Stosh

Mine too, but you can't pick your family.

Last summer - 95 miles Shortest - 14 miles Longest - 1078 miles We go where the boys want to go, mileage is only a cost consideration.

Or maybe one could just let it pass assuming that it got posted in the wrong thread seeing how both topics are current threads. Your friend will swallow your mistakes; your enemy will present them on a plate. ~ Arabian Proverbs

As I have mentioned before if a boy can document 160 weeks (Star) or 180 weeks (Life/Eagle) leadership POR activity they get credit for the POR requirement. If a boy doesn't want to bother with the paperwork, he had better be visibly functioning at a position for those 4/6 months so there are no questions asked whether or not the POR should have been checked off. There are no official definitions as to what "functional" means. It just means that if a boy needs a POR it's up to him to prove to others he is doing a functional effort to make that POR mean something of value to the others in the troop. I believe it to be the practice that the troop only buys PL patches for the selected PL's. Everyone else simply steps up and does the job to get credit for it. We've been a small enough troop that one does not need a visible patch to tell everyone what they already know.

It's normal. I don't know how many remember the Thin Mints they USED to sell 50 years ago, but what you get for the amount of money you put out, is indicative of a lot of merchandise out there today. There used to be a thin layer of mint between the cookie and chocolate covering. Now mint is just added to the chocolate. So when the popcorn starts to look cheap to make with a high overhead profit, remember, it is.

@@Skab Welcome!

Yep, you got the combo right, he talks, you listen. Other boy joining in was a blessing added to it as well. The more he talks and you listen instead of judge, the more he will open up and trust. Well done.

Pick one or two to be POR Instructors and set up the older boys to just have fun. They don't always have to be teaching someone, they can kinda do things on their own and keep their interest in the program. Too many older boys are quitting because it's boring teaching the newbies for the umteenth time and not doing anything that would be interesting for them. If the program was working, the yonger boys would be beating down the doors. Time to work on having fun so it attracts and holds the younger boys who anticipate getting to that stage of their scouting career.

It's kinda relative. When we did BWCA (not NT) we had 4 duffle bags and 3 people in 1 canoe. I was with 2 boys in my canoe. First portage we hit, they jumped up grabbed the a duffle on the back and one on the front and took off leaving me with the aluminum canoe. This went on until about half way through the trek, They wen't smart enough to realize that each duffle weighed in between 60-70#'s and they were double carrying them. They were pushing 120-140# on each portage and I had a 80# canoe. They never offered to carry the canoe, but eventually they were double portaging one duffle at a time. They never did figure out why I wasn't complaining. Sometimes even the heaviest of canoes is not that much more than a Duluth pack. Just a bit more cumbersome to carry.

Welcome to the active forum, Lurker. You can register any name you wish and then change it in your profile.

That's not the assumption I made. @@Eaglewith3 was concerned about his inability to participate and how that affects his relationship with his son. The point I was trying to make was the two are mutually exclusive and he can have a great scout-like experience with his son outside of the troop activities as well. Yes the bond between father and son is good, but it should be father and son, not best buddies and the parents that recognize this are more apt to encourage and make opportunities for their kids to expand their social networks at this age so as to broaden their horizons and not "fence them in" on just family dynamics. Your comments about this possibly being an adult-led program is the conclusion I also came up with. So the scout needs to decide whether or not he wants that troop or is he able to shop around a bit. If it's the only game in town, then son and dad need to work out how that's going to be between the two of them. Eagle scout dad can offer him all the personal assistance and development as a "lone scout" kind of approach and by going off with the troop to be with his friends to have fun is the part the troop would provide. Nothing wrong with an Eagle scout dad mentoring his son on the side. Dad teaches the knot, son goes to SM and demonstrates it to him. Dad teaches first aid, son goes to SM and demonstrates to him, etc. When the troop realizes this boy is well trained and knows his stuff without being taught by the troop, they might ask who's priming the pump and that could open an opportunity for dad's participation as well. A lot of dynamics going on here and son and dad have a lot of choices to make but they can and hopefully will make those choices together.

