5yearscouter

You do need to touch base with your pack committee chair about what the pack rules for popcorn profit are. talk to them about what that % is earmarked for in the budget--it may cover the cost of all the awards and then not be enough to cover more than that. And talk about incentives. You may not have a budget to work with to award anything else over top of what the council provides. also check how the dates for popcorn sales fit into the pack calendar(calendar for next year may not be completed yet). it makes no sense to work so hard for show and sell if it falls on the weekends of the pack campout or other big event for your pack. so you need to make sure the dates fit. I do agree that pushing popcorn when you are first recruiting is incredibly hard to do. the new guys don't get it. the only way we can snag them to sell popcorn if we remind them that we are only charging this much but things cost more than that, so the more you sell the less you have to pay out of your own pocket. Last year's popcorn kernel signed up for weird locations for show and sell, and then pushed it at the August pack meeting even though sales are really only the month of October. and it was hit or miss. It's the first year in 5+ years where we didn't meet our goal. Our goal is last year's sales plus another 1%, not a huge increase each year, but the number of scouts we have each year has always increased. Usually they've added 5-10% to our sales, last year we were down I think 15% from the prioe year--could be the economy but I think pushing popcorn for 3 months also accounted for a lot of that drop. Our sales run like this, we tell council how much show and sell order popcorn we want by Sept 15, it comes in by the end of sept. in that time frame, we can sign up to sell at certain stores that council has pre-arranged, or we can find our own stores. the month of October is when the take order forms go home(or are supposed to go home), and we have store sales during the month of October, as well as boys can take orders with their families. Orders are due back to the pack end of October. set a very very very firm date to turn in your sales sheets AND MONEY. we collect money when you do the take order sales, otherwie people don't have the $ when you go back to deliver right before the hoidays. then call everyone that didn't turn it in even if you aren't sure if they sold. Then go to their house to pick it up if you have to. otherwise you get people showing up after you turned in your sales number and they sold stuff you don't have extras of--and people are wanting their product. What we don't use for show and sell can be used to fill take order sales, and then we order what we still need by the 1st of November ish. that popcorn comes in mid November and we go deliver the popcorn. We can return up to 1 case of each kind of product to our council, but not more. We pay everything we owe by the first week of December. Prizes are ordered in November and they are gift cards, plus some kind of shooter if you sell over $600. Online sales are open year round for us. My kids send out an email to friends and family usually in September, occassionally again right before the holidays for people to buy last minute gifts (cheaper than the Harry and David specialty popcorns). They usually sell a couple hundred dollars of popcorn that way or a few donations to the troops. We get regular profit % and it mysteriously shows up in our council unit account a couple times of year like an unexpected bonus. Make a spreadsheet for type of popcorn at the top and names on the side and see if you can get it to add up automatically. or ask another pack they probably have one already done(or the district popcorn chair may). test it to make sure it added right, one year ours missed a whole den of boy's popcorn orders (each den had a tab to total onto the main pack page and one den didn't transfer). Caught it before sales closed though. On the spreadsheet, every kid gets a row for take order and a row for show and sales. you can combine them for prizes after you are sure everything especially money balances. If you order a small amount of popcorn, don't check popcorn out to the parents. I find when you are first starting this it's better to set up a booth at a store and have kids sign up for times to work(with their parents), assign den leaders certain times if you can't be there the whole time. Otherwise you find you checked out popcorn to a kid who didn't show and then run out of popcorn. then he brings it back to you unsold and you could have used that popcorn at the store. If you want to make sure each time slot has popcorn available, you could divide your popcorn up and mark each box with the time that it's supposed to be sold at, but that seems like a bit of trouble. besides depending on where you are, certain times are going to sell way more popcorn than other times. Pass out the popcorn sales sheets with an envelope attached if they don't provide you with envelopes. oh, probably want to avoid the thing that hooks to your iphone to allow people to charge their popcorn to their credit card at least for your first year.

