OwntheNight

We have just changed our Patrol's from same age to mixed age groups. With that change we've had to change how our NSP is set up with now distributing boys to the other patrols when their 1st year is up. Here is what we came up with at our ASM meeting on Sunday. 1. We will form a first year patrol or patrols (FYP) as needed 2 ASMs will be assigned to the FYPs 2. These boys will stay in the patrols from the time they join until the 2nd April (approximately 12-14 months) or until they reach the rank of 1st class. 3. At the point of reaching 1st Class they will be moved to an existing patrol or they will be a part of a new patrol formed from the whole of the troop. This admittance to a patrol will be a big deal with the patrol leader receiving this boy into the patrol In front of the troop by presenting him with a patrol patch and the Scout handshake. These boys will be assigned per the SM with the advice of the ASMs particularly the ASMs of the First Year Program. 4. The SM will assign 2 Troop Guides per FYP who will work with this patrol for the approximately first 6 months of the First year, from December or following that when the first boys join the troop from Webeloes until their first summer camp. The SM to select and assign these TGs. 5. The Troop Guides will act as the Patrol leader for the about the first 3 Months or so then they will work as an advisor to the Patrol leader of the First year scouts. (the First year scouts will rotate the patrol leader position monthly for the time that they are in the FYP.

Our District Membership Chair started putting out forms at Roundtable before JSN and then included the forms with our JSN packets. She also sent out emails to our Google groups and to individual units listed on the Council web site. Too bad that half of them are outdated or used the old council hosting site that has long been shut down. She will probably use the recharter info as it arrives to update or request to update the BeaScout site. Our pack has updated it's info with it, but we haven't heard of any of our new cubs that used the site first to find us. I do need to remind somebody in the Troop to update that info. The pin placement is wrong and it just has the council phone number. Even if we just get the troop website up there, we have a better shot of getting a boy or two, instead of just relying on the packs. As the ASM for Den Chiefs in our troop, I actually used the site to try and contact CM's around the area, to see if their unit would be interested in Den Chiefs from our Troop. Have gotten some feedback, just not what my Den Chiefs were hoping for!

We've told the younger boys in the troop they can bring their Ipods and game systems in the cars on the way to a campout, but they do have to leave them in the cars when we hit the campsite.( I'd rather hear the clicking of game boys for 4 hrs, than 4 hrs of the same song the SPL has taught the troop ) The older boys usually have an Ipod or their phone with them, but they know not to use it during the campout, and to keep it in their pack. If it's out, they risk having it confiscated by the SM. That includes the SPL and ASPL's. Pop-Tarts have been excluded from meal planning, but I'm starting to see the bags of powdered or chocolate donuts show up now for Sunday breakfast. I thought the SPL approved that meal plan at the last Troop meeting? Hmm...... We do let the boys plan 1 campout a year, when they can bring game systems and play them when they go back to their cabins for the night, after the evening campfire. Yes, I said cabins, GASP,AARGH! The adults also cook for them that whole campout too. That has been the troop tradition since the troop started. Our boys work hard all year, so we let them play hard for a single campout.

Contact the course director and ask them about their scholarship opportunities. The course I took, we passed the plate around specifically for the Wood Badge scholarship fund set up by the Council. Come to think of it, we passed the plate at our 90 day reunion, and our Wood Badge Council dinner! Some employers might be inclined to pick up part or all of the fee, since it is marketed as Leadership training.

