drmbear

Here in the NCAC we have Cub Leaders Pow Wow in November as well as the University of Scouting that just passed a few weeks ago. I think both of these provide some of the most useful training and good ideas that I've gotten toward doing my thing as a den leader and now as cubmaster. I know that November is a long time from now, but plan to be there when it comes around - it usually takes place close to where you live as well. I'm at the southern end of the council, so I have a bit further to travel!!

A lot of what I'm seeing here is the idea that "competition" is bad, "winners and losers" is bad, and that the pinewood derby should be turned into a non-competitive event. I'm all for non-competitive games and activities - heck, I even have whole books and resources filled with non-competitive games and activities to use as a resource. And if the pinewood derby was set up to be something for a mixed group of girls and boys, then I'd be all over the idea of looking for ways to make it less about the competition. How many of you have read Deborah Tannen's book "You Just Don't Understand," talking about differences in how men and women communicate, and actually about how we develop in our lives as boys and girls? Cub Scouts is an organization for boys, and it is important that as we manage this program we are aware of both what they NEED and what their natural tendencies will push them to do. Tannen writes in an article: --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "For women, as for girls, intimacy is the fabric of relationships, and talk is the thread from which it is woven. Little girls create and maintain friendships by exchanging secrets; similarly, women regard conversation as the cornerstone of friendship. So a woman expects her husband to be a new and improved version of a best friend. What is important is not the individual subjects that are discussed but the sense of closeness, of a life shared, that emerges when people tell their thoughts, feelings, and impressions. Bonds between boys can be as intense as girls', but they are based less on talking, more on doing things together. Since they don't assume talk is the cement that binds a relationship, men don't know what kind of talk women want, and they don't miss it when it isn't there. Boys' groups are larger, more inclusive, and more hierarchical, so boys must struggle to avoid the subordinate position in the group. This may play a role in women's complaints that men don't listen to them. Some men really don't like to listen, because being the listener makes them feel one-down, like a child listening to adults or an employee to a boss." --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- My point is that it is a natural tendency for boys to go through a hierachical "competition" of sorts to seek position - why make it a bad thing? Isn't a core element of Scouting citizenship training? Our democratic process is all about competition, and there are winners and losers. The pinewood derby is a setting we can control, with good sportsmanship and fairness, to show that even when there are winners and losers, we all win in the fun we had in building the cars and competing. Isn't that the same (or should be) in our elections, that our citizens get to chose who we are governed by, and although the competition is fierce, once it is over and the people have spoken, good sportsmanship should take over. I'm not sure I explained myself very well, but I think they have it right to let the pinewood derby be a competition, with winners (though I usually make sure there are lots of winners for different things). It is appropriate for boys this age, and understandable, for them to have real competition. Through holding workshops and things beforehand, it is easy to give the boys a fair shake. Rules are also important, so keep craziness in the unlimited, no-rules division, for those wanting to push barriers. In the end, I just don't think "kinder, gentler" is in the best interest of the boys for the competition, so long as we remain focused on good sportsmanship in our response to it all. A good examlple of what we don't want is a thing I experienced in Little League Baseball, with mothers fistfighting in the parking lot, parents cursing at their kids during a game to where the kid curled up crying out on the field, and yelling and screaming at coaches when their kids don't get to play all the time. Competition is great for boys - in line with how they deal with things. Good sportsmanship and seeking ways to strengthen your position, to be better next time, drive the "character connections" we really want to make. We should understand by now that although socialism sounds good on paper (kinder, gentler), it doesn't build the society, the kind of men we want to help build, that we really want. I hope this makes at least some sense!!

One of the things I've seen about being a good Cubmaster is to BE very much like the 8 or 9 year olds in your pack. Being a great Cubmaster involves being a little crazy, being a little nutty, you are up there in front and rocking the show. I found that the boys respond best and accept the real fun of Cub Scouts a lot more when they are seeing me, an adult, acting in ways they just never see adults act. I'm glad I am not in bad shape, but even I realize I really need to work on getting in even better shape if I'm going to keep doing this for another two years. There are so many important things necessary to keep a pack running effectively, and overall not enough people actually step up to act. Whatever you have to give will make a difference for your kid's experience. Find the place that makes the most sense to you, giving what you are completely willing and ABLE to give, and it will be appreciated. Craig - Cubmaster