We order less popcorn for show and sell than what we sold for take orders. concentrating on the cheapest $10 popcorn, a case or so of microwave popcorn, and the cheese popcorn 3 pack for $30 is individually labelled bags inside so we could sell each one for $10 to have some variety. so if we sold 20 cases of the cheapest popcorn for the take orders last year, we might buy 20 cases for show and sell--knowing what we don't sell in front of the stores, we can use to fill the take order sales. note the first year we did the show and sell, our take order #'s went down considerably, because everyone figured they'd spent time in front of the grocery stores, so they didn't want to go ask people to buy on the take order form. as for prizes at the pack level. you could get the gift cards and spend them buying prizes that are more tangible. buy even little kids know what gift cards are nowadays it seems, cause that's what they get for their birthdays mostly. we do take 1% of our sales(or less) and go hit walmart. We buy camping type stuff, mess kit, small pocket knife, spork, flashlight, lantern, camp chair, throw in a few big candy bars and some smaller candy bars, whatever you can find that you think would appeal to the kids. Then everyone who sells popcorn regardless of amount gets one ticket with their name on it. everyone who sells $100 in popcorn, gets another ticket. $200 another ticket. etc. then we draw names. once you've won, you can't win again. sometimes there are enough prizes where everyone ends up getting something. you can do it where everyone chooses their prizes from the table, or you can hide the prizes in gift bags so you never know what you will get. some people throw a pizza party or the top selling kids--kids get a lot of pizza parties though. some pick up some mcdonald's meal ticket/gift cards some let the kids throw a whipped creme pie at the cubmaster for each $100 they sell or whatever. we also started the first year giving 5% of the sales go toward the kid's summer camp.(scout account) then 10% of the sales, and we are now at 15% IF we make our sales goal. last year we didn't make our sales goal due to lack of advertising like your pack did due to new management. So we went down to 10%.

So far we have June calendar planning, trying to find a place to do it so we can have a bbq or pot luck meal to get more parents to want to come. day camp, all but 2 scouts in the pack are attending. wish those 2 would go as well! a week after day camp we'll have water wars, bring a 24 pack of bottled water, and your water guns, super soakers, and water balloons and have a water war. then donate the bottled water to the homeless shelter. July more people seem to go on vacation so far we only have planned AZ science center group rate $6 for admission $2 for planetarium, regularly $14 for admission and $8 for planetarium We usually have more people come to do this than almost anything else in the whole year. This lasts from 10-5 and we eat lunch together. We may do a prep for the new school year leader meeting. August we are back to school the 1st week of August, so we'll have roundup and an August pack meeting. We have to decide between Polar Ice or do something where we build and race something (some years it's raingutter regatta, train races, rubber band boats, we haven't done a space derby in a while).

Alton brown has a whole cooking show on Good Eats about the box fan dehydrating system.

yeah you always got the cup of noodles to fall back on. They were on sale for 27 cents at the grocery store, so it's pretty hard to justify buying the dehydrated meals at $5-10 each and they aren't all that much tastier. I think it's the walmart or maybe kroger brand instant oatmeal that comes in a foil packet so you can just add hot water and eat. add in some dried fruit and the oatmeal gets a hearty boost. last backpacking trip my boys went together, so they took a miniature frying pan, froze up some eggs in a water bottle to make scrambled eggs and toast the first morning with some shelf stable bacon and everyone was envious. instant mashed potatoes, jerky and gravy just add water mix makes a reasonable meal if ou get your proportions right. freezing your meat and wrapping in foil and putting in a lightweight soft sided mini ice chest adds a lot of options but you need to know your environment and be able to keep the food at the right temperature. mine also love the asian style peanut thai noodles that are just add boiling water, and stir in extra peanut butter for extra protein and calories. presquished peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are also a good stand by, or put on a raisin bagel so they hold their shape better. foil pouched tuna or salmon, with the mayo and relish packets from the target food court.

