Girls In Cub Scouts

[JillKB 10]

My daughter tags along with our Tiger Den and does everything the Tigers do. This will continue through all the ranks as my son progresses. I was told by a Scoutmaster that there was another leader in our council who's daughter did the same thing and actually earned awards, etc. I don't see how that's possible unless she was registered. I was wondering if anyone else had had this experience with their daughters and if anyone know exactly what BSA policy is at this point.

[Lisabob 13]

When I was active with our pack we had several families who regularly brought their daughters with them to nearly all events. In the vast majority of cases, we had no problem with this because after all, cubs is very family-oriented. Besides, if we had told them no they probably would've quit because it would have been difficult for them to find babysitters, etc.. There were only a few exceptions to this rule (cub day camp and resident camp - our district won't allow any non-cub children to attend; pack overnighters where space was limited; one den that had an annual dad/son night strictly limited to "the guys"; pinewood derby - any non-scouts could only race in the "open" classes)

 

However...we never awarded the girls the cub awards even though they often did the exact same activities as the boys did. We had a couple of parents who asked about it (most of whom also said they liked the cub program better than the GS program!) but I just don't see how you could do this in keeping with the BSA rules.

 

Lisa'bob

[Lisabob 13]

By the way parents who bring their daughters to cub scouts along with their sons should be aware that in most cases, their daughters will NOT be able to participate at the same level once the boys cross into boy scouts. This is a real down side to getting your daughter excited and involved in cubbing. One of my son's buddies has a sister who did most everything with our pack (both parents very involved as leaders so the whole family was there 99% of the time). The mom mentioned to me not long ago that her daughter is bummed that she can't continue on with boy scouts. On the bright side, the daughter can't wait to turn 14 and join a Venture crew.

 

To those who will say, hey, that's what GS is for: yes, I know, but around here the GS program is not well regarded. I don't have a daughter so I'm not involved with it, but from what I hear, I can't blame people for being underwhelmed by it.

 

 

Lisa'bob

 

[msnowman 10]

One boy in my den has a younger female sibling. She usually participates w/ our den if we are doing a project that she can do also. She doesn't earn achievements, etc like the boys do, its their program, not hers. However, our Pack strongly believes in Cub Scouting as a Family Activity so if we do an event where the families participate, she (along w/ any other family member) receives patches, etc. For example, she sat thru the service for Scout Sunday along w/ her brother so when SS patches were being passed out at B&G she and a few other siblings received them also.

 

Lisabob - too bad your council doesn't allow "non-cub children" at resident camp. Ours does and some families plan their vacation around the whole family going to camp. The other children go as leader dependents. Unless that's what you meant - non-cub children of leaders who are attending camp can go but general, non leader children cannot. In that case, our camp is set up the same way.

 

YiS

Michelle

[Lisabob 13]

Michelle,

 

Nope, our council does not allow siblings who are not cubs to attend camp, regardless of parent status as leaders. There is actually one exception: if the sibling in question is 16 or older, they may register as a junior assistant on the staff for day camp, but that's it. I've been told this exclusion is for insurance purposes and I can imagine that without such a policy some people would bring their infants or toddlers and then be upset that the program didn't accomodate them, or something equally dumb. Both our day camp and resident camp programs always have very high attendance rates so I also suspect this is a space issue.

 

Lisa'bob

[funscout 11]

Our Council offers a family resident camp (choice of two different weekends) and Webelos resident camp. Family camp is for whole families, but Webelos camp is only for Webelos and parents/leaders.

 

Our day camp used to always have a Tot Lot where younger siblings (and cub age sisters) could stay while Brother and Parent were in a den. The Tot Lot offered crafts, fishing, games, and sprinkler or wading pool time. The Tot Lot couldn't do archery or BB, probably due to the young ages of most of them, and to the full attendance of cubs. The Tot Lot was considered a den and they lined up for Flag ceremonies, came up with a den chant, and participated in skits at the end of the week. The Tots got to make a leather totem just like the cubs, and they earned beads for the activities through out the week.

 

Last year we didn't have Tot Lot and we had some disappointed siblings and parents who couldn't attend without a place for the other kids to go.