I've spent a whole lot of time between my Scouting-as-a-youth time and my now adult-leader time exploring what I'll call "men's work." I went through the Mankind Project's New Warrior Training Adventure (mkp.org) and have been part of the leadership for a regional men's gathering for many years (menswork.org). Some of the best information I have ever found talking about what it means to be a man are: "King, Warrior, Magician, Lover - (male archetypes)" by Gillette & Moore, and "Angry Man, Passive Man" by Marvin Allen. I can honestly say that I'm all for equality for all, and I have no doubts about the abilities of women to effectively do most of anything any man can do. To me, that is not the issue. The issue is more about what a Scout aged boy really needs. Looked at cross-culturally, over hundreds and thousands of years, boys develop and mature into men by interacting and becoming part of a community of men. Of course, that is assuming there is a community of mature men they can interact with, and that is hard to come by in our society. Even the books I've read on this say that since men went to work in factories and offices, the industrial age, the underlying maturity of men has suffered since boys grew up without good mature adult males to interact with. My observation is that it is rare to find men with actual maturity much beyond five years old, despite size, age, education, knowledge, etc., but that is an entirely different topic, that I actually have to work on for myself as much as for anyone. My point of all this is that it was significant to me during my Scout years in the 1970's, that there were adult men and that I was able to interact with other males on our outings, campouts, etc., during that time. 20 to 30 years ago I probably would never say this, but my time spent learning and studying how boys grow into men indicates to me that women really shouldn't be out as Scoutmasters/ASM's, camping, etc., as direct contact leadership for Boy Scout troops regardless of how capable they are. And that is even understanding the difficulty we have in finding good leaders, which is a shame. Men and women are just different - equally capable - but still different. And my guess is that since we've had multiple generations of girls also growing up without as many mothers regularly available nearby, there is just as much need for girls to have adult, mature women around as they grow to adulthood. Just something to think about - not meaning to cause craziness!!!

These new shirts are nylon - at least the one I have. My thoughts are why in the world would you ever want to take a nylon shirt to the dry cleaners. The whole advantage of the nylon is that it is wash-n-wear, easy to wash - in water - and easy to dry, with no wrinkles or problems. I remember years ago taking Supplex shirts and pants on a lightweight trip to Italy that I could easily wash in the sink and have them dry by morning. One of our other den leaders took his brand new Scout shirt to the dry cleaners after the first time he wore it and it came back permanently discolered with pink spots all over it. That nylon does not work well with dry-cleaning chemicals.

The biggest thing I disliked going into the year is that it is set up with an implied order. First, you do meeting 1, then you do meeting 2, etc. Things never work that way. I actually took all of the meeting information, even all the optional/elective plans, and put it all into a spreadsheet so I could move around the order, have a column for the actual dates, and even adjust it as we go through the year. For example, there is at least one of the meeting plans for our den that we really wanted to spend two meetings on instead of just one - I was able to just adjust the whole schedule. When we are have a particular date of time for an outdoor activity that corresponds with one of the lesson plans, that is when I want to do it rather than in some set order. For Bear Den we did Ride Right/Bike Safety in relation to a pack bike hike, not in the set pattern of meetings. To expect they will flow exactly in that order just doesn't work.

A boy that completes third grade is eligible to go to Webelos camp that summer - so he is a Webelos, right? At the end of the school year, our pack always does a bridging into their new rank, placing on their new neckerchiefs, and officially moving them into their new level.

You can also check out the appropriate sections found at: http://fieldbook.scouting.org/ Have fun!!

I didn't have the old Woodbadge, but ran Council-wide boy leader training courses in the late 70's that in many ways mirrored what Woodbadge was at the time. Less than a year ago I did the WB21C course and was probably most disappointed in the overall "Powerpoint" orientation of it all. No one leading or teaching it really "needed" to know all that much, either in the full sessions or in the patrol sessions (where the Powerpoints were just printed out in a ring-binder). I can't even measure how much more I appreciated the Managing Learning concept of involving the group in learning the skills, engaging what they already know to develop more skills, and doing it all through the patrol method and Scout skills action. As I trained the staff and tought the leadership skills during the course, those skills were part of my life and how I did things, and the training was about helping those there to experience the same thing, to actually "get it!" At all the training I've been through the last few years, at Pow Wows, University of Scouting, Leader Specific Training, BALOO, etc., I have been completely frustrated by this EDGE-based cr## that never establishes a starting point, at least understanding where everyone stands, and then failing to use the knowledge and experience of the group to teach the material. In almost none of the trainings was there an evaluation or feedback process to look at improving what you are doing. In the patrol method, isn't it the knowledge and experience of the older, more-experienced boys that goes into training the less-experienced? As an adult leader of a boy-run Troop, isn't it smarter to engage the boy leaders using what they already know to develop new skills rather than presenting a Powerpoint and hoping they get it? My call is that Scout training nowadays is far, far less than what I remember.

