parents as mb counslers?

[hacimsaalk12]

both my parents are mb counslers for our troop. scheduling a mb with them is a lot easier than with the other mb counslers. is it alright that i do mb's with them, as long as there is another scout here to say that i did the work?

[LPC_Thumper]

Hi,

 

First there is nothing in the National Rules to say you can't... but with that said let's look a little closer.

 

Can you see that if you have to go meet a stranger and learn from them this could help you gain new skills that aren't related to the merit badge at all? Can you see how getting yourself to someone elses location (whether it be their home, their church, their troop location, a school, library or whereever doesn't really matter) at a predetermined time could help you later in life? How do you do that with Mom & Dad?

 

I'm an old adult, let's just say that my son is a 4th Generation Eagle Scout (which is true), I worked on a MB with my father for 6 years. I never got it (in fact I felt relieved when I turned 18 because I knew that dad and I wouldn't have to fight about the requirements anymore). He was a counselor for one merit badge. My buddies told me how much fun it was, I tried it, it wasn't fun. See he wanted to make me have all the skill and knowledge he had. He was thrilled to have his only son express an interest in this MB... It was AWFUL, I felt horrible. Now why would I share this with you? Simple, are you prepared for them to be harder on you than anyone else? They won't mean to do it, but many parents have a hard time with this one.

 

The other problem, is something that my Council put in place. We had a scout who finished his entire Scouting career with only mom & dad's signatures on everything. Mom was Committee Chair & Advancement Chair, Dad was Scoutmaster. They rotated merit badges so that he never had to go outside of their home. Let me help you, our Council is only 120 miles across on it's largest length. There are about 2,000 active Boys Scouts in this area. We have many troops (in my district there are just under 20 troops). See what they did? The parents took away the opportunity for this young man to learn some VERY IMPORTANT skills. I'm sure he learned them later.

 

On the other hand, if your mom and dad are the only counselors for a specific MB, then by all means treat them just like any other MBC and HAVE fun. Get a buddy and knock it out... what's the current phrase "get 'er done!"

 

Hope this helps!

[Fuzzy Bear]

I completed my Eagle and the necessary MB's a long time ago but I still remember some very interesting people and the experiences that they served up. My Dad was the MB counselor for a couple of them. Since I worked for him, he had already taught me how to do the requirements and much more so it was not very satisfying. I love him but he did not give me the same attention he would have given others. I would recommend that you seek out counselors that you do not know.

 

Push yourself and give yourself room to grow intellectually. Challenge yourself to grow as a Scout. Allow yourself room to go places that others hesitate to go. If you do, then at your BOR, you will carry an honest depth of knowledge that will be evident to all that listen. It will also be an experience that you will carry forward with you into adulthood. It is the kind of experience that will give you self-confidence that is needed on many other occasions. Trust me.

 

FB

[Lynda J]

I require Kevin to contact me in the same way any other scout would. By Phone. I expect his to do the same work, no more, no less. (Well maybe I do expect more. Simple because I know what he is capable of.) Do I want to counsel all Kevin's merit badges. NO. He needs to experience other counselors. Just from the concept of how other people do things and the experiences and knowledge of others.

 

He has gone outside our troop on badges that I counsel. That is a good thing.

Grow outside your troop. There are some great counselors out there that love working with kids.

Don't take the "EASY" road. Push yourself to achieve more, to go higher. Reach beyond what you have close by.

 

AND DO THE PAPER WORK!!!!