BetterWithCheddar

Our Pack meets at a local elementary school. If you asked my son what's his favorite part of every Pack meeting, he'd probably say playing freeze tag before the meeting starts. Containing 40 Cubs is a challenge. We're considering appointing two parents as hall monitors for every Pack meeting. In the OP's case, I wonder if stationing a pair of supervisors just outside the meeting area would help curtail rowdy behavior? They could also approach it from the standpoint of incentivizing good conduct - maybe each week the best-behaved patrol earns a pin for their patrol flag?

Agreed it would be impractical for most units. I was actually thinking along the lines of the Council operating a "mini-camp" closer to one of its population centers. Barring some type of enrollment boom, it would almost certainly require a major donation or the closing of a "full-size" council camp, but consider the possibilities: Available for Unit Meetings (Monday - Thursday) Available for Unit Outings and District Events (Weekends) Summer Day Camps / Merit Badge Clinics for Scouts, BSA Cub Scout Day Camps Driving an hour or more (both ways) to a Scouting even is a significant barrier to retention. That eats up your whole day. Driving 20 minutes? That's more like an errand ~ Maybe Mom hits up Starbucks on the way there and Target on the way home? I know this suggestion is a bit out there, but for some councils, a well-located "mini-camp" could better serve its members than a traditional, full-size, remote council camp.

I'm envious of this facility - and that's strictly for one unit? Wow. I live in the suburbs of a mid-size city. Scouting is still pretty strong in the metro area (not what it used to be, but hanging in there). Unfortunately, our closest council camp is about a 90-minute drive for most families. That doesn't work so well for your average over-scheduled young family. I'd love to see the Scouts operate a small camp within a 20-minute drive of the population center - it wouldn't have to be a big production. Just one nice building like the one pictured above, a few campsites, and some trails. It could be a haven for weekend activities and maybe get some use on weeknights too.

I recently bought some used pins online featuring Garfield (the orange tabby cat) wearing a Cub Scout uniform. My plan is to use them for awards at Pack meetings when we have Den competitions ~ the winning Den can add a pin to their flag. Searching eBay for scout pins sparked a bit of nostalgia for me, since I remember Garfield from the comic strip and his Saturday morning cartoon show on CBS. Best I can tell, the BSA has used Garfield-branched merch on at least 3 separate occasions: 1978: They produced a set of pins with Garfield (this was also the first year the comic strip went into syndication) 1989: The BSA releases another set of Garfield pins for the 1989 National Jamboree 1999: Garfield is featured in a variety of promotional materials, including pins, pens, and stuffed animals Does anyone know of other instances where Garfield has been used to promote the BSA? What about other cartoons or co-branded merch?

Based on what you described, I think a 6-month suspension from Scouting is in order. Set terms for re-joining the Troop, such as staying out of trouble for the duration of the suspension. Clearly communicate that further incidents will result in dismissal from the Troop. Yes, some kids need Scouting. And yes, some bad apples can poison a Pack or Troop. Find a balance and draw a line.

Well, my den meeting bombed. I should have come here sooner for feedback. I appreciate the replies. For context, this was a Tiger Den with 5 of 6 Scouts returning from Lions and one new Scout who joined in 1st Grade. We were able to cover the Cub Scout sign, salute, and motto quickly. I had the kids repeat the Scout Oath twice, but did not require them to memorize it. Then I had a breakout session for Scouts and their parents. I wrote each point of the Scout Law on an index card, placed them in a popcorn tin, and had the Scouts choose 2 index cards from the jar to discuss briefly with their parents. Then we reconvened and had them share what they learned. My biggest challenge was getting them to sit still and pay attention. They were a squirrely bunch. My own son was probably the worst offender. He and I attended an outdoor District event together last weekend and he was as well-behaved as any Scout there. But put him in a small room on a weeknight with a few of his peers - all bets are off. I need to think of some different approaches for promoting good conduct before the next Den meeting. For the fun part of our 45-minute meeting, I arrived early and used painters' tape to make a giant "Sorry" boardgame. I bought a large foam dice and let the Scouts play the game as if they were the markers. (moving from one end of the board to the other). Unfortunately, they had a hard time staying still on the spaces they landed, which lead to confusion. There were also some hurt feelin gs over being "sorried" and sent back to the beginning. So I went 0 for 2 on the night. 😟 I love the Bobcat Trail suggestion. If the kids had to burn a little energy walking from station to station, I think it would cut down on the squirrely-ness. I did find a nice PDF of the Bobcat Badge requirements, which I sent home with the parents and asked them to cover the YP portion at home.