In elementary school, I was always jealous of the boys wearing their Cub Scout uniforms and having their den meetings after school in the cafeteria. So once I hit middle school, I made Mom and Dad sign me up for Boy Scouts at the church we attended. Even though I only spent about a year and a half in the troop and only made it to 2nd class, I felt a connection to the program like nothing else. Fast forward to Scoutson's Kindergarten year. I saw the signs outside his school for JSN, we went up that night to sign up only to be told that he can't start until his 1st grade year. So we waited a year and went back up and got signed up as a Tiger Partner and Tiger Cub. The CM called me a couple of days later and noticed I had Scouting experience as a youth and asked if I would be the Tiger DL. I talked to my son about it, and he thought it would be cool to have Dad as the leader, so our adventure began. I went to JSN with the intent of getting my son into Scouting to give him something to do, other than sports(which he wasn't real interested in) and to be able to have some "Dad and Son" time.It turns out that Scoutson really enjoys Scouting and loves camping with his Patrol and Troop. He also really enjoys helping out with Eagle projects and working with the Cubs at Day Camp. Wolfson was a different story. Since Dad was entrenched with the Pack, it was a foregone conclusion that he would go into Cub Scouts as a Tiger. He didn't have the same enthusiasm as his older brother. But he's really starting to enjoy the program more now. (Tigers was boring for him because he had done all those things before, not only with tagging along with brother, but other programs he was involved with.) He has really taken to the program with his den. It has been great to be able spend quality time with my boys in Scouting, but I've also made some friends of my own, and been able to work on my own "advancement" as well. Going from a Tiger DL through Webelos DL, earning my beads from WoodBadge, and now as an ASM, and a ACM with the Troop and Pack. What an overall rewarding experience for my Sons and I.

Those silly habits, we pick up from camping! For what?, To make things a little easier?.....Absolutely! It's not only good for omelettes, throw your biscuit mix in a bag, mix up and cut the end off and BAM! Squeeze biscuits, YUM! My Dutch Oven gets used almost as much as the crock pot. Food just tastes better when it's cooked on the outdoor gear, indoors. Isn't it true that if it's cooked outdoors, the calories don't count? I still draw the line at digging a cat hole in the backyard. I do enjoy the indoor plumbing though!

From one TEXAN to another, HOWDY!! Welcome to the campfire, pull up a log, the coffee is cold and the conversation is hot! Just Kidding, The coffee is always fresh around here! Congrats on starting your tickets and good luck with them. Thanks for stepping up to help with your sons unit and thanks for your service to this country. I used to be a Beaver

Once every quarter, with ECOH scheduled as requested by the boy. We had one of our Eagle's right after the regular COH in August, That was a long night, but well worth it!

E92 and Moosetracker, For the most part, the belt loop program is meant to enhance the program not replace it. However, the only Bl's that are required for "advancement" are citizenship for AOL citizen, and 2 from the individual and Team sports categories for AOL sportsman. All the rest are included as choices in the other Webelos activity pins amongst the "do X of the following" requirements. I thought reading was what you went to school to learn? Scoutson is going to be mad about this one! What's he going to do with his limited free time now? Punishment for him is when I TAKE the book away from him, and make him stop reading. He usually has 3 or 4 books going at the same time.

I get the limiting the number of belt loops and academic pins awarded because of the over zealous parent who wants their boy to get everything possible, or the financial strain that belt loops and pins create for packs. But why would you want to be selective in what the boys can or can't earn based upon your feelings? I'm not trying to be confrontational about this, but if I may, can I play devil's advocate? The committee votes to not allow this belt loop to be earned, a parent gets upset and begins to question the committee about why beltloop "A" is not allowed to be earned, but beltloop "B" can be earned, and the parent is opposed to beltloop "B" for whatever reason. Now a situation is created with one parent who is upset and begins telling other parents about the unfairness of this.Which creates tension in the pack. The committee is then put in the unenviable position of having to vote for an all or none in regards to belt loops. Is this really the best use of the committee? Video Games Belt Loop do all 1. Explain why it is important to have a rating system for video games. Check your video games to be sure they are right for your age. 2. With an adult, create a schedule for you to do things that includes your chores, homework, and video gaming. Do your best to follow this schedule. 3. Learn to play a new video game that is approved by your parent, guardian, or teacher. Video Games Academic Pin Earn belt loop and do any 5 1. With your parents, create a plan to buy a video game that is right for your age group. 2. Compare two game systems (for example, Microsoft Xbox, Sony PlayStation, Nintendo Wii, and so on). Explain some of the differences between the two. List good reasons to purchase or use a game system. 3. Play a video game with family members in a family tournament. 4. Teach an adult or a friend how to play a video game. 5. List at least five tips that would help someone who was learning how to play your favorite video game. 6. Play an appropriate video game with a friend for one hour. 7. Play a video game that will help you practice your math, spelling, or another skill that helps you in your schoolwork. 8. Choose a game you might like to purchase. Compare the price for this game at three different stores. Decide which store has the best deal. In your decision, be sure to consider things like the store return policy and manufacturers warranty. 9. With an adult's supervision, install a gaming system. I cringe when a scout finds out about it and wants to earn it. Of these requirements, what makes you cringe about it? IMO, This is the boys' program, we just facilitate it for them. I'm certainly not going to draw a line in the sand over what belt loops a boy can or can't earn.

