qwazse

Local hikes are still an option. Historical sites are always worth walking to. But there might be an interesting business that might want to host the boys. County seats and other places of governance are good at this age, especially of the boys get a chance to meet the mayor!

We want you all to learn this stuff so you can hand down on the great traditions of scouting to the next generation. Needing it for Eagle is secondary. So I kind of understand what the SM was driving at. I wouldn't keep an SPL from phrasing it in his own words.

Shout-outs to the camp staff are always good (and quick)! "Everyone, on three, good morning ranger __. One, two, three .." Baseball and Hockey scores are nice. Or, if there's a cricket or soccer tournament in some obscure place in the world that you can follow for the weekend ... Knock Knock joke of the day ... Hopefully, that will get your gears rolling. Like everyone above says, short and sweet wins.

Ya BP, I think we are in a Post-Modern society, so your Modernist black-and-white exclusion of certain narratives won't be tolerated. The BSA's declaration of religious principle gets them in a lot of doors. But that doesn't mean that we don't work with groups whose aims are more narrow. I can see a fundamentalist CO sponsoring both AHG and BSA units and everyone walking in lock-step for a large part of the program. (Until they join a forum like this and someone throws stones.)

Agree with BD. Cubs think that ASM is the same as CM or ACM anyway. Update your existing uniform to the troop insignia. That also sets a really good example to pack parents, who will see you helping even though, according to the uniform, you've "moved on." On the other hand, boy scouts expect the ASM to attend to the program, and if they see cub colors, they may not tap you as a resource. (They may not anyway, but at least the uniform won't render you "invisible.") If your troop is really into uniforming for every occasion, a second shirt is not a bad idea. But, you can cross that bridge when the Mrs. won't have anything to do with you and your ripe shirt on summer camp visitors night! Oh can congratulations on the smooth transition!

I think it is frustrating to parents when we tell them one thing before the trip, and afterword they find out we do something different. Falling back on a plan B happens all the time. And, I find the best thing is to explain to parents why you made the decision that you did. The parent begins to gain trust in your judgement, and you might actually discover that you did make a bonehead move! (No point in keeping the "What I would do differently" file empty.)

The point is to encourage boys to use their family as a sounding board about sexual norms. Really, the purpose is to get beyond mechanics. For example, as a result of my son working on that requirement, I realized that the most important thing from my perspective was that my children treat every person they have an interest in as though they were someone else's spouse until they officially become their spouse. My wife put things a little differently, but it was a great opportunity to discuss an issue proactively. I have no idea how much my son discussed the conversation with his counselor, but I'm glad he had it!

I want to thank MIB and T/S all for putting yourselves (or getting put?) out there. The rest of us have the advantage of anonymity in the sense that we don't look any of the posters in the eye the next morning. (Or if we do, we don't know it!) In spite of the emotional back-and-forth, we all are learning from this sort of thing. I think it's a good scouter who gets wrapped up in the success of their youth. We need our boys to be in the hands of the caring adult who has to think real hard about hanging back and letting another adult have complete sway in a situation. That other adult might ignore cues (like a writing impairment), but in the end that may help challenge the boy to work beyond a limitation. The hardest part of adult leadership is allowing that to happen. The second hardest part is finding the time and venue to evaluate one another and figuring out what went well, what didn't go so well, and what we'd do differently.

Calico, It would be nice if wrongs could be parlayed into gift cards. Better yet, cash. I am fully aware that EDGE proponents have broadened the definition of the terms to the point that It means nothing. The CC's signature was needed for the Eagle application, which he refused to sign after the MBC voiced misgivings about having signed the blue card the following day.

Ask if he knows the scout slogan. (He should.) Ask what his good turn was today. Be prepared if he asks you what yours was! (You could say giving a star scout an SMC!)

I don't have a good answer as to why. Maybe we're more matriarchal than we give ourselves credit? The requirement is that he has to have a family meeting on the subject. He only has to report to the MBC that he did. Does it ease his mind knowing he'll need to just bring you, dad, siblings, and pets into the conversation?

2cub, you just described the venturing recognition program. Youth earn national (i.e., not exclusive to BSA) certifications, not MB's. Share (in front of other youth, not an adult counselor) and/or apply what they've learned. Qualify for an award.

Okay. That does make a difference. Oh and since we're crossing threads, you have to cut your son some slack about the "submit a report" definition. You see, thanks to WB21C he was brainwashed on the EDGE method, which does not include any notion of the written word as an essential tool for successful transfer of skills. Therefore, he thinks report is something verbal, sort of an ExplaiDemostro thing. He doesn't realize that by requesting something in writing, you are in fact enabling the presenter to encapsulate his core thoughts and distinguish himself from any other species on the planet. But most people don't associate "writing" with "enabling", so that method is lost in the adoption of a pithy non-translatable acronym. Once he abandons EDGE for more sound methods he'll respect your judgement!

Actually, they did. I saw a film about it. It was only 14 feet tall, but it was your standard COPE element (except helmets were nowhere to be seen).