I find marking up popcorn by 300% to be immoral. I'd prefer to teach my son salesmanship with a box of $2 candy bars.

I'm hoping to crowd-source some tips for leading a successful Tiger Den Meeting where the primary focus is on earning the Bobcat Badge. I know the kids are excited to earn some recognition (let's be honest, badges are cooler than loops and pins 🙂); however, I'm fearful of our Den meeting turning into "night school." The Bobcat Badge requirements don't lend themselves to the "learn by doing" philosophy as easily as most adventure loops. How can I keep the Scouts engaged and avoid delivering a lecture?

Our Pack hosted a recruitment event a few weeks ago and I'm so glad no parents asked me about how the $100+ membership fee is used. I didn't want to have to explain it funds a bureaucracy that has little or nothing to do with the experience your child will have in Scouting this year ... figured that'd be a bit off-putting.

Great point. I'll add: If the BSA is going to survive, it has to be OK with being every family's 2nd or 3rd favorite activity. I'm a Den Leader and it's not uncommon to see kids arrive 15 minutes late in their soccer or baseball uniform with a bag of food from Subway. You'll never hear me make a peep about their timing or appearance. I'm just glad they made it.

They usually give us the hard sell on uniform pants every time we visit the Scout Shop. Guy, my son is 6. He'll have the knees blown out of them in 4 months if he doesn't outgrow them first. 😂

OP: The OA is an honor society for Scouts, much like NHS is for high school students. A scout must be elected by their troop and then perform a day of service as a sort of initiation (referred to as an "Ordeal"). If your son's troop does not hold a regular OA election, your troop leadership must arrange for one to be held. If they are unsure of where to start, I suggest someone reach out to your local professional (probably a "District Executive") or your Unit Commissioner (an experienced volunteer who acts as a liaison between troops and the District). OA is not intended to replace your son's troop experience. Rather, it's more of an add-on that will allow him to connect with older scouts and enrich his time in Scouting. My own experience with OA as a youth was mainly positive ~ I appreciated the recognition and enjoyed connecting with other older scouts year-round (many of whom I served with on the local council camp staff). Like many Scouting programs, I'm sure his OA experience will greatly depend on 1) the quality of volunteers running the local program and 2) the quality of the Scout families in your area with youth participating in the OA.

I don't know much about the local youth basketball program since my son is only in 1st grade, so I just signed up to be a parking lot attendant for a few of the high school's home games - basically, I just need to direct the visiting team to the gym and make sure no grandparents slip on the ice. Easy enough. What I like about the basketball club's volunteer model is 1) they didn't charge me to volunteer and 2) their baseline assumption is that I'm not out to endanger children (sarc). I'm just a dopey dad who doesn't mind freezing his buns off in mid-February to make sure people get to and from the game safely - that was good enough for them.

My wife and I are in our late 30s. Our one and only child is in 1st grade. He started Cub Scouts last year and I've enjoyed connecting with many of you virtually as I've gotten re-acquainted with Scouting. My son has also been sampling sports at the YMCA for 2 years and they've been great - low cost, low commitment, emphasis on fun and participation, etc. (highly recommend to parents with young kids). This year, he's old enough to participate in the local youth basketball program. They require $200 in program fees, $200 in apparel / equipment fees, and parents to volunteer a certain number of hours - all for elementary school kids. No one seems to be phased by this (myself included). We've all accepted this as natural. There will be over 50 kids in my son's grade who go out for basketball (large, suburban district), yet only 5 or 6 for Cub Scouts. It really makes you wonder how one program can be so successful, while another struggles to maintain membership (our Pack is at 40 Scouts ... which is pretty good but probably should be larger for our area). Something to ponder. 🙂 Our household should be able to balance basketball and Scouts (even as the basketball commitment increases), but that's pretty much all our son will be able to do moving forward (and he's 6). It helps that: 1) I'm his Den Leader and have some control over the Scout schedule; 2) he's our only child and we have two parents to shuttle him around; and 3) we make a decent enough living where the cost isn't a huge obstacle.

