Parent Pins and Court of Honor

[yelruh 10]

Our son's last troop gave out parents pins (mother's pins). This one doesn't, I thought it was because they weren't available, or no longer used. But I was just at the scout shop, and someone was buying them for their COH.

 

I think they are a nice idea, they involve the parents in the rank advancement, and make it a bigger deal for everyone, especially younger scouts.

 

If your troop does it, would you consider stopping? If your troop doesn't, was there a discussion, and what were some of the reasons to not do it?

[acco40 95]

I can think of only one reason not to do it - cost. Like much in life, they are not free.

 

However, to me the cost is minimal considering the benefit. Well, maybe I should rephrase that - I have two sons and one daughter. The boys, still active as youth, have both earled all ranks up to and including Life Scout and I have yet been awarded a parent's pin. Now, my wife proudly displays all of her 12 Boy Scout and 10 Cub Scout pins!

 

There is an old myth that all rank pins go to mom except for Eagle which is reserved for dad. ;-)

[yelruh 10]

A woman I know sometimes wears three eagle parent pins on her business suit label. One for each of her sons. That makes a big statement with anyone who knows what they are.

 

Cost they are only $1.25, except for life which is $3.65 because it has the red stuff on it.

[jr56 92]

I am involved with a pretty poor troop right now, but they still get the mothers pins for court of honors. Any troop that I have ever been involved with has always done this.

[Lisabob 13]

Our troop does this. Our pack did not. With all the zillion patches and beltloops cubs can earn the advancement costs added up pretty quickly. We decided not to offer the pins because we would've then had to either raise dues or do more fundraising, just to pay for them all (and usually all at about the same time - Blue & Gold time). This was not something that the majority of us felt we wanted to do.

 

That said...I like that our troop does this. Ours come with an expectation that the boys either give their parent a handshake, a hug or a kiss (but that's pushing things for most of them) and a "thank you" along with the pin. Nothing like making those teen age boys acknowledge their parents - in public - as something more than a mere source of transportation!

 

Lisa'bob

[kenk 11]

I am brand new into my son's troop and have volunteered to be an assistant scoutmaster and advancement coordinator.

 

My first Court of Honor was last Sunday, so when I went to get the awards at the scout shop my committee chair (a mom) asked to make sure that I picked up parent pins ... so I did.

 

At the Court of Honor the Comitteee Chair was wearing two Proud Parent lanyards - one for each son. The other parents thought they were cool, so I am now collecting requests for lanyards, and earned but missing parent pins. I'll pick them up from the scout shop, but our troop will only pay for 1 Boy Scout pin per earned rank per scout, but the families will need to pay for the lanyard and any earned but missing Cub Scout pins. Seems fair to me. I heard a lot of talk about Mother's Day gifts.

 

Ken K.

[frank10 12]

We still use them, but I have seen a few awkward times caused by scouts who had no one to give the pin to or a scout with too many parents....

Ahhh to go back to a simpler time (what ever that means.)