Name tags

[sctmom]

Let's move this subject out of troop hats.

 

I understand not having name tags on small children. It doesn't take long around the boys to find out the name of one or two if that is what you want to do, even without name tags. Every few minutes someone is calling one of the boys by name (usually to keep him out of danger or trouble). I would not want them worn when traveling. But at a scout event, it would help to have their first name on a small tag.

 

Most kids end up going places in their baseball jerseys. In our area they all have their first name on that jersey until they are teenagers. Being in the baseball park is probably more dangerous than someone at the store knowing their name.

 

I'm glad some people are good at names, but I'm not and I know our Scoutmaster is not. It's tough when you have 6 boys that are about the same size and same hair color and you see them once a week at best.

 

It would definitely be a BIG plus to have adults wear name tags. That would help the boys to remember "oh yeah, I know this adult."

 

I guess it also depends on where you live. I grew up in small town rural USA -- we don't only know your name, but we know your family heritage. I know live in major metro area, people come and go everyday. Elementary and middle schools have 600 kids each, high school as 1200+ kids, scouts go to different schools. Very rarely see people you know when you go to the store.

 

After our troop had an accident at our yard sale, it dawned on me that I didn't know the names of some of the boys there. What if they needed medical care and a name was needed? Could I have identified them? I like the idea someone gave some time ago about a photo album with the pictures and the kid's names in it. You hope it is never needed but what if?

 

Okay, stepping down off the soap box.

 

[netscouter]

I agree that some sort of name tags should be worn, I have even seen them used by some troops as a black rectangular tag worn just above the Boy Scouts of America bar. But the question is, what should be displayed on the tag? Name, Rank, Troop Number, Office, or any one of many paramaters that could be helpful.

 

How about a small red cross for a scout(or scouter) that has compleated first aid training.

 

Netscouter

[yaworski]

"In our area they all have their first name on that jersey until they are teenagers"

 

Call me paranoid but that seems to violate every common sense rule in the book. Joe Pervert now knows the name of every kid in baseball. Now when he sees the kid alone, he says, "hey Bobby, . . ." and the trap opens.

 

 

[fboisseau]

I think for Boy Scouts there is no problem with name tags as long as they show only the first name. For Cubs I would not recommend them. A Scout will not be tricked that a person knows them just by the fact that a person calls out their first name, a Cub could get that impression. I think having the last name on the tag would give some one too much information about the Scout. The idea about the red cross for the first aid trained Scout is nice, but is it need. I would hope that a Scout that was first aid trained would render aid and would not have to be sought out.

[Mike Long]

I'm with yaworski on that one. Ain't no way I'm name tagging kids. Too much information easily accessable to those who don't need to know.

 

I make it a point to learn the names of everyone in our troop. I expect the youth and adult leadership to do the same. I can't stand to hear anyone in our troop refer to someone in our troop as "that kid" or "hey you."

 

It's simple common courtesy to learn someones name. Yes, I do have trouble with names too but I work very hard at it.

[k9gold-scout]

In our area the OA and JLTC use nametags. Most older scouts like them. I have mixed fealings about names on younger scouts, cubs no, but 1st class scouts OK.

[yaworski]

"A Scout will not be tricked that a person knows them just by the fact that a person calls out their first name"

 

I don't know if I'll buy that. I have a bunch of 12 year old Scouts that have less common sense than a Labrador Retriever.

[Double Eagle]

Adults having name tags works for me. Not only for the scouts but for new parents and contacts. It also helps when the adult wears what they want to be called (e.g. Mr/Mrs Smith, JP, or Yoda). I leave the addressing part in your hands.

Youth having name tags at scouting events sets well with me. This helps with learning about each other. While traveling or when they are interacting with the non-scouting world, most of the buddy teams will be calling each other by their names so the predators won't have to rely on the name tags. An "eagle eye" and letting the scouts know the possibility of predators has to happen, no matter how unfortunate it is to educate them.

 

[KoreaScouter]

Check the current BSA insignia guide for the particulars on name tags if you plan to wear them with the uniform.

 

Perhaps I'm insensitive to the subject since abductions are virtually unheard of where I am, but if Scouts have completed YP training, they shouldn't fall for the "Hey Tom" ploy from someone who saw their name tag. At any rate, if they're in class A's, it's a Scout function, and there's 2-deep leadership to keep things "honest".

 

I now, in retrospect, wish we had name tags for all our Scouts. I have several who are volunteering through the Red Cross this summer at various offices on our Air Force Base, and a BSA name tag would not only identify them but promote the program...

 

KS

[SmT206]

"I don't know if I'll buy that. I have a bunch of 12 year old Scouts that have less common sense than a Labrador Retriever."

 

Sounds like you don't really know your scouts very well. As for the name tags, I often work with boys that I don't know. Name tags would certainly help with identification. As for predators, I agree that they can learn names by listening.

 

[yaworski]

"Sounds like you don't really know your scouts very well."

 

In retrospect, some have less common sense than a poodle.

 

Last summer at camp we had a boy wander off after dinner, when the lost camper search finally found him, he was in a canoe in the middle of the lake with neither PFD nor paddle. This year I fortunate enough to be there to stop another boy from stirring the coals in a fire with his hands. He thought that he wouldn't get burned because there were no flames. One fellow managed to lose his shirt on the last day of camp. He was fully dressed waiting for our convoy to leave but when he go home his shirt was nowhere to be found.

 

[scomman]

Name tags Adults defintely yes.

 

Name Tags Youth No.

 

I make it a point to learn everyones name as soon as they start coming as well as their parents names. I haave found that taking the time to remeber their names is a sign that you are intrested in who they are.

[acco40]

I work with kids from many different troops as well as adults. Name tags are a blessing. When an adult or youth take a training class, what is the first thing the staff does, issue name tags. What do football teams do? Put names on jerseys or in my day, on piece of masking tape on the helmets. Get a bunch of like age boys all in the same uniform and you want me to pick them out easily? I have identical twins in our troop! Name tags are greatly appreciated. I think we are a little too paranoid on this subject.

[yaworski]

Names on youth sport jerseys are recent innovations. They were first put on professional and college jerseys so TV viewers would know who was who.

 

As I recall, the strip of masking tape on the helmet was so you could identify your helmet in the equipment room or if you set it down.