Mike Rowe: Death of Boy Scouts?

[MattR 2659]

18 minutes ago, ianwilkins said:

Nice to see what we Brits have exported around the world.  Our Explorers seem to think it's banned, so they play French Poodle, in which everything is exactly the same as British Bulldog but the name.

 

We replaced 'dodge ball' with 'red white and blue ball'

[RememberSchiff 3661]

It is not adventure unless there are surprises.

In the past, our scouts have taken a game concept from Monopoly and carried a  ? box or envelope on hikes.  At time or distance intervals, they would take a  ? card and complete the task on card - everyone do 10 pushups, form a human pyramid,  switch your socks/check your feet, carry patrol leader to nearest shady spot,  what do you see at 60deg True,  take a pic and send it,  EMERGENCY, your PL broke his leg, simple fracture, administer FIRST AID and when done draw next card  (scouts busily splint leg and then draw next card... NO! THE OTHER LEG! 

Creating the cards themselves at PLC is a fun meeting activity.

I have been trying to re-introduce this idea, but maybe it needs to be an app these days.

Edited May 18, 2018 by RememberSchiff

[qwazse 4342]

9 hours ago, Chisos said:

I've never quite got the Swimming/Hiking/Cycling choice.  Swimming just seems so much easier than either of the other two...maybe require swimming for everyone, then a choice of Cycling, Hiking, or (Lifesaving + Mile Swim).

Tell that to Son #2 who held a swimming partial for 5 years, then decided to earn Hiking at age 17.9. 

[DuctTape 1230]

9 hours ago, HashTagScouts said:

I'll go even further. Yes, hiking can be an,asventure- but that requires getting off the well marked trails of your local/state/national park. And if you go entirely off what the BSA program requires, that is one (1!) 5 mile hike their entire time as a Boy Scout. I am a hiking MB counselor, and I can tell you 90% of the Scouts I talk to about getting out and working on that badge point out they don't have to, they did their 5 mile hike, thank you. Of the other 10%, about 2/3 of them will do a couple of the hikes, but will never complete the badge. 

I am also a hiking mb counselor, and have similar experiences. 

Don't even get me started on Backpacking mb. A lot of scouts don't even have a backpack!!

[Chisos 118]

2 hours ago, qwazse said:

Tell that to Son #2 who held a swimming partial for 5 years, then decided to earn Hiking at age 17.9. 

My apologies.  I do tend to come up with quite a few half-baked ideas!  🤔

I guess what I was getting at, is that I see hiking or cycling MB's as more significant accomplishments...planning and doing the 20 mile hike or 50 mile ride, especially.  But yes, for a scout who's not comfortable with swimming, that MB will be just as much of an accomplishment.

 

[WisconsinMomma 217]

On another forum I belong to, someone was bemoaning the decline of their religion, and someone mentioned this book.  I have not read it, but the concept is that many social organizations are struggling.  Bowling Alone, The Collapse and Revival of American Community.

https://www.amazon.com/Bowling-Alone-Collapse-American-Community/dp/0743203046/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1526652514&sr=8-1&keywords=bowling+alone

[Oldscout448 697]

13 hours ago, Cubmaster Pete said:

I think there are too many troops that do not do this, and that's the biggest problem.

Yep, there is a troop about 5 miles away from me that has banned axes,  walking sticks, and only adults are allowed to light stoves.  All in the name of " safety"

I was very much tempted to buy a giant roll of bubble wrap from Costco and hand it to the SM.    

Edited May 18, 2018 by Oldscout448

[SSScout 1615]

The three words no SM wants to hear:   "HEY ! WATCH THIS !"   

But maybe they should.... 

[RememberSchiff 3661]

Just now, SSScout said:

The three words no SM wants to hear:   "HEY ! WATCH THIS !"   

But maybe they should.... 

What I want to hear  "WE DID IT!"

[Oldscout448 697]

2 minutes ago, SSScout said:

The three words no SM wants to hear:   "HEY ! WATCH THIS !"   

But maybe they should.... 

True, but its better than " Hold mah beer"

[Saltface 165]

26 minutes ago, Oldscout448 said:

Yep, there is a troop about 5 miles away from me that has banned axes,  walking sticks, and only adults are allowed to light stoves.  All in the name of " safety"

I was very much tempted to buy a giant roll of bubble wrap from Costco and hand it to the SM.    

That's not a troop, it's a daycare.

[mashmaster 783]

42 minutes ago, Oldscout448 said:

Yep, there is a troop about 5 miles away from me that has banned axes,  walking sticks, and only adults are allowed to light stoves.  All in the name of " safety"

I was very much tempted to buy a giant roll of bubble wrap from Costco and hand it to the SM.    

OMG, my son's first troop the troop guides wouldn't let them cook or light the stoves.   We switched troops.

[NJCubScouter 1389]

42 minutes ago, Oldscout448 said:

I was very much tempted to buy a giant roll of bubble wrap from Costco and hand it to the SM.    

Reminds me of the tv commercial that's out now for a low-cost life insurance company.  The guy is wrapped in bubble-wrap and explains that he is wrapped in bubble wrap because he can't afford life insurance.  It is somewhat funnier the way he says it than how I am describing it.

[NJCubScouter 1389]

36 minutes ago, Oldscout448 said:

True, but its better than " Hold mah beer"

Actually, I think I would rather hear that one.  Someone(s) might be getting kicked out of the troop (or not), but at least everyone is going home in one piece.  I have sometimes half-jokingly said that the main role of the adult leaders on a camping trip is to make sure that when we arrive back at the church parking lot on Sunday, we have the same number of kids as when we left.

[ianwilkins 366]

12 minutes ago, NJCubScouter said:

Actually, I think I would rather hear that one.  Someone(s) might be getting kicked out of the troop (or not), but at least everyone is going home in one piece.  I have sometimes half-jokingly said that the main role of the adult leaders on a camping trip is to make sure that when we arrive back at the church parking lot on Sunday, we have the same number of kids as when we left.

So if you lose one you have to find another?!?!