Sometimes all it takes to take the wind out of the sales of a prank is to tell the younger scouts to expect something, that the older guys may want to play a trick on them and try to scare them, but that you'll be watching out for them and it will be ok. make sure they all have GOOD flashlights or tent battery powered lights, that they each have a buddy in their tent or 3 to a tent at first if they are newbie/scared. And then tell the older boys that you told the new guys to expect a prank, but you know they aren't that mean to try to scare the new guys on their first campout. And suggest that the old guys think of what they could do if the new guys get scared and need a "big brother" type to check on them. Remind them that they were once the new guys.

September is too late for us to do recruiting. The first day of school is slated for August 6th, and if we wait til Sept everyone will already be signed up for sports instead. So we have to send home flyers the first week of school, roundup either Aug 10th or 17th, although we have done the Weds in between but turnout is usually less even though that is the day of the week we meet. Recruiting is usually games and activities and get out the info about scouting. lots of paperwork, collect payments. One year we did it as a roundup theme, with roping a cow head, milking a cow(rubber gloves stapled under a saw horse), and some ride a stick horse foot races. then we have Weds den meetings in August where we try to make sure every den is working on bobcat requirements, and usually we make something. raingutter regatta boats (cheap ones homemade or oriental trading co, not the scout shop ones), wooden trains (cheap ones from making friends last time we did it, they race in the MIDDLE of our wooden pinewood derby track). a stomp bottle rocket contest would be great, we keep meaning to do it but haven't done it yet as a pack only at day camp. Then an August pack meeting where we'll perhaps have a few bobcats given out often for boys who joined over the summer, or older boys who got the bobcat req in august. and a few other awards like traveler if the webelos worked on it over the summer. and then we hold the raingutter regatta race or train race or whatever. Getting the calender going with some new ideas we try to get accomplished in June, with a review at a parent meeting in Aug or Sept where we recruit more parent help for events.

This keeps falling off the facebook or gets hidden or deleted when it gets too many negative comments I think. the big questions are these rules or guidelines do they apply to all of scouting, cubs, boy scouts, advancement, merit badges, do they apply to service projects troop wide, or for/with community groups, or just to eagle projects. I think some of the rules are absolute hogwash and reminds of the other post here "when the rules become the joke."

The funnest part I'm sooo looking forward to is the input of everyone's vehicle information. We have over 60 scouts, and that means 120 parents. During the course of the year, parents kind of share and rotate who drives, so just about everyone's information needs to be entered and clicked each time I guess. It takes more than just SM and ASM to transport everyone--well if each ASM was chosen only based on how large their vehicle is maybe, but they mostly have 3 passenger vehicles which is no help when we have a big turnout for a troop campout. don't ask about patrol campouts, this troop is big on troop outings, and little on patrol outings except my sons' patrols.

We have a local explorer post that does ham radio and electronics. They set up at the annual ScoutORama scout fair and get a lot of participants. and they will come out to almost any camporee if asked far enough in advance and work on ham radio and radio merit badge in addition to some electronics or electricity merit badge stuff. You may get the whole badges done there but not usually complete. That's where my husband and oldest got interested in Ham radio so they are dual registered in a troop and the explorer post.

oldest has turned into the jolly green giant, totally outgrowing his backpacking backpack, and he's going to Philmont in June. so we spent some time at REI trying on backpacks and checking out prices and brands. Then went to the scout shop, which had the brand and size he wanted and bought the backpack with no taxes and it was already about 10% less cost. I NEVER thought I'd find the scout shop having that good of prices on good quality stuff.

Be prepared for the Zombie Apocalypse!

http://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2012/05/01/check-the-bsas-tool-use-policy-before-your-next-service-project/comment-page-1/#comment-6583 Bryan was trying to answer questions. wonder how that's going to go for him?

Guess I'd have to register for Facebook to post a dislike over there. almost worthwhile. almost. I believe that it is not a good practice to compare the youth rules of a youth organization with the youth rules for a place such as habitat for humanity, which is an adult service organization, with the primary volunteers not youth, and no adults trained or experienced with overseeing youth. To compare the two organizations negates the fact that our primary focus as adults in a youth organiztion such as Boy Scout of America is work with youth to ensure their health and safety. I have spent many a community service project watching out for our youth while they work instead of working much myself. Youth and exuberance can work circles around me, while I keep the clear head to steer away from safety issues. Accidents happen, and these rules are not going to decrease the number of accidents in my honest opinion.

