rrelaljrksw

I apologize if this has already been discussed. I searched but couldn't find it. I know a boy has to be 10 1/2 or 6 months past 4th grade to receive AOL, but when can a boy start working on the requirements? Can they complete some of the requirements while working on the Webelos Badge? If not how long after receiving the Web badge can they start working toward AOL. Some of our boys earned the Webelos Badge in Feb, some are still working on it. The den leader would like to work on some of the AOL requirements over the next few months. Also can they earn a pin from say the mental skills group now and use that to meet the requirements for AOL later or will they have to earn another one from the mental skills group. If you have a place that it's down in writing that would be great. Thanks

I've had people order popcorn and not pay. I just got to buy extra popcorn that year I've also had people in our pack damage popcorn. A case got backed over accidentally instead of being loaded in a car or their younger kid ripped open a pack and ate some. In all cases the family had to pay for the popcorn. If they don't agree with this let them know that selling popcorn was not mandatory it was THEIR choice and they need to accept responsibility. Our pack would not be able to afford to cover for them. I would offer a payment plan to repay the pack. Something to keep in mind for next year. Our pack requires a postdated check for the full amount of popcorn checked out. It's dated so the check can be cashed about 2 weeks before the popcorn money is due to our council. If someone did not pay for their popcorn, the check would be taken to the bank and the remainder after crediting any money turned in and taking out money due would be reimbursed to the family with a pack check. We have never had to cash a single check. It gives everyone extra incentive to pay on time and get their canceled check back. If someone had insufficient funds in their account when the check was cashed then that would not only be a cub scout problem, but also a legal problem for them. So that's an extra incentive to turn money in on time.

Our pack has 2 brand new WLs. They just got started in Nov. when we decided to split the first and second year boys. We have had a lot of problems with our 2nd year WLs and I have just about given up trying to help them. I don't think they are properly preparing the boys for BS. They like the spoon fed method of leading. After reading these suggestions I'm going to work with the new WLs to come up with a transition plan that will not repeat the mistakes the current leaders are making. Would this help prepare the boys for BS? The first year of Webelos work in Den meetings to earn the pins required for Webelos badge. During the Spring and summer let the boys pick the pins the group works on. In the fall of the second year work on scout skills like fire building, knots, building tents, camping, hiking, etc... during den meetings. In order to earn AOL have all remaining pin work be chosen by the boys on an individual basis and completed at home. We could try to find parents with those skills to act as MB type counselors. Or does someone have a transition plan they would like to share?

We sell popcorn, not greens, but my son's order form is full of family members, friends, neighbors, business acquaintances, etc... If we had to leave our pack I would be very upset if someone from the pack started calling people from our order forms or insisting on copies of it. If we had left scouting I would probably understand, but a lot of the time people are buying to support the scout selling rather than the whole pack. Especially in the case of Individual Scout Accounts. No one NEEDS a tin of popcorn or a wreath. They are often not buying to support the troop, but because little Johnny from down the street is selling it. The boy at the door is the face they see benefiting from the fundraiser. Not a group of boys they never met. If they wanted to support a group of unnamed boys in Scouting they could make a donation to FOS or to a specific pack or troop. I would ignore the old troops requests. Anyone you call who has already purchased from them say "Thanks for supporting Scouts, Would you mind if I called you next year in (insert Month) to see if you would like to purchase more greenery."

Thanks John. It looks like at least some of it was saved in the wayback site.

I'm looking for a website called the Virtual Cub Scout Leaders Handbook. It used to be at http://www.geocities.com/~Pack215/home.html On Oct 26 geocities stopped hosting free websites and deleted all its sites. Does anyone know if this site's information was saved and moved somewhere else? It had a lot of great info on it. It'd be a shame if it was lost for good.

