Mafaking

I am not looking to say harsh things. But its coming out that way. "Who is she to Teach?" Her needs are not my concern. She may teach the boys in the unit upon the leadership's invitation. We would likely use her if she had skills we were looking for. However, I would not have her as an ASM for the reasons I cited in the previous post.

Teaching and infrequent instructions are one thing. And a direct leadership role as an ASM is another. I am sure you are very proud of her as any parent would be of child whith such accomplishments. But, this SM would not put her in the role as ASM for the reasons I cited earlier.

Ok, I'll step off the cliff on this one. Geronimo! Because An 18 year old girl looking after 13 year old boys is more like a babysitter than a mentor. It doesn't have the feel of young men leading young men. I believe we already have a culture where too often the boys sit back and allow girls to take leadership roles. This situation would reinforce that notion.

We seem to agree that she can be an ASM. The real question is should she?

Cool! Interesting. I was thinking about a boundary water for 14 year olds. You recommend 15. But if I took the 15 year olds wouldn't I think 17-18 is a better age? What is the right age for a boundary water trip?

Interesting I recommend removing the threat and modifying the event to prevent upsetting the scout. Ed recommends(these may be my words)working with the scout to be able to handle these events. From here you just really need to know the boy as an individual. If you think he may benefit from mock board of reviews, separate SM conferences and the unit has the resources for this; that would be the better approach. However, unit resources are not infinite and that's a lot for one scout. I would want to be pretty sure that the scout will respond to the BOR training before employing all these resources. You gotta know your Scout and your unit.

This is a border line special needs case. Funny in a post earlier this week I thought the unit's committee needed to tighten it up a little. Here I think the opposite is needed. If the scout handles one-on-ones well then use one on ones three times. Following youth protection guidelines of course. Pull him aside and have the scout sit next to one committee member, hold a five-ten minute discussion. Latter have another committee member walk and talk to the scout. Just get the whole situation to relax. Its just a fuzzy feel good about the program talk anyway. How is his public speaking skills for the communication badge and other leadership responsibilites for addressing groups?

We don't use non committee members on board of reviews. On the other hand, almost one parent from each family is registered as a committee member. My opinion, your troop needs to tighten it up a notch on the committee side. I have seen our committee go through cycles of strength and weakness. One might expect a controlling SM (me) to sit back and allow a committee to dwindle into a paper committee of only the minimum officer's positions filled. Quite the opposite. A strong committee means more resources and more things happening like they should. Records are imperative for a troop and this is a committee function. Fundraisers, another committee function. I support the committee by personally encouraging adults to take roles on the committee. I work in other ways to prop up the committee when I believe they could use a little help. Low numbers of registered committee members is more of a symptom of a disorganized and weak committee than just a problem for BORs.

"What if the guy IS the cubmaster? " Then you got a lousy cubmaster. If you are going to be his kid's den leader you will at least be able to exert control during den meetings. Heck, with all your experience in scouting, I bet you can be blunt with other adults when you have to be.

I am guessing that you are the mom of a scout in the troop and not a den leader or a Cubmaster. That will make it harder, but you will need to approach both the den leader and the cubmaster. What needs to be done? Either the den leader or the Cubmaster needs to pull this guy aside and tell him point blank that name calling by any scout or adult is not accepted at any scout event. He must not use derogatory names toward is son or any other scout, sibling or person at a scout outing. Whoever does this needs to inform the committee chair that this was done. Formally or informally this talk should be considered a warning. (This message has been edited by Mafaking)

I wonder what it takes to get things like this changed at National? Or even some of the training we are discussing in other threads; when do we get to submit our good ideas? I have read these forums for years, I have seen many good ideas. At least 10, maybe more. Funny how the democratic standard in which the program operates falls to the way side at National. No votes, surveys or inquires that I have been a part of. But I did miss two round tables last year so maybe the inquiry occurred at one of them. I'll re-read my emails maybe I was consulted in one from the RT commish, or golly maybe the District Executive asked for my input. I did get a call from council for friends of scouting and council called another time to get the contact information for our popcorn chair. How long do I have to wait to get servant led? (This message has been edited by Mafaking)

