koolaidman

Howdy! It's been a long time since I've been active on this forum. I was active when forming my son's scout troop about 7 or 8 years ago. We decided on a new troop because most of the other troops in our district were large, troop-method, very adult-led troops. It's been a challenge for sure: Some of the adults that thought they wanted a youth led troop and insistence on "no less, no more" would bolt after their scout ran into his first challenge. We evidently received a reputation in the district for prioritizing our own unit over district activities. Through it all, we've been very proud of the scouts that stuck with it. We've had about 7 make Eagle and the troup has never really been larger than 2 patrols. I've learned alot by visiting this forum and many times topics posted here gave me time to think about issues before they confronted me in our troop. I ramped down my involvement with the troop about 2 years ago as I was getting burned out with parents, the number of activities I was attending, and missing time with my two daughters. My son achieved Eagle rank last year and joined the Marines. I took my daughters camping last fall. One hated it and pouted the whole time, my youngest had a ball and wanted to go again. She's in 5th grade. So I said "Ya know how you could go camping A LOT?" (cue Aerosmith's Back in the Saddle Again) My daughter had her first Scouts BSA meeting on Monday and we're camping tonight. I'm volunteering as an ASM. I have no intentions on starting a new troop and the number of girl troops in our area are still limited. I'm going in with an open mind and for now will not be volunteering my opinions on Scouting, Politics or whatever. If I'm asked my opinion I will be truthful. I'm looking forward to my daughter's scouting career. I'm praying I can live with the "norm" of our district and hoping we can increase focus on the patrol method to rise up to the level of focus on advancement. It's good to see some familiar folks still here. It looks like the forum is running a little slow today and I have some work to do before I kick off for the afternoon. It's good to be back. I'll need some help I'm sure! YIS, koolaidman

I agree with Stosh

resqman, Stosh, cyclops, SSScout all are correct. If you were counting on that money to help with participation and you are facing financial difficulty, you may want to have a discreet conversation with the Scoutmaster or Committee Chair. Oftentimes troops have a fund set up for this sort of thing.

We've had better luck with the spiral bound handbook. My scout shop not only says Jan 22, but says guaranteed in stock on Jan 22.

http://www.oa-bsa.org/uploads/publications/GuideToUnitElections2015.pdf Sorry hyperlink paste didn't go through first time.

for funsies and a mess: how much weight can a FULL soda can support. Is it different from an empty one? (with the bricks, not the bridge, that surely would be a large mess)

So we've heard a lot of pros and cons in this thread. Why not just try out the OA. If your son doesn't like it, he doesn't have to go or pay dues. No big whoop. Please have a look at this. Skip to pages 35 and 36 of the pdf. I'd say while the elections are not supposed to be a popularity contest, if a scout act as described in pages 35 and 36, they are bound to be (should be) popular in the troop. Give it a shot. Judge based on what you experience and not what other people say. Read the book, not just the cover. Good luck!

They changed the name to Hiker Direct in October of 2014. It's all legit. We buy from them often and haven't been disappointed yet.

@@MoosetheItalianBlacksmith I didn't know your mom like many others here in the forums, but I remember seeing her posts frequently and held her opinions in high regard. I'm so very sorry for your loss and you and your family will be in my prayers.

@@Exibar It's really going to be dependent upon the requirement. Many of the adjustments you hear about for scouts with disabilities is in regards to physical disabilities and not mental disabilities. For example: A blind scout needs to identify constellations for Astronomy MB. How does he do it? How does he normally "see". If the counselor made cards/posters with braille-like bumps for the stars and positions them above the scout where the constellations would be in the sky, the scout most certainly identify them with his fingers. This wouldn't be considered adjusting the requirements or bending them. It's how the scout normally does things and so it should be with the merit badge. If a scout has gone the full route for alternate requirements (and the onus here is on the parent to get this done, with SM support): Doing every single requirement he can do. Getting note from the doctor stating the scout's disability, what can be done, what can't be done, etc. Getting the IEP (Individual education plan, or whatever the school has) Going through the council advancement committee (or its designated committee to go to) Then receiving official alternate rank requirements, and or exemption to the under 18 registration requirement, or extended time. Merit badges are included in this process. Alternate requirements for merit badges are not given, but alternate merit badges are. The alternate merit badges may still be difficult, but are achievable by the scout. I've had to do the research because our troop has a scout with a mental capacity of a _4_ year old. (yes, he still should be in cub scouts, but that's not the issue) So, as every kid on the autism scale is different and every disability is different, it's going to come down to specific examples. Please give us some and we can better opine. PS: found the link for Alternate Merit Badges: http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/BoyScouts/AdvancementandAwards/eaglealt.aspx

Base, I've been missing your input in the past many months. I wish you well where ever you may go. There are many troop out there trying to keep adventures boy-sized, including mine. Maybe we'll all meet up in the same place. Good luck! Koolaidman

Thanks for the head's up guys. While we are on the topic, does anyone ever have any success with the little hacksaw-like scraper harbor freight includes? It doesn't seem to work well for me. I use my knife blade perpendicular to the magnesium and it seems to work better. The little grippy like ridges on the top of my knife (like where you may place your thumb for leverage) works better than the blade does for making sparks with the ferro.

The way I read the transition document, if they boys pass the 2015 joining requirements and get one sign off on TF, then they are working on TF-FC and can continue with the old reqs through 2016. I kinda feel like that is gaming the system and only kicking the can further down the road, but it is an option to consider. (of course this thread blows up while I have my head buried in work this week!)

My measure of fight or flight would be whether or not there are enough scouts to work as a patrol. A patrol of two scouts doesn't get to learn the benefits and challenges of spreading out responsibilities. I think all they would learn from it is they will have to do everything, because there is no one else to rely on. I'd wait and see how many scouts the new recruiting attempts bring in. If you get enough to make a patrol of 6-8, keep on going. If there aren't enough new scouts, sit down with them and have a talk with the scouts. I'd be honest with them and tell them what they could expect from this troop, and what they may expect by moving to troop xyz and what they'd be missing (not specific outings, but scouting relationships and social learning). Support their decision either way.

Welcome to the forums!