The Halloween event was easy. We held it on a den meeting night, not a Pack Event night, which was earlier in the month. So we also ran it within the time frame of a den meeting - 1 hr to 1:15hr. It was "bring treats to share" and I made jugs of lemonade, brought cups and napkins, and set up the tables with tablecloths. I just let everyone know that we were doing it and that anyone that wanted to perform a magic trick or two should get in touch with me. Of course, with the Bear Den, in the previous several den meetings we practiced multiple magic tricks, learned some songs, and overall got everything ready. On the night of the event, the Bear Den set things up (hosts), I served as the MC (as Bear Den Leader, not CM), and we had a blast. Most wore costumes, we had great treats, it was easy and fun, and most of the Bears completed what they had to for several of their Electives.

We combined the Cub Scout Magic idea into a Halloween event, with costumes, snacks, etc. The Bear Den hosted, since they have an elective centered around magic, but anyone in the pack, boys or adults, could get on the schedule to perform tricks. As for Pack meetings - stop calling them meetings! Meetings are boring and not something a CS aged boy wants to be a part of. Call them events, extravaganza's, shows, galas, or anything else you want to that signifies it will be something fun! We also removed all semblance of announcements or business from the Pack Events. That's what the newsletter and emails are for. If the boys don't care about it, then don't include it in the Pack Event. We have a handful of Boy Scouts that show up about half-way through our Pack Events, and when we are done and close, usually withing 45 to 50 minutes of starting, then the Boy Scouts take the Pack for 15 to 20 minutes through games and activities. They know what they are doing and do a good job. That gives me, the Committee Chair, Den Leaders, etc., a few minutes to cover anything important with the parents. Works out great.

Hey, in Cub Scouts this month's Character Connection is Resourcefulness. There is a definite reason why Scouts need to be resourceful. Although we do our best to "be prepared," there is just as much possibility that we are not as prepared as we'd like to be and the need arises to be resourceful. In my experience, there have been so many instances where something was forgotten, missing, broken, or some other calamity, there is not even a reason to account for them. Instead, I just expect that something will be forgotten. Probably the worst for me was trying to find something to light the camp stove with and not being able to find anything, and no one in the group having a lighter or matches as well. It is definitely a challenge being resourceful in such a situation when you just want a cup of coffee.

I ran a council-wide week long TLT back in the late 1970's for three years. I was the Senior Patrol Leader, we had as many as 80 boys attending, and it was actually boy-run. I selected and trained the staff and led the course during the week. It was the highlight of my Scouting experience. Now after going through Wood Badge last spring and working my way through the NYLT course materials, I am absolutely certain that what we did back then is far superior than anything offered today - just my opinion. The White Stag training is the only thing I've found that is close (http://www.whitestag.org/). If I were to do a course, I would model it on this rather than the stuff they are doing now. I've read piles of books on leadership, personal development, and various success principles, and the stuff they are pushing now just disappoints me. We worked the patrol method, we learned and practiced leadership skills, and we actually DID stuff. Most importantly, we exemplified the very best of what it means to be a Scout - the ideal. It was amazing seeing the transformation through the course of the week - when they showed up, they thought we were completely nuts, and they were far too cool to sing that loud and be that crazy, By the end of the week, they were exemplifying that ideal Scout spirit, perfect uniforms, marching by patrol in step, singing loudly and coming up with the most amazing skits and fun. I saw these guys years later, in OA meetings and at other Scout activities. They still maintained that spirit and they really were leaders. I was invited to speak and be involved in several Eagle COH's. I really believe I made a difference, but it was the process more than it was me. It's actually really fun right now getting to be a Cubmaster - right now I get to be the same kind of way I was back when I was a Senior Patrol Leader for those courses. The Wood Badge course I just went through doesn't even compare, and not a single element learned in that course has relevance in anything I'm doing in Scouting. But the things I learned over thirty years ago still is a major part of my life and I am using it now in the work I do in Scouting.

