yelruh

The only time that there is a time limit is when national changes the requirements, and decrees that you only can use the old requirements until a certain date. They do not do this very often. Usually if a boy starts with a set of requirements, he can finish with them. If they change in the mean time he can choose to use the old ones, or start over with the new ones. MB's like rifle and lifesaving can take two summer camps to earn. He still has an open shotgun, which I don't think he'll ever get enough "good" targets to finish.

Our neighborhood has so many Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and Band members that it's hard to get many sales. Our kids only tried once, because of the "I have a scout", "my nephew is a scout" or "I bought from...." Our troop did a lot of show and sells, and each boy and a parent had to do a certain number, they could do more. We had a lot of older (non-cute) scouts and so sales weren't very good, especially as time went on. This past year the boys voted to not do popcorn sales because it wasn't a big fund raiser for us. We've done others that were less work, for more money. I would have gladly written a check, because my son hated popcorn sales. He did fine with flower sales, and gift wrapping for donations. Asking people to buy popcorn wasn't comfortable for him, mostly because people weren't interested in buying it, but he did it anyway for the troop.

Since this thread started last summer, it would be interesting to know if troops made more guidelines for cellphone use before camp this summer. My son doesn't have a cellphone but my husband an ASM does. Personally, I don't see a problem with a boy taking a cellphone. It's in using it that can be a problem. Spending time in your tent playing games or talking to your girlfriend is not what you came to camp for. Calling your parents and getting homesick isn't great either. I you think about it, it's sort of like a whistle. A whistle is a fine short range emergency tool, but annoying if someone uses it all the time for fun. Actually I'm glad my husband and others had cellphones this summer, we had a massive storm when they were at camp, and many of those left at home were without power for days. The adults in camp were able to handle somethings more easily because they were able to brainstorm solutions among themselves. Cellphone coverage at the camp we went to isn't great, and not at all at their campsite. It's weird but some of the best areas of coverage are in some of the most public areas. The camp staff know all the good spots!

Did you leave out Horseshoe, Ware and Okinikon (sp) because you know about them already? All three are in Pennsylvania, well Horseshoe actually slides into Maryland if you use the pool. Okinikon is almost into NJ, but the food in the dining hall is great, and it's air conditioned, they also have a pretty good science program. The rifle range is a hike. They do some different MB's like Horsemanship.

I wonder what the new reguirement for First Class will do to recruiting? A scout is suppose to introduce Boy Scouting to a boy who is able to become a Boy Scout. There is the "recruiter" patch, but this change in First Class doesn't say join, it says introduce.

Didn't I see an old picture with Merit Badges sewn on the sleeve? My son "lost" his MB sash, and I had to resew and rebuy all the patches. Now he's off to summer camp, and hopefully I'll have even more to sew on after the next COH. He can sew, I LIKE to sew, and this way I'm doing a part in supporting him.

He sounds like a real problem. What training does he have, and do you think doing some would change his attitude? Unfortunately sometimes no matter how much training someone has, the real person slips through.

My spouse was an ASM, was there for all meetings, and most camping trips, and took a week off from work to go to scout camp. I think that's a little more involved than just a parent, critizing the SM. He felt he was part of the team, and could talk about things that didn't make sense, like the life project, without being kicked out of the troop. He was never asked to take over as SM, but since we are both fully trained (IOLST) that certainly would have been an option.

I think National BSA has to make a decision about "Life Projects", and do it quickly. I, my spouse and my two sons, just got removed from a troop partially because we started asking questions about a life project, looking into why we couldn't do just the requirements, and no more. I never knew it could be such a hot button. Our former troop doesn't make any information available anywhere, on the "Life project". The boy has to ask the SM for it, often repeatedly if the SM doesn't want the scout to advance. Mine was one the SM obviously didn't want to advance. We've supported this SM for 2 1/2 years, even over a nasty split, where the SM was removed by the Chartered Organization, and a new troop was started. Turns out the previous Troop was 100% correct. This SM is magnificent at being able to spin stuff, and we were blind. We are so sorry now. I'm afraid the SM has been trying to convince the local council that we are a pain in the neck, overprotective parents, who don't want their son to do any work, and complain about things so that people will just give in to us, so we will go away. So, the local council is looking into it, but I have a feeling they think it is just "personality" differences again. The biggest problem is Council has a new staff person in charge of this who wasn't around last year, and I don't think he has the full story from last year. In fact my family can work with the SM, even if we disagree with the SM. It's the other way around, the SM & ASM don't want us asking questions or calling them on anything, they want to keep everything in the troop, and don't go asking questions! My spouse and I are both fully trained, and have years of scouting expereince, my spouse was an ASM until he was removed, two weeks before we were removed from the troop. So who can we contact at a regional or national level who can help us? This SM removes boys and parents from the troop without ever thinking about the effect on their scouting career, just what the SM wants to do. So school is out, most troops aren't meeting often, my son isn't going to summer camp and he is in limbo. There is no lone scout program in our council, which the SM was so nice to point out, as a parting shot. I also forgot, the SM has "lost" several of his blue cards for eagle required merit badges.

A woman I know sometimes wears three eagle parent pins on her business suit label. One for each of her sons. That makes a big statement with anyone who knows what they are. Cost they are only $1.25, except for life which is $3.65 because it has the red stuff on it.

Our son's last troop gave out parents pins (mother's pins). This one doesn't, I thought it was because they weren't available, or no longer used. But I was just at the scout shop, and someone was buying them for their COH. I think they are a nice idea, they involve the parents in the rank advancement, and make it a bigger deal for everyone, especially younger scouts. If your troop does it, would you consider stopping? If your troop doesn't, was there a discussion, and what were some of the reasons to not do it?