The parents of the 2 getting AOL ARE the den leaders so they have planned meetings to last until May. The reason they gave is because the boys want to earn more pins. They already have over half of them. They have visited with a scout troop and the DL parents were unimpressed (it was apparently a very chaotic meeting) Before the visit the parents were not sure they wanted to go into scouts and the meeting did not convince them that their boys should advance into scouts. One also has a younger brother in cubs, so its more convenient to keep them together. The COR and I have tried to explain that they need time to bond with the scouts before summer camping to no avail. We are a 2 year old pack, so this is our first Webelos to Boy Scouts transition. I'm think its the parents more than the boys and we may have to deal with it and let them crossover when they like. I will however let the other parents of boys in this den know that they can cross over earlier if they have their AOL or are 11. I'm going to work with the first year Webelos DLs to make sure they have more contact with the Boy Scouts so they will be excited to cross over. Longhaul posted "A boy may remain in Cub Scouts for 6 months after turning 11 years old OR completing the 5th grade, which ever is later. Per Cub Scout Leaders Guide and Webelos Leader Guide" Does that mean 6 months after 11 (11 1/2) or 6 months after 5th grade (Sept. or Nov.)? Or does it mean 11 1/2 or when school lets out May/June. I have parents who are trying to interpret that as 6 months after 5th grade.

I have a question about the length of the Webelos program and 2 different situations. 1. I have some boys that are getting their AOL in Dec. They or their parents more than likely have chosen not to cross over into Boy Scouts right away. Their parents have said they are going to stay in cubs until at least May and might like to do some pack activities over the summer and then join boy scouts in the fall. What are the rules about how long a boy can stay in cub scouts after earning the arrow of light? 2. We have another boy who will not earn AOL. This is his 2nd year and he has earned no activity pins. He has a very busy life outside of scouting and only completes the den portion when he's there. He never follows up and finishes anything at home. We informed his parents that he is welcome to attend when he can and have made them aware of why their son is not advancing like the rest of his den. They are okay with that. He will most likely not go into Boy Scouts, but would like to stay in cubs as long as possible and go to Webelos camp this summer. How long can a boy without the AOL stay in Webelos? When do we have to nicely tell both groups of boys they can't come anymore? Any suggestions how to do this when that day comes? I'd like to have some official rules to refer to and not just opinions if possible. I'd like to have something official to back up the pack's decision about letting them remain in Cubs as long as they are allowed to.

Currently I'm an MC doing advancements and treasurer. For the last few months I've also been doing the CC's job. Our CC is also our COR and the head of our CO. The COR is considering giving me the position of CC. I have a great relationship with the COR and we are usually on the same page. A few of the DL's are causing problems because they don't agree with the COR and constantly challenge decisions that are made. They believe the pack should be able to make mistakes and learn from them instead of following the COR's good advice and succeeding right of the bat. They would like to use the committee to overrule the COR if the need arose. I'm just trying to figure out how much authority each person has and what to do if everyone doesn't agree.

We are in the process of forming our pack committee. I know that we report to the COR, but are they a member of the committee and can they vote? We have a COR who wants to be VERY involved with our pack and some of the parents want to know if we're ever allowed to make our own decisions. I know the CO who is also our COR owns the pack, money, equipment, etc... But do they have total control in how we run our program or spend the money? What if anything do we get to decide for ourselves?(This message has been edited by rrelaljrksw)(This message has been edited by rrelaljrksw)

All our dens meet at the same time and place, so we have almost as many siblings as we do cub scouts. Last year the sibs sat in a corner of the room and played. This year we have a separate room for them. Parents that are not DLs or ADLs and older teen siblings volunteer to watch them. We each usually bring some toys that can be shared like crayons and paper, wooden train set, dress up box. On outings they come along and participate as they are able. We had a 6 y/o Kindergarten brother last year. We tried to let him participate with the tiger den, but mom said no he would have his turn this year, so he stayed with the other sibs. The only problem we had with sibs was snacks. They saw the boys eating and wanted some to. It was just too much to ask that parents bring them for the boys and sibs. We are now snack free, so its not a problem. If space is an issue for you let parents know that they don't have to stay unless the boys are tigers. If they choose to ask them to only bring sibs when necessary and have them bring something to occupy them. I know cubs is for families, but its also nice for the boys to have some time away from sibs and parents.

