Basementdweller

If you only have 5 scouts then why in the world are you hosting a merit badge academy???????? You should be concentrating on growing your troop.... Seen this happen SM's loosing their way at district level....and the troop suffers because of it..... Neighboring District a SM lost his job because his troop became district slave labor for their camporees....

Palm envy.....by some......on his way to harvard and a very sensible quote from the young man....I don't begrudge his accomplishment. Who cares in the grand scheme of things????? None of my boys will ever do it, nor would I promote such an endeavor...... But I wonder who called the news folks????? Locally we had a scout earn all of the merit badges....Parents hired a PR firm he made the loop of the news stations, state capital, on and on...... While it helps scouting, I think it cheapens the award and work to achieve it. It was to the point that mom carried around a scrap book with all his news clipping and gave away DVD's of his tv appearances......

sounds like a very fair and equitable solution.

turtle this aint rocket science...... camping 12 months a year so 11 weekend campouts 2 nights each, 1 resident camp for 6 nights So that is 28 nights possible per year......so 56 for 2 years....... We do two backpacking trips a year for about 20 miles each....so we hike probably 100 miles a year... We canoe 10 miles a year.....and Sled down hill a couple of miles worth... Monthly we participate in local orienteering events. which are about 5k each and we run multiple courses.... http://www.us.orienteering.org/ Now not every boy attends every event....events get canceled or changed..... Progress.......I measure progress by growth or shrinkage of the troop....by the smiles on their faces and the excitement at planning meetings...Boys are bringing friends so the troop is growing, to me that is success. Advancement is a poor way to measure progress.

this is easy Horizon....... I am sure that locally you have kiwanis, Lions, moose, Rotary, VFW, UAW, Pipefitters, steel workers, shriners, masons......How about local volunteer fire department??? or god forbid a church?????? While it is a change and your going to have to find a new CO it isn't the end of the world. The glass is still half full my friend.

Yep, we never do merit badges at troop meetings...... You are short cutting one of the benefits of the merit badge program as it was intended. Merit badges are not hurdles to be over come. But to be experienced and tasted like good food. How does a scout know if he like fly fishing if he does the badge at a troop meeting, instead of meeting a merit badge councilor with a buddy at a local stream or fly fishing store.....Plus he is responsible for calling the MBC and making the meeting plans... Deaf....you have never mentioned your Senior Patrol leader in any of your posts.....Do you have one? Is he trained????? How about the PLC????? Do you have one and is it active??????? Do the boys plan your program????

since I got the thread spun...... the tiger year is fun for sure......not much substance, but begins getting to boys integrated into scouting.... no uniforms, no biggy most my boys can't afford them any way. I don't care if they crack the book.....did they do the stuff at the meeting?????/ How do fluff the go see's?????? Ya they need to do the activity, but remember as 6 year olds they won't remember much.... I have been in the cub program 6 years been a tiger leader twice, wolf, bear twice and Webs twice....CM for 3 of those years...... My expectations from the boys increased year to year......and by the Webelos program they need to remember their lessons. Cubs is do your best after all.....

Demonstrate the skill, no more or less. If dad has an issue with scout not receiving his scout patch. I would call scout and dad a side and tell dad he is not to help and ask scout to recite the oath and law. Either he does it or doesn't it. If dad sees it he can't possible argue about the knowledge.

I am with Oak here why in the world would you do it for anything other than Tiger Parent????

Slow paced is tough when going to DC or a big city.....I end up returning from my vacation needing a vacation. Slow paced, Outer Banks is great. Hilton Head beach resort kinda place...... Florida can be slow paced.....I really enjoyed Key West, slow paced..... Mountains Ashville is nice. New York the finger lakes region is laid back, as is Lake Placid..... Or really laid back Rent a houseboat and go on the TVA lakes in the south.. But you travel to see things not sit on your buttocks and see a lake and trees.

When does he turn 11??? It is possible he may not be able to register as a cub before his den crosses to boy scouts. I am not sure they exact date but I had a boy who was older than 11 and could not register him with the Pack......

I think it boils down to trip expectations. As Eamon pointed out, the country is very large and the trip from the East Coast to the middle of the country is multiple days on 4 lane highways as is the trip from the North to the south. Do you want to see natural features? Maine, vermont and New hampshire are very nice. Urban type of trip? New York, Philidelphia, DC, Miami, Boston, Charleston, are nice choices. Beaches the outer banks in the carolinas or of course Most of the Beaches in florida. Just depends on what you experience........