@@Eaglewith3 First of all, welcome to the forum! I'm sure you're going to hear both sides of the story from the people here. We don't always agree on everything, but we still get along pretty well. Whereas I can totally see where you would want to share the experience of scouting with your son, there comes a time when he's going to need to break away and start a tradition of his own with his sons some day, too. With that in mind focus on the intent of the BSA program. In Cubs, it is quite family oriented. The moms and dads check off the activities with their son who works both at home and in the den on scouting activities. Camping is a shared experience with parent/scout and this is great. But during the Webelos years, there's a slight shift in focus and the boy is now moving into the age where buddies start playing an ever increasing role in his life. There's still the parent/son connection but it is becoming more relaxed. Now he crosses over into Boy Scouts and things appear to be much different...because they are. He is becoming independent of the family. He is seeking more from his peers and much to the parents' chagrin, he is moving on in life. This is all natural and Scouting, when done correctly is to help him develop his character in a positive and constructive way as he moves towards maturity. But it is at this point that mom and dad need to make a decision. Are you going to let go or hang on? I have children who have children, and I've seen this cycle spin in hundreds of scouters lives over the years. It's not all that easy. Yes, you can be interested in those things that interest him, and yes, you can still go hunting, fishing and doing all the guy things you do with a son. But he needs his space to learn how to work outside the home, build relationships, get along with others, work as a team within a group and all sorts of things that aren't taught in school and don't come out of a book. I find a lot of parents want to be friends with their kids. My younger brother was that way with his kids and his eldest is 28 years old and still living at home. They're best friends, but now my nephew has developed no other friends in the meantime. So, now it's your turn to decide. Just because you aren't associated with the troop doesn't mean you can't sit around a campfire after a day of fishing with your son and regale each other with Scout stories. It maintains your bond with him, focused exclusively one-on-one and yet allows him the opportunity to seek out other relationships with his peers. You'll still be there for the COH's and the occasional outing where you might drive the boys, and that's great. My parents weren't involved with any of the activities I was involved with in school. We had our family vacations and we camped as a family all the time. I had my buddies from school, from scouts, from church, etc. and I had my family. Each experience was different, and my parents realized one thing during those years. Yes, I rebelled and went my own way in life, but after a few years of that, it was time to settle down and reconnect with my past. The only relationship that survived was family, as it should be. Don't try and over-think this process. If your son really likes the troop and the troop doesn't really want you around, don't worry about it. You can still go camping with him once a month and fish, hunt, and hike all the same places he's been and where you've been in the past. That is your connection, not scouts. BSA has a lot of rules and policies that really stifle the "guy thing". My eldest (tom boy) daughter always seeks parental advice from me even though she's married and has children of her own. The last conversation we had was what is the best shotgun option when it comes to home defense and could she borrow my 9mm to see if it's the kind of gun she wants to carry. Oh, by the way, last weekend we went camping, just her and my granddaughter and the conversation was held sitting around the campfire. She is a Silver Award Girl Scout and I never once attended a Girl Scout activity she was involved with. I hope my ramblings help you sort things out.

We live in a competitive culture. Everyone is looking for a win. If one takes responsibility for oneself, there's always the possibility that one would have to admit defeat if ever they did something wrong. For most people, that ain't ever gonna happen.

Here's a security system that will make your blood run cold.....Yes, he is smiling, kinda.

I have had plenty of "drop in" visitors checking out the troop over the years. No big deal. If they come announced, they get attention and a welcome. If unannounced, they generally sit in the back with the adults and observe what is going on. One can learn a lot without having to participate. Even then one of the PL's usually comes over and has the boy visitors come and at least "sit with them" and participate when appropriate. Generally one of the patrols has a Plan-B up their sleeve and when someone comes to visit unannounced, they switch gears and host them. On the other hand, the other patrols, went on with what they normally would have done. One can make it as dramatic as they wish. And they can be righteously indignant all they want. But, courtesy dictates, one graciously roll with the punches and does their best...with a smile. The wedding reception analogy is not even in the same ball park. Anyone can attend a wedding. It's a public ceremony if held in a church. One cannot close off a sanctuary for a "private ceremony". The reception, on the other hand, is always invite only. Even when I was a pastor I did not attend the reception unless invited and my wife most certainly did not unless the invitation expressly stated it. I never assumed I was a guest for the rehearsal dinner either. I don't care if parents with Webelos boys show up, members of the CO coming to check up on us, or the POTUS shows up, "Be Prepared."

I don't see a problem with that suggestion in that people do it all the time. When was the last time one called ahead to notify a church that they will be coming to visit? How about the YMCA? Boy & Girls Club? A private school? Why would it be any different for a Boy Scout troop or pack unless they aren't really buying into the whole "Be Prepared" concept. Nothing rude about someone taking an interest in the group and checking them out.

It's all part of the entitlement attitude of more more people in our culture. Your situation is no different than winning the lottery. That's how we roll.

Why does NOAC need a university?

I find that if no one ever tells them of such things they never get a chance to correct them. When things go wrong, our psyche generates enough energy to deal with the problem. Usually, instead of addressing the problem, we run off to others and vent that energy off in complaining. I try, sometimes not very well, to deal with it directly. If my food at the restaurant isn't up to par, then I say something besides, "Fine." If someone is presenting themselves to the public harshly, I notify their supervisor of the impression I got. I always end my concerns with, "It doesn't make any difference to me what you think of what I just said, but if it does to you, you might wish to deal with it." If they take it to heart and deal with it. That's to their benefit. If they don't, it still doesn't make any difference to me. But without me speaking up, they have no choice to make. I have found that what I experienced was nothing new to them and if enough people express concern they will eventually have to do something about it.

We have 4 active claims right now in our council. Kid got hurt at a pack meeting. Running around, climbing on tables, finally hurt himself. Parent was not more than 10' away and hadn't reined him in, just let him run wild. Suing the council for negligence on discipline at the meeting. Rates will be going up I'm sure with parents like this.

I think the one on the right is smiling. Neither show any teeth.

Egg coffee on an open campfire.

Ooooh. in writing. That's impressive, didn't know they did that. I'm still kinda stuck on all the boys working together to get everyone to the activities without having to "keep score" of who worked harder than who.