Almost down to Lone Scout

[indnajns]

I need some help or maybe just some encouragement. My son and I recently moved and we joined the local cub pack. On a good night we have 14 boys in the PACK. On a slow night we have 4. That's not DEN, that's PACK. Last meeting we had 2 bears, 1 webelo, and 1 tiger. I just found out we really don't have a charter organization. We were supposed to move into a church (we're meeting in the school cafeteria at the moment) but that apparently has fallen through. Our cub master likes to chit-chat most of our meetings away and we have YET to do ANYTHING badge related. Our boys are making derby cars but we have no track yet to run them on. The blue and gold has been moved up I think mostly because of lack of planning. I'm the Bear Den Leader and I swear to you, if I weren't I would've already stopped going. It's boring even for me -- I can't imagine how the boys stand it. I've tried "hijacking" the meetings by bringing rope to practice knots. I know the Bears and Wolves have to learn a couple for their badges. I've mapped out exactly what it would take bare minimum to get our bear badge and I have last year's Wolf info I could give to someone to get their wolf badge (did I mention we've lost our Wolf den leader and I don't think we ever had a Tiger leader? CM is Webelo leader.) but at this point it's looking hopeless. I don't know what to do. My son is still enthusiastic and talks about making it to Eagle, but I almost can't bear to go to another meeting. It's also the most unmannerly group of scouts you'll ever come across. Of course, when there's a basketball game going on in the gym next to us ... what chance do we stand?

 

H.E.L.P!!!!!!

[SemperParatus]

Welcome to the forum.

 

You have two choices...you can stick around in the present pack and try and make it a whole lot better (or at a minimum bring it up to a reasonable BSA standard) or you can find another pack in your general area that is already successful, well organized, supported by parents and making it fun for the boys. The first option poses lots of challenges and will require hard work, dedication and countless hours of your time and others...but it will be worth it if you are able to turn it around. The second option is a much easier path (assuming there are other packs in your area) that could be a lot less frustrating for both you and your son, with the added benefit of your son (and you) being able to enjoy cub scouting NOW (engaging pack meetings, PWD, etc.). The choice is yours and your son's.

 

Having been through some start-up and fix-up units and knowing how trying they can be on the leaders, I would personally recommend finding a better, established pack.

 

Best of luck to you and your son!

[lynncc]

I'm new at this also. My husband and I are "reviving a dying pack". If you want to stay there then make the Bear den really fun and exciting. You only have pack meetings once a month. The other 3 meetings are yours to run.

 

We don't have seperate dens in our Pack we all meet as a group each week. But we are VERY small. During non baseball season we have 6 boys we are down to 3 now due to practice schedules etc....But the 3 of us have a blast.

 

Finding another pack would be much easier tho.

 

Best of Luck

[Trevorum]

I agree with Semper. There is a certain threshold of minimum size and lack of experienced leadership below which a unit will almost certainly fold. It happens all the time and, IMHO, not all units are worth saving. New units are constantly starting up to replace those that have failed, for a variety of reasons.

 

As lynncc suggests, reviving a pack can be done with dedication, patience, and a lot of "1 hrs/week" But, where can your son get the better scouting experience now? If he is thinking about making it to Eagle, you owe it to him to give him the tools he needs for success. In this case, a functioning, and FUN, pack.

 

[anarchist]

Time out here!

seems to be some misunderstanding about pack meeting/den meeting purpose....

 

indnajns writes 'we have yet to do anything badge related'...sorry but that's a den activity not a pack activity...Pack meeting is for awards, skits, games and information delivery...not doing rank sign off activities...so I am confused...

Small Packs, new pack often have numbers and attendance problems...and behavior issues

Ready to roll up your sleeves?

1). need to clear up the CO issue...without a CO there is no pack. Find better meeting area...on B-ball night 14 boys fit into a class room....

2). get the parents together...have local troop send some baby sitters....er Boy Scouts over to lead the cubs in activities while you lay out the situation to the parents...if the parents can't dive in...you need to look into diving out (to a new pack)

or you can just put on the best Bear DL show you can and two years from not cross over with your son into a Boy Scout unit...

 

In the meantime get a bunch of moms and dads together and start calling the local packs, and council offices in many areas packs/districts or councils will 'rent' a track for the PWD...or get some plans and build a track for 14 boys two or three lanes would be enough... nothing like success to breed more!