new den leader needs ideas!

[beth100]

I am new to cub scouts. My son joined last year, and we were talked into helping to start a new pack. My husband is the cubmaster and I am the pack secretary. I was asked to be the assistant den leader, for 2 deep leadership. Less then a week ago I received a phone call that our den leader had suddenly passed away. The CC asked me to take over the den and I agreed, since I am the only other leader the boys really knew.

 

Now I am trying to figure out everything I need to do. I have about a million questions and don't know where to begin. Our pack is quite small and most of us are very new to scouting. Two of our Committee members have over 10+ years experience, and are doing all they can to help. My den has about 6 boys right now.

 

I was reading about cub express on this site and I am not familiar with that term. One project I want to complete before we start up again for the fall is to make mother's pins, but I can't seem to find any instructions for them. How does paying den dues monthly as opposed to weekly work out? I would also appreciate some advise on den discipline/management, and also keepting the boys interested in the less exciting subjects/activities. One of my favorite things to do is crafts, so I would like to do a craft at each meeting, but am not sure how to tie it in with the themes and the book. I would appreciate any advise and help anyone has to offer.

 

Thank you in advance!

 

[Cubmaster Jerry]

Beth, Welcome to Scouting! Let me be the first to thank you for your service to boys in your area and to Scouting. I have about a million helpful hints for your million questions but will start with a few basic "good-to-knows".

 

1. Training. You will hear this from all other subsequent posters. This is invaluable. You should contact your District to find out when and where you can get Youth Protection, New Leader Essentials, and Leader Specific training. That will get you started on the path to figuring things out. Also, Pow Wow is supplemental training that is a wonderful opportunity to get ideas that will help you.

 

2. Lean on your Unit Commissioner and those two Committee members with all that experience! Your UC is at the District Level and is your liason between the Pack and District. He/she is responsible for making sure you have all the help and information you need to have a successful program.

 

3. Den Meetings. As the leader, the first thing you will want to do is understand the program you are leading. What is required? What activities are suggested/appropriate for your boys? The Tiger/Wolf/Bear/Webelos Handbook is a great place to start here. Program Helps are also available from the Council. These will essentially guide you through your program year. The biggest suggestion I can give you regarding your meetings is to MAKE THEM FUN! There are many opportunities for memorization or other book work that is required for certain requirements. Make games for these so the boys remain interested. Also, you don't necessarily have to work on requirements at every meeting. Have a meeting where you just play board/outdoor games without referencing the handbook. You will find out that even these activities are a part of their advancement but it gives the boys a break from any regimented "learning". It will also give you a break too!. There are also many activity books and resources available for your reference. I would also suggest having 2-3 den meetings a month. Any less than that you run the risk of not keeping the boys interested.

 

3. Discipline. This can be the most difficult part of your program. I once had to mandate that certain parents had to stay at the meeting or else their son was not allowed to. This was an extreme case with a few particularly troublesome boys. But, parents in attendance can also be a hinderance to discipline as well. Alot of times simple redirection works. You can also have Denners in your Den. This is a boy that is either elected by his peers or chosen by you to be your helper. Rotate this as often as you see fit. As a LAST resort (and I hesitate to even mention this as a possibility), you will want to restrict a boy from an activity.

 

4. Don't do it all yourself. Along with the 6 boys in your Den, you also have 6 sets of parents. Lean on them. If you are a Tiger Leader, the parents have to be there anyway. If your boys are older, you will undoubted have parents that stay at the meetings. If not, ask them to. They probably aren't gung-ho about helping out (or else they would be the DL!) so ask them to do little things - plan one meeting, bring snack for another, help you out during meeting times. Don't be afraid to ask. Pretty soon some will become more helpful and you never know. They may relegate you to your previous ADL position when they take over!

 

5. Den Dues. These can be handled any number of ways. Whatever works best. All of my den leaders ask the parents to ante up on an as needed basis. I personally don't like this as the parents tend to feel nickle-and-dimed to death. I would suggest having the boys bring a set amount to each meeting. If, come spring time, you find yourself not needing as much as you asked them to bring, just have them cut back. Maybe start with $.50 to $1 per meeting. The boys should realize they have to pay dues even if they can't show up. This teaches responsibility.

 

Hope this helps. Good luck and Thanks again!

Jerry(This message has been edited by Cubmaster Jerry)

[bbng]

And I'd like to be the second to say thank you, and I agree with Jerry. First thing I thought of as I read through your post was to take a deep breath My condolences on the passing of the den leader.