Austin, TX (AP) - A seven year old boy was at the center of a Dallas County courtroom drama yesterday when he challenged a court ruling over who should have custody of him. The boy has a history of being beaten by his parents and the judge initially awarded custody to his aunt, in keeping with child custody law and regulation requiring that family unity be maintained to the highest degree reasonably possible. The boy surprised the court when he proclaimed that his aunt beat him more than his parents and he adamantly refused to live with her. When the judge then suggested that he live with his grandparents, the boy cried and and said that they also beat him. After considering the remainder of the immediate family and learning that domestic violence was apparently a way of life among them, the judge took the unprecedented step of allowing the boy to propose who should have custody of him. After two recesses to check legal references and confer with the child welfare officials, the judge granted temporary custody to the Dallas Cowboys football team, whom the boy firmly believes are not capable of beating anyone. Hope this helps your day be a little better! OTN

Great story this morning in the Dallas paper about a troop in S. Dallas. http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/110710dnmeteagles.32b5c9e.html

www.troop1776tx.org

Circle 10 council in North Texas offers 4 WB courses through the year. Jan, Aug, and October. 3 of the courses are the 2 weekend format and the 4th is a week long format out at Philmont

Absolutely we do. All of our corespondance goes through Scouttrack. We have a master list that shows all boys contact info and the den's they belong to. Since Scouttrack is password protected, all the data is secure, and not released to the general public, only our families. Why all the secrecy from the CC? These aren't classified documents chained inside a briefcase. I can understand not posting in public forums, but not being able to share information with the whole pack seems absurd. How do you all communicate with everybody in the pack? Tell one person, they tell one person and so on. We know how the end of that game turns out. So what about your leadership style does the CC not like. Are you actually changing the culture in the pack, that shared leadership is a good thing.Or is this CC still in the mindset that the pack is his toy, and only he can run it and play with it the way he wants to? Keep up the awesome work, you are making a difference, and welcome to the campfire!

As you've probably heard, volunteering can and will be a lot of work. But the reward is well worth it. As the new guy, you'll just be assigned tasks to keep camp functions running. ( water, setup, tear down, etc.)The good news is that your district personnel will see a Scouter who wants to help and will tuck your name away into the mental rolodex for future events, and then, out of the blue, they're asking you to be on the planning committee. I was asked to serve as the Cubmaster for our Cub Scout day camp this year. I absolutely had a blast, It was great seeing all the boys from the pack walking by and waving or shouting at me. I wasn't a huge fan of all the planning meetings from January through May, but I have a greater appreciation for the time and effort that goes into planning a week long camp. You would be surprised at all the little details that you have to think about. Go sign up and do it,you'll be glad you did. Just remember... 2 Advil in the morning BEFORE you start the day at camp!

