BetterWithCheddar

Try emailing a volunteer or two from your home district. There are probably a few contacts posted on your home council's website. They might not have official stats, but will probably be able to provide their own word-of-mouth account of what happened to a troop in their district.

With due respect, are that many people going to be upset with the removal of the Bobcat Badge as a rank? I've always thought of it as a bit of an "odd duck" among Cub Scout awards. The diamond of "Lion, Tiger, Wolf, and Bear" is going to look sharp and show an intuitive progression through the program.

I assume Cub Scouts won't repeat the same requirements every year; rather. they'll build-out their understanding gradually in age-appropriate increments. True, but I think a lot of Cub Scouts appreciate the instant recognition that the belt loops provide.

This is the first time I've seen the Badges of Rank requirements lined up side-by-side since I returned to Scouting as a parent volunteer. Obviously, there have been a few changes since I was a Cub Scout and this view is really helpful. I assume Cubs would wear the Lion, Tiger, Wolf, and Bear rank badges in a diamond? I think that will look a lot sharper than having the Lion strip dangling below the other badges.

Thanks for the follow-up. Were it not for my involvement as a youth, I think my wife would be more apprehensive about our son joining Cub Scouts ~ the constant barrage of Abused in Scouting commercials greatly impacted her perception of the BSA. Cub Scouts has been a source of joy for my 1st Grader, but my wife remains skeptical. She often cites the "weird vibes" she picks up from a small number of people, although most families we've met through Scouting have been great.

Thanks for the input. Another challenge I grapple with is getting Scouts outside. Once the school year starts, it gets dark and cold (at least in the Upper Midwest). We could schedule a few one-off outdoor Den meetings on Saturdays, but I worry that would complicate family scheduling. Right now, our Pack has a leader call on the 1st Tuesday of the month, a Pack meeting on the 2nd Tuesday, and Den meetings on the 3rd Tuesday (so Tuesday = "Scout Night"). My multi-year plan as a Den Leader is to "ramp up" with more meetings / outdoor activities as the kids get closer to Scouts, BSA, but right now, I'm just trying to make our monthly Den meeting at the library as enjoyable as possible while checking the boxes on some Tiger requirements.

As a youth in my home council, each camp staff also had a Venturing Crew. This may have been an attempt by the council to juice up its unit count in the early days of Venturing, but it also allowed staff members to register with the BSA when they were no longer affiliated with local units. This mainly covered college students who became estranged from their Troops, but a few junior staffers from weaker troopers opted to shed their Troop-level registration in favor of the camp-chartered Crew. A small number even completed their Eagle work through the Crew. Is this still a thing?

The easiest way to ensure a child's activities are safe is to volunteer. You don't have to be a registered leader to show up and help ensure kids are having good, clean fun. My son's other big activity is basketball and I have no desire to be a coach; however, I don't mind being a "coach's helper," parking lot attendant, usher, etc. This isn't a big time commitment. I was already planning on being there and reading a book in the corner. If you need me to put out some cones, I'll gladly put out some cones.

I agree with @InquisitiveScouter. If your son enjoys the comradery of scouts his own age, is there a Crew or Ship nearby?

May I ask: What does your husband need to see in order to be convinced that Scouting is safe for your child? Is there another pamphlet, training video, or 60 Minutes interview that's going to put him over the edge?

I work for a large financial services company. They spend millions of dollars on cybersecurity each year. Recently, my employer opened a beautiful, state-of-the-art facility dedicated to cyber defense. One executive suggested we drum up some good press by inviting the media to tour our new facility. He was vetoed by the CEO. The financial services industry doesn't want to advertise how much they spend on cyber defense because, after a certain point, it causes customers to question the safety of their funds. I think the BSA is getting diminishing returns on their youth protection efforts. I applaud them for taking YP seriously, but if they have to remind people at every turn that Scouting is safe, it's going to raise some eyebrows. They need to strike a better balance, IMHO. Since the BSA will never satisfy its harshest critics, maybe resources are better spent on the families that actually want to be part of the program?

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.