Oak tree made this nice list in the other thread: Hypothetical examples given by RichardB as a argument for why we need these rules: Re-roof the church steeple 24 foot ladder to scrape the lead paint off the light poles in the playground Clean gutters on the homes of the elderly in town as a fundraiser. Using a hand cart to move stacks of boxes off a semi trailer Floating air pumps and hoses used while diving a few feet Using a scaffold to go to the ceiling so he can change the lights. Digging into a gas line Having a roof collapse Dealing with asbestos Getting a smashed finger from loading something. Actual things banned by the form: Pickaxe Mattock Posthole digger Wheel cart (1-, 2-, or 4-wheeled) Paint roller with extension pole Screwdriver (electric) Handheld sander (small) Cutting tools (e.g., Dremel, small) Paint sprayer Residential lawn mower Line trimmer edger Leaf-blower hedge trimmer belt sander pressure washer How do these lists have anything whatsoever to do with each other?" I'd really like an answer, cause I think that list really contributes to the disconnect between RichardB's statements and our understanding. It's kind of like comparing apples and swingsets. does not compute. I also wonder what exactly is sooooo dangerous about cleaning out leaves from gutters? People do it every year. Sure someone falls off a ladder or off a roof, but that's usually when you have one lone homeowner up there with nobody to hold the ladder for them and they are trying to do it all by themselves. But is it inherently seriously oh so dangerous of an activity?

I agree that the eagle candidate needs to get the right people with the right tools to get the job done, and OFTEN they do show leadership over the adults who are there to do the dangerous jobs. In that theme, I see nothing wrong with how things work right now. I do see a LOT wrong with the list of tools banned for use by scouts in RichardB's document. I do not believe the tools listed as requiring only those over 18 to use them, are a list of tools that only those over 18 can properly use. The tools are not the issue as much as the use or misuse of the tools that anyone of any age is capable of doing. if a wheelbarrow is loaded improperly for a scout to use it, it is going to be loaded improperly for an adult to use it. if the wheelbarrow is being used to improperly unload materials from a trailer and the scout is squished by the wheelbarrow, then the same thing is likely to occur when adult tries it. Being older does not equal being wiser. In the instance of having the adults cut down the trees and the scouts clear the trees, the scouts cannot use a wheelbarrow or cart of any kind ot transport the tree parts or pieces. That is a rediculous limitation based on a poor evaluation of the risks of wheelbarrow use. Richard B carefully ignored the statement that Wolves are allowed and encouraged to use wheelbarrows, but boy scouts can't.

And to annoyingly post 3 times in a row.... The church steeple was addressed in the other thread this was spun from. Those who approve eagle projects should have enough experience in these kinds of things to know that. Heck I'd prefer to have constructin projects need a quick check by someone in the construction industry, or a set of questions the eagle candidate must answer/research if they are doing a construction project if that is deemed such an unsafe area of responsbiliity. That would include questions of what is necesssary to determine lead paint, asbestos insulation, unsafe angles of elevation/roofing jobs, and a lot of other issues such as requiring them to get the electrical/gas lines marked by the blue stake people before digging holes. In that instance, it wouldn't matter if it were a 11 or 21 year old that hits an electrical or gas line with a post hole digger, would it? adults aren't any better at finding hidden utility lines, and they are certainly more apt to think if they hit a root to just stomp harder on the shovel to force it thru the material than a younger scout who would give up and go ask what to do about this big root I hit that is really a power line underground. If falling off a trailer with a wheel cart is an issue for a 12-14 year old, it's going to be just as dangerous for a 16 or 18 year old. So a bit of question of safe loading and unloading of project materials should be done. of course, I know some of this ends up being the full paperwork certain councils or districts required that turned eagle projects into horrible cases of paperwork overload for scouts. so basically the changes to the new eagle project workbook, simplifying the requirements, scared the risk safety people and their reply to the "easier" workbook is to just make a bunch of other rules??? I know scouts can find adults with superior knowledge to guide them on construction projects for electrical and plumbing and skilled trades. They may be unable in many areas to find adults with such knowledge to come out and do all the grunt work with post hole diggers and wheelbarrows.