I was wrong in my other post in the order of what tigers earn. We have done it wrong this year and last, I'll have to make sure we do it right next year. On the Bobcat page at the back of the tiger book it says "AFTER you have earned your tiger cub badge, you can work on your bobcat badge requirements. You must earn your bobcat badge before you can work on your wolf badge." So if I read that correctly the order for tiger is Tiger totem (paw thing) awarded at at pack meeting, the beads (orange, white, black) awarded at den meetings, Tiger cub badge awarded at pack meeting, the yellow beads awarded at pack meeting, and finally the bobcat badge awarded at the pack meeting. We have always had the boys do bobcat first, but after reading the book, they should not earn bobcat until after their tiger badge. Most boys would not even earn it until spring right before crossover.

I just explained this to a tiger parent the other day. Borrow a tiger book and flip to the back. I'm thinking it was a page or 2 after the 5th section of achievements. I can't find my son's old one right now, but there is a page in the back that has the 3 things you need to do to earn the tiger totem (the white paw print to hang the beads on). Tigers earn the bobcat first, than the totem, then white, black and orange beads, tiger badge and then the yellow beads

Have you thought about the parent's taking turns leading the first few months? Since Tigers have to have a parent why can't each parent take a month. Provide the parents with the program helps for their month and offer them any assistance they may need. You might even offer to do them for the first month ONLY to show them how it's done. When we first started up as a pack, a great guy who was the pack trainer for another pack ran our first 2 meetings. He showed us how it's done and got us over our nervousness. It's kind of hard to jump right in if you have zero scouting background and no idea what you are supposed to do. It's also a lot easier to get some one to volunteer if its a short term commitment. If you make tigers seem easy and fun you might have several willing to go it alone. They just need to get comfortable with the idea. You'll also introduce the idea to other parents who may think on it a while and be ready to be DL's next year.

First off LOVE these forums. I'm learning soo much. Our pack is only a year old and we do not have a pack committee. When a decision needs to be made we discuss it at parent meeting or by email and then everyone votes on it. It's worked okay so far, but sometimes we spend too much time discussing little things. EVERYONE has a different opinion and our meetings can last almost 3 hours. We have 4 parent meetings a year. In reality though, most parents don't really care and the few that do make most of the decisions. SO I'm looking for a better way to run our pack. No one parent has volunteered to be the CC. On paper our CR is also our CC. She is also the head of our CO. Her son moved on to Boy Scouts along time ago and the original cub pack stopped being active. Last year we had enough boys to start it up again. She wants to take a back seat since she no longer has a son in our pack and just be our CR and head of our CO. She also has health issues. I've been doing most of her job for her to help her out. I also do just about everything else committee wise, treasures, registration, advancements, secretary, etc... Im basically a pack committee of 1. Without the official titles or veto power its getting difficult. I get emails and phone calls a couple times a week filled with Cub Scout drama and everyone is starting to expect me to do everything. I want to nip this in the bud before I burn out. I wouldnt mind being the CC but my husband is the CM and loves it. Im strongly against H/W being CC and CM. I think its time to form a committee of 3-5 parents to make our decisions and meet monthly. Most of our active parents are DLs or ADLs. So who should I recruit to be on the committee? Would you recommend DLs and ADLs also serving actively on the Committee, especially as a CC? I think they should spend their time focusing on the boys and leave the business to some one else. Is anybody out there doing both? Since no one person wants to be the CC has any pack ever split ALL the pack committee jobs including CC into 3-5 hybrid committee positions? I know we'd still need a CC on paper, but is it possible to split up the tasks. We are a small pack and could never fill all the recommended committee and pack positions. It looks to me like some were just created so an interested volunteer would have an official title. Im seeing a lot of overlap. Which ones do we need and what part of that position? Which ones can we cut? We have just over 15 families total in our pack. So I need a list of aprox. 10-15 jobs including pack (5 DLs, CM) and committee (CC, MCs). Thanks for any advice.