Pack Meetings

[retread78]

When I was Cubmaster 28 yrs ago, every den was given the opportunity to present a skit, song, or whatever at each pack meeting. The Pack into which I was drafted as Cubmaster just recently allows only one den to perform at each pack meeting, with the dens taking turns. Is this current Cub policy? I certainly hope not! I feel that EVERY den should be allowed to perform at EVERY pack meeting. What is the official position on this subject?

[Oak Tree]

I do not believe there is an official "policy" on this topic. But the Cub Scout Program Helps 2005-2006 says "Planning for den involvement in pack meetings is most important. Each den should have their participation scheduled in advance." I would take that as implying that normally most or all dens should be participating in each pack meeting.

 

You also have to be flexible about things. For very large packs, it might be difficult to have every den do something every month. And for any pack, in certain months, you might have special activities that would pre-empt some of the skits/songs.

 

But in general, I'd say your instincts are right on. It's great to give the boys a chance to get up front.

 

Oak Tree

[Cubmaster-Fred]

Retread78,

 

I am the cubmaster, and for th epack meetings every den is involved in several ways. The dens rotate between set-up, opening, closing and clean-up. Also every den is responsible for either a skit or a song. We also do games.

 

Also I would suggest that the awards be broken up and given out in between other activities, this keeps the boys attention longer.

 

Fred

[jens3sons]

My oldest son's first year in the pack, dens only performed if they felt like it. This continued 1/2 of his second year when I then became the committee chair. (It took me about 1/2 that year to form a good "working" committee etc.) Boys were dropping like flies because the pack meetings were to "business-like" and not enough fun. Now we set up a rotating schedule for den assignments which include set up, greeters, flag ceremony, song, skit, activity, and clean up. We do try and keep in mind a time schedule for different achievements the boys need to earn (such as Webelos 1 needing to do a flag ceremony to apply towards their Citizenship badge), so the rest of the pack gets scheduled around that. Our pack meetings are so much more fun and interesting, and not so businessy, and our #'s are up about 10 boys since I first started. The program helps are just that...helps...but they sure do know what they are talking about, and there really is no reason to re-invent the wheel. I would recommend Retread78 that you try an incorporate the dens more into each and every pack meeting.

 

jens3sons

[msnowman]

Though my days of being CM are coming to an end after 3 years (someone has finally stepped forward, yeee-haaa), we have always let any den or portion of a den who wanted to "perform" do so. Granted, we are really small, so running over time is an issue. Actually running too short is a bigger problem. Last month we had a combined Tiger/Wolf/Bear skit because of the number of boys we had available. This month the skit will probably be a Wolf/Den Chief thing. Sometimes the boys just want to come up and tell about their new pet or a visitor at their house. Any sharing is welcome as long as it doesn't wander off into "I shot/stabbed/burnt it a lot" kind of thing (only a problem for one boy). I figure the more they are up front, the more comfortable they will be.

 

YiS

Michelle

DL - Wolf/Bears P-102

[Torveaux]

Our pack has skits at 3 or 4 Pack Meetings per year. The other meetings are too filled with activities and fun to fit skits into them. As a den leader, we have little enough time for working on requirements, crafts, games and such to add skits to every month's process.

 

I guess with our small group, if a boy misses a meeting it gets difficult to rehearse a skit. I guess it is a bigger priority for some units than others.

[GopherJudy]

You are right, every den is allowed to perform at a pack meeting! I would guess that the only reason a den wouldn't perform is that they didn't have a skit,song, etc.

 

Our pack also has each den do set up, clean up, flag ceremony & snacks & that rotates for every month. I feel like I'm missing something but I can't think of what it is at this moment!

 

Good luck with your pack meetings!

 

Judy

[John-in-KC]

Torveaux wrote, in part:

 

As a den leader, we have little enough time for working on requirements, crafts, games and such to add skits to every month's process.

 

Looks like it's remind the families time : Family Understanding is one of the 10 purposes of Cub Scouting, AND Family Involvement is one of the seven methods.

 

Seems to me some of the requirements work should be done within the family unit, however the Cub has a family unit!

 

YIS