The first thing is if these tool safety rules apply to scouting in only certain instances, that has to be spelled out. Richard B points to his statements in letters to the editor of boy's life http://scoutingmagazine.org/contact/letters-to-the-editor-about-our-november-december-2011-issue/ as evidence that the rules do not apply to merit badges? if so, that should be expressly spelled out. Do the rules apply to eagle projects only (scout led with minimal adult leadership, but most of the time a LOT of adult supervision to improve safety) or other community service projects done by packs and troops (usually with a lot of adult leadership and supervision both, especially with varying age scouts). A simple statement that for use of xyz tools a certified professional in those areas should be on hand to ensure safety could help, but I'll honestly say in my experience, if a scout is using a tool in their eagle project, they usually have such a person on hand at least in the planning process to ensure safe procedures are followed. If these tools can be used for a merit badge, then it must say that. and if a scout has obtained said merit badge to show proficiency with a certain tool, they MAYBE should be able to use said tool in a service project (or eagle project)

Richard B writes, and asks: "Some hypothetical illustrations and hopefully they will help expand the "I do not see how that's dangerous" box several are trapped in. And why did Timmy select a re-roof of the church steeple? Why does Johnny need the 24 foot ladder? To scrape the lead paint off the light poles in the playground before he paints them of course. We want to clean gutters on the homes of the elderly in town as a fundraiser. Don't know why he fell off the semi trailer moving stacks of those boxes (it was just with a hand cart). Falling off the wagon is for another day. But we have those floating air pumps and hoses, it's not like they have to dive more than a few feet to do the work. The scaffold will go to the ceiling so he can change the lights. We didn't know the gas line was there. Not sure why the roof collapsed on them. What does asbestos look like? How is Little Eagle doing? How did his finger get smashed? "They think the finger will stay on, but he wasn't operating - he was just loading it...." So more questions: As to the calls for another training, videos, etc. so do we grow our own qualified construction personnel and make every service project a vocational training program? Perhaps create a framework to vet qualified supervision for project oversight? SRC a new acronym for the service project counselor was born today on Scouter.com! Mandate OSHA 10 or 30 hour style course? Require written hazard communication programs (have you collected the MSDS that meets the new GHS for that oak plank? A degree in industrial arts and teaching certificate required to be a counselor? As in schools. Do you see development of said course as strategic to the mission of the organization? How would YOU scope that? " How to deal with these kinds of things in a constructive manner? The best advice I have is that BSA(or the govt) shouldn't make a rule/law based on one incident or type of incident without really understanding the full ramifications of the rule/law, especially the unintended consequences. What do you think could be done to limit the above hazardous things, while still providing the scouts the opportunity to use such hazardous tools as wheelbarrows? saying "more training" needs more specifics, or it will never satisfy the likes of Richard B.

RichardB, If this tool list ONLY applies to Eagle projects, then we'll end up with Eagle projects where ONLY adults can work them. This is supposed to be a YOUTH organization, not an organization where youth have to go recruit adults from outside the organization to work their projects. This is supposed to be youth leadership opportunities, and community service, and to exclude the youth from using SIMPLE tools on these projects is absurd. If this tool list applies to youth in all activities, then scouts doing all those hundreds of thousands of hours of community service hours for our country will stop. As I said before, there is nothing inherent in the physical or mental abilities between a 13 year old and 14 year old scout that will magically make using a wheelbarrow or pulling a 4 wheeled wagon all of a sudden safer. Will you address any of the questions asking for the reason why a boy scout cannot use a wheelbarrow, when wolf scouts age approximately 7 are using wheelbarrows?? It is illogical!