 

Are you registered as DL or MC? If not registered, be sure to become registered, something your CC can help with and in the hurry and possibly emotional time may not have thought of.

 

I've not heard of cub express either. However, the handbook for the den you work with is the first thing I'd read to get a feel for what it is. Fast start for all Cub Scouter positions is online at:

http://www.scouting.org/cubscouts/faststart/

This is short and gives an overview of the different positions. It should not take the place of training sessions, but it's a good start.

 

Ask your committee if they have a copy of the Cub Scout Leader Handbook that you may borror. That saves you money but provided an excellent resource to supplement the Cubs' handbook and training.

 

The Cub Scout Program Helps provide den meeting plans. You add time, ingredients, and enthusiasm, and you save big time on trying to figure out a plan. This book costs less than $4. You do not have to use it all, but you will find that even if your pack does not use themes (not all do) that the items provided eliminate the stress of trying to plan out meetings as well as figure out what might be age appropriate.

 

A word of caution about crafts: keep them fun and don't focus on that more than other items. As Jerry suggests, use others to help out--maybe in areas you don't feel so comfortable in. For me it was games; I delegated that to a parent who loved leading them. This holds true for any area; I knew of a den that was led by someone who loved to build. Though you'd think the boys would love to use tools often, they got tired of it, and what used to be fun became a chore. The problem was that it was too much all at once--about 8 weeks straight of building for the entire den meeting time. So just a friendly word of caution in that area.

 

You'll do fine. The resources help a lot, and keep posting your questions because many here have lots of experience and a desire to help.

 

edited because I hit a wrong key & posted too soon(This message has been edited by bbng)

[madkins007]

BIG ditto on Program Helps! You can use it as a 'follow the numbers' plan, or as an outline to follow then suppliment with your own ideas.

 

My feelings on crafts, and I repeat that this is MY feeling, is that they are OK if they meet a few basic criteria...

- Are fun to do. Some crafts are prety persnickity or tedious for this age group.

- Serve a purpose. Teaching a new skill, like tool use- great! Items will be used in an upcoming skit- wonderful! Its a neckerchief slide (especially if it relates to the theme)- perfect! Serves a useful function in an attractive way- fantastic!

- Fails the 'oh its so cute' test. It has been my experience that a lot of crafts are done because the leader thinks they are cute. This usually means they have no real purpose, and that the boys will gag on the idea.

- Offers real variety. To you or I, a list of 20 craft ideas may seem greatly different, but all too often, the Scouts see 'just another craft'.

- Stays far away from the 'cheapo gifts' arena. Mother's Day gifts made of pipe cleaners and macaroni are not generally the best use of the den's time.

 

One other point about crafts is that they are by definition somewhat anti-creativity in that they are designed such that if you do the steps correctly, you get a pre-determined final product. I generally prefer to encourage activities that allow the Scouts to display more personal initiative and creativity. Like giving them a pile of stuff and challenging them to make a useful invention out of it, etc.

 

Other suggestion in general: Get the book "What To Do Instead of Screaming" (Myra Nagel. 1980, Moore & Moore Inc. (83 pg.) About $6) I cannot recommend this book enough! Scout stores often have it (if not the BSA, the GSUSA shop!) Great book on den discipline, planning, programming, etc. I got a copy for each of our DLs and they loved it.

 

[SemperParatus]

Beth,

 

Welcome to the forum. You got great advice from Jerry, bbng, madkins and I am sure others will follow. The majority of folks on this forum started just like you and we all wish you the best.

 

Not sure about what you want to create as far as a mother's pin. Might I suggest a Mother's Ribbon to wear and display the rank pins that will likely be presented as each boy moves through the scouting program.

 

Here are some samples.

 

http://www.mothers-pride.com/

 

 

[Lynda J]

TRAINING, TRAINING, TRAINING. The boys in your den deserve having a well trained leader. It also makes it so much easier on the leader.

Attend Round Tables every month. Great ideas out of there. Also check with your council and see when they are having a Cub Pow Wow. Some conbine it with University of Scouting. It is an entire day of training. But it is special skills. Skits, songs, craft ideas. You can chose from a long list of classes.

[Cubmaster-Fred]

First I am sorry for the loss of your Den Leader.

 

I agree whole heartedly with everyone on this, training, training and more training. Also get the publications as these are great resources.