Where is your ADL and/or Den Chief during these meetings? Please don't tell us your trying to be a one man band in this orchestra. Seriously, It sounds like you have a dedicated bunch of parents who are active and involved with their son's at the den meeting. It might be time to have a conversation with 1 or 2 of them about stepping up to an ADL role, or maybe helping out with den meetings and then later you can pull the ol' "Well since you're helping out, what do you think about putting the uniform on?" I have 2 excellent ADL's and a Den Chief. Both of them came to me at the beginning of the year and wanted to take a bigger role during den meetings. We all agreed to take 1 meeting a month to cover the activities in the monthly program and resource guide. This has been a blessing, because I can spend more time with Wolfson, or I can spend more time with parents who have questions or just getting to know them on a more personal level. Ask your Cubmaster to talk to a troop about getting a Den Chief in there to help out with activities and the meeting itself. Those Den Chiefs are a great resource and are a huge influence on your Bears. I was in your shoes with Scoutson when he was a Bear. Trying to help all the boys, answer parents' questions, etc.. My son never said to me that he was unhappy that I didn't spend as much time with him. In fact it was the opposite, he was excited to have his Dad as the DL. But, there were times when he just wasn't interested in going to meetings. ( Can't/Won't find his uniform, milling about the house trying to cause an argument with me to not take him)It took me about a year to figure those signs out. I soon got that burnout feeling and began to resent Scouting for the stress it was causing me. Needless to say I found a Pack with many DL's and ADL's in the dens, and was able to help out as needed and with lots of support around me to rekindle my fire for Scouting. I won't let that happen to Wolfson now, and our time together is more memorable because of the extra help I get. Good Luck, and Have Fun

Welcome oldcarguy!This is a great place to learn about the in's and out's of the Cub Scout program. Congrats and Thanks for being a DenLeader. The Wolf year is a great year for the boys, they get to put their hands on a lot of things. Good Luck

I guess that's how urban myths get started. I had always heard the disgruntled employee story.

Thanks all for the great responses. Apparently I've been doing this job longer than I thought, since I've been doing all these things anyway.Cuboree went great this weekend. All the boys had a great time, whether it was doing the activities during the day, performing a skit at the big campfire show, or just running around the campsite. The common response I heard from the boys was "This was the most awesome day ever!!!" Gee, who knew a couple of days, without video games could be so much fun? (edited for Sarcasm) I did see some trends that might need some attention: I was surprised to see our Tiger den not interacting as a den, but as individuals.They all ate on their own, and went to the stations on their own, per the TCDL. What surprises me is that our TCDL's are both experienced Scouters and this is their 2nd rodeo with Tigers. Maybe it's just me, but I've always tried to get our den to do everything together on Pack campouts. I know it gives me a more relaxed atmosphere to talk to the parents and get to know them and to encourage the boys to grow together as a den. I was able to sit around the campfire and chat with some of the Tiger parents and answer their questions about the scouting program, you know, the big picture stuff..Why we do what we do, what we're working towards, why we have the policies we do, etc.. For most of these parents, this was the first time they had been camping, so they very much had the "deer in the headlights" look about everything, but they weren't given much direction from the den leaders about what to expect, just here's how to get to the camp, here's the activity schedule, bring your own food. I guess the next Pack activity or campout, I'm going to have to create a camp flyer for the entire pack and do a shakedown meeting beforehand to answer any questions. Oh well, just more jerky to chew on Infoscouter: I saw that same requrement about the Den Chiefs, do I still get credit for the job, considering that is also my ASM position with our Troop .

Umm 'Fish, Sit down we need to have a talk about Ummm "Adult" stuff. The illustrator for the cover was unhappy with Disney studios and decided to use "creative license" and inserted a phallic drawing in the castle in the background. Start there.

