Bloop

Maybe I'm missing the heart of this question. But why would a cabin trip need to "count" to be valuable? Have you seen it "counting" in the forums or only mentioned as a trip that happened. Huddling together in a cold smelly cabin is hugely rewarding in building community in troop and patrol. It certainly "counts" for "being active" for unit. Logistically it's harder to implement in BSA than for girls in GS or AHG and thus it's rare for my BSA troop. But it's wonderful for when they're losing their sense of belonging.

Has anyone else found that the merit badge program is great for introducing concepts but neglects boys with any expertise? I discovered this during a BoR for Eagle. This wonderful young man was competing and placing in sailing at a state level and had even gone to national competition. But when he wanted to earn the badge, the ONE counselor in a 50 mile radius said he couldn't work with him unless he had *witnessed* him sailing. That the boy should come to camp XYZ. In the end, he could never earn this badge when plenty of boys do with far lesser skills and knowledge. I've found this occuring with Music and Theatre. It is difficult to get "credit" for accomplishments that boys earn out of Scouting. It's as if it didn't happen at a merit badge factory, it didn't happen. For me, as a very ironic counselor for Personal Fitness, I find it almost embarrassing to micromanage accomplished athletes. But I try to focus on their goals and training rather than being pigeon held by the sit and reach.

Thank you! You're right. I would have lost them in the first sentence if I invented new points of the Law. Among the points of our Scout Law, we pledge to be Brave, Courteous and Kind. In our Oath we promise to help other people at all times. We all come from different backgrounds but we as scouts all believe in the same Oath and Law. If we follow that, our compass will always point us in the right direction. Scouts need to be Brave by standing up against bullying, but that isn’t easy.

Thanks to Mash, and a site for teens on bullying, here's my SM Minute for tonight. I welcome suggestions. Among the points of our *Scout LAW* we pledge to be Respectful and Brave. Courteous and Kind. A scout should always be respectful of others. We all come from different backgrounds but we as scouts all believe in the same Law and Oath. If we follow that, our compass will always point us in the right direction. Scouts need to be Brave by standing up against bullying, but that isn’t easy. Whenever there’s a terrible case of bullying in the news, people wonder, “How could this happen?†and “Why didn’t anyone come forward earlier to stop this?†"How did it get so bad" There are no easy answers to these questions. Some people say nothing out of fear—because they don’t want to be the next target. Here are a few other ideas of how folks can to turn a blind eye to bullying. Belief 1: “Everyone one else is okay with this. I’ll be weird if I don’t go along with it.†People overestimate how comfortable their peers are with bad behavior. Psychologists call this pluralistic ignorance. People go along with what they think everyone else thinks is okay. We can end up uncomfortably laughing at a creepy joke. We can end up with everyone doing something that no one really wants to do. Belief 2: “It’s not my job to stop this bullying.†Psychologists call it diffusion of responsibility, when everyone assumes that someone else will intervene. We know from first aid training that the bigger the group of bystanders, the less likely people to help someone in need. We know someone needs to take action. Either by speaking up directly or informing responsible authorities— deciding to take action is key to stopping bullying. Belief 3: “This doesn’t count as bullying.†Rationalizations are things we say to ourselves to excuse bad behavior. They could include comments such as: “I survived it, so it’s not that bad.†“He deserves it, because he’s weird or annoying.†“They’re just joking around†These rationalizations don’t excuse cruel behavior. Belief 4: “This bullying too awful to be true.†This is simple denial. Sometimes we just don’t want to believe things that shake our world. We assume that regular people that we know couldn’t be so awful. We assume "My friends/neighbors… would never do that!" Edmund Burke once said: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men should do nothing.†Please be the good that does something.

Was there a question there? Okay here are some. He must join as an ADULT volunteer and complete YPT. Okay. But he wants to participate like a Scout. Can we keep him as adult an let him work on skills though First Class? Like a s.l.o.w. IOLS training?

We have a young man that joined the troop. He was obviously disabled and very excited to "Earn lots of badges and be an Eagle Scout." He lives at home and we *finally* got a hold of his mom after him getting rides to meetings for several weeks. We haven't had a lot of questions answered but his mom says that he's been perseverating about joining Boy Scouts especially since he *graduated* high school. He lied. He filled out the form as a 15yo. He even "forged" his mom's signature by printing it in the same handwriting as the rest of the form. Mom: You're too old for Boy Scouts Son: But I was a Boy Scout Mom: You were 15 then Son: Okay Joined the troop saying he's 15 wearing a very ill-fitting shirt from when he was actually 15.

