Another nooby question

[janey1968]

Our son is a bear this yr and both my husband and I want to support him. My husband has a very busy work schedule and can't attend all cub scout activities but would like to arange his schedule to attend the "major" ones. Can someone tell us what would be the "major" events in cub scouts(B and G,pinewood,camping)that my husband should attend? I also do the den meetings where most of the time only one parent is there but what about the larger "pack" meetings?

[ScoutNut]

Major Cub events. Well they rather depend on what your individual Pack does. However some of the highlights could be -

 

Pinewood Derby

Blue & Gold

End of year Graduation

Pack Camping trips

Summer Camp (Resident and Day)

 

Your son should attend his weekly den meetings and den outings.

 

Pack meetings are fun get togethers for the entire Pack family. The boys get to be recognized in front of family and all of the other Scouts for the things they have done over the month. Your whole family should attend every month. If it is not possible for your husband to attend every Pack meeting, then at least your son and you should be there. Siblings are always welcome too!

[dg98adams]

I think you should be asking your CM what the schedule is.....and what your son wants to participate in.

 

In general, the Thanksgiving & Christmas Pack meeting in my Pack were always lots of fun (course my job was to make every Pack meeting FUN).

 

The Blue & Gold in Feb.

 

The Pine Wood Derby in March.

 

Our council had a Cub Family Bash in October as a 1 day event with optional 1 night of camping.

 

The Cub "Winter" day-event in Jan/Feb.

 

Then there is week-long Day camp (no overnight except Friday) during mid-summer.

 

 

 

[Gunny2862]

And it's not just attending events...

there are plenty of opportunities for dad to be involved by finding out form the Den Leader whats coming up at the next meeting and then if Dad can just spend some time talking to the Scout about the next activity or helping him with a project(i.e. Pinewood Derby car) there are a lot of ways for him to be involved w/o going to the regular meetings.

 

But please do try to make the majors the others have listed and as was suggested check with the Cubmaster and Den Leader about any other "biggies".

[Karen_216]

I think it's great that he's trying to arrange to get to some activites. Some parents don't realize the importance of attending functions outside of pack or den meetings. they don't even need to be major. Some may be palnned a year in advance and some come up out of the blue. Attending sporting events with the pack on scout nights is lots of fun if Dad is available.

I agree that helping at home and taking an hour a week to go over items in the book towards his advancement is HUGE. It's so frustrating as a den (and pack) leader to have to feed the whole program and have nothing done or looked at at home. It really helps in a big way if a parent takes the time to mark the book adn advise the leader on prgress. The cub can then share with his den what he's done.

As far as Major evetns ask your den leader or CM. BLue and GOld and Pack weekends/overnights/Pinewood I'd say should be things that are palnned well in advance and you get notice about. I'd also taek the time to see if you could attedn some pack sponsered council activites.

Attedning all activites is not required. But I've found the scouts that get the most are thsoe that attend those outside activites.

[IM_Kathy]

1) packs can vary about from one to another so I would ask the CM, DL, or another parent which ones they think are "can't miss" ones

 

2) find out from DL when rank awards will be given at pack meeting

 

3) check with your son on ones he wants his dad to for sure be at.

 

My husband wasn't always able to make all the pack meetings, but he managed to make it to see him get his rank awards although he couldn't make it to cross over ceremony. And when he couldn't make it to the actual pine wood derby, he made sure he was around to assist in construction although it was actually his brother that helped our son with his cars (my husband has been nick-named "hander of tools" for a reason LOL) Also as a cub he won't be able to campout without an adult, so if you don't want to go then better make sure your husband has that date available for sure.

[ScoutMomSD]

Do you have folks in the Den you consider friends, enough that you can switch off with taking the kids to meetings? Or help you with Rank requirements?

 

One of the issues I have seen is that due to many of the requirements for rank and more plus Den meetings and Pack shows, people get really overwhelmed. And in our area, I have tried to recruit kids from single parent homes and we have a number of kids with two working parents. Its really hard and in a few instances, folks sign up and then think, "what the heck have I gotten myself into".

 

I would DEFINATELY ask these questions of your Den Leader and the other leaders who you feel are approachable. The last thing the pack leaders want is to have a kid drop out because the parent felt like they couldnt do it all. I am sure there are parents in your pack who would gladly help out and get your child to all the events.

 

Den meetings are important because it usually involves working on the Rank, ie the Bear, which your child will want. The monthly pack meetings may or may not be where awards are given out. I know in our pack, we have good attendence but not everyone comes every month.

 

Your child will definately also enjoy the Pinewood Derby and Space Derby, as well as camping. Camping one parent will need to go - ask you den leader about this.

 

Whatever you can do you and your child will benefit from the camraderie

 

good luck