Signature of unit leader on Blue card

[BrotherhoodWWW]

"I'm not going to be the Merit badge counselor for any of my son's Merit badges because I know it's a big no no.

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Mark M. "

 

Am I the only one that picked up on this last part? Mark per the ACP&P guide already mentioned parents are expressly PERMITTED to serve as MBC's for their boys. There are several places in several publications that specifically state that a parent MAY counsel his or her own son. I think for the most part most parents choose not to counsel their own sons, but it is OK to do so as long as the parent is a registered MBC for that merit badge.

 

[John-in-KC]

Brotherhood:

 

I do think we should challenge assertions.

 

One of my challenges is the parental permission of ACP&P. I've seen it abused. I've seen gift MBs from Mommy and Daddy.

 

I think we dilute the Adult Association Method when we routinely let Mommy and Daddy be the MBC.

 

 

 

[BrotherhoodWWW]

John, I agree that it is not the best of ideas but my point is that it is an option.

In my unit and those that I serve as a UC I strongly recommend that parents do not counsel their own children.

[red feather]

In the troop that I serve as SM we grew at an alarming rate some years back and trying to keep up with all of the routine jobs was degrading what needed to be done. I asked one of our ASMs to take over the MB job. Her responsibilities were/are to make sure the scout had a MB book (or whre to get one if not in the library), help them find a counselor, know what their responibilites were in contacting and earning the badge and collect the blue cards, sign them (with my advance approval) and to insure our Advancement Chair logged them in. Please note that personal responsibitly and trustworthiness is a BIG thing in the troop. If a scout says he did something we believe him until proven wrong.

 

Since this was put into place the number of MBs our scouts have earned has skyrocketed. Last COH we passed out over 200 badges (30 scouts registered), 70 percent were badges earned out of camp and colleges.

 

Allows me to work with the scouts and allows them to get more out of the program.

 

Works for us.

 

yis

[hendrickms24]

"Am I the only one that picked up on this last part? Mark per the ACP&P guide already mentioned parents are expressly PERMITTED to serve as MBC's for their boys. There are several places in several publications that specifically state that a parent MAY counsel his or her own son. I think for the most part most parents choose not to counsel their own sons, but it is OK to do so as long as the parent is a registered MBC for that merit badge."

 

BrotherhoodWWW,

One of the main reasons I don't want to be a Merit Badge counselor for my own son is I tend to be a lot harder on him then other Scouts and / or other children. I was his CS Den Leader and he was always one of the last scouts to earn the badge we were working on due to me being so hard on him. Was being harder on him the right thing? When I look back at I'm not that sure but I know that I would still do the same thing today. So I will not be his MBC.

 

Thanks for all your help,

 

Mark M.

 

[John-in-KC]

trying to keep up with all of the routine jobs was degrading what needed to be done.

 

Mentoring the youth in your charge, mating them to people who would best help them grow and develop hobbies and life skills, is a routine job??

 

You, Sir, have abrogated a basic responsibility of your position. Shame on you. Your youth deserve your personal mentorship in assigning Counselors. This is clearly denoted in the BSA program literature.

[John-in-KC]

Mark,

 

Welcome to the fold. I see EagleSon with all his warts, I don't cut him very much slack at all. The praise I hear about him from others reminds me he's really becoming a nice young adult.

 

Were that all parents were this way...

 

One option for you is to consider not counseling any merit badges while you serve as SM. Unless you're the only guy in your Council with that skill, it eliminates one responsibility from your plate. Even if you're the very best in your Troop, you can always encourage others to grow and step up to be Counselors and cover your field.(This message has been edited by John-in-KC)

[red feather]

John, started a PM to you but stopped it. If you wish to walk in my shoes for the last 4 years you are welcome to them.

 

If the experience of the scout is enhanced by the abrogation of some of what a SM to ASMs that are willing for the betterment of the troop that I serve is a good thing. The troop has 5 patrols that are go getters and hard chargers.

 

Moving the troop from adult led with decreasing involvement of youth and adult to one of increasing involvement by the scouts and corresponding adult involvement is a bad thing by asking a ASM to take on the responsibility of giving a scout the name of a counselor is a lessening or my 'routine jobs' then I will take it as being a bad thing.