Really? Like only within meetings? W/o special certifications? I found 5 events in my state alone. Theyre still on the calendar, everywhere. I've

We found a "Lumberjack" weekend. Which has lumberjack themed stations. Kinda like Klondike Derby without Cubs, stations are more challenging. Lots of interest. We found a rocket building challenge. Not scouting, but scout teams could participate. No interest from the boys but the one that suggested it. Also ScubaJam. I don't see this as a competition event at all. But the boys seemed to think so. HUGELY popular w/ my Scouts. And a patrol completion of small water ballon trebuchets and water cannons.

I'm putting together a list of competition events for my Scouts. They're planning the annual calendar this week. I *really* want them to choose one as I think they *need* the team building experience of launching a pumpkin on their trebuchet or Davy Jonesing to the bottom of a lake in their cardboard boat. Boy led and chosen. But adult offered/encouraged. Can you name some events like that? So far I have 2 pumpkin chuckin events, a cardboard boat and a Lumberjack event. State doesn't matter much, because I think such cool events have a version anywhere. Unless it's *very* specific to a facility.

I get frustrated when I feel I've been snowed by a kid or anyone. But my optimism ultimately isn't a character flaw or integrity failure. Both in advancement rules as meschen said and in your own dignity. I don't think you should "renig" your word. If you feel Scout Spirit is a weak area, let him and his SM know as a focus for the next advancement. Think about it. A scout that is less than a model scout got in trouble. He was then "forced" to teach kids about knots. I'm not sure that's something that can really be "forced" unless you also want to punish his students. It sounds like it went well. Well enough for him to take pride. Maybe those kids really learned some knots. That may be all the Spirit he has at this point, hope it seeds more. Pretty much every Scout-led instruction started w/ an adult or SPL asking, "Hey Jimmy, would you..." It may not be an example of initiative but it's still a great stepping stone for leadership.

Other than sleep depravation, hello up at 5 for something or another, camp shouldn't be stressful at all. And yeah, Momma Bear hadn't stayed at camp. She just arrived family night and had been up for "ice cream night." Eagle77, I don't blame anyone for not being sensitive to Grumpysaurus' needs because nobody has a crystal ball. Sensitivity is what adults that KNOW and care about him are for. And we were correcting, sitting out with and guiding him all along. She may not have known his situation any more than the good folk here. But all the more reason to leave discipline to the SM & ASMs that do know him. I really tried to be as objective as possible and tried to see/present him from her (limited) perspective. But honestly, I'm just getting more disgusted. No child deserves her attack and completely innocent boys suffered to witness it as adults were as impotent to stop her as they were. As luck would have it Scout1 was out for our meeting this and next week. Mom and her Scout2 were out doing a scout related thing. Committee decided that we need to pull aside Mom & DadASM w/ a couple neutral (not there) Committee members. Almost a "lets see what she does." We want to see some contrition and willingness for a time out for her. The Eddie Haskel acts of her own "perfect" snowflake may be a part of the convo. Expecting a HUGE blow up and exodus that takes out all 3, but hoping for better. We will have a Scout1 and parent convo. I expect some angsty "everybody picks on me" defensiveness. But getting him to own up to his flaws seems way more likely than getting her to do so. Apologies warranted all around. It started pretty well tonight with the SM & ASMs. And the Senior Patrol. Then everyone was appoligizing for everything ever. Pheonix Rising. Fingers crossed.

I guess any leniency given the boy is due to a long custody situation that just had a dramatic ruling. Again, no major act on his part, just generalized grumpiness and an uncooperative nature. But it seems all the boys know he has "stuff going on at home." I was away one night for an OA event but parent has approached me that it was "parent ice cream night" - geeze - Mom had a run in with the boy over her precious snowflake. Not nearly on this scale but she (reportedly) was unfair and inappropriate then too. Had it been mentioned sooner, her butt wouldn't have been near camp. She was waiting to snap on him.

S1: Went home that night and skipped dinner. His dad's a scouter and is aware that she went over the line with him but also knows he's been 'difficult' lately. They were headed on vacation but he seems content that we'll handle it. Mom is out of the loop. S2 got tapped at the campfire Friday night and both Mom and Dad stayed for it. Dad seemed willing to be pleasant for the ceremony and Mom seemed to stew. Dad & son packed up and went home Sat morn on their own. No further contrition or indignant acts. They won't be at the Commitee meeting. Maybe they were planning to leave already and she decided to'go out' in a 'blaze of glory.' No other non-leader adults at the moment of the incident and our site was very isolated. But shortly after a few parents arrived as kids were rumbling. Grumpy surely bemoaned every step of the way to admin. One kid wanted to go home because the "kids were crazy and the adults were crazier." Dinner and campfire looked like nothing happened. No idea about the 'grapevine' static but it can't be good.

We were minutes away from having a family dinner followed by closing campfire. She was specifically encouraged to attend because her son was getting tapped out. But all parents were invited. I think she had YPT for her Cub.

She doesn't hold a position. Just helps out with photos, shopping for an event, that sort of thing. Her hubby is an ASM but pretty background. But yeah. Major damage control is needed.