Tiger Adult Partner- Same parent each meeting or mom/dad alternate?

[JimWhiteLongBeach 10]

I'm preparing for my first Tiger den meeting on Wednesday. I'll be the den leader and it looks like we'll have about 6 Tiger/adult teams.

 

Something I haven't seen spelled out is whether I should encourage one parent to attend each time or if it's okay or even recommended for the parents to alternate attending.

 

Thanks for your replies,

 

Jim

Long Beach, CA

[mistysmere 10]

Relax. This isn't as hard as it seems when you first look at all the training and books.

 

It doesn't matter who shows up with your Tiger, as long as each Tiger has someone. Our Pack has 4 Tigers this year. One comes every week with Dad. One is the son of the Cubmaster and Bear Leader, so the CC or Tiger Leader or myself attend as his adult during normal den meetings until CM deals with all his work. One Tiger brings Mom, Dad, 4 year old brother and 11 month sister to most meetings. Then there is the Tiger who might show up with Dad, Stepmom or 14 year old sister. Dad works long hours, Mom is Wolf coleader and some times can't make it to the Tiger meeting, and because the adults are spread thin with the CM's son, we need one more big person. The 12 year old Boy Scout brother has been known to step in for 15 minutes while waiting for Dad to get to the meeting.

 

Our Pack is small with 26 kids. We all meet at the same place every week, unless there are special activities planned for a Den. We probably have family members that show up for 20 of our boys every week. Moms, Dads, Stepparents, Noncustodial parents, Grandparents, older siblings, Aunts and Uncles. Before my time, there are rumors of a boy who came with his next door neighbor's Grandfather. Single mom couldn't do it and Grandfather missed Cub Scouts, so they decided to do it together.

 

I would encourage at least knowing the first name of the adults the child lives with. That will just make your life easier when you get to know Mom and all of a sudden Dad shows up at your first activity. Otherwise, don't worry about it. Cub Scouts is a Family Activity and today's families are just not the same as they were in the 50s.

 

mistysmere

[ScoutNut 147]

When the boy was signed up, someone was also signed up to be the Tiger Adult Partner. That Adult Partner is usually one of the parents. Hopefully, at registration it was explained to the parents that the Adult Partner must attend everything with their Tiger.

 

At your meeting this Wednesday, again explain to your Tiger Partners that they are 1/2 of a Tiger Team, who will be doing everything (including games, songs and skits!) together for the next year. I usually explain that while one parent signed up as Tiger Partner, that I have no problem if they switch off between parents as necessary. As long as their Tiger has one of them there as his Tiger Partner.

 

My Tiger meetings have been on Saturday mornings, so I have had parents switch off because of work, sports activities for siblings, doctor appointments, etc.

 

I have also had them bring siblings along. Usually they brought stuff to keep the sib busy, but having a good supply of coloring pages and crayons handy helps too. Don't forget to include the sibling in activities if possible. It helps to get them (boys and girls) excited about Scouts too.

 

Don't forget SHARED LEADERSHIP!

 

Have each of your Tiger Teams sign up to plan and run one of the next 6 den meetings. Then repeat with the 6 den meetings after that, etc!

 

By March, or April, you should have a real good idea of who you want to be your Assistant Den Leader next year!

 

 

 

[jamist649 10]

To me it's difficut enough, with everything else going on in the child's life, for the child/parent to attend all of the meetings at all, much less when you start throwing restriction thier way. I say as long as they have an adult partner who is familiar with the program, don't worry about it. If you start telling the parents that the SAME ONE has to attend every time, you're gonna have 'em dropping like flies.

 

Be flexible, and good luck.

 

 

[shortridge 184]

While it certainly would be easier, from a continuity and communications standpoint, to have the same adult partner every time, saying "no" to alternating partners could drive away two-household families where the parents share custody or have a co-parenting arrangement.

 

My advice: Be as flexible as possible, get both parentts' contact information, send out reminder e-mails to everyone you can, and have fun! Tigers are a great age.

[SctDad 10]

I will mirror what some of the other have said: Relax and enjoy the time. Tiger Leader may sound like a big tough job, but I found that is was one of the most fun so far.

 

The BSA says that the Tiger Cub must be accompanied by a responsible adult over the age of 18. It even says in the literature that is can be a trusted neighbor.

 

(If someone can find that reference it would be appreciated. I know that there are a lot of well versed people here and someone has it)

 

I tell parents that this is a list of people that can bring the Tiger Cub: Mother, Father, Aunt, Uncle, Grandfather, Grandmother, or a brother/sister that is over the age of 18. And yes if there is a family friend then they can bring the scout if they have persission.

 

My only restriction is on outings, and I handle that on a case by case basis. But if someone other than their parent is bringing them on an outing, they must have all permission slips filled out properly before they depart with us. That is just a liability issue.

[JimWhiteLongBeach 10]

Thanks for all the responses. It looks like we'll have 6 boys at our first meeting- enough to get started with pending a bit more recruiting.

 

I will do everything possible to facilitate dads coming with their sons by scheduling the meetings in the evening. I'll also follow the advice here about encouraging attendance with any appropriate adult and getting all possible parents/grandparents/caregivers/etc on my email list.

 

Jim

[ScoutNut 147]

Jim - Just a caution -

 

I would accept a Tiger Partner who is NOT a parent or guardian, only in an emergency situation. BSA stipulates on their Youth Application that if the Tiger Partner who is listed on the application does not live with the Tiger Scout that they must register as an Adult Volunteer with BSA and fill out an application so that a background check can be preformed.

 

Don't limit your thinking to Scouting being mainly for dads & sons. Very often the moms are way more involved.

 

You should give a den contact list (names, address, email, phone) to every Tiger Team in your den. That makes it easier for the den members to contact each other when necessary.