Calico......I am surprised to say the least.....I am sure the older scouts would enjoy Burning man. lots of sky clad folks running around......Lots of drugs.....yep sounds like a great time. Why not take them to sturgis, at these most of those folks are doctors and lawyers....Jr. could then return with a fleur de lis tattoo on his ass.

Advancement is only one method.... What do the boys want? I dont have a problem with a motivated scout workin advancement. I do have a problem with adults and leaders forcing them thru advancement. Have them plan their outings.....have fun...attend a week long summer camp and you will be surprised how quickly they advance without being forced.

My boys love the scat hunt.......Coyote, deer, rabbit, owl, raccoon Last trip we found a pile of coyote that had a flea collar from a cat in it......they are still talking about that.

Brentallen went to MOAB, Montaina Adventure Base and I think that is really an outstanding trip..... It is something you could pitch to the PLC... Gettysburg was cool, been their done that..... Valleyforge was pretty lame, not much to see or do, been their done that.... Far as the AT goes, Pick your Trek, it has from mild, Shenandoah national Park, to wild, the White mountains and Mt. Washington. I have a pretty decent sampling of the trail, and there is some places/terrain where it is not suitable to a Patrol size group of 13 or 14 year olds. And sure as heck don't take the entire troop....... Plus some of these trips are not suitable to a Troop style outing.....I would not take a troop of 20 or 30 into Denali or the AT......Serious breach of Backcountry etiquette, Plus it may be against the land managers rules. I find it interesting your not permitting the PLC to decide they would want to go to the Daytona 500 or Disney or a City or Urban exploration??????? To some country scouts a week in Chicago, Seattle, LA, New York or Philli would be one heck of an adventure. The important thing to remember is we need to support their interests and decisions.

Hows about just having fun with your buddys???? every second does not need to be planned. Just let them be boys you already have a couple of things planned and that should be enough. Is there cool things to look at? Do? Critters? Amphibians? How about native american ruins or mound???? Let the id stuff be spontaneous.....be prepared with books, it is ok if you don't know the answers.....I have done this with my webs....some really enjoy it, others just want to run and play....

worried about number colors....my boys be so lucky to have a uniform shirt. Call me an underachiever, I am sewing on those stupid number once. Green and tan it is on a webelos shirt.

Your out-a-line here my friend...If you want to sell your wares here you should contact the website admin and buy some advertising space.....The web ain't free...... So OGE or one of the other admins please remove troop1's contact info....

The reason we were give for the camp wide ban was some KYBO and shower pictures got taken and sent home to friends..... Remember folks, Phones just don't make calls any more........ as parents calling me 4 times a day I would turn mine off, Oh thats right it is in my truck, never got the call.

So Reasonable, what happened????

Finds humor in this discussion

Nothing has changed.....Just take them as a group of friends....Every activity doesn't have to be within scouting, I take my sons friends who happen to be his Patrol members to play laser tag occasionally. http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/HealthandSafety/Alerts/Paintball.aspx

Brew....your getting advise from folks with a lot of years of experience. I struggled on the ground for years until I took a nap in hammock at summer camp.....I immediately ordered on and refuse to be a grounddweller again. Gunny....the entire sleep system is lighter for backpacking, hammock, tarp, and sleeping bag or quilt.. my entire sleep system weighs less than the SM tent. Hot summer nights it is much cooler with air circulating around you. Afternoon naps at summer camp are much more comfortable. you are not victimized by water flowing into your tent during rain storms. no condensation on the inside of the tent. No dealing with roots or rocks or uneven ground. The Blackbird also has a food box on the end of the hammock so you sleep diagonally in the hammock and there is no tension on your legs or back.....I looked at Hennesy when I bought my warbonnet, but didn't like the velcro bottom entry, a problem for under quilts and winter camping, they have since changed the design and offer a side zip.(This message has been edited by Basementdweller)

Fish our summer calendar was planned last summer, my cubs don't lack for activities outside the CO during the summer......Including week night hikes, burger burns, fishing, bowling and roller skating, creeking with a university naturalist, minor league sports, stomp rockets. on and on. how about just a play date at a local park. my point is this should have been done around christmas not in april and may.