, there are some adult built cars out there, BUT there are a LOT of sore loser parents who are quick to snipe behind the backs of others who help make their kids competitive. Sheesh! Yes, I HAVE (for 3 years now) been the one that hauls the track from the storage shed to the event. I have been the one to calibrate the software and make sure the track and software and laptop all talk to each other. My son

YOu mean you can't have sponsors for the PWD? That's how our cubs finance their cars!!! I got the monster energy drink going up against the Bud Light car this weekend at the races sponsored by BP patroleum. BP is a lttile leery though, cuse we won't allow gas powered engines in our PWD cars (yet)

" have always said, give me a boy that cares about others and with taught great organizational skills, I will teach him to be a great leader. Give me a boy that cares only about himself and with taught great organizational skills, I'll teach him to be a great bully" - from Stosh... well yeah, I'd agree with that, but then again if the boy already shows compassion for others and is well organized 90% of the work is already done! In my expirience (youth, military, private sector) - most if not ALL people (especially boys of age 11 to 15) start out in it for themselves. Humans by natur

I don't know about it being "hostile" territory, but most likely ignorant and prejudiced territory (even if its not intentional). I can't speak to the Buddhist religion specifically, but I had a scout (now bridged to Boy Scouts and waiting for my son to catch up) in our unit that is Hindu. I don't know that it was a big deal for him or his family as he always just said "god" in the promise. His father and I are very good friends and he explained it to me as, "We know who we are and what we believe, but I also understand that I live in a 90+% judeo-christian place. Its do as the rom

2Cubs... Then your sons had a "bad" PWD expirience, but had the opportunity to LEARN something much more important from it than the boy with a pro-built car will ever learn. Its a tough thing as a parent to watch your kid go through something like that. They likely won't realize the benefit for a long time to come, but some day they will. In a right and just world, the kid who puts in the most effort would win every time. Unfortunately, there's no such world, even in cub land. The only thing we as parents can do is teach our kids how to react appropriately to those types of s

I don't know about the 'born' part of a natural leader, other than it might infer that leadership traits tend to come easily for this person, hence they were "born" with it. For most people (youth included), I feel the label of 'natural born leader' or just 'natural leader' is a little misleading (pun intended). No one is born knowing how to provide leadership. Some might have figured it out faster than others, so they appear to be natural leaders. Some have charisma, attitude, influence be it due to age, physical stature, or self-confidence, or subject matter knowledge. But most of t

He actually came in 4th in his den the following year, and then competed for the top 3 in the pack in his Bear year, so yeah it happens. Bottom line 99.9% of pinewood speed is due to wheels and axles. I have seen a block of wood, no paint, with 5oz of weight beat 99% of our pack field, becuase the scout and dad spent their entire effort on wheels, axles and getting them balanced, riding a rail and one front wheel off the ground. Did the dad do most of the thinking? Probably, but so long as they worked on it together... good for them. If they are running a pro-built car, then I gue

OGE- I think mentoring the boys is a LOT like managing a workforce. You use leadership opportunities to let the youth "try on" being a leader and then guide them to a role that fits them best. Example: Say a kid is not that outgoing and doesn't like to speak up, but is very organized and neat in the way he keeps his personal stuff. Well, try to coax him out of his shell by putting him in a small leadership role (i.e. leading ONE activity on a campout - like a hike), but then approach him and tell him you noticed his good organization skills... maybe he'd make a great quartermaster for

1) Smor's .... can't believe no one put this on their list yet. 2) Seeing a kid catch their 1st fish ever... 3) Being out on a cear night and having the kids in the unit be AMAZED by how bright the stars and moon are wen you get away from the light polution of the city. 4) Sitting by a brook or stream and having the only two sounds be the sound of the water and your own breathing. I would put lightning bugs on here, but we don't have them out west. Used to catch them as a kid in Nebraska and many a night we'd put 5 or 6 in a ziplock bag and hang it inside the roof of our t

mom2cubs - I can certainly understand your feelings on the issue, However a few observations... 1) How do you KNOW its an adult built car? My son won the pack champion in his Tiger year. I showed, then guided, and finally encouraged (sounds like EDGE method to me) him to diligently grind and then polish the axles, showed him what the axle straighting die was for and how to use it, and how to wet sand the "pips" on the running surface of his wheels. I helped a little, but HE did the majority of it. WHY? should he not have won? He put in 3+ hours for 3 different nights into that car.

"adult Scout Leaders usually start out thinking like a parent and gradually learn how to think like guide or mentor. " Probably one of the best statements I've ever seen on this board!

#1) Have workshops... get the previous year(s) winners to help run them. Then the "secrets" are out there for everyone. You come take advantage and learn, or you don't, but can't complain about it. #2) If a dad wants to build the kids car, its going to happen. We try to have discussions about "fairness" and kids having hands on time with the wood, but again levels of skill vary greatly in both youth and adults. #3) We always give a trophy for "Scout's Own Vote". No judges, every boy that races can case a vote for their favorite car. Only rule, you can't vote for yourself. You w

yeah, you improve MBU's by not having them!