I have a question for the original poster. what does your scout book say are the requirements for eagle POR? If your scoutmaster and your book both said that the assigned by scoutmaster alternative position could count for eagle, then I say 1. your troop needs to realize that you can't use the requirements in a book that is 7+ years old. 2. you might have a leg to stand on in an appeal. if your book doesn't say that, the book you've been carrying around for 7+ years and should have read at least a couple times in there somewhere, then I think you can appeal but you probably won't win. I see a lot of troops not realizing that requirements have changed and boys need to start their next rank with the new requirements.

Sure there is something to be said for male role models, there is also something to be said for female role models. A young man at the ages of our boy scouts may not have seen women in very many other positions in life outside of mothers, teachers, nurses, service industry workers. They may have to rethink some of their gender steriotypes when they see a female adult leader hold their own in service projects physical labor, hiking long trails, camping in all manners of locations and weather (and yes, you don't have to have a blow up mattress, cot and a tent), show good scout skills (my favorite, starting a campfire in the pouring rain when nobody else can) and leadership. To learn how to interact with an adult female in a position as ASM is totally different than following the directions of your teacher or mother. they should act as a guide and mentor rather than a authoritative director. These young men have never worked with a female adult in that kind of situation, and it is a life skill that may serve them well you should re-read the Mission statement of the Boy Scouts of America: "The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law." Vision Statement: "The Boy Scouts of America will prepare every eligible youth in America to become a responsible, participating citizen and leader who is guided by the Scout Oath and Law." How bout the methods? Patrol Method Ideals Outdoor programs Advancement Association with adults Personal growth Leadership development Uniform nope, none of those say only men can help the scouts learn and do those things. Boy led doesn't negate adult leadership. There is certainly enough paperwork to go around. And the idea that a female ASM would so negatively effect the troop that the troop would be better off not existing sounds totally past the point of what is best for the boys, off into a bit of a sexist statement that no woman could ever be a good scout leader. As for there being soooo many adults who really want to be leaders in the troop, sign em up. having more registered adults doesn't mean all of them have to go on every campout and get in the boy's hair. But it ensures they are covered by bsa insurance programs, they will become more knowledgeable about the program because they will obviously take the mandatory training, and they allow for less adult leader burnout which becomes a much bigger deal as our boys get older and we've all been doing this for a while. Also keep in mind, that while this all seems soo important when you hyper focus on one part of the program, in this instance, female leadership, but you need to focus on the big picture. Will a campout be ruined because you allow a woman to be ASM--doubtful. if something that occurs is unacceptable, you address that part. But it sounds like you guys would be totally unwelcoming if an adult female were to come on one of your all boy outings, and that is a reason if I were a parent in the troop, I'd want to go on your outing. cause those who protest so loudly about no women as direct contact leaders of the boy youth, often are being sexist in more than just that one area--and I don't think any boys become better men if they are taught, at least subtly that women are not capable of being good direct contact leaders in BSA for our youth, of teaching scout skills, helping with citizenship, or pushing our boys to become better and more ethical adults. I see that as something all adults in the unit can work on together with the youth, regardless of gender. If the COR wants an adult female ASM there is a reason. Finding out the reason is important. it could be because the parents aren't so happy with your all male leadership roles. it could be that the female possible ASM is best buddies with the COR. either way, you don't get to make that decision. And what does it say to the boys if you walk out on their scouting because of a little ole woman. What can be so incredibly scary about adding a woman to your leadership ranks? Or is it that women are only so good enough to be paperwork and support, but not lead in any real way? now Ive been a bit inflammatory in this post, and I apologize if that is unscoutlike. maybe it's because you touched a nerve and my feelings are hurt, saying that there is no way I could ever raise a good young man since I'm a woman certainly isn't so nice on your part. perhaps you should go up to the mothers of the boys without fathers in your troop and tell their mothers that phrase. wanna see how long those boys will stay in your troop if the mothers think you really feel that way?