I got to "Call BS" on your son and future D-I-L. They have their own trails to walk. Sit on the couch, be silent, and pray. But, may I suggest you give the troop committee chair the right to "Call BS" on you. The all-in-the family routine can erode trust. Get some accountability into the situation. The boy's SM and CC will have to put their signature on the application. Tell them the nature of his work. Describe the exact quality of the chart. If the boys unit leaders have doubts, they can call your husband. Bottom Line: I had a scout/venturer whose Family Life chart was clearly cobbled together retrospectively. The MBC told CC she had misgivings about signing the blue card. The CC refused to sign the application. (It's in a post somewhere.) I was on the phone with him on deadline day, and my bottom line: "Did you fulfill all of the requirements?" "No" "Well, then, you have a lot to be proud of. Just not this medal." Tell us (and have the SM ask that boy) what makes this boy's trail complete while my boy failed to earn his bird?(This message has been edited by qwazse)

"I'm under no obligation whatsoever to countenance violators of the 5th point of th scout law." Usually this kind of behavior doesn't manifest itself until about 13. Does this kid have an older sibling. For the older boys, my line is "At what point did your pubescent angst become any concern of mine?"

My boys and my daughter made the the same decision over the past three Jambo opportunities. and we have done a lot with the money not spent. If he's catching on with the glucose control, he has it in him to prepare for a wide array of opportunities.

Our CO runs the local food pantry. That solves a lot of the problems. Folks have a better sense that they would be shorting their neighbor, not just any Samaritan.

MT What of your 5 tickets depended on Scouting U... I don't see it. Sorry, it was 3. Promote Venturing Leader Specific Training to my crew committee U of S was going to be my primary training outlet for getting my adult leaders. There were other opportunities since then. I did lots of promotion of subsequent trainings, and later co-taught the course for folks from a neighboring crew. But you know how once someone muddles through for a while without something, they feel that it's perfectly OK to keep on doing it? Well ... that's my people. Also if yours is at month 17 you must have had a vision all these steps fell under ... "Because of our enthusiasm for outdoor activities and involvement in social activities that extend across district, council, and area, students and graduates in and around our school district will see our crew as the co-ed outdoor program of choice." not sure how ticket #4 fell into that vision. That's a diversity goal. Getting youth to appreciate what's good about their neighborhoods and share it with their fellow venturers. Getting the youth and their plans for great activities "out there." And showing Venturers some different ministry and service opportunities. The challenge: you would be amazed how much kids think there's nothing fun (and safe) in their neighborhoods! (Maybe that's what drove them to be a Crew!) It seems this past year I've done 10 other ticket items besides these. I think we're achieving our vision. It just isn't happening primarily through my WB ticket! (Did I ever mention this Advisor business can be a wild ride?) By the way, you all might not have known it. But you've been great sounding boards, even as I'm coming down to the final stretch. Thanks. Oh, and I used to be a crow, a good old ... Oooooh shiny!

I guess I'm concerned about going forward - is the situation we're in now the lesser of all the possible evils? Is relying on "extended donations" preferable to soliciting the council for funds? Or donating the equipment directly to the council? This boils down to one variable: "How much do your people value control?" If they want stuff, but they don't want personal baggage, and they want zero risk of corporate mis-management, then they have to pay up. If saving some dimes is more important, then they need to eat a little crow.

I have stove-top espresso pots. (9-cup for car camping, and 3-cup for backpacking or smaller groups. Although I really could get by with just a 1 cup most weekends. The plastic Dixie cups make perfect shot glasses!) They clean up relatively quickly and are durable. Dads do pick on me and my 'motor oil', but they usually will use it as a supplement to their runny stuff! Anyway, it's those quirks about yourself that you discover along the way of camping with these youth that are your real prestige!

And it stinks that all of those beautiful Rocky Mountains are 19+ hours away! Not just because Philmont's over there. I have three lovely nieces and a great niece who are so far away! I do think there's a market for some type of western region BSA event. LA, Portland, or Seattle would be a big draw. Maybe if we pull this internet stuff off, we can do a coast-to-coast festival. It might be decades away, but start putting the bugs in our youth's ears. They're the ones who will make it happen if they really care.

The bad choice was people getting their egos wrapped up in the program! Time to ask the donors "Can we return the gear to you? Or, can we recognize your donation of the gear at fair market value?" Yep, you're gonna have to fundraise for the gear if they take it back, but maybe your council has already done just that over the years and has some gear they can loan you! The other option is to clearly understand the conditions under which the owners of the gear will cheerfully loan it. Get those in writing and circulate it to all parties involved. Set a time limit on the policy. (E.g. this year only, the next 5 years, or as long as Troop X is functioning with CO Y.)

Another pet peeve are screen names that often seem willfully obscure and impenetrable. I don't see the point. Why, you ask? Just beqwazse. Blame me for promoting "MIB," it just seemed like the right thing to do because my kids were huge fans of Men In Black. Even offline, call me nearly anything. Just don't call me late for dinner. But, to anyone out there: If for you my whacky redaction of your screen name is truly offensive, say so and I will try to reform my ways.

You may not have the skill sets to pull it off, but one year our district did a canoe trip camporee. If there was an island in the middle of a river that could accommodate you all, you could set up some wide games.