 

Allowing the scouts to learn how to be leaders and how to follow the leaders that they elect is a part of the job as a SM that I take very seriously. For good or bad. Trustworthy and personal responsility is bedrock in the troop that I serve.

 

Little history, when I agreed to the SM there were 4-5 active adults (troop and committee) and 20 or so scouts used to having a lot done for them. We now have close to forty scouts, picked up 2 walk ins this week, and last meeting had 15 uniformed adults performing tasks that the troop needed done and 38 scouts planning upcoming activities. These included, advancement, recognition of activities, updates on fundraisers, notice of merit badge classes ( outside of troop meetings),upcoming high adventure trips, troop needs for updated equipement,etc, etc, and what needs to be done with needs of our CO and COR. Not to mention the planning at the patrol level of what needs to be done for the next overnight or two, depends on the patrol. It is up to them.

 

There were 3 SM conferences done, 2 BOR, with dutch oven cook offs being judged. Typical TM. PLC had a Roses and Thorns afterward to try to improve what they do. And I say again what THEY do.

 

If assigning a job to an ASM that is willing and eager to do it to allow the SM to do what is needful to the troop is a bad thing.

 

Then so be it.

 

I am working on training my replacement (another of my routine jobs), do not know who that will be but I have 6-7 possibilities. Literature be Da----. The scouts that are in my trust come first and their experience in scouting can last their entire lifes and I will make that the best experience that I can.

 

yis

Red Feather

[Crew21_Adv]

Fellow Scouters,

 

Greetings!

 

I may be coming into this string late, but I picked up on the last comment from hendrickms24 and what BrotherhoodWWW pointed out.

 

hendrickms24 had previously stated.

"I'm not going to be the Merit badge counselor for any of my son's Merit badges because I know it's a big no no."

 

Here is how it is handled in my troop.

 

My troop desires to use the district list of MBC Counselors that we receive from the Council Registrar. I think the SM Handbook states that the SM will direct the boy to a counselor, but we use our advancement chair to identify a counselor.

 

My troop has on occasion had a Scouting parent, committee member or ASM that possessed a fine skill or extensive knowledge (Doctors, Lawyers, Engineers, and etc as well as sports/hobbies) that would easily satisfy Merit Badge requirements. We have them immediately fill out an additional application (one for a unit position, another application for MBC) then they fill out the MBC Counselor Survey. Then we submit it all to the council registrar.

 

My troop would prefer that a Scout and buddy go to another MBC to complete their requirements for a Merit Badge, but my troop is not going to hold a Scout back from advancing. We will allow parents to counsel their own son, but first they must be fully registered MBCs, and the MB is offered to the entire troop.

 

If their own Scout(parent and son) is the only taker, like Acco40 said C'est la vi.

 

The Scout applied for a MB with the SM, our Adv Chair identified an MBC. The MBC promoted the MB to the troop. And on rare occasion the MB was completed with just the son and parent.

 

My troop's committee doesn't have a problem with integrity, as long as the permission was asked for (MB application) and the troop knows a parent is counseling their own son on that MB.

 

Now Specifically for Mark M. (hendrickms24), I believe on Scouting.org there is a supplemental training for Merit Badge Counselors. There is also a three page Merit Badge Counselors handout.

 

Beyond Scouting.org, there are many council and district websites that have personal-created powerpoints on Blue Card applications and the Merit Badge process.

 

Good luck to your son!

 

Scouting Forever and Venture On!

Crew21 Adv

 

[kenk]

Put me in the group that thinks a SM assigning responsibilities to the ASMs is the RIGHT thing to do, so long as there is good communication there and the roles/responsibilities are well understood. I know if I was a SM trying to do everything I'd burn out in short time, but that's just me.

 

BTW, my son's SM is currently trying to do too much on his own - at least I think he is and I've voiced my concern to him. He needs to improve the communication with ASMs and get their help. It makes the ASMs feel needed too. He is taking the troop in the right direction and doing GREAT work, but I fear he's overwhelmed.

 

BTW, back to the can the parent do xxxx topic ... If the parent prefers someone else to do xxxx I'll respect that decision (especially for SM conferences ... hint hint), but I'm not for disallowing a parent to do xxxx if BSA rules allow it.

 

Ken