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Adding Girls to Pack


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We tried to help everyone earn their rank award every year - regardless of when they joined.  I always found that earning their rank was pretty important to most Cub Scouts.  Sure they had fun participating, but they had more fun participating and earning the badge. 

If someone asked me to work to get these girls to their rank in a few months it would have been a no brainer.  I'd have wanted that for my son.

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  • 2 weeks later...

We had our annual Bear carnival with the boy and girl dens combining forces.  It was by far the best Bear carnival we had in years.  The scouts were having fun but in control.  Both girl and boy cub scouts were working and playing together... no issues.   It was the first meeting (Pack or den) since adding girls that I felt comfortable that it was no longer “special”... it just was.    

Our next Pack outing is our overnight (cabin) camping.  We have a cabin reserved just for the girls and several for the boys.  I’m brushing up on G2SS and YPT before this one.

 

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  • 1 month later...

Figured I would post an update.  All of the girls have now earned their rank and will receive their patches at our next Pack meeting.  

We just had an overnight as a pack and it went very well.  Yes, there were arguments (just like the boys), but overall it was a great experience.  At times the girls would hang together, other times some boys would hang with them...They were just additional Cub Scouts.

On a personal note, adding my daughter to Cub Scouts has helped us bond over the last 3-4 months.  My son and I have already had a lot of shared memories in scouting and I can’t wait to build more with my daughter.

 I talked with various leaders and there is overwhelming support and/or indifference to the change within our pack of 85.  Many people were asking about the name change and wondering why they won’t change the corporate name.  Some thought our new name was Scout Me In... working through that confusion.

We are planning a big recruiting push this fall to ensure all girls and boys in our school are aware of the opportunity we offer.  I’m curious what interest is out there...

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  • 3 weeks later...

Final pack meeting of the year was held and out early adopter status is coming to a close.  It was a fun pack meeting and the addition of girls is starting to become old news.  Starting in 3 weeks the program is mainstream.

We have started a parent survey about our Pack year.  We didn’t specifically ask about girls (as we are only asking questions that we can and are willing to change).  That said we did ask an open question about how this year went overall.  Feedback is the typical mix of compliments and complaints... not one negative mention of girls in our Pack.  That doesn’t mean those opinions don’t exist, only that other topics are really the primary interest of our parents.

Based on what I have seen the changes had no negative impact at the Cub Scout level.  I’m concerned about next year given the number of additional leaders I’ll need to find but we will manage.  

 

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We finished the year with two. Looking forward to actually having the two girls make their own Den/Patrol decisions. They have scheduled a meeting for tomorrow night via Hangout video chat to work on some of their AOL requirements. Next week we finish out Build It with our professional.

Last weekend my Den Chief son taught my Webelos daughter how to tie the bowline knot and she then in turn taught it to her pack (Camper #5) while on an overnight campout (her first time to sleep in a tent).

My daughter continues to (unprompted) comment about just how much more she is doing and learning in Scouts compared to her other organization. Massive confidence boost for her too.

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5 minutes ago, Hawkwin said:

We finished the year with two. Looking forward to actually having the two girls make their own Den/Patrol decisions. They have scheduled a meeting for tomorrow night via Hangout video chat to work on some of their AOL requirements. Next week we finish out Build It with our professional.

Last weekend my Den Chief son taught my Webelos daughter how to tie the bowline knot and she then in turn taught it to her pack (Camper #5) while on an overnight campout (her first time to sleep in a tent).

My daughter continues to (unprompted) comment about just how much more she is doing and learning in Scouts compared to her other organization. Massive confidence boost for her too.

Not trying to troll here, just a question.  At my last Commissioner's meeting our DE said the minimum number of girls a pack can register is 5.  I pressed him a bit and he confirmed that if we don't have 5 girls to sign up then we have to sign up 0.  Is that not what you're being told?  Just curious if it's a council specific thing.

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7 minutes ago, walk in the woods said:

Not trying to troll here, just a question.  At my last Commissioner's meeting our DE said the minimum number of girls a pack can register is 5.  I pressed him a bit and he confirmed that if we don't have 5 girls to sign up then we have to sign up 0.  Is that not what you're being told?  Just curious if it's a council specific thing.

I thought I answered a similar question in this thread but could not find it; must have been asked and answered in a related thread. To briefly paraphrase what I wrote there, "I have no idea."

I am a father (previous inactive scouter*) that went looking for an opportunity for his daughter and in the course of my endeavors, we ended up in a different county, a different district, and I ended up as a freshly minted Den Leader. The requirements the Packs, Districts, or Councils were supposed to follow were and continue to be above my pay grade. I've been focused on simply trying to provide the best opportunity I can for my scout(s).  It certainly was not my decision to proceed with a Den of 1 back in March and I would have loved to have more.

 

*Three years as my son's "Popcorn Kernel" is the extent of my prior scouter experience - but we did crush it when I lead the effort. :cool:

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4 minutes ago, Hawkwin said:

I thought I answered a similar question in this thread but could not find it; must have been asked and answered in a related thread. To briefly paraphrase what I wrote there, "I have no idea."

I am a father (previous inactive scouter*) that went looking for an opportunity for his daughter and in the course of my endeavors, we ended up in a different county, a different district, and I ended up as a freshly minted Den Leader. The requirements the Packs, Districts, or Councils were supposed to follow were and continue to be above my pay grade. I've been focused on simply trying to provide the best opportunity I can for my scout(s).  It certainly was not my decision to proceed with a Den of 1 back in March and I would have loved to have more.

 

*Three years as my son's "Popcorn Kernel" is the extent of my prior scouter experience - but we did crush it when I lead the effort. :cool:

Thanks.

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7 minutes ago, Eagle94-A1 said:

For early adopters, you were suppose to have a minimum of five. However that was not enforced. Just like separate dens was not enforced.

Thanks.  We're turning our apps in next month even though the Council said not until September and at least 5.  I guess if they cash the check we'll know it's ok.

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1 minute ago, Eagle1993 said:

There should be no minimum going forward unless you are starting a new unit.    Min number for new unit (of any gender) is 5.

Well, that's the question.  My DE said 5 was the minimum for an existing pack as well as a new pack.  I asked the question two or three ways and got the same answer every time.

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7 minutes ago, walk in the woods said:

Well, that's the question.  My DE said 5 was the minimum for an existing pack as well as a new pack.  I asked the question two or three ways and got the same answer every time.

Odd.  That was an early adopter rule.  I don’t believe that continues going forward.    

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