That is some serious dad cred right there. I'm just proud of myself for remembering to leave our dog with the neighbors before rushing to the hospital.

I know I've posted something similar in the past, but I'll reiterate: I've never been fully comfortable with using Native American imagery as a youth in the OA, despite being an active lodge member. The big draw for me was always recognition and the opportunity to fraternize with scouts my age (never AIA). I'm hardly the PC-type, but I've avoided the use of certain logos out of respect for individuals who may not be accurately represented by the OA-sanctioned symbolism. Personally, it doesn't bother me if you're a fan of AIA and are participating in them respectfully and with good intentions; however, I suspect there is a silent majority on the issue who are largely indifferent, but (if pressed) would prefer to move on to something less likely to offend or draw criticism.

That is really disappointing to hear. I'm sorry that was his staff experience.

Very true, but they still get kids outdoors. The average parent (me included) loves flush toilets and structure. They're more inclined to bring their kids to camp when these two needs are met. More Flush Toilets + More Program Structure = More Kids at Camp

It's unfortunate that the trade-off for teenagers staffing council camps has grown over the past 20-30 years. Years ago, a staffer's only tradeoffs may have been a few weeks of socializing with their high school friends and maybe their troop's high adventure trip. Today, we're asking them to give up those things, plus: Academic Progress Roster Spots or Playing Time in High School Athletics And now their Parents' Savings

I bet this varies largely by region. Around the Great Lakes, there tends to be more seasonal opportunities for teenagers because tourism spikes with the comfortable summer weather. Again, this probably varies largely by experience, but the vast majority of CITs were a net positive to the camp staff. I only recall one pair of boys (twins) who were a handful. Their parents probably laughed all the way home when they dropped them off at camp for the summer. The average 14-year-old scout may not be ready to guide a troop through check-in or instruct a merit badge, but they are well-suited to help with these tasks.

I've got a new one for everyone. It's not necessarily Cub-related, but I think it fits the spirit of the thread. Yesterday, my Cub-age son and I attended an event at one of our local council camps. While he was deep in a handicraft project, one of the volunteers mentioned the council now charges junior staffers $100/week for the privilege of working on summer camp staff. I staffed the same camp for a few years and was considered a "counselor in training" (CIT) when I was 14 and 15. I did not receive any pay for those 2 summers, but was scheduled for ~75% of the paid staff hours and could pursue advancement opportunities in my free time. I still worked >50 hours per week at $0 / hour. It was a bargain for the council, but I enjoyed it. Fast forward many years and the prospect of paying for my son to work at the same camp does not sit well with me. By staffing council camps as CITs, we're already asking these kids to forgo pay, "optional" off-season sports practice, and earning extra HS/college credits. Now we're charging them? What are we doing here?

I agree, there is potential for conflict there, but you also must consider the fact that the pool of buyers for properties that cost >$4.5 million is pretty shallow. Having a board member with a real estate development business (or even developer friends) likely expedited the sale and provided immediate liquidity to the council. It's then incumbent upon the remaining board members to ensure the council received fair value for the property. The role of a Board is clear to me, but who selects the Board in most councils? In a public corporation, shareholders at least have some recourse to sue or recall Board members. How can volunteers hold their council board accountable?

So it's like Scouting for adults? 😛 Jokes aside, there appeared to be some good opportunities on the website for college-age volunteers to hone their technical skills.

Hypothetically, if you take a dozen well-respected individuals from a community, you can create a decision-making body that's not only made up of intelligent, well-connected people, but also one that's invested in that community. They often hire an executive to make the day-to-day decisions, but can also help provide a layer of oversight to an organization and a vision for long-term planning.

The Scoutmaster jokes were part of my youth experience, as well. As Scouts in the 1990s, we were hyper aware of youth protection pitfalls and took much of the organization's guidance seriously ... and, of course, mocked some of it since we were adolescents.