mdlscouting

I usually begin wearing the pants legs to my switchbacks around November, and take them off again around March. (But make sure they get washed at the same time as the shorts, or you end up with two-tone pants.)

cubtrails looks interesting... If we hadn't already setup on the Packmaster series of products, I'd probably give it a shot.

Im writing something up about the Chartered Org Rep Position as part of my Blog. ( http://ascoutisreverent.blogspot.com/ ) Looking at the official job description for COR, It says The chartered organization representative may become a member of the district committee and is a voting member of the council. Source: http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/CubScouts/AboutCubScouts/ThePack/chorr.aspx What items would typically be voted on at the council level? Obviously, Big stuff like selling camps, or Merging Councils, etc. there would be a vote But for more routine scenarios, what kind of things would a COR have the responsibility to vote on? Other than the CORs, who else is considered a Voting Member of the council I know Ive been registered as a COR for the troop for over a year now, and the council has not sent any information to me in any form about voting on anything.

If I am correct, I believe that the changeover occurs in the summer between 4th and 5th grade. That is, as the boys enter the 2nd year of Webelos, they begin getting the Boy Scout version of Boy's life. I'd probably do the changeover at the beginning of Webelos, but I think going much before that would be too much. (Then again, my son is a really advanced reader, so I may be asking for the change too early...) It's hard to get a single magazine that can reach kids who just finished Kindergarten and those who are about to turn 18, and reach them all at the level they will be interested in.

If it was people that I knew outside of scouting, that would be different. I have some friends that we have known long before any of our kids were in scouts, and friends from church. We may be in scouts now, but I would have no hesitation going camping with them as a group of families, and not following all the BSA rules. But, I would not feel comfortable doing that with other families that I primarily know via Scouting.

Introvert vs. Extrovert is not a better or worse sort of thing. However, even if you are naturally introverted, Scouting does help prepare you with the tools to handle yourself in situations like public speaking, songs, skits, etc. that may come more naturally to Extroverts. It is important to have those abilities to be able to turn on when needed, but not that doesn't mean it's better to be a natural extrovert.

http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/34635.pdf Uniform Inspection sheet shows all three options. For Blue or Tan: all 4 diamond patches just the Webelos Diamond For Tan Shirt only: Webelos Oval

Likewise, you can add a position with a different unit as well. So you could be Den Leader in a Pack, and Committee Member in a Troop, and on the district as well, all just one registration fee.

One suggestion that I have not seen so far, is to sit down with him, and help him evaluate his own strengths and weaknesses. (That is, ask him questions to think it out, not tell him what he's good and bad at) Once he has identified the areas he is weakest at, ask him to point out scouts who are good in those areas. Set aside some time for him to go to them for advice, and if at all possible, ask one or two to be ASPLs. A Good leader identifies his own weak spots, and surrounds himself with people who are strong in those areas.

I wonder if the person judging for this Camporee knows that even National BSA does not call for a tour plan to be filled out for this kind of council event. Oh well, I would print this off http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/680-014.pdf and fax it for approval.

I meet with the bear parents just before the end of their bear school year, and let them know it is their choice. They can wear the blue uniform all the way to crossover, or swap to the tan the first day they move up to the webelos rank. Likewise, the family has the option on the patches. We chose to only use the Webelos Rank Patch in Oval.

I think it's important that they get at least some exposure to helping cook, rather than just letting parents do it all. After all, it is one of the requirements for the Outdoorsman Activity Badge, on the way to Arrow of Light. "With your accompanying adult on a campout or outdoor activity, assist in preparing, cooking, and cleanup for one of your den's meals. Tell why it is important for each den member to share in meal preparation and cleanup, and explain the importance of eating together." I know, technically you could skip this one, I think it's good for them to get exposure. Again, something very simple, that they can participate in. THink "Assemble and warm" not "Cook from scratch"

It isn't ONLY for Extroverts, but there are a lot of things in it that appeal to Extroverts. My oldest son and I both have Asperger's. One of the effects of this is that we can very often be Introverted, it is our most natural pattern. One of the great advantages of Scouting, that if it is done right, it can actually be quite accommodating to Introverts. In a Den, or in a Patrol, A boy gets to spend a long time making friends with a handful of people, the same friends over a long time. For an Introvert, that makes it much easier to build friendships that last. Not in quantity of friendships, but in quality. That's what is most important for many introverts. As far as Leadership goes, Not all leadership means being outgoing. Someone can be a Leader in the troop in many ways that don't involve being the loud guy in charge and in front of everyone. Those scouts who are introverted may face some additional challenges in those areas, but virtually all scouts have unique skills that might make them great at one task, and not the best person to succeed at another.

I would probably move the "How to build a campfire" earlier in the first day. Specifically, I would do it while there is still plenty of light. Let them practice building / starting small ones, And maybe let one of them who did a particularly good job be the one to light the "Real Campfire" when it's time for it. Simpler food may be a good idea. I've seen Pita Pizzas as a great Webelos Meal. (Half a Pita Opened up, stuff with sauce/cheese/toppings to taste.) Make it something that's really really easy to do, and hard to do wrong. Foil Dinners can go wrong easily and be inedible. With the Pita Pizza, you are basically just warming it. The only thing that can go wrong is one side gets overdone. Do something that is very difficult to get wrong. If Webelos are setting up their own tents (Which I highly recommend) I'd allow more than 45 minutes. Might be too late to do arrange tents for that, but if possible, I'd have them tent together, not with parents, and be responsible for setting up their own tents. I'd probably take out the Volleyball Belt Loop, unless that's something they are really looking forward to. Give them some free time after supper and before campfire.