This is a big topic with too little information. But it sounds like your current troop wants your boy out and are so mad at him and your family that they want to harass you for some time. Unless your local council somehow bans him or revokes his scout registration he is a member in good standing with the BSA and free to apply/join any troop. The scoutmaster's implication that your next troop needs to know. I have had transfers into my troop where I "needed to know" but no one told me. The program leaders figure it out. What does this guy think we get papers with dossier on transfers? We get ranks that are screwed up and incomplete is all we get. But its sounds like you filed a civil action against the troop and were somehow compensated. That's the juicier thread. Post the details on that one please. (This message has been edited by Mafaking)

Have 20-30 cards printed with your name, scout position, troop number, location, email.... That way when you talk to other leaders you can hand them your scout card.

You don't need scout accounts for Cubs. It all goes into a pool for the badges, pack meeting, pinewood derby track repairs, flags, campout fees, a pizza dinner or the Blue & Gold Banquet. A pack going from 3-20 cubs needs stuff. Heck a trailer would nice, a community service project where the pack buys some flowers and mulch. A trip to a zoo or aquarium, an award for an adult who did something special. Tons of budget items that if you distribute all the money into scout account you will be nickle and dime-ing parents every week. Cub Scout, scout accounts is a bad idea.

Well the game did get your emotions up. You went ahead and posted a 2 1/2 page word document complete with logical business analysis on a web site. The game does make emotions run high. For us it was done late during a second evening; fatigue and nerves were already running of edge. The concept is a sure fire way to get normal, well adjusted adults up in arms over a silly game. It worked in that regards as a few people had to walk off their emotions. This game is not unlike some of the personal games played within a patrol. Instantly the adult is left in the same dilemma as a 13 year old scout. For instance a scout during a PL election could chose his buddy as PL or the Life scout with more experience. Chose your buddy and the patrol suffers, chose the Life scout and your buddy will be mad. The game is meant to introduce strife. The game is also meant for you to have emotions that have not surfaced for twenty years. Maturity, the business world and life in general has numbed the adult from having high emotions over a silly game (football excluded). Woodbadge is not a business finance course. Its a train the trainer course.

I disagree that six is too small. Six is great for a patrol - troop. Run the entire unit as one patrol. Use the patrol leader as the SPL have a PLC meeting with PL and assistant PL. Have a scribe and a QM. Maybe consider joining another troop for summer camp but there could be hazards there as well. I just don't see anything wrong or detrimental to the program goals if a troop only has 5-10 scouts. What would be impacted? 1) The Ideals; (No, a scout is measured as an individual to the ideals) 2) The Patrol Method; (Not effected maybe even improved) 3) The Outdoors; (not effected the unit will still camp) 4) Advancement; (not effected, Requirements and MB and POR's still possible) 5) Association with Adults; (Improved) 6) Personal Growth; (overnight outings and summer camp are still possible) 7) Leadership Development; ( Not effected, PL, Scribe, QM, Historian.. still exist) 8) The Uniform. (Not effected)

I thought that pocket was for a pack of cigarettes or a can of skoal.

Kudo, I am not sure what you are driving at. Is it that as a lot sum of leaders we have misinterpreted the current program? Fore instance, we unit leaders have elevated youth Leadership above all program elements based on a mis-understanding of the current program. The program has it right its just done incorrectly. Or is it that the current program has been so diluted that following it will not achieve the founder's outcome? Examples could be, that the patrol method has been compromised into the troop method and "boy led" is a only a phrase like "built better". To whom to you cite as the fault of the program running astray, the program designers or the program implementors?