Are we living up to the Congressional Charter? Well, I'd say that depends on the local unit and how they run it. Is it boy-led? Does it involve the outdoors? Does it teach self-reliance? or is it a classroom merit badge mill led by helicopter parents? Not sure how a national charter, the national office, or even the local council offices can influence that too much, other than explicit approval / banning of certain activities or changing requirements (queue spin-off thread here)... Ask anyone with a gay in their family or an athiest / agnostic if BSA has lived up to their congressio

I'd be willing to bet that even if National wanted to use a US supplier, they would have a hard time finding ANYONE that is still making clothes stateside - regardless of price. That said, when manufacture moved offshore and the price remains the same (or goes up) the perception from most is a decrease in quality with a steady or increase in cost equals an overall decrease in VALUE. I don't care if they make the stuff on the moon, just give me shirts with reinforced elbows, pants with reinforced knees and crotch seams... the fact that both my boys can wear out a uni before they OUTGR

Well.... there goes the whole beer garden funraising idea out the window now.... just kidding. I say you've already stated your case to the DE and you're not in the unit any longer, let it go. Unless its a slosh-fest and the adults are not about to be responsible, but then again - you have this info 3rd party, so how do you know? I have made adult beverages availible to ADULTS at adults only committee meetings, held at a private residence (not BSA property). We discuss the pack business, then have a BBQ, a few folks have a beer or a glass of wine. I don't believe this is in contra

I don't know about gifting a fire starting kit... I think I'd leave that determination up to the parent(s), much the same at pocket knifes or BB-guns (or other guns for that matter). As for him being taught he skills, then he needs to re-learn the lesson. As for the mom - she is responsible for her son on his own time. He might have LEARNED the techniques from scouting, but is obviously misusing them since he did not have a parent's permission, nor adult supervision. This mom is going to FLIP once he gets to Jr. High and has health class... what if he starts USING his new knowl

To me the arguement of, "For the boys..." whether in it for them or not in it for them is a trump card of sorts that some folks like to use to justify their position and not have to listen or debate an opposing position on the merits of said position. Its kind of like calling someone a racist. Once you go there, you have effectively stated that YOUR opinion is better on moral grounds and teh other's opinion is mute based on the fact that it is based on an inherent, amoral bias.... therefore, you win and you don't have to justify your own stance any longer. "You're not in it for the

1) Trip planning meeting is open to anyone... you got a special diet need / restriction... then show up and help plan the meals. 2) If its a true allergy - then the scout needs to carry and be responsible for their Epi-Pen. This is NOT a duty that can be delegated. Otherwise, Its like expecting someone else to put your seatbelt on you when you get in a car. Make sure at least THREE people on the trip (other than the allergic person) knows what an Epi-Pen is for, how to administer it, and lastly what to do AFTER you've had to use it.... The Epi saves the life immediately, the follow

OK- So, I am the CM for a fairly active pack of about 40 boys. Been CM for 3 years now after a 1 yr stint as Tiger DL. I've been actively "looking" for my replacement for about 1 year. I have a very good freind of mine (Bear DL) who has two boys in the pack, one a Bear, the other a Tiger this year. Mine son is a WebI and will likely be ready to bridge by early 2012 as the den will all be finished with AOL by then. I had another dad in the Tiger den approach me about being the next CM for the pack. He is a level headed guy and other than being a bit quiet, will do a good job.

oh come on now... everyone KNOWS the plural of Webelos is Webeli. Besides - if national would just hurry up and compact in into a 1 year program, there would be no need to diferetiate between the two, kids wouldn't burn out and we would likely retain more kids into BOY SCOUTS.... Consider the thread offically hijacked

Patrol campout... we all showed up with our gear, the patrol box, the food, mess kits, etc... Just finish cooking the first night's meal and getting ready to serve our chili and cornbread when we discover the patrol box was missing ALL silverware and everyone expected it to be there, so noone packed any in their mess kits. (It was later found out that a rival patrol had sabotaged our box prior to the campout!) So, we end up "drinking" the chili out of cups. A couple guys try to eat it out of a ladle, one other guy uses a HUGE serving spoon. 1st order of business the next morni

enigineer- You'll get some howling the first couple months, because they are being held to a stardard they were not used to before. You just calmly explain that because of the size of the unit and the lead time needed to procure and process awards, the deadline has to be firm. It would be nice if the SM and committee would back the AC on this, but if not - then maybe the SM and committee should be told to go find themselves a new AC, one that will allow such abuse of their time and talents. One of my Father's favorite sayings when I was growing up... "Lack of planning on your

Personally, I like them diced with geoduck and folded into a Doo-Doo bird two egg omlete -- YUM !!! Do you store the grid squares in the quartermaster's shed, right next to the fallopian tubes? Fallopian tubes are great for float trips in the summer time, or pool movie nights at council camp! But, according to G2SS, they should not be used as a PFD. Plus, I think they're on backorder from national right now...

It all boils down to a price point / marketing / perception of value issue. The Girl Scouts have a GREAT product that is perceived as a good value at a price point that 90% of people asked to buy will not think twice about throwing a few dollars towards. Anything that an average adult thinks is good for youth, they'll give $5 or less towards without thinking - the fact they get some good tasting cookies (even if in a small package) is just a bonus. On the other hand... BSA has a high price point on a product that on the surface does not seem to be a very good value. The entry price