What is your favorite level of Den Leader

[Tampa Turtle]

Funny how folks seem (mostly) to like Webelos and Tigers. I too had a terrible 1st Tiger year but 2nd Tiger year (I have 2 sons 1 year apart) was memorable. What a great group of kids ( and the highest percentage of smokin' moms -- my wife did not like that)

 

The great thing about Tigers is you can show them a compass or "hike" them around a parking lot and are impressed. If you meet them at the grocery store you are a real celebrity.

 

I was so hard on my 1st year Tigers until I got good district training. I remembered hearing "there is no cub scout advancement police--if the activity meets the intent and is more fun then do it". That is when we did "Food Pyramid Bingo" instead of the book. And learned about the How-To Book (saved my life), and keeping a game/craft box in the car at all times. (Isn't that way you identify a cub scout leader?)

 

It is really hard to avoid burn-out by Bears without someone else to come up with new ideas. Bears is a real critical year. If you can get them into Webelos you can get most of them to try scouts. I think the maturity level for a lot of boys seems to vary a lot in Bears and that makes it hard not to bore some or over-challenge the others. Also I always hated the powder blue neckers --kinda wimpy. As for neckers:

 

(1) Wolf. The yellow is classic.

(2) Tiger. The high-visibility orange makes it easier to track them across a website.

(3) Webelos. The plaid is classic, but ugly. With the dangly device and hat at least you know they are not Boy Scouts.

(4)Bear. Like I said it is a wimpier look than Wolf. Didn't Bear used to be Red?

(5)Lion. (Just kidding - don't want to catch on something)

[AKdenldr]

Ah now that my WebIIs are AOL, and I'm mentoring older son (and buds) as Den Chiefs, I'm able to pop my head back into the younger dens -- I'd love to do it all again and better this time!

 

Wolf book was the hardest -- because half of the den's parents still didn't get it yet! If I did it again I would invest more time in parent education in that year.

 

The whole thing was a learning experience for me. In what other program do you get to spend so much time with your son's friends doing so much interesting stuff in the community? Folks just open their doors when we call about a scout group coming for a tour, activity, or service.

 

 

[AnnLaurelB]

Well, there's no question that the best JOB is Cubmaster!! ;0)

 

But I've been DL for my son fo Tiger, Wolf, and now Bear rank. I had SO much fun when they were Tigers, but I liked Wolf more.

 

Now Bear is a little more challenging because they're not quite as easily impressed. I think if I was going to lead a Den that my kid wasn't in, I'd pick Wolf.

 

I haven't done Webs yet; I'm not sure I want to. I'm a little worried about my ability to get a handful of boys through all their STUFF. I'd rather someone take the Webs next year, and just let me be CM (*crossing fingers and scanning crowd*).

 

Edit to add: T.Turtle said, "... if the activity meets the intent and is more fun then do it..." Amen, Amen, AMEN!(This message has been edited by annlaurelb)

[Tampa Turtle]

Ann,

 

I made my 1st Tigers suffer so with my slavish adherence to the Tiger manual.

[SeattlePioneer]

 

 

 

 

Hello Tampa,

 

 

I'm supposing this remark is a joke, but can you describe your experiences in more detail?

[CubsRgr8]

Tigers, definitely, because the Pack had a tradition of the TDL not being a parent. So, what DL job could be easier? There's a parent present with each TC and you assign a GO DO IT activity to each family. We did a lot of fun stuff by tapping into parents' connections.