You are partially right that the Cubmaster is the one to go to!! I am a Cubmaster, so I know it is easy to put all the responsibility there. In the workings of a Pack, though, the Cubmaster is responsible for the program - all the things that have to do with how the leaders relate with the boys, and all the things that make Cub Scouts fun. In the operation of a pack, I would say my "boss" is the Pack Committee Chair and Pack Committee. They are responsible for all the administration and business side of things, as well as providing the support to make sure the program goes off without a hitch. Of course, we are talking here about a perfect world. I dream of a situation where all I have to worry about is putting on a great and fun program for the boys, where there is a group of parents, a committee, that will take the reigns and make sure everything that is necessary to make that happen is taken off my shoulders. When I find a parent that will take on that task, building the necessary relationships with the parents, engaging them in the things that make the Pack go, then the boys in this Pack will at least have the opportunity to have something really special - and it takes a huge strain off of folks that feel like they have to do it all. There's a reason the Tiger year is built around involving the parents in "shared leadership." It is because that is the way Cub Scout Packs work best, in my opinion.

I still use all the traditional Scout skills on a regular basis - can't even help myself. But last week I went in to my son's third grade class to do a presentation connected to my profession - but really seemed to focus on things I was learning working on merit badges as a Scout, particularly Energy MB and Environmental Science MB. By the time I was sixteen years old, I realized that although we should use renewable energy sources to the extent practical, we needed to take full advantage of nuclear power for our large scale generation. Scouting took me to getting a degree in nuclear engineering, and I'm still working in the industry today. My son came home from school saying they were studying energy, and when I found they had not discussed nuclear power, I had my son see if the teacher would have me in. Sure it's important to be self-sufficient and be able to take care of yourself no matter the conditions, but the things we get from Scouting goes far beyond tying a knot.

I think if you work at it, you can get Den chiefs, and they'll make a huge difference to the kind of program you can have with your dens. But they are hard to come by, particularly with how busy these guys are with all the crazy activities available to them nowadays. Something we've done to involve Boy Scouts in the Cub Scout program is have a team of the guys come to lead games and activities during the monthly Pack Event (not meeting any more!!). As Cubmaster, I give them a few ideas from that month's program helps, etc., but essentially leave it to them to take the 10 to 15 minutes they have to lead whatever games they come up with tied to that months Character Connection. It has worked fabulously, since I am able to take a few minutes to communicate with the parents, get out information, etc. We've had 3 to 5 boys coming each month, making that one day commitment each month to help us out.

Sometime last year when updating my profile at the National Eagle Scout Association site, I found that I could get names and addresses of Eagle Scouts in my area. In thinking about how I could use that information, I figured I could invite them to our Blue & Gold Banquet in early March. Most of them are no longer in Scouting, and who knows the response, but it seems an interesting idea. My question is whether anyone here knows of any drawbacks or problems with doing this? And do you have any ideas for how we can make the most of having them there? Any recommendations? --Thanks!!

You know, I'm a fairly "crafty" person, have done lots of stuff and am good at it. But I can tell you that when I was in this age, I wanted nothing to do with Cub Scouts BECAUSE most of what I saw was the guys sitting around a table doing crafts with a den mother. I joined Boy Scouts when I was twelve, went on to become an Eagle, etc., but I still have a distinct memory of visiting multiple times but wanting to stay away because of that. They have their place, I suppose, but if you can get them out doing something you are going to be far better off. Just my opinion!!!

Nothing like living off the wild!!!!

This is what I've got: The Cub Scout version of the World Conservation Award can be earned by Wolf or Bear Cub Scouts, and by Webelos Scouts. This award can be earned only once while you are in Cub Scouting (i.e. as either a Wolf Cub Scout, a Bear Cub Scout, or as a Webelos Scout). As a Wolf Cub Scout, you can earn the Cub Scout World Conservation Award by doing the following: 1. Complete achievement #7 - Your Living World 2. Complete all Arrow Points in 2 of the following 3 Electives: o #13 - Birds o #15 - Grow Something o #19 - Fishing 3. Participate in a den or pack conservation project in addition to the above As a Bear Cub Scout, you can earn the Cub Scout World Conservation Award by doing the following: 1. Complete achievement #5 - SHARING YOUR WORLD WITH WILDLIFE 2. Complete all requirements in 2 of the following 3 electives: o #2 - Weather o #12 - Nature Crafts o #15 - Water and Soil Conservation 3. Participate in a den or pack conservation project in addition to the above As a Webelos Scout, you can earn the Cub Scout World Conservation Award by doing the following: 1. Earn the Forester activity badge. 2. Earn the Naturalist activity badge. 3. Earn the Outdoorsman activity badge. 4. Participate in a den or pack conservation project.