What a perfectly timed thread! Our troop is about to hit this point and our SM has tasked us ASM's with this challenge. A brief history: For a while our troop hovered around 20-30 boys without alot of adding boys on a yearly basis. About 3 years ago, the troop started growing rapidly and is still continuing this upward trend with us now having a roster of 100+ boys.The boys in the original 20-30 group have just aged out , now we have the "first wave" of the new boys about to turn 14-15. Some of these boys are starting to get the "been there, done that" syndrome. They still enjoy scouts because they get to spend time together with their core inner circle of friends. Instead of pushing the boys into the crew (while we have leaders in title only, there's not much activity from the crew itself)we're putting the boys in a venturing patrol and letting them plan their own activities during troop functions. This way,they are still an active patrol in the troop, but still pursuing their own interests. Scouting is a place where dreams can come true. Its up to the adults to get out of the boys way. What are your scouts dreams? That is what their goals are. Eagledad: Thanks for that response, I will be taking that back to our Venturing ASM's and let them roll with that one. Hopefully we can nip this in the bud, and keep our older boys engaged and encouraged, while at the same time providing a caveat to our younger boys for staying with the program. See, Membership does have it's privileges.

About a week ago after our first pack meeting of the year, the CM and CC of our pack grabbed me during clean up and began the usual chit chat after a pack meeting. The CC turned to the CM and said "Well, Did you ask him?" CM looks at me and says "Would you mind being the ACM for the pack?" Of course I accepted the position, thinking it wouldn't be a problem, just a little more responsibility at pack meetings, helping out with awards so the CM isn't fumbling through all the bags trying to get names and awards right. The little things. The current ACM is crossing over with his WEB II son to the troop this weekend, so I knew the position was going to come up. I am also aware this puts me on the fastrack to be picked by the committee to take over as CM in a year and a half when our current CM terms out. Once again, not a problem. My moment of clarity hit me tonight, while I was planning for what our den would do at Cuboree this weekend. I realized that our CM will not be at this campout, (Her son is WEB I)Instead of having a traditional Fall Pack campout with all den's present, We are sending the Tigers,Wolves, and Bears to Cuboree this weekend, and then sending the Webelos to our Centennial Camporee at the end of the month. I realized I was now the program lead for our Pack at Cuboree. I have read the requirements for ACM, and understand this is one of those moments where I "fill in for the Cubmaster" as needed. Outside of the required role for ACM, what does your ACM do for your pack? I'm also looking for advice on the position itself, and how you handled the role of ACM. Tips and Tricks of the trade are more than welcome as well. Thanks!

Alamance, Excellent! Don't you love it when PLAN B comes together and turns out better than Plan A! Going to the fire station is always one of the best den plans. Our FD has been gracious enough to do an open house at the main fire station every year around this time. I took our Tiger Den last year and the boys absolutely had a blast! Not only did the station welcome our boys and let them wander around, they took each group through everything in the truck and let them get in the rig and check out all the buttons and toys. Afterwards the boys got to go through the station and sat and had snacks with some of the crew. Even the Chief of the fire department came and talked to our boys and posed for pictures. Our boys still talk about that event to this day, and ask when we can go back. Of course, what was their favorite part? When the paramedics actually got called on a run and shook the station with all the lights and sirens on their rig going full bore!! Watching our boys that day, truly made me proud that I was a Cub Scout Den Leader!

It was announced yesterday our council received a $25 million dollar gift from a local oil man at the urging of ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson. Apparently the money is going to an endowment fund to benefit at-risk youth who couldn't afford Scouting activities and to improve our 4 council camps. I'm still kind of shocked by the amount that was given. I'm also glad to hear some will be used on our council camps. Camp Wisdom (home to our Cubworld and Cub program camping)was decimated by the winter storms last December to the point where we couldn't get vehicles into areas of the camp due to the amount of trees that had been knocked over or destroyed by the amount of snow. That old girl needs lots of love and attention to get her back to where she was many years ago. Thank you Mr. Rees-Jones for seeing and believing in the Scouting movement. Here's the story link: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/DN-boyscouts_05met.ART.State.Edition1.3324076.html