timberscout

It has been a long time since I have played or even thought about D&D, in fact about 20 years ago when I was a Boy Scout myself and D&D was a new game. Most of our troop played during free time on troop level campouts by candle light, and it was also played every PLC meeting (held at a scouts house) after business was taken care of, usually an all night or weekend game. I think that like most things it could be abused, at which point you deal with the behavior, until then have fun.

Good Day all. First let me put in my two cents on the question that started the thread, by asking another question. Is it a failure or a setback? I tend to believe and teach the boys that the only way to fail is to give up and quit. I must also tell a short story that is one of my favorite Memories is of a group of Webelos that I took to the Pool for the swimming belt loop and pin. I had two boys that on there applications were listed as non swimming, and more then once during working with them I heard "I can't" stated by one or both non swimmers. My response to them was man has walked on the moon, you can learn this. It took three more months of the parents taking them to the pool and Three more times of the den leaders going down and running them through the B&P requirments, but they made it and when they did they were so pumped that they went and took the pool swim test to swim in the deep end of the pool and past. Now as the SM for these boys we have an understanding that we do not say I can't. I think that working for something makes it that much better when you earn it. So how importnat is failure, not at all if put in the right context. The important part is learning from your mistakes and try try again. KISKIF

Well I am the new guy on the block or thead as it were, but I faile to see what the problem is here. I started a troop in a small town a year ago, and one of my ASM is talking about starting a Venture crew, is daugter is very much a outdoor person and there is nother her for her to get involved in. I have to say that I support it and would like it to be part of the troop relations as it were. Many of the boys in my troop are involved in sports, band ect. that they enjoy that do not offer the values of scouting and infact I have seen some of the sporting events that are not what I would call sportsman like (bad Sports as it were). I believe that a boy can be in multiple units and that it not only double the fun but twice the chance of learning new skills and values. The only problem I could see, that would have to be delt with on a case by case basis is if a boy was not working one program or the other while registered for both. I would also like to add that the benefits of the ineraction of a co-ed unit, while very challanging, is something that can be of great benefit as the boys at this age are often takeing jobs and forming relationships with there female counterparts and if done with the scout system it is more likely to be healthier. Scouting is a program for boys, and they need to choose what they want, for some what the troop has is enough, for others it maybe not be, and for another it is to much to fast, the more choises we can offer the more we will reach. My bottom line is: Keep it simple and keep it FUN! Sorry had to screem.

I use a form that I found on a web site, sorry dont remember the site, but it is a Scout law servay that is available to the scouts when they set up the SM conferance. It askes for examples of how they have demostrated each point of the scout law. The form is brought with them to the SMC and we go over it together, if the scout has a hard time comming up with one of the points, I try to ask open ended questions to get them thinking. But the point is that they know what they are doing and are the ones that have to live with their choices. This is a small community and I do know when things go the wrong direction, and or had parents ask for help, and do address issues in the process of going over this survay, but I try to leave this meeting with the boy thinking about the good things that he has done, Concentrate on the positive. I am a firm believer in: Keep it simple and Keep it fun! Lets face it be told that you are doing wrong is not fun, but if you can show them that they can do the right thing and have fun doing it they will come.

I am a SM of a troop much like yours that started a year ago with 7 (11 year olds) and have had a hard time of keeping them focused and on task in both the PLC and Patrol meetings. I tend to remind them of all the resources they have form there scout handbook to resource giudes to adults they can ask questions of and then ask one or two open ended questions for them to discuss, such as what requirments do most of you need to work on?, what do you want to do? I then return to the shadows and observe with only an occational word "Focus".

First of all let me say good day to all. I have to step in here and say a few words. First of all I would say that reading though the tread, that I would encourage every adault (male and female) to support and talk about the unit as much as possible, and talk to the boys about doing the same, most new scouts join because of there friends. I served as a den leader in a pack in a rather small town. I was one of only two males in this unit (CM and myself), but this was the largest pack in the town. Last year the boys in my Webelos den crossed over to Boy Scouts and do to the fact that most of the boys were from sigle parent families (mothers) and the attitues they got form the leaders of the troop that they started in (Boy scouts is not a mommy organization), I was asked to start a new troop, and did. Myself as Scoutmaster,the Assistant Scoutmaster, and one committee member are the only males in the unit, and a mater of fact even on our outings, we almost always have at least one female leaders join in the fun. We all have the same goal to offer a quality program to the boys. we all have differnt points of view and interest that afford the boys more chances for growth. As for those that make rude comments, I would just say that you can not make every one happy, and that there are those out there that are just looking to get a reaction and that if they are saying this type of thing that chances are they would not support the scouting program (Oath, law etc.) no matter who the leaders are. Keep up the good work and remember to: keep it simple and keep it fun.