I'll add; What is the purpose of building fine young men of moral character if they just hold these attributes in silence? Most of us would agree that when we discuss leadership we are not discussing a duty manager style of "leadership" but a dimension within one's inner voice to go forward, to progress beyond his current situation. Maybe there is some evangelical type element to this development in that the program wishes to spread the moral attributes and good character beyond just those in the program. Thus a Boy Scout leader leads society through his high moral character. The second comment is the reluctant leader. I have seen this many times in youths and in adults. These are people with the skills character and communication skills which would make them good leaders but these people have reservations about being the leader. Scouting can help these reluctant leaders develop. As far a six month training, I didn't do this for the last elections. Instead I decided to use a portion of the 90 minutes per month allotted for PLC meetings as an opportunity to train the PLC. I'll show a power point, or hold a discussion on troop needs. Its a monthly training session in addition to being a troop business meeting.

Codger's story ---- Sniff ----- That SM was prepared. In light of this; things we should carry just in case: Instructions on how to disarm a soviet Nuclear war head. Guide book on how to jump start an aircraft carrier from a nine volt battery. Complete translation of the Aztec writings into English A football tee A large Conch shell Cat nip Do it your self base jumping kit. five feathers from birds whose names has only one vowel. These or those ten essential thingies. I'll slip these types of items into a camping list. Occasionally I'll get a call "Mr Makaing why do we need half a bowling ball to go camping in the State Park?" My answer, "Because a whole bowling ball is too heavy for one scout to carry." Hey this thread is what five pages now? I figured you guys have covered most of the serious stuff by now.

RichardB, That's a good link and a somewhat overdo reaction from BSA. For those that haven't departed for camp yet; is it good measure to send that link out to parents? Or is it too scary for the average or slightly overly active parent?

Most essential item for a new troop? A Troop bank account under the Charter Organization's tax ID. It's not as easy as an individual opening up a new account. The documents need to ascribe the tax ID back to the charter. But you are a subset of the CO. A youth group of the CO. So the red tape get a little longer than normal.

Most essential item for a new troop? A Troop bank account under the Charter Organization's tax ID. It's not as easy as an individual opening up a new account. The documents need to ascribe the tax ID back to the charter. But you are a subset of the CO. A youth group of the CO. So the red tape get a little longer than normal.

Hey, as the post author i just wanted say that, "Bad spelleng is an missunderstud arte." ___________________________ Two cases of swine flu, hmmm? I still think the "Pandemic" is overrated.

The Bear Song The other day, (The other day) I met a bear, (I met a bear) Away up there, (Away up there) A great big bear! (A great big bear!) The other day I met a bear, A great big bear a way up there! He looked at me (He looked at me) I looked at him (I looked at him) He sized up me (He sized up me) I sized up him (I sized up him) He looked at me, I looked at him, He sized up me, I sized up him. He said to me (He said to me) "Why don't you run? ("Why don't you run?) I see you don't (I see you don't) Have any gun" (Have any gun") He said to me, "Why don't you run? I see you don't have any gun." And so I ran (And so I ran) Away from there (Away from there) And right behind (And right behind) Me was that bear (Me was that bear) And so I ran away from there, And right behind me was a that bear. Ahead of me (Ahead of me) I saw a tree (I saw a tree) A great big tree (A great big tree) Oh, golly gee! (Oh, golly gee!) Ahead of me there was a tree, A great big tree, oh, golly gee! The lowest branch (The lowest branch) Was ten feet up (Was ten feet up) I had to jump (I had to jump) And trust my luck (And trust my luck) The lowest branch was ten feet up, I had to jump and trust my luck. And so I jumped (And so I jumped) Into the air (Into the air) And missed that branch (And missed that branch) Away up there (Away up there) And so I jumped into the air, And missed that branch away up there. Now don't you fret (Now don't you fret) And don't you frown (And don't you frown) I caught that branch (I caught that branch) On the way back down (On the way back down) Now don't you fret and don't you frown, I caught that branch on the way back down. That's all there is (That's all there is) There is no more (There is no more) Until I meet (Until I meet) That bear once more (That bear once more) That's all there is, there is no more, Until I meet that bear once more. The end, the end (The end, the end) The end, the end (The end, the end) The end, the end (The end, the end) The end, the end! (The end, the end!) The end, the end, the end, the end, This time it really is the end!