[Eamonn 61]

I read the other day that we tend to marry people who are like our parents. Men marry girls who have the same traits as their Moms and Girls marry men who are like their Dads.

Her Who Must Be Obeyed is a few years older than her little brother.

When he joined Cubs his Mom was a Den Mother and her Dad was the Cubmaster, who later went on to become Scoutmaster.

The story goes that when she was little she tagged along and gave herself the title of "Scrub Scout".

As a teenager she was up at camp visiting her Dad and her brother.

I think the real truth is that she was checking out the good looking guys.

Maybe that's how she landed me??

Eamonn.

[evmori 11]

While I'm all for family, Cub Scouts is for boys & not girls. Letting girl siblings participate at the same level as their Cub Scout brother is wrong. They should be allowed to tag along but as observers only.

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[Lisabob 13]

Ed I respect your views but I will say that if we had done that, about half of our leaders (with daughters as well as sons) would have quit. No doubt different packs take different approaches. Ours was to welcome all family members and let them participate whenever possible, if they were interested. For us it was a choice between keeping or losing highly qualified, dedicated leaders (with daughters).

 

Lisa'bob

 

 

[msnowman 10]

Ed, I respect your right to your opinion, even though it differs from my own. My situation is very similar to what Lisabob described. Besides, I'm a softie...our den's one sister is 4. I don't have the heart to tell her she can't paint or sculpt w/ us just because she is a girl. Girl or not, she is still a small child, with the easily hurt feelings that come w/ the age. No, we don't plan our meetings to include her, we do what we are going to do and the boys get first shot at materials. But when its a 30 color pack of Sculpty, no boy wants to use the pink and lavendar. Far more is gained by letting her participate than by needlessly telling her no. Besides, the family that Scouts together stays in Scouting longer (IMHO).

 

YMMV

Michelle

[kmchamplin 10]

I believe that girls can participate as I am a leader and my daughter does come along to "play" and to help out. She is 2 years older and the boys could care less.

 

My daughter is also in GS and I am a leader. I bring my son so that he can enjoy the activities also. My daughter did get a patch to put on her vest that we picked up at a BS camp for her. She is very proud of it and participated in everything the boys did. There were several other girls there also.

 

We should share our knowledge with whoever wants to learn from it.

[evmori 11]

When Johnny has a little league baseball game does the sister who is not on the team get to play in the game or does she have to watch from the stands? Cub/Boy Scouts are the same thing.

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[Cubmaster Randy 10]

Cub Scouts are family orientated, I don't see anything wrong with female siblings participating in activities that are age /gender appropriate, In BALOO, we teach that we should have activites that are appropriate for all the participants.

Example, We just got back from a pack trip to the USS Yorktown, do the girls get a patch?, yes they do.

Can they particiapte in Pinewood Derby Family Race, yes they can;

Can they put on a skit during the pack campfire, yes of course;

Should they be earning rank awards, definetly not.

My 7yo "brownie" daughter will not be able to particpate in a year when my son crosses over. I already know she is upset about not being able to go on activites with the troop.

Maybe she can help out me at the district level events until she is old enough to be in Venture Scouts... then again maybe not.

[evmori 11]

Cub Scouts is family oriented but to be a youth member, one must be a boy. Girls are not allowed to join. They can tag along & watch just like mom & dad but the activities are for the members. When I was a Cubmaster, we had lost of sisters of Cub Scouts attend our activities but they were limited to observers. And giving out patches non-members really defeats the whole purpose of being a member!

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[Kudu 186]

For those who are able to have their daughters tag along, you can buy Traditional generic advancement patches for them from the Pathfinders, see:

 

http://inquiry.net/advancement/traditional/generic.htm

 

To see how these badges fit into a typical Traditional advancement scheme, see:

 

Otters (Traditional Scouting for Ages 5-7)

 

or

 

Timber Wolves (Traditional Scouting for Ages 8-10)

 

Under "Americanized" Traditional Scouting Handbooks" at:

 

http://inquiry.net/traditional/index.htm

 

Traditional Scouting is open to both boys and girls but is more outdoor oriented at all age levels than American Scouting, but with some creative effort you may be able to get the two programs to mesh.

 

Some day we will have this kind of program in the United States!

 

Kudu