I have a question about the family award. I'm a little confused by what I am reading. To earn the award, you need to do 10 activities in 5 categories in 12 months. Got it. No problem. My confusion is that there is a patch for each category, so I'm sort of guessing that the award is a certificate given when all 12 activities are completed. Are all five patches also given at that time, or are they given as progress awards after the two activities in each category are completed. I think I understand the pins. They are awarded after as two more activities are completed in category. You can earn those over and over again. Sort of like the academic and sports pins.

 

Does anyone here have any experience earning or awarding these patches? How does it work?

Especially in Cubs, it is best to award the patches as they are earned. Don't wait for two or three months; award the patch with due pomp and ceremony (" Let's give'm a round of applause!")at the very next Pack meeting. As the Cub earns the total number of patches, he will see the collection increase and be the more eager to finish the collection. Let him make the connection between effort and reward. The delay of reward is harder for the young Cub. He'll learn the necessity of that later.

 

KiS MiF!

The Blue and Gold award with BSA Family written on it is the basic award, given when a family completes 2 activities in each of the 5 categories. The other patches are awarded when a family does an additional 2 activities in a given category on top of the 10 completed and correspond to the category that the family completed the 2 additional activities in.

The blue/gold BSA Family patch is from the old family program. 10 activities - patch and/or certificate, more activities - gold house pin.

 

The new program is very confusing as the program has changed, but some of the old wording is still used even though it doesn't apply. There is no general patch anymore. It appears to be up to the Unit how to decide how they will award the patches/pins.

 

Our pack has gone to awarding the certificate for the initial award and then the pins for additional category activities. This takes up less real estate on the vest.