How many den meetings a month for Bears (and Webelos)?

[Scout_Ma'am]

I'm a Bear leader.

 

In Tigers, the handbook suggests 2 meetings a month. When we moved to Wolves, I kept this schedule out of consideration for all the other activities my boys are involved with, despite the handbook suggestion that meetings become weekly (!).

 

Now that we're Bears, I have been considering upping it to three dens a month (our den meetings are one hour, in the evening), but part of me is hesitant to do this --the whole "overscheduling our kids" thought . I know the handbook says a meeting a week, but I noticed Fast Tracks is set up for 2 meetings a month (though as people have mentioned, those 2 meetings become very achievement-driven, cutting out the "fun" stuff).

 

What are other people doing? Our group meets throughout the summer, so we do get that extra time to get the achievements done, and we always have a monthly pack meeting. How about when we become Webelos next year? Does that HAVE to be weekly?

 

Thanks for your thoughts.

[Eamonn]

While I don't think you have to do anything that you don't want to!

Back in the day...

We went with 4 meetings a month.

Three Den meetings and no meeting on the week when we had a Pack meeting.

Some Dens that met on a Monday, that had done an activity over the weekend didn't meet the following Monday.

I think this was to give the Den Leaders time to regain their sanity.

Ea.

[John-in-KC]

Ditto Eamonn, both for me (that's 40+ years ago) and EagleSon (that's just 10 years ago).

 

Consistency helps young people. Consistent weekly meetings!

[Twocubdad]

We met weekly, although one meeting night a month was the pack meeting. That's been withing the past four years.

[ScoutNut]

For the last 11 years, I have had my Tigers meet weekly, 3 den meetings (with 1 a possible outing), and 1 Pack meeting.

 

That is not to say that I have had 100% attendence at every meeting. We work around the families schedules when we must. I have never had a problem.

[atrups]

This is the monthly guidelines we use for our dens.

 

Tigers

1 Den Meeting

1 Go See It

1 Pack Meeting

 

Wolves

2 Den Meetings

1 Go See It (Every 2 months)

1 Pack Meeting

 

Bears

2 Den Meetings

1 Go See It

1 Pack Meeting

 

Webelos

2 Den Meeting

1 Troop Meeting or Activity (optional for first years, but once they go to one...)

1 Go See It

1 Pack Meeting

 

Go See It's are our Field Trips (Hikes Camp Outs, Fire Station Visits). Some are planned by the Pack, the rest by the Dens. Typically, the Go See Its will help the scouts earned an achievment credit and teach some skills.

 

[Beagle Scout]

Same here. During the school year (September-May), my Bear den met for three 1.5-hour den meetings/outings a month plus the pack meeting, and I intend to keep the same schedule this year for the Webelos. Pack activities (PWD, Scouting for Food, first aid meet, council/district camps, etc.) are usually in addition to the regular meeting schedule. It may seeem like a lot, but the families appreciate the active program and know that they are free to participate or not as they choose. We typically have 80-90% attendance.

 

During the summer (June-August), the den only meets once a month, but the pack offers two activities a month, either pack-organized or put on by the council/district.

 

[wolfmama500]

Same here... Weekly meetings and the extra activities are an add-on to the schedule. This allow us to work on achievements, beltloops and do some wacky scout fun stuff too without rushing the kids on advancements only or leaving the fun out.

[walk in the woods]

Our dens use the fast tracks and meet every other week, plus our monthly pack meeting. We use the non-meeting week for den activities (non-advancement typically) or "catch-up" time if the Den Leader is so inclined, etc.

[Pack212Scouter]

Our Pack meets every week. For Tigers, Wolves and Bears, this amounts to 3 one hour meetings a typical month with a 90 minute Pack Meeting once a month. Our Webelos meet for 90 minutes 3 times a month. The meetings are replaced with go see its or workshops (PWD, etc) as needed.

[Lisabob]

We met weekly in wolves & bears. Changed to twice a month for part of webelos but made the meetings longer to compensate.

 

One good thing about weekly meetings - no confusion on the part of the parents (is this scouts week or not?)! Another good thing - most troops around here do meet every week. Conditioning parents to expect that is helpful. I've noticed that the boys who join our troop from packs that meet weekly are more likely to stick with the troop than those who come from packs with a more laid back schedule. I can't be sure it is due to the regular scheduling but it can't hurt, either.