 

On the subject of crafts I also have my opinion. Remember they are boys and what you like they might not. Keep them interested.

 

Keep it fun and they will come!!!!!

 

Fred

[ScoutNut]

Welcome Beth! From what I can tell, Cub Express is a local achievement/elective/belt loop workshop type of activity. We do not do them in my neck of the woods.

 

Does your Pack buy & award Mother's pins? What are they currently displayed on? We make, & present, a Mother's pin ribbon with the first rank award.

 

I usually buy the felt squares (we use dark blue for Cubs) at fabric or craft shops. I believe I get 3 ribbons out of 1 square. You can get bags of pin backs at the craft store. I cut one end of the ribbon to a point & cut 2 small slits in the other end. The flat/slitted end is folded over & the pin & opener part of the pin back are pushed thru the slits leaving the rest of the pin back inside the fold. A little hot glue (what would we do without it!) on the flat back of the pin back & around the edges of the fold to seal it & you have a Mother's pin ribbon.

 

As others have said - Training & Program Helps! Also flexibility. Discipline might take some patience & consistency on your part. A good start is to have the boys themselves put together their own set of Den Rules & Consequences (with a bit of help from you of course!).

 

Find out if your Council has a website, most do nowadays. Check it out often to find out what is going on in both your Council & your District. You can usually access Cub Scout Fast Start Training & Youth Protection Training from your council website. Sign up for any council/district newsletters. Your District should be having their yearly Kick-Off meeting in the next few weeks (it IS August already-wow!), find out when & where & make a point to attend.

 

Don't forget FUN Pack meetings keep a boy interested too!

 

[featherbear]

Hi, Beth!

 

I'm so sorry about the loss of your Den Leader. I fully concur with what everyone says about training. Don't limit yourself to the position-specific... keep an eye out for all that is available through your Council. Attend the Powwow. Go to your Council's website and keep an eye on their calendar.

 

Also, the matter of outings...keep an eye on your community's events. You're likely to stumble upon something that would make for a wonderful outing! Local historic sites often have programs or discounts for Scouts, museums often have a free day or free night once a month, or you'll come upon seasonal events that the kids just love... like here, Fort Nisqually, a local historic site, does a Halloween event called "Bonfires, Beaver Pelts, and Bogeymen" where actors are in period attire and spin (not too) scary stories 'round a bonfire.

 

Look at the resources you have available to you in your Den's parents. What are their occupations or areas of expertise? You might find that they will jump at the chance to teach the youth all about something that really interests them. They may be stronger in areas that you don't feel comfortable with. I have a parent in my den who loves to teach the boys songs, which is just fine by me!

 

Den Chiefs. A good Den Chief is worth his weight in gold.

 

Crafts: just my own preference, I believe in crafts with a purpose. Science experiments for kids is another good one. The internet is loaded with both of these. For my Den, I've found more than I can possibly use by googling with "science experiments for kids" and the like. With that much available, it's easy to select the ones that coincide with the themes or the book.

 

I'm still a newbie too, but I hope this helps.

[DonM]

Hi Beth,

 

I don't have much to add to the excellent suggestions - especially get training, go to roundtables, and work with the parents in your den.

 

On discipline, let the cubs choose a set of den rules (guided by you of course), write them down, and post them at each meeting. Then stick with them. I found a conduct candle with the promise of a treat at the end of the meeting if it was still lit worked well if done consistently.

 

Don't let the parents at the meeting talk in the background. That can really distract the boys.

 

For activities, you can combine what you like (I hated crafts but loved doing skits and acting games) with what the boys enjoy. Keep it varied.

 

Keep activities short and well planned. Always have a game or game-like activity. I kept a list of these from every meeting, and at the end of 5 years, had a whole meeting where the boys just played their favorites.

 

Look in Scouting Magazine for ideas based on the theme. Sometimes good - sometimes less so.

 

For the first few years, focus on fun stuff around the theme. Most of the advancement should be happening at home (keep an eye on this). In Webelos, you will have more to do with helping them to do their advancement, and that will guide your meetings. Outings are always a good idea.

 

Mostly, have fun and stay enthused.

 

Good Luck,

 

Don

[briantshore]

Beth,

Thank you for being willing to rise to the task. Last year was my first year as a den leader. What I learned the hard way, in my first year could fill volumes. One quick point on crafts, is to show the finished projects in different stages. Practice the craft at home to figure out how long it takes to complete the task.

