kittle

Ghosthost, I am jealous that your boys want to earn patches and awards. I can't even get mine to work toward their rank. But then, what can I expect, I can't even get the parents to look at their children's books (Not even the assistant leader). Katrina

I would first like to apologize to everyone who has ben waiting on the stories. My brother was supposed to write them down for me and he hasn't yet. I will bug him next time I talk to him about them. Katrina

From my understnadin, no. In the Bear boo on page 158 it says: You can mix requirements from electives and unused achievements in any way to get the ten you need for each Arroe Point. I may be wrong and if I am, I am sure someone will explain it better. Katrina

I read the 2 post prior to mine wrong. I read them as the leader ws to demonstrate the knots and tell the Scouts what they are to be used for. Maybe I should make sure I am fully awake before I read anything. For the Scouts in my den, I am going to have them make the knot for me or one of the other helpers and tell us it is used for. My son, on the other hand, had to be able to remember them. He practices everynight and my brother teaches him a new knot each time he is over. Katrina

I didn't read it the same way. I read it from the perspective that the requirements are speaking to the boys and not the leaders. If they are telling th boys what to do, then they are supposed to tie the knot and tell what it is used for. Does this make sense? Let's go to Achievement 9 (a). It says "Wit an adult, bake cookies." It is telling the Scoutr what to do, so would that not meen that Achievement 22 is telling the Scout to (a) Whip the ends of a rpoe.", "Tie a square knot, bowline, sheet bend, two half hitchesm and a slip knot. Tell how each is used.", etc. Someone please let me know if I am wrong and I will also research it somewhere else. Katrina

Everything that has been mentioned here and lots that have happened at our own K-8 (of about 250 students) is why I homeschool my son and will homeschool my other son. I had firsthand experience with the school with my step-daughter (who I adopted this year) and knew that I could not handle it with anymore children. Katrina

I will e-mail them to you as I get them. My son can tell me one after he gets up and the rest I will e-mail you the others after my brother gets them to me.

May have to try dying the ends. But my brother has a story to go with most of the knots. He said that when he was in the Navy it was the only way to teach most of them the knots. They (full grown men) couldn't remember most of them so he came up with ways for them to. He is going to write the stories down for me before our meeting and I am going to type them up for the boys to look at and keep. He is even going to supply the rope for each boy. My son is also going to help the other boys as they need it. Since his uncle taught him the last of the knots last night and he seems to practice all the time. Katrina

Where do you get these after the boys have went through the program requirements? Or do you have to make them yourself? Kittle

At least I have the next 2 months figured out. In November, my brother is going to come in and teach the boys how to tie knots. He has already taught my son how to do most of them. He spent 18 years in the Navy and taught himself a lot. In December, we are going to work on the "Chips and Shavings". Unless I can find something other than Ivory for them to carve with, my husband will have to handle those months as the Ivory sets me off to sneazing something awful. Katrina

Thanks everyone for the words of advice. I am going to stick with 2 meetings a month until January. I'll let the parents know now that I am going to change it then, that way they will have time to prepare for the change. Katrina

Sctmom, I was told at the Scout shot that Webelos could wear the blue or tan shirt. Is this not true? I bought my son's shirt big enough that it would last at least 2 years, changing to the tan shirt in his 2nd year as a Webelo. Katrina

I think I am going to send a letter out to the parents (or call them, but I have a hard time reaching them) and pole them and see how they would like to do this. My son would go for once a week as he loves the program, but I guess I should let the boys and parents decide how they want to do this. They have been used to 2 den meetings a month for all previous years. Hopefully they will be up to trying something new.

I would like for our pack to meet at least 3 times a month with the fourth week being our pack meeting. But the rest of the dens only meet 2 times a month with the third meeting being the pack meeting. My husband is the leader and he thinks 3 times a month would be too much. It hard to get a routine with the boys when we only see them twice a month in a den setting.

How often do you have den meetings? Just wondering how often everyone else meets. By the way, we are a Bear troup.

I used to, but got out of the habit since I quit work. It really doesn't come in handy around the house as much as it did at the factory. My mither-in-law carries one as does my husband. Katrina(This message has been edited by kittle)

I am glad that we signed up (got drafted) as leaders. I am excited about it and think my husband will in time when he sees how much our son likes it. Thanks everyone for the words of encouragement. Kittle

We have 8 boys signed up, but I am only expecting 5 of them to ever show. I was told from last years leader that one of them showed up maybe 3 times, another one of them has moved and not told our Cubmaster, and the third hasn't been to a meeting all year. The two, that didn't show that I was expecting, are cousins that live together. They had a sick kid sister and the parent didn't want to take her out. She called the CM instead of me. I called her after the meetong and told her is something happened like this again ti give me a call and I would come get them. She was shocked and grateful. She lives about 6 miles out of town, but it turns out she is only @1 mile from my home. My main reason for being disappointed is that the other two leaders (my husband and another father) are not as excited about this as I am. They are great at the games part and at covering material and projects that I had together. But neither one of them planned a bit of it, or offered any suggestions for it. I like the idea of sending out e-mails, but that wouldn't work for our troup; 3 of the 5 boy's familis do not have internet access at home (or work) the 2 that do are my son and the assistant leader's son. Oh well, I have two weeks until the next meeting, this week is oue Pack meeting, to get thing together better. Kittle

Thanks for letting me in on the self-training aspect. I will have to make the call and check on it. Katrina

I would love to get trained, but don't know how I would arrange it. I have a 20 month old that will not stay with anyone but me.

It went OK, but not as well as I had hoped. We have 8 boys signed up and 3 showed. Two had to stay home because their sister was sick. It is hard to do much when this many don't show. They did all learn something and have a good time. Maybe it will be better next time. I got some new resources and will maybe have things better planned nest time. Maybe my hisband and I will have more time to discuss it. Katrina

I will probably get on the the program help books to help me with some ideas, at least until I get the hang of this. We were just kinda thrown into being leaders and really have no idea what is going on. I want this to be as much fun, and educational, for the boys as I can make it. At the moment, we only meet twice a month with the 3rd meeting being our pack meeting. I am going to get a letter out to the parents after this meeting and see if they would mind 3 den meetings a month and the 4th week be our pack meeting. That way, the boys don't have 2 meetings in one week. Katrina

Sctmom, My son is in 3rd grade. Katrina

That helps alot. I will just look through the book and come up with something to do that will also work with a required achievement. Thanks for the help, Katrina

Thanks Sctmom, It seems like you are answering all my questions. I just wanted to make sure that I was doing right in signing my sons book. Up to this point, he has completed everything at home. I'll try not to bug you all with my silly questions for awhile. Katrina