It may be a stretch for some, but I kinda see asking someone whether they believe in God can be considered very much like asking someone if they believe in happiness. Although we have a general definition of what it means to be happy, each person can have very different ideas about what makes him or her happy. Just because the things that make me happy tick you off doesn't mean I don't believe in happiness. Even an athiest can have an understanding of God in a way that has meaning and value to them in how they relate to other people and their community. To me, it is far more important for there to be respect in the beliefs of others - those are the values our country was founded on (good citizenship), and as I continue to learn more about the founding of Scouting and my experiences growing up in Scouting, including B-P's tradition of a "Scout's Own," it seems to me respect in the beliefs of all in this "World Brotherhood of Scouting" is far more important than defending your personal beliefs. Actually, as soon as anyone starts knocking someone else's beliefs, I'd say they are violating the underlying foundation of the Scout Oath and Law.

When I ran Troop Leader Training courses, as the Senior Patrol Leader, we modeled the ideal of the patrol method and what it means to be boy lead. The amazing thing, as an adult, I essentially get to be the crazy person I got to be as SPL back then as a Cubmaster. At the same time, I completely understand and am looking forward to being an adult in Boy Scouts, though I'm glad I get to do this for a few years. I'm already working with some of the Webelos parents and leaders to start transitioning their boys to handling that transition where we aren't doing everything. In great troops, there really should be no fluctuating away from by lead, and I've seen it in troops over many, many years. If you are seeing fluctuation, make it your legacy that everyone knows what to expect - this program works the best when it sticks with what was laid out at the beginning, that the boys find their way, in patrols.

SP, What you describe seems to orient the Tiger den leader to operate like the other den leaders, and in my study of the program, it really doesn't seem like it should work that way. If TDL training and process goes through everything in such a way indicating they are responsible, then I guarantee that all the parents will certainly allow that person to be responsible. I really don't think anyone should be allowed to actually take on the TDL role until the expectations for all the parents is established.

The biggest thing I've learned about starting off a Tiger Den is to definitely, absolutely, NOT dump responsibility off to someone agreeing to be a Tiger Cub Den Leader. I just think it is a huge mistake. The key to starting out a Tiger den, which is supposed to be run on the principle of shared leadership, is to have all the parents starting out in the den at the same level. If you identify clearly and set out with someone identified as the TDL, what I've seen is that the other parents have a hard time ever getting it. And a new TDL just doesn't have the authority to set the right conditions starting out, particularly when he or she doesn't really know what to do either. I think it is the Cubmaster (or an ACM possibly), that needs to take the initiative to launch a Tiger den. In some ways, it should just be explained that way in the leader books. Since all the parents in the Tiger den are supposed to take turns in the shared leadership mode, the role of the TDL is just to help out, to keep track of things, to represent the den at leadership meetings. For the Tiger den, if the TDL is doing everything, I think they are actually doing a disservice to the pack. The year is the perfect opportunity to teach the parents that they can successfully participate in the Scouting program, establishing the Pack Committee and leadership in the next few years. I'm a Cubmaster, and after the fact I realized what it was I should have done. My son and I missed most of what the Tiger den experience is supposed to be like. I also gave the TDL volunteers the reins, and as I've followed the den I see that it is very, very difficult to make adjustments once the pattern is established. So my call on this is that it really should be in the leader information that a Tiger den be launched by the CM or some sort of Tiger Den Coach that gets it.

I'm within the max allowable guidelines, but at times I just don't get where they come up with these BMI guidelines. I am 6'6" tall and weigh 270lbs - I'm a big guy - and I know I could stand to lose a few pounds. But when I was 13 and 14 years old, same height, and you couldn't find an ounce of fat on me, I was over the recommended weight for my height on those charts. I'd have to be anorexic or something in order to get within what they call normal guidelines. Just confusing to me.