Within our Pack, we welcome all parents, and encourage their input on any of the discussions, but We virtually never Vote on anything. (I think I can recall one time, 2 years ago, in a discussion about the Blue and Gold Location...) It's almost always decision by consensus, and that includes non comittee members such as Den Leaders and Parents who are not registered leaders.

When I was coming in as a Den Leader, they were changing over to the Centennial Uniform, so I snatched up 2 shirts and 3 pairs of switchbacks on clearance. I probably have more in the patches than I do in the uniform itself.

I'd rather have a boy earn First class and stay until he ages out than to be 13 and "Eagle Out" Eagle is not the goal. Eagle (And other recognition) is a tool to get boys toward the goal. The Goals are Instilling the following in the boys: Growth in moral strength and character Participating citizenship Development in physical, mental, and emotional fitness

From my understanding, the SPL alone could not do this. The Scoutmaster could do so, and the SPL could argue that case to the Scoutmaster... But I don't believe the SPL by himself has the authority to do this. (Unless your troop's committee and SM have given him that authority) From my personal point of view: As a Patrol leader, you don't really have the authority or ability to punish someone in your patrol, or prevent them from doing this. There are certain things you can do to encourage correct behavior, but in the end, those scouts are responsible for their own behavior. You cannot control that behavior for them. If the troop has some sort of system to address their behavior, then use that system. If there is no system in place, bring it up at PLC and come up with something. You shouldn't be criticized for failure to control something that you have neither the authority to control, or the tools to control. Additionally, I would suggest talking to your Scoutmaster, and asking for advice on how to handle the problem your patrol is running into.

But you do have to go yourself twice, and recruit 3 others to go before you can get the knot. At 495 per trip... That's $2500 in fees, for a square knot. (Note, does not include airfare, family, etc.) You can go there to teach a course for free, but that won't get you a knot. (It can get you a pin that goes on the knot. http://usscouts.org/awards/Philmont.asp

Ok, Round 2. I'm going to strongarm my Assistant CM, and tell him I cannot do both CM and CC/COR. I've tried getting him to be Cubmaster before, but he said he couldn't do it. Either he needs to step up as CM, (And I'll recruit a couple Assistants for him) or I put it up to everyone at a Parents Meeting, and take the first person to raise their hand. My Assistant CM wouldn't do it before, because he was afraid he couldn't do it perfectly. I know he's the best available person to do it. It's up to him to either step up and do it, Help me find someone else to do it, or else we just wait and see who raises their hand at the Parents Meeting. I feel like I'm being a jerk about it, playing a game of chicken with the future of the pack, but I've got to do something.

Central NC Council has lost several over the last year, I know they are probably looking.

I would absolutely count district and council events as counting toward the total, if the pack is promoting them. If your pack is participating as a group in local activities, like 4th of July Parade, count those too. Just because it's a Pack Event, doesn't mean you have to be running the whole thing from the ground up. The main goal of this summertime activity award is to keep the boys active in scouting during the summer. Most sources suggest doing a pack-wide event, that people can show up or not, with little planning and no need to RSVP. There shouldn't be any need for Den Leaders to have any special preparation for most summer events. Utilize events in your community. Some of the stuff we are doing: District Day Camp Council Resident Camp "Sneak In Weekend" - Also a Council Event Trip to an Aviation Museum Trip to a Monster Truck Rumble Trip to a community "Movies in the Park" Being in the 4th of July Parade. With the exception of the last one, none of them require any in depth planning. And even the last one, was a matter of collaborating with several local packs, and finding someone who could supply a Semi + flatbed trailer.

I would personally suggest that the following tasks should be lumped together, to be addressed by the same person or group of people. Coordinating with the Pack Helping Webelos Den Leaders find Activity Badge Counselors. Crossover Ceremonies Webelos to Scout Transition - Training for Parents and Cubs Den Chief Training Troop Guide Training I don't know if they need to be a member of the Pack Committee, but I'd certainly welcome them to any and all of the meetings, if they made themselves available for that. I'd say they would probably be more useful meeting directly with the Webelos DLs, rather than the Pack Committee as a whole. For the record, our pack and troop have an awesome relationship. I'm CM, and the SM is the second most dialed number on my phone, only behind my wife. I'm planning to ask him to setup such a position from among one of the ASMs.

It would make sense, and that's why I originally tried to get my current Assistant CM to take over as CM, and I do CC / COR. He's a very enthusiastic scouter, but wasn't willing to commit to it. The problem is that everyone in the pack sees the title of "Cubmaster" as the Giant Blob of (Cubmaster/CC/COR/Every other Committee task that is not otherwise delegated). Nobody has ever seen it done the right way, so they don't believe me when I say it can be separated. I can't get anyone to take the title Cubmaster until I can first figure out how to untangle Committee Chair, etc. from that title, and make it it's own role. It's going to be a multi-year process.

As far as the name "Boy Scouts Of America", other countries have changed their name when they went co-ed. "Scouts Canada" and "The Scout Association in the UK" and "Scouts Australia" come to mind, and all offer co-ed programs, alongside Girl Only scout programs. I would like to see Lions and Tigers (K-1), but have them split up from the Wolf-Bear program and the Webelos Program somehow. I'd love to see a single Unit / Committee that sponsors from K - age 21 from a paperwork point of view, but has the groups segmented up a bit, taking some of the stuff that works from the UK program and adapting it to what works well for us.