Any ideas for combining two ranks into one den meeting per week?

[Den3Pack429 10]

Recently due to a low availability of Tiger Cub leaders, we have combined our Wolf den with the two Tiger cubs. Has anyone else dealt with this challenge of trying to combine the two levels of achievements into one den meeting per week? The only option I can come up with so far is to have the boys split up by rank after gathering and opening activities. If anyone else has any suggestions they would be greatly appreciated.

[Basementdweller 608]

It has been done, but the results are poor for everyone, including yourself. You believe one year is not that big a deal. The average tiger cannot read yet. wolves can. Big difference in motor control.

 

Tigers should have their partner with them and engaged at the meeting. Tigers have go and sees.....are you going to take the entire den. How long before the wolves get bored with it and start causing problems?

 

So how are you going to manage dues collection, two different crafts and two different achievement activities??????

 

Just saying it is a lot harder putting on a quality program for two different groups at the same time.

 

If you are going to do it any way.

 

I would recommend moving one den 1/2 hour earlier in the evening and the other a half an hour later. so the tigers start at 6:30 ending at 7:30.....the wolves starting at 7:30 ending at 8:30.

 

 

[bear dad 13]

Hi there can feel your pain, like you I am running 2 dens do to no DL for wovles, have a asst DL, for wovles. I am doing wolves and bears, the only right now that have came up with is seperate nights, which means more time involved for me. I am starting this week, if I have only 1 wolf I might condiser combining the 2, but other that think 2 different nights might be a way to go, if you have time?? Good LUCK,

[John-in-KC 311]

Wolves and Bears, because their program is similar, can have some combination.

 

Tigers? No, keep them separate. Tigers is a 1/1 environment of parent and child. Wolf and Bear is supposed to allow the child a smidgen more independence than having parents to hand.

 

Unfortunately, what Bear Dad advocates (separate meetings) is really the best of all the bad ideas for this.

 

Have a cup of coffee with your CM and CC. Tell them to get to work on the encouraging folks to step up to the plate.

[eghiglie 10]

Not a great idea

 

Separate nights will have reinforce it better, skill levels are similar but different enough.

 

You may want to try rotating den meeting planning to each of the parents.

 

Good luck, I only have one kid, but in the dens I led many of the parents had boys in different grades.

[Al'sDad 10]

CM needs to tell Tiger parents that one of them MUST step up to be leader if there is to be a Tiger den.

[theysawyoucomin' 10]

I never was a Tiger leader. Led wof thru Crossover and now I am an SM. I did attend every Tiger meeting though.

 

 

The best suggestion I heard was to stagger the meetings.

 

As far as asking a parent to step up, that reminds me of the British Navy's press gangs of old looking for sailors in every seedy joint by the docks.

 

Ask each parent to do shared leadership. I did two meetings then---because I wanted to. Others did one. Some who as luck would have it had the worst behaved kids did none. funny how that works. Sometimes folks will step forward when they see others. You still remain the leader you just get alot of help and guide the parents along.

 

As a good leader you are going to have some fun ready because you know one of those parents is going to let you down.

 

Thank you for helping all those boys grow.

 

 

[IM_Kathy 32]

back when my son was a wolf and my husband was the DL he had a huge den because they couldn't get another leader... so he split his den in 1/2 and had some boys come from 6-7 and the other 1/2 from 7-8. It did make it a long day for him, and I had to help with shuttling my son so he wasn't there for 2 hours, but it did work.

 

later when my husband had to quit being DL due to traveling with work I stepped up when they Bear's and Webelos - I also had a girl scout troop. I had them the same day the boys went from 6-7 since they were younger and the girls went form 7-8. When my husband was out of time my kids knew they'd have to behave and sit quietly during the other's meeting.

 

That's one way I use to get volunteers for leading or coaching - you get final say on days, times, locations. That's how my kids have been able to do scouts, soccer, basketball, t-ball, football, and the school things (band, choir, colorguard) we now have we don't have control over we work around.

[rrelaljrksw 10]

See my post under Small Packs for a comparison of achievements and electives for all 3 ranks by theme. We had 4 ranks in one den last year. There were pros and cons. Pros: all boys had fun, all boys advanced, younger boys made friends and enjoyed working with older boys Cons: Webelos had a lot of home work, more work initially for leaders to plan group themes, harder to adapt activities for multiple skill levels sometimes the tigers had have more help and Webelos finished activities early and needed a second project to keep them interested.