Cubber

A can of haggis, a blanket emblazoned with Justin Bieber's face, a pair of reindeer salt and pepper shakers, a crate of Ramen, a lava lamp....

Hi all- I joined last week to gather collective wisdom about how things are done in the world of scouting in different councils. I'm a Cubmaster in my second year with a Webelos son and a Tiger son. My family was active in scouting- my mother was a cub den leader, brownie leader, and girl scout leader. Brother and sisters were scouts. So I'm continuing the tradition. Looking forward to lots of learning here. Appreciate being a part of the scouting family! -B

We use Trooptrack and have invested a ton of time configuring it-everything from privileges, advancements, newsletters and member directory information. Wondering the same thing as BobWhiteVA. Also hoping they don't stop supporting Trooptrack automated advancement reporting to council through internet advancement. Hopefully they will just support Trooptrack reporting to Scoutbook instead.

I'm not sure if anyone is still following this thread, but I talk with the CC/COR today. For those questioning my level of respect or loyalty- please stop. It's there and he knows that. Basically, I think he is attached to the very long continuous scouting history of this Troop and does not want to let the charter lapse and start back at zero. So he is working to covert the many leads he has received from council this year into real scouts, and also get a few of the older scouts to reengage with the Troop and breathe some life into it. He has many experienced scouters to act as leaders should this take off. He realizes it is a long shot, but wants his last six months the council has given him to at least try. To understand how it got here: 10 years ago there was an upset between him and the CC and CM of this pack I'm in now. They parted ways and that CM/committee took most of the cubs with them to start a new pack. They then continued to recruit the others away and hold preemptive recruiting events for new Tigers each year. It starved the CO programs of new cubs and eventually there were no more Webelos transitioning into the troop. This went on for many years. That explains why they only had 5 cubs when I joined. I've built it to 32, so the pack is healthy now. But this is our first year with Webelos, and they are all first years. No second years for him. The Troop unfortunately could not wait for the feed to begin again. The last boys have Eagled and are leaving for college in the spring. I told him that all the pack leaders need to understand his strategy with this troop and how he wants us to support it. He has not explained that to us. We want to support him, but we need him to tell us what we are supporting and how we can help him. And he has to be realistic about how tough it is going to be to sell parents on a start up. He knows. It was a good conversation. Hope this answers some questions and thank you all again for your guidance. -B

Being one doesn't make you an expert in male development. Or often very knowledgeable about it. The time and distance change the memory into a personal story about who one is that the person can transfer onto others. That's really not fair- especially to the next generations that are growing up in a radically different world with differences in societal norms, expectations, technology, resources, and parenting philosophies. Good leaders think about these things and how to help boys developing today. There is plenty of collective and better learning out there than personal experience, when leading a group of today's boys- that are all very different individuals. I think it is just that- a correlation. Kids have had increasing use of screens and digital media since that time- also a correlation. Is it really having female anatomy that caused this or is it maybe a shift in the norms of parenting style fro all parents? Helicopter parents applies to both moms and dads. I see the dads stepping in to tell their boys what to do and not do as much as the moms in my pack. All parents also tend to take over more when doing projects like pinewood derby. Well, I'm not sure what to say. Some surely do have this experience, like your wife but it is not universal. I have a very large circle of female friends and many of them don't have this mothering factor you are referring to. Some had a child in their mid to later 30s, others over 40, often at the request of their husband. Many never had kids. even after they have them- many take the back seat. Women are just not all the same... Yeah, I agree- those changes to the cub program was completely unnecessary. That was female driven? Had no idea. In regards to new overwhelming experienced leaders in cubs...in cubs they pretty much turn over as the boys move through the program, I thought. From Tiger leader (usually brand new), on up to Bear and then either to ACM or CM or Webelos DL. Maybe that is just how ours has been. Or is this not what you mean? That's unfortunate about the boy scout level. I had hoped that our transition to boy scouting would come with experienced leadership. And I say that as a CM! We are really looking forward to learning from experts when we transition. Regardless of their gender though. Ideally mixed. That's just how my sons' futures will be and I want them to be better prepared to work hand in hand on a team with all kinds of people, instead of in an artificial bubble of "safety' from having to grow into a fully functional human that have overcome challenges that taught them to treat everyone with kindness and respect.

Well, that's a really good point. I've got a lot of camping experienced dads and moms but no shooting experienced dads or moms. Only three fishing experts-including a couple.

Ah. Well maybe he was just keeping scouts that have moved on in the past on his roster.

I didn't know that. I wonder how he managed that. Boys can be registered in more than one troop, right? Does that count toward the five?

That makes sense. We teach what we know. There's definitely a gender disparity in those areas. Not for all, but many.

Barry- I can see you took that differently than I intended. I'm being completely sincere here- honestly trying to understand. I read your answer and I guess it did go over my head because you referenced adults in general and changes in general, and an experience with one specific male leader? I've only been with the BSA for 3 years and a CM for 2. I was a scout and my brother an Eagle, but that's the sum and total of my experience. Help me out. Is Wood badge a new thing created by or for female leaders, or has it been altered by or for them (seriously honest naive question)? Are females setting policy, or there is a shift you see as a result of female leadership winning arguments over male leadership? Is this all just a change in society's approach to kids or is it really female leadership specific? My council is super male dominated and I see almost no female leadership except at the cubscout level. Frankly I think parents in general are contributing to the trends you mentioned- not female leadership. I share your concerns about that. I think the independence is a huge factor and I want my son in a boy-led program that emphasizes that. I know he needs to do things on his own and make mistakes without my guidance or interference.

None are staying except the CC/COR and a friend that will stepped in as temporary SM. There were two boys only for at least three years, no committee. No one really to stay. Parents of the crossing-over Webelos are going to be expected to fill those positions. So you can imagine this one the expressed parent concerns.

We can't. So in that situation, it will be a moot point until next year, should they successfully recharter. However I think he is being creative in recruiting individual boys to become new scouts right now. I'll see if I can get details on his plan.

@Eagledad These sound like problems with Wood Badge and new leaders not being well trained. Are you saying these are female leader specific problems?

@ Col. Flagg So again, I hear your experience and recognize some people share it. That's all good, and it shapes your perspective and enriches the world to have these differences. My experience is different. I don't not run in the same circles you do. I get different answers than those given by your friends and family when I ask those questions. 'Girls' and 'guys' weekends just are not a thing in my world. People hang out with people and have people weekends.

Interesting. I don't know, but unlikely- our CO is very hands off. The Council does know this troop is about to lose its charter. I was copied on emails to our DR about the CC/CORs plans to make a last effort to recruit and recharter. I am not sure about what other discussions are underway. I will ask that as well.