What I remember from cub scouts is all we did was crafts. Use the fall and spring time for outdoor activities. The crafts work better in the winter when your outdoor activities are limited due to the weather.

Good Luck

Brian

[cubscoutsbutzbach]

First of all, a big "HOOAH" to Cubmaster Jerry and the others for their excellent suggestions and an even BIGGER THANK YOU to beth100 for deciding to be a part of the Cub Scouts of America "family"! I was in the same boat as beth100 last year. My son was a Tiger Cub and I was asked to be the Den Leader. I knew NOTHING about BSA or Cub Scouts. Today, I'm Cubmaster (among other things) and have rebuilt our pack this year starting with one boy and one leader (myself and my son) to 18 boys and 8 leaders in 3 weeks!

 

TRAINING,TRAINING and MORE TRAINING... Attend TRAINING meetings held within your council and ASK QUESTIONS. The training I received thru Transatlantic Council was excellent and priceless. Try attending your council's roundtable meetings. Another idea is to ask another nearby pack if you can sit in on one or two of their meetings to get some ideas. Ask the Den Leaders for suggestions.

 

Cub Scouts "Program Helps" is a necessity! It is filled with crafts, cheers, meeting suggestions etc. that will help a great deal. This workbook is basically a step-by-step (easy to read) planner for all of your meetings, be it den or pack and trust me, IT'S A LIFESAVER!!

 

HAVE REGULAR LEADER PLANNING MEETINGS- We have bi-weekly leader meetings to keep each other updated on events. Plan your pack and den meetings out at least a month or two in advance. Then at your leader meetings update your schedule and make changes as needed. I like to tell my Leaders: BSA does NOT stand for Baby Sitting Association. YOU ARE NOT ALONE! GET YOUR LEADERS AND PARENTS INVOLVED. DO NOT BE AFRAID TO STAND UP AND ASK FOR HELP! Trust me, if you don't ask for help you're just going to stress yourself out and you won't HAVE FUN!

 

GO ONLINE- I spent a lot of time online looking at the website of other packs and took bits and pieces from everyone. Do multiple searches: "cub scout meeting ideas", "Tiger Cub Den Meetings", "cub scout crafts" etc. Take cues from those who have experience.

 

DUES- As for dues, our Pack does monthly dues. The first meeting of every month we collect our monthly dues of $5. (This goes towards arts and craft supplies, monthly awards etc.) Being a Pack of PROUD US Army families, we get paid bi-monthly. I try to remember this when deciding on when to do things that require money (dues, field trips etc.) and schedule those around payday to insure that everyone has money available. When we collect once a month, it's easier to remember and less of a pain when it comes to recording who paid dues.

 

As for discipline within the group, BE FIRM. Let the boys know from the start what you expect. Explain the rules and consequences for breaking the rules. Let them know that these rules are for EVERYONE. (This is especially important when your own child is involved in your Pack)Example:Last year we had boys who did not come to pack or den meetings, yet when field trip day came we had at least 4 or 5 extra boys that I didn't recognize. This year, I told the boys that if they missed 2 or more meetings during the month, they could NOT participate in the monthly field trip. That this is not fair to the boys who DO THEIR BEST all month long. TELL them how Cub Scout should behave, then SHOW them how Cub Scouts should behave. Also, be sure to go out of your way to THANK and CONGRATULATE your Cubs when they do what they are supposed to. Another little tip when the boys tend to get a little loud or rowdy: Tell the boys when they see you give the CS sign, it means to be very quiet and for them to give the sign also so that you know they acknowledge you and are following Akela. Then THANK the boys individually for their co-operation. POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT IS A WINNER EVERY TIME!

 

KEEPING THE CUBS INTERESTED- BE ANIMATED!! The more excited you look and sound about what you are doing, the more excited your boys will be. Throw a joke or two in there. Alternate activities that require more or less energy. (Don't follow a quiet craft with a writing assignment. Throw a song, dance, cheer or "active" game in there every once in a while to spice things up.) Get the boys INVOLVED- pick someone to help you "lead" the group during each activity. It makes them feel special. SHOWER THEM WITH PRAISE! The better they feel about themselves, the more it will show in their work!

 

ABOVE ALL ELSE REMEMBER THE FOLLOWING:

- TAKE IT ONE SMALL STEP AT A TIME!

