Can a parent act as a MB counselor for their child?

[FScouter]

Ahhh, so if the merit badge dean declines to remove him, you'll just cross the counselor off your copy of the approved list. As you're fond of saying, isn't that "adding to the requirements"?

[evmori]

I dunno. What requirement would that be adding/subtracting from, FScouter?

[FScouter]

Youre requiring that in addition to the requirements set forth by BSA and administered by the local council through the merit badge dean, counselors must also meet the Ed Mori requirements, and that if the counselor does not meet your unspecified requirements, he may not be a counselor.

[mk9750]

Bob,

 

Sorry it took so long to respond. Busy the last few days.

 

What part of OGE's reference:

 

"A merit badge counselor can counsel any Scout, including his own sonalthough this is discouraged in order to offer a Scout the chance to meet a diverse group of outstanding adults.

 

its permitted but discouraged. So, it is OK"

 

is not unclear?

 

But the more important issue:

 

It is sad that you chose to comment on that part of my post rather than the important part.

 

You certainly built up my spirit and helped me appreciate all you wisdom. Or not.

 

It is examples like that coming from you rather consistently that made me avoid posting since your return. Even when you are making a valid point, you are usually condescending. Thanks for reminding me why I will not participate any longer.

 

Thanks Bob.

 

Good luck to the rest of you.

 

Mark

 

 

[Oak Tree]

Mark - Squelch, squelch, squelch. The squelch button is your friend. When applied to Bob, it acts as a pretty effective condescension filter.

 

That said - I do remain very disappointed in some of the tone on the forum recently. Threads are being closed. Mark is leaving. Posts are being edited by staff members on a highly increased frequency. I wonder if there is any point of commonality in all of this. Hmmm. Maybe. I just can't put my finger on it.

[Bob White]

No apology needed Mark. You were never required to reply or even read my posts if you did not want to.

 

As far as the quote in the BSA training document is is an interestiong one that I intend to ask about, It does not appear in any other advancement document andn if you think about it is not even supported by BSA.

 

The document says that the BSA "discourages" parents from being mb counselors for their own children, But where do they discourage it? The Advancement policies and procedures manual does not discourage it. The Scoutmaster Handbook doews not discourage it. The Boy Scout Handboook does not discourage it. The Committee training and the Scoutmaster training do not discourage it.

 

So when the document says that the BSa discourages it where and how is that happening? It isn't

 

So how exactly does the BSA discourage it. You would think that if they wanted to discourage it that they would just say that parents cannot be counselors for their own children. But the BSA does not say that, in fact they specifically approve of it in the Advancement Policies. So that comment makes no sense when compared to all the other advancement and training references.

 

Also when you think of all the available merit badges to say that getting counseling from a parent discourages Adult Association unless the parent is not an adult then that simply is not true, the goal of merit badges is not about how many different people you can meet but meeting different people.

 

How many scouts have you ever known who got more merit badges from their parents than from other merit badges. I have worked with hundreds of scouts for decades and never saw a scout earn more than two merit badges from a parent. It is a non issue, and certainly not one worth worrying about or flexing your scoutmaster muscle over.

 

 

 

 

[evmori]

Youre requiring that in addition to the requirements set forth by BSA and administered by the local council through the merit badge dean, counselors must also meet the Ed Mori requirements, and that if the counselor does not meet your unspecified requirements, he may not be a counselor.

 

I am not adding to the requirements, FScouter. The SM is to provide the Scout with the MB counselor information. Says so in the SM Handbook & the Boy Scout Handbook (wording a little different in each). If I know a MB counselor is a "rubber stamp" counselor, why would I send a Scout to them? What would the Scout learn beside how to skirt the requirements?

 

Ed Mori

1 Peter 4:10

[Beavah]

Yah, F, Ed's got the right of it. A unit restrictin' MBC's to a smaller group than what is approved by the council is completely legit.

 

Best example is CO's that require their own background checks and YP trainin' for direct youth contact positions, includin' MBCs.

 

I was glad to see da BSA add the more explicit "discouraged" and "as part of a group" language to the parent-as-MBC. I think "allowed but discouraged" is the right balance, eh? I expect most scouters agree. If a boy's parent is clearly the most qualified counselor available for a particular badge, of course that should be allowed. But in other cases, where another equally or better qualified counselor is available, the boy should seek them out.

 

Beavah

 

[gcnphkr]

This was posted earlier. It is from FAQ. http://www.scouting.org/BoyScouts/GuideforMeritBadgeCounselors/FAQ.aspx

 

Question: Can merit badge counselors coach their own sons or close relatives (for instance, a nephew)?

Answer: Yes, but only if the young man is part of a group of Scouts who are all working on the same merit badge. Approved counselors may coach any Boy Scout who contacts them through the proper procedures.

 

The way this is worded this would seem to explain how parents are discouraged from being their son's counselor. BW, you seem to dismiss this. Why is that?

[Bob White]

I do not dismiss it, I question the fact that it is not in keeping with the BSA's position in the Advancement Committee Policies and Procedures Manual. While both sources agree that a parent can counsel their own son, the BSA advancement policies make no restriction on it being a group instruction setting, and since the merit badge policies require that each scout be tested individually, and the internet FAQ makes no comment on the need to test the scout with a group (only instruct in a group) it seems to be a rather silly addition.

 

It's comment on the reason being based on the adulty association method is questionable as well since the parent is an adult wheter he works with the scout individually or in a group setting.