Tiger Cub Question

[scout-mom]

Okay, I have already admitted to being new at this with my questions about the Blue & Gold Dinner. Thanks to everyone who has responded. This now brings up two more questions.

1)When should our Tiger Cubs be ready to earn their badge and start working on the Bobcat badge? Our leader and I were under the impression that we should be done w/Tiger requirements by the B&G, now we are being told no, they should wait until the spring because we won't have anything to work towards for the rest of the year.

2)Is the Bobcat still a rank? Again, we are being told that the Bobcat is nothing. (Wouldn't it make sense to start working on Bobcat requirements after B&G so that when they enter 2nd grade, they can start working on Wolf?) This makes no sense to us and we are totally confused.

 

I know my questions regarding the B&G Dinner and the advancement of Tiger Cubs are ridiculous, but I honestly don't know if our pack really knows the right way. Then, along come our Tiger Cub Den Leader and myself, and we expect to do things the right way. See why we are so confused?

 

Thanks again for all of your advise and most especially, your knowledge.

[LauraMO]

If your Tigers have finished their Achievements by B&G, then by all means, let them receive their Badge.

 

I was in your shoes last year & when I attended my first B&G with my Tiger Den, I discovered that 1st Graders have a really hard time sitting still during all of the B&G presentations. Having them receive their Badges in a banquet setting makes their achievements (and the banquet) seem more important to them.

 

For the next few months work on the Bobcat requirements. Although it isn't a rank it is still a requirement that all Cub Scouts earn this badge before working on their rank achievements. The Bobcat requirements are easy & are an excellent primer of the Cub Scout program for your Tigers. On a posterboard I wrote the Law of the Pack & the Cub Scout Promise in large letters. I brought it to every Den Meeting after B&G and as part of our opening exercises, we would practice reciting one of them. Eventually everyone got them memorized. If all goes well, then at the last Pack Meeting of the school year your Cubs will receive their Bobcat Badge.

 

I don't have the web links handy, but there are some Bobcat worksheets available on the Internet to print out. Just do some random searches on your browser. Some worksheets are fill-in-the blank, others are word searches. These make good den meeting busy activities for early arrivals or for the restless eager beavers who finish their den craft too soon.

 

 

[sctmom]

These are not silly questions. There are no ridiculous questions, especially your first year in Scouting!

 

Many people aim toward having the Tigers earn their rank by Blue & Gold. It is a good doable goal and keeps people on track. The Tigers can continue to work on Tiger electives after getting their Tiger Badge. Also, things get hectic in the spring for some people when the kids play baseball and soccer, so scouting tends to take a backseat.

 

About the Bobcat. Some boys can earn it quickly, some will take awhile. Even if they earn the Bobcat now, they can continue to work on their Tiger electives. They can should have it by September/October of the second grade. As Laura pointed out, the best thing to do is to start every den meeting and every activity by saying the promise and law together. That is the best way to learn it.

 

One thing to do is to print out the promise and law on a card stock. Cut it into lines or words so it is like a puzzle. Carry it in a ziploc bag with you. Maybe have more than one like this. Before meetings or during "down time" the boys can practice putting it in the right order. Do remember that some boys in first grade may still be struggling to read, so have them work together in putting it together.

 

One other thing, boys will/should start in their Wolf book as soon as they finish first grade. If they go to Cub Scout day camp, they will be working on Wolf requirements then even if they have not earned their Bobcat. They can work on Wolf even without the Bobcat, they just can't get the Wolf badge until they have the Bobcat badge.

 

Keep asking questions, it's the best way to learn this stuff.

 

[ScoutNut]

Bobcat is most certainly a rank. It is the 2nd rank that boys can achieve in the Cub Scout program (the first being Tiger). It is also the FIRST rank that ALL boys who join Cub Scouts, no matter what level they join in (except Tiger) MUST earn before they can receive any achievement recognitions for the level they are in. That means that a boy who joins Cub Scouts for the first time as a 2nd grade Bear, MUST earn his Bobcat rank badge before he can receive his Progress thru Ranks totem or any instant recognition beads! He can work on the achievements for his level, but he cannot receive them until he has received his Bobcat Rank. The same would go for a Webelos who joined for the first time. He would have to earn his Bobcat Rank before he could receive any of his Webelos activity pins.

 

This concept is the same as that used for electives. Boys can work on electives from the day they get their book, but they can NOT RECEIVE the beads (Tiger) or arrowpoints (Wolf/Bear)until they have earned the badge of their rank.

 

My Pack shoots for Tiger/Wolf/Bear/Webelos rank badges and Webelos AOL award to be awarded at Feb. B&G in special ceremonies. If the boys don't make it for B&G, they get their ceremony and badge at the 1st Pack meeting after they earn their rank.

 

There is still plenty of stuff for the boys to do after they earn their rank. Tigers have lots of electives and they can all be earned more than once! There also lots of fun things to do together. Go to a local Nature Center, go on a hike, visit an animal shelter, tour a factory, go Family Camping with your Pack, just to name a few. Check with your council to see if there are any districtwide events coming up. Look into nearby districts as well as your own. My district is holding a Cub Winter Event in the beginning of February and a Cub-O-Ree in mid April. Our dens will also be working on a skit/song for our March Showtime Pack meeting and a cardboard vehicle for our April Cardboard Boxcar Derby.

 

For my Tigers, we will work gradually towards learning the things they need for Bobcat. Our den opening & closing ceremonies will include the Cub Scout Promise & Law instead of "Search, Discover & Share". We will incorporate Bobcat things into gathering activities like those that were suggested above. In May we hold our official Pack graduation and the boys receive their new scarves and books. They can work in their books all summer. We usually have at least 1 Pack activity (fishing derby, picnic, bike ride, Cub camp, etc) each month in the Summer, but no den meetings. Our first Pack meeting at the end of September is highlighted by our Bobcat Rank ceremony for all Wolves and any other new boys and our Tiger welcome/totem ceremony.

 

So it sounds like you guys have the right idea and your CM & Committee need some refresher training!

 

Have Fun with your Tigers!!