Knots, to wear or not to wear?

[BDPT00]

"Do what suits you. Wear what you like.

As long as it is correct and falls under uniform guidelines and meets uniform inspection...then who cares what anybody else says or thinks.

They don't like it, well...that speaks about them, not you."

 

*** Amen to that.

I happen to think they should follow those same standards, however. If they wear more or less, that's a totally personal choice. Wear what you like. Wear it properly. Get on with the show.

BDPT00

[BDPT00]

 

*** Never seen such a thing. Hope I never do. I can't imagine it.

 

[NeilLup]

As I see it, the purpose of adult Scouters is to provide great Scouting for youth. And the purpose of uniforms for adults is to help the adults provide great Scouting for youth. And, as a corollary, the purpose of knots for adults is to help those adults provide great Scouting for youth. How can this happen?

 

1) Many youth, particularly at the Cub Scout level, are favorably impressed by their adult leader in uniform and by the recognitions which the adult has earned. So if I'm going to make a presentation at a Cub Scout Pack, I've learned to wear my knots.

2) Some leaders like recognition for what they do and like meeting requirements and then receiving recognition for meeting those requirements. If giving someone a square knot for getting trained or for doing good things for youth, then let's give out and wear those square knots.

3) If I'm going into a difficult situation; particularly where I understand that someone has expressed an opinion something like "I know all there is to know about Scouting, so do it my way", then I might wear my knots to communicate, hopefully somewhat subtly that maybe there's someone around who knows as much as you do about Scouting and in some areas, possibly even more

4) On the other hand, if I'm going into a group of younger parents, I would be reticent to wear knots as that group, with no kids around, could regard it as pretentious. In that group, I would hope that what I am contributing creates its own credibility.

5) A key thing to me is never to make another leader feel uncomfortable in what they are doing. So whatever another leader is doing is great if it helps them serve youth. To make another leader feel uncomfortable because they are, or are not, wearing knots is, to me, just gross and inappropriate.

6) And in that vein, an attitude of "Well, I'm not in Cub Scouting any more, so I don't wear Cub Scout knots. I'm beyond that." risks being perceived as a put down of Cub Scout leaders who are our newest, least experienced leaders and are our future. There could be a perception that older leaders by not wearing any Cub Scouting knots are putting down Cub Scouting. Wearing 5 or 6 of them could be another matter.

 

So to me, it's kind of "if it feels good, do it." If there is some question in your mind, consider who is watching you and why and do your best to give the impression that you want to give. You won't always be right. And try never to make another leader uncomfortable.

[rdclements]

I'd never thought twice about troop or crew leaders wearing training award knots from former cub scout leader positions. I guess that there is something to saying that it is not the current status in the movement, so don't wear them.

 

There are high school guys in my units that I've known since they were Tigers. I don't think they care about which knots are on my uniform, one way or the other.

 

I'm on an Eagle BOR tomorrow for a young man I've known for 7 years. My shirt will have 9 knots on it. They represent recognitions that I was honored to receive and I wear them humbly tomorrow to honor his success.

 

Does it matter what are the circumstances of your involvement?

 

Does a scouter running a cub leader training class have more credibility because he has cub program knots?

[Woapalanne]

rdclements asked: "Does a scouter running a cub leader training class have more credibility because he has cub program knots?"

 

The answer is almost invariably: "Yes."

 

[OldGreyEagle]

So, lets have BSA sponsor a TV show, like they did on the outdoor channel(?) except we call it What Knot to Wear. We get Stacy London and Clinton Kelly to help Scouters figure out just which knots to wear and look competent but not showy...

[mtnnybb]

While traveling my son and I visited another council's scout shop. The woman behind the counter had several knots on. tiger, den, cubmaster etc... I knew right away before even talking to her she would know most if not all of my cub scout questions. and she did.

 

her position patch was scout shop employee and her knots were completely unrelated to her position. but I'm glad she had them on.

[rdclements]

I was at my district's monthly Eagle BOR event last evening.

11 new Eagles, lot's of handshaking, very nice.

My informal survey of some top scouts was to ask them if they care what knots their adult volunteers wore:

The most common answers were:

1 - "No."

2 - "Huh, what?"

3 - "Oh those things, um, whatever."

[Scoutfish]

You should also ask them if they care if the adult leaders even wear a uniform.

 

Bet you get the same answer.

 

Bet you don't suddenly drop wearing the unifrom!

[DeaconLance]

It disproves the oft offered justification that scouts are impressed with knots. The boys in my troop feel the same way. They only knot they recognize and care about is Eagle.

[VigilEagle04]

Deacon, when I was a Scout, there were really only 4 knots that grabbed my attention, AoL, Eagle, District Award of Merit, and Silver Beaver. As I've gotten older, the Award of Merit and Silver Beaver stand out less to me, partially because I've seen some meaningless ones given out. Kind of funny how that all works out.

[NeilLup]

rd, Deacon and VigilEagle,

 

I hope I'm not being repetitive. Boy Scouts and Eagle Scouts are not the only members of the BSA and the only ones with whom we should be concerned. I believe that Cub Scouts, particularly younger Cub Scouts, are impressed with square knots. They probably don't know what they mean but they like the idea that their leader has them.

[Eagle92]

Not only the cubs, but there parents as well, even if none of the knots are for CS knots except your AOL and religious award.

[gwd-scouter]

For a while I wore all my knots. Then, I bought a new shirt and didn't bother to put the knots on. I rather liked the clean look. I very close friend and fellow Scouter died last summer. He was really into knots. He knew them all, what it took to earn them, and was always promoting them at roundtables. In his honor, I sewed all my knots on my shirt to wear at his funeral. After having a clean shirt for so long, I think I look a little silly with all those knots now. Just my personal preference, and not to disparage anyone for wearing their knots, but now that I am a Scoutmaster I will probably remove those earned during my Cub Scouting years.

[BrentAllen]

Many of the boys in our Troop are interested in the knots. One even told me at Summer Camp that I needed to earn some more. I think that was because he knew I had one coming (I didn't know about it) at the next COH. Some of the boys wear the religious award knot, so they are on their radar.