It's an interesting idea that it takes real men to raise real men. I guess there isn't enough testosterone around when women enter the picture or they can't all scratch their butts and fart orsomething? In prior centuries it was certainly mother's work to raise up fine young gentlemen, fatherly influence came about with a belt for younger lads and once old enough to start working along side dad in doing hard physical labor on the farm, but only once old enough to wear long pants and hold their own. Somehow or other women were able to raise up young men who could enter the workforce and raise their own families by the time they were 15 or 16. In recent history, with dads becoming more involved in their children's lives, it's likely to see young men unable to leave the nest until they are well into their 20's, and I certainly don't think that's because moms are the ones babying them so much. I spend most of my time in troop meetings explaining to moms and DADS why their son is perfectly capable of doing xyz all by themselves, that mom or DAD don't have to go on every campout to hold their kid's hand, that yes, it is your son's responsibility to do the stuff in his book, it's not up to mom or DAD to open the book and talk him thru it step by step. When they balk, I point to my sons, who have a reputation in the troop of being highly capable, highly self sufficient young men, who certainly aren't tied to their mother's apron. When the parents balk, I remind them that I am a mom too, and that I KNOW my kid is capable. Never do for a scout what you can teach them to do for themselves. And I know their kid is capable too, he just has to be given the chance. In committee meetings I remind other leaders and the scoutmaster frequently that the boys can take permission slips, money, make reservations, plan how many drivers they need and all of that. I push back on the hover parents, moms and DADS and SMs and ASMs even. It doesn't work as well as I would like, some seem to think my boys are an anomaly, not seeing the idea that if they push their boys, and don't baby them so much, their children are certainly as capable as mine are. Sure they'll mess up, but we all do, hopefully when younger and the problem is smaller. I unwind the apron strings over and over again until they finally, hopefully stay that way. I'm just a mom as membership chair for my troop. But I expect more of the boys than our SM or AS's do. The gasps in the room when I say out loud that we take too many adults on campouts. the gasps when I say we don't need 20 adults to go to summer camp to take 30 boys to camp. And that no adult needs to be helping the boys pack their bags or put up their tents. be careful painting female adult leaders with the same brush. and be careful with thinking that it only takes men to raise men. none of you would be here without women, and I don't mean just for the eggs and the womb.

A friend of mine and their daughter were in the original trials for the peanut treatment mentioned in that link. at first they started with microscopic particles of peanut, smaller than what you'd get as a residue on a table after eating peanut butter sandwich. They worked up very very very slowly from there, so now their daughter can eat peanut butter sandwiches but she doesnt' really like them. She has to eat something with peanuts every day in order to keep from having a reaction, which is interesting, because I also know some small kids with peanut reactions that seem to crave the peanuts, so there may be something in the immune system telling them to keep the exposure level constant to avoid worsening symptoms somehow. We have a peanut allergic scout in our troop. He does have an epipen, he hasn't had any recent reactions and he's 12. He and his family are getting a bit non-chalant about it, hard to explain why I get that feeling, but like well if he has a rection we have an epi pen so we aren't goin to make sure everyone knows of the allergy or ask for an allergy free troop, even though I know they made the pack they came from be completely nut free for their kid. I'm not sure if they think he's old enough to handle it, or if they think he's outgrowing it, or something else. For the most part, the scout only eats things his parents bring. seems not just because of peanuts but because his parents like to go on most of his outings and they bring his favorite food, and even if his patrol is peanut free, the food his parents brought is always better. There is another scout in the patrol whose mom is peanut allergic, so that scout brought food for the patrol campout before last and it was difficult to get the scout to eat with his patrol. Last weekend's campout the scout who bought food promised to read all labels and they remove peanut butter and jelly from the menu even though they thought maybe they'd just change to sunbutter and jelly. so the scout ate with them on that campout a little bit. He may not trust anyone else, I understand that. But I know when we have food at courts of honor, there is always something with peanuts, often peanut butter cookies or fudge. Because the parents don't want to make a big deal out of it, and the committee and scoutmaster doesn't see the need I guess. It seems like an accident waiting for a place to happen.

Yeah those darned wolves get to use wheelbarrows but the boy scouts don't? that makes no logical sense.