- SMILE

- HAVE FUN

AND DON'T FORGET THE CUB SCOUT MOTTO: DO YOUR BEST!

 

If you need anything, please let me know. GOOD LUCK!!

 

Yours In Scouting,

Sue

 

 

[Lisabob]

Welcome Beth!

 

Not sure what age group you've got? Things that worked great w/ wolves wouldn't fly w/ some webelos.

 

A couple thoughts from my experiences as a cub leader:

 

1. Crafts - Nature-related crafts or wood crafts that included tools, painting/staining, and gloppy stuff were bigger hits with the boys than most pre-packaged kits with lots of steps/small parts. Some boys hate doing crafts though so be careful not to over-do it, and try to include things they might not think of as "crafty".

 

Tying these in to the program isn't so hard:

**Wolf book - requirement 5 (tools)& various electives

 

**Bear book - requirements 20 (sawdust&nails), 21 (build a model), 7 (law enforcement - fingerprints, plaster paris shoe tracks, etc.), 5 (sharing your world w/ wildlife), 8( the past...den/pack scrapbook - we made time capsules too) & various electives

 

**Webelos book - artist, craftsman, showman activity badges

 

**Beltloops often include things like making models or posters- which could be more, or less, craft-oriented depending on the boys.

 

**Make a den flag, totem, neckerchief slides, den sweatshirts w/ glitter, glue, fabric paint, etc.

 

Not everything has to be in the rank advancement books to be worth doing.

 

Most Council scout shops sell various BSA craft kits. Some were ok (tool box & bird houses) but others I wasn't very impressed with and I thought they were pricey (leather coin purses for example). You can probably do better on your own. If you ask in advance you can usually get donations of craft supplies from local stores too.

 

2. Resources for leaders - in addition to the basic training and Pow Wow, most districts have a monthly "round table." If yours has a separate cub scout break out session, these can be great places to get new ideas and try out craft projects to see if they'll actually work.

 

And my favorite cub-related web site with gems of all kinds is the Virtual Cub Scout Leader Handbook - it saved me more than once:

 

http://www.geocities.com/~pack215/

 

3. Discipline - with a few exceptions, if the boys are engaged in a fun, worthwhile activity, discipline isn't such an issue. Keep the time frame appropriate for the boys' ages, include a mix of active and sit-down activities, and make sure the other parents are there to lend a hand.

 

One of those things you'll hear over & over in training: "KISMIF" Keep it SIMPLE, make it FUN.

 

Lisa'bob

A good old bobwhite too!

[Lisabob]

Beth you asked about "keepting the boys interested in the less exciting subjects/activities"

 

What NOT to do...

The first, and worst, den meeting I EVER ran was a local history walking tour of our town for the Bear book (requirement 4 I think). I did all this research, set up a great 1/2 hour walk, Parents loved it, the boys absolutely hated every minute of it. And they didn't learn much either.

 

What worked much better...

Thank goodness they gave me a second chance. From then on almost everything we did had to meet the "fun with a purpose" test. The citizenship badge for webelos (and I teach government for a living but geez, the book is a little dry)was turned into a game. For the webelos readyman badge (basic first aid) we took part in a community disaster training drill where, along w/ learning the required material, the boys got to "simulate" being victims and wear fake blood, get bandaged, etc. You should've heard the drama in that one! Such convincing moans and groans! But not only did they learn the stuff, they still remember it - fondly too.

 

We relied on the kindness of local boy scout troops, who invited us to some of their activities, to help with knot tying and some other "scout skill" activities. Teaching a bunch of squirrelly 8-9-10 year olds to tie knots and use compasses because the book says you should doesn't work as well as when they're doing it as part of a "treasure hunt/obstacle course" kind of scenario, where it is part of the adventure.

 

Our pack is chartered by a public school PTO so I left most of the religious requirements and material dealing with sexual abuse and drug use up to the parents to do at home. I was very clear to parents about this being their job and most of them had no problem with that. For those who wanted it, I provided BSA-approved pamphlets and handouts to help them along the way. That said, it also meant I had to take the boys' word that they actually covered that material at home as required. But then, the first part of the Boy Scout law is that "A scout is trustworthy..."

 

Hope this helps a little. Overall, just try to keep things hands-on whenever possible. If you need ideas for utilizing community resources in your area to make things come alive, again, places like roundtable and other training sessions are really helpful. Just ask other leaders what did/didn't work for them.

 

Lisa'bob

A good old bobwhite too!