El_Bucho

Hello, I am a former Life Scout and Brotherhood OA member that has been away from scouting for about 25 years. I have 3 boys that are now all Cub Scout age and was hoping that they would be interested. Well, a flyer came home a couple of weeks ago and the boys wanted to give it a try. The pack had 2 tiger cubs when we went to our first meeting. After my boys talking to their friends and me talking to some of the other fathers, we now have about 15 boys. It is a good mix of tiger and wolf scouts. Much to the delight of my oldest son I have been asked to lead the wolf den. I think I may be more excited than they are. I have been doing as much research as I can about planning my meetings and have received some help from the new to scouting forum already. I look forward to my new endeavor and am very glad that I found this site. I am glad that there seem to be so many folks out there willing to lend a hand. I guess that I shouldn't be surprised though, as that is what scouting is all about. Thanks.

Thanks for the advice AK. I'll look up the info you mentioned at meritbadge.org.

Thank you all for such a quick response. I have found the fast track program and really wanted to use it. I wasn"t sure because it doesn't seem as though it ties into the monthly theme. After looking at your responses I am thinking about using the fast track (all of the meetings are planned out already and my scout store is out of some of the other leader references) and just adding a skit/song/presentation to do at the monthly pack meeting that would tie into the theme. I am thinking of starting at the beginning after getting the new boys up to speed with their bobcat. I also want to make a den flag and a den doodle at the next meeting. Does that sound like too much for 1 meeting? Also, I have already done the online training and am registered for our council's Boy Scout University on 11/14. I have missed the leader specific training and will have to try to complete that when offered again. I'll also make sure to look at the other references that John was kind enough to list for me. The Cubmaster sounds like he wants to be able to present the boys with their Wolf patch at the B & G, but I am with you all that I would rather the boys have fun and stick with it than to try to cram it all down their throats too quickly. I'll have to have a conversation with him at the next meeting. Thanks again for the help, I really appreciate it. I am glad I joined this post and will continue to use it as a reference.

My 3 boys joined a pack a few weeks ago and I have been asked to lead my oldest son's Wolf den. The pack had 2 tigers before we joined and in the last couple of weeks have picked up about 15 or so new boys (a mix of tigers and wolves). My question is about planning my meetings. I want to make sure that they can all receive their wolf patch by the blue and gold banquet in February but the last few boys don't even have their bobcat yet. I have found a copy of the november meeting helps and have also found a large pdf of the fast track program. Should I start from the November schedule, should I start with meeting #1 in the fast track program or a mixture (or neither) of the two? Also, how important is it to build a meeting around the monthly theme? If everyone, including the 2 den leaders, are brand new is it ok to follow something like the fast track if it doesn't have anything to do with the theme? Thanks in advance for any help you all may be able to provide.