AKdenldr

Lenae, go to the scout shop and buy a tiger book, read it to see what fun you all will have. (I wouldn't do the achievements in advance with your son as he and you should have many of these experiences with the den he joins.) With regards to your son's friends, I have yet to meet a first grade boy who doesn't want to join a special club and do things like play games, race pinewood derby cars, go for hikes, make snacks together, go interesting places, and go camping. Your son's friends really probably do not know what cub scouts is. Once you know what pack you want to go, recruit some o

FSUscout, I think the Webelos leader is right. Boys should be awarded their rank when they have earned it. Some first graders would really know that they had not done all of the "go see it's" yet. Make a big deal of the tigers at the March pack meeting. Better yet, make a big deal of them at both meetings. "Celebrate their accomplishments" I've found that the traditions in Packs ARE easily changed. The boys are in the program only a short time, their memories are short, and parents are also. Being "true blue" and delivering the program as the BSA intended is a terrific reason to ch

ScoutMom, Yes. How I have seen it work is boy locates the opportunity, puts some thought and research into it and presents it to the SM in an informal conversation. In other troops it might be both the SM and the SPL. In the DC example, (Having a 15.5 yo at home) I would tell you that "puts some thought and research into it" for a high school freshman or sophmore would perhaps involve sitting down with the den leader over a coke and the Den Leader handbook, talk about the den schedule and what the Boy Scout could add to the den (see the requirements for the award for Den Chief for some

I also agree that you can enrich the Webelos den schedule in the meantime (better yet, you and your son). With regards to the troop, ask SM if Webelos son can attend meetings and events as guest until troop's bridging time. After a few events, your son, on his own, might decide to wait for his den buddies to join him. While what he does as a troop visitor will not count for advancement, what he LEARNS will be useful after he bridges. Most families can only handle one troop at a time, so I encourage you to try to work it out with older son's troop.

One troop I was associated with paid a portion of summer camp for each scout that met the fundraising individual fundraising goal set by the committee at budget time. This was for the troop scheduled camp only in that year. All was said upfront at popcorn time. Anything over that goal earned council prizes and prizes from the popcorn kernal and pats on the back.

My sons have participated in a limited number of Merit Badge academies. Here they are two Saturdays from about 9 to 1 with about 3 sessions available each day. The one I like best is a drive but over the Christmas break, so busy scouts have time to compete the homework. I think older scouts who wish to knock out a number of academic merit badges appreciate the MBA. With younger son I've signed him up for hands on type badges (welding) or field trip type badges that cover multiple sessions. When I was getting started as a MBC I sat in some sessions. I quickly determined that, although

Congrats on a successful program. No room for further growth as you are now. Heading into the end of school year is a great time to solve this problem. But this is something to be educating the parents and scouts on now. I support the idea of 3 ADLs. In fact, perhaps they all could be stepping up and planning some events and meetings as training ground for spring / summer / fall. That way your DL could be mentoring them and scouts could see them in action. We used to cap our dens at 8 or 9. I particularly like 6, big enough for relays, and small enough that every scout knows he is

A good list. In our large troop we have 2 instructors and 2 ASPLs and 2 webmasters. In another troop I am familiar with it was common for scouts who wanted a POR and didn't get one to LOCATE HIS OWN Den Chief position, or special project, then get it approved by SPL and SM.

I'm thinking this 2nd grader is still learning how scouting works. This is a good opportunity to teach. Just like the PLs who complain that the "meetings are boring", we try to coach them into planning a meeting that is not "boring".

SSScout, I didn't say I liked the bead system. We used an den doodle and that seemed to work better with my scouts. I do think the pace of life is faster today and parents have a hard time zero-ing in on what is important. If some beads or stickers help today's parent focus on participating with scout or getting him to those activities, I'll all for it. In my experience it took about 5 months for a boy to earn rank in our pack. That is a long time for a 6, 7, or 8 year old boy. Arrowheads, as you know, are awarded after rank, even if previously earned. (Are you active in a pack now?

Around here only a few BSA troops have been asked to find a new sponsor and they have been able to. Very quickly and usually right down the street. I've not heard about any trail life units forming locally.

My scout is thicker in the middle. With the zip off leg style I opened the seam inside the waist band and cut the elastic. Will hold him till the next growth spurt. Perhaps an alterations person could replace the elastic in yours with some that have a bit more give (since you have probably quit growing.)

Visit in person or call. Email less effective these days.

As I understand it (from reading this forum) GSA units are not "chartered" they are started by adults who have located a meeting space. If your wife wants to meet the requirements of the GSA for adult leaders, and can find a meeting space (even at the same location) she can start her "own" troop. She should call the service unit and start the process of training. If nothing else it can be background knowledge.

Service first to the boy and his parents, second to the movement of scouting, third to anything else. Provide factual information and what you don't say will most likely ring clear. In addition, I suggest something like this, "All volunteer organizations change over time, especially those serving youth. What is a good program now can change in just a few years. Be ready to support the organizations of your children. All troops are different. Ask carefully about the current program and current plans. Adults should like the adults and youth should like the youth. Visit multiple times

Your son has six or so years left in scouting. Invest in another shirt to support the program and him.

Cool, you get to do the fun stuff. you might be the hero for your interesting addition to the meeting. Get a good book on games (Cub scout leader how to book is good). Anything can be made "valentine" by adding some cheap valentines, red and pink, or how you introduce the game. For example, My Webelos loved relays. Create a relay were they take and remove valentines from a basket at the far end of the room. Boys get to run and the mothers have to skip or walk backwards or some other easier task. There is "beach relay" where participants have a bag of goofy beach clot

A bully supported by an adult bully with other adults enabling the behavior. Your son's remaining youth years in your care are short. Cut bait and move on. If son or you want to write letters after the move to folks who might change things, that would be honorable, but not required. Letting your son remain an object of this behavior any longer is not protective parenting.

What dedkad said.

MT, when our pack was new we held our B&G latter in the school year. We weren't really withholding ranks we just didn't have schedules that got the advancements done earlier. Part of this was we didn't have a big camping tradition yet, where a lot of advancements were completed. (Because basically you have the scout for more time.) As our pack calendar got more detailed and leaders became more experienced, we moved the B&G back to Feb and most dens were ready with rank. But, if they were not -- their den was recognized latter, typically at the May picnic. In the main, most b

One of our Tiger den leaders introduced denner at that level. They were the boy whose parent did the program, and brought the snack. I think the denner passed out napkins and made sure the trash was all picked up. As the ranks go on responsibilities can increase accordingly. I found bad feelings with elections until about Webelos. I'd pull names out of a hat, or some other fashion if I were to do it again. (Heck it is still a "thing" with a 12 year old patrol sometimes.) Sometimes being the leader's son, and getting to do the cool thing first out of the group is not healthy for gro

Figure out how to add running to it. Like a first aid relay. Fake blood. Be ready to actually use some supplies. Stretcher relays. Local responders, especially if they are about 25 and fit. The Webelos Leader Guide had a great bunch of ideas. Add a first aid segment to something else you are doing, like a hike, or cooking etc... I think there was a first aid baseball trivia game on the web somewhere that I used. This really is one that you can stretch and have a lot of hands on fun.

What others said. Except, I would have been happy to have a revolving series of 4 and 6 month den chiefs, as long as they were able to fulfill the POR to my satisfaction as a DL. The DCs I have mentored from the troop side have initially committed to a short stint, and about half wanted to continue much longer.