beltloops and pins question

[saschuster]

Thanks for all of the advice. I am not sure what beltloops this child has earned and what all of the pins are that she says he has earned but I can find out. I know there are some she said he has gotten in school but the teacher won't send anything home.....maybe because he didn't do the requirements, I don't know. I know he has a lot of beltloops, more than just about every other boy in the pack and it just makes me sick to think she may be fudging on the truth and is showing him he can cheat to get something! My son is a Wolf and we took a ski trip earlier in the year and we had to work hard for two days to get his skii pin so I know these aren't easy to achieve unless you put the time and the effort into them!

[Lisabob]

While the pins are a good bit of work in many instances, the belt loops are not. They're simple. In fact I can easily imagine that a boy might have met requirements in class at school, just in the normal course of things. I don't think it is worth grilling the parent or seeming to question that. You'll proceed to tick off the parent, who will simply find a way to "prove" that their darling earned the loop or pin, anyway. This isn't to say I approve of such an approach, but I don't think it is one you'd gain much from fighting against.

 

Bottom line: Have a cordial conversation with the parent to ensure they understand the requirements for earning the pins are not the same as for the loops. Then give the kid the bling. That, alone, isn't going to keep this kid in scouting for very long anyway. The parent is responsible for whatever sort of moral lesson they might be teaching their kid, not you.

[Scoutfish]

I agree with Lisabob:

The requirements for beltloops are practically slightly higher than breathing while thinking about the activity in question.

 

Take fishing for example:

 

1.Review your local fishing regulations with your leader or adult partner. Explain why they are important, and commit to following them.

 

2.Demonstrate how to properly bait a hook.

 

3.Spend at least 30 minutes trying to catch a fish

 

You can cover basic rules as they apply to your particular activity in less than 5 minutes. The kid can larn to bait a hok in 1 minute. 30 minutes of "TRYING" to catch a fish is next to nothing!

 

The way I look at it, a belt loop is not so much an award or trophy of a grand and outstanding achievement...rather,, it is a memento of having participated in an experience.

 

As far as experiences go...the level and enjoyment varies depending on the particular scout. Some activities...my son only participated because of the chance to get a beltloop. Others, well, he did it because everybody else did. Then there are some that he is rippin and rarin to go! He could care less if he got a beltloop or not, he just wants to do that activity!

 

 

As far as beltloops go... if you are not 1,000% positive (with proof) that the scout did not participate in some way at all...then give them the loop!

 

Now, with pins it's different. The requirements are a bit more involved and it is within reason to be able to see some proof.

 

The fishing pin for example:

 

1.Compete in a pack or community fishing tournament.

2.Demonstrate how to clean a fish in preparation for cooking and eating it. Properly dispose of any waste.

3.Prepare a report on three different kinds of fish. Include information on preferred habitats, feeding habits, and recommended fishing techniques, baits, and equipment needed to catch it. Tell your den or an adult family member what you learned.

4.Draw a picture of three different types of fishing reels. Explain how each works.

5.Tie three fishing flies that are used in places you fish. Use at least one to fish.

6.Practice casting for 30 minutes at a target 30 feet away.

7.Select a species of fish and draw a picture of it, correctly labeling each part and its function.

8.Replace the line in a fishing reel.

9.Make a simple pole and line fishing rig. Use it to catch a fish.

10.Catch a fish using artificial bait or lures.

11.Practice fishing on five occasions, complying with local fishing regulations and the Outdoor Code.

 

Requirements # 1 and 3 require some paperwork of some sort. Can the scout or parent show the entry form, the report or not?

 

#9 requires that the scout rig up a pole. Can he show it to you?

 

Again, I wouldn't take the scout to task with a formal inquiry, if it comes to that, just trust the parent and hope all is good.

(This message has been edited by scoutfish)

[Lisabob]

Scoutfish, I'm sure you know this but just a note - I don't recall that a boy has to do ALL of the requirements for the pin. In most cases, I think it was "do 5 (7?) of the following..." Yes? The requirements are still more detailed and time consuming than the loops, but kids (parents) could still cherry pick the relatively easier options.

[Scoutfish]

Oh yeah, I know. Just saying you could ask. But like I said, if they don't...I wouldn't make a federal case of it.

 

 

In the long run, the only person who MIGHT be losing out is the scout who didn't actually experience the experience.

 

But that would be mom or dad's fault, not the Cub Leader's.

[Basementdweller]

Easy way to think about it the Belt loop is for Tigers and wolves, the pin is for Bears and Webelos.

 

 

 

[jhankins]

I don't like to assign rank classifications to belt loops and pins, although some beltloops can be earned for rank advancement for Webelos to help their general knowledge of a subject.

 

If you have a boy, say taking gymnastics lessons, then by all means he's going to have the gumption and skill to go ahead and earn the beltloop and pin. If you have a family that skis or skates, then the boy could earn that in a month with his family.

 

Some families do beltloops and pins as family activities to help give every sibling a broad base of information and spark their interest in a new subject matter. That can happen at any age, even Tigers.

[Basementdweller]

Please,

 

 

Most if not all tiger do not have the ability to complete Pin requirements.

 

My example, It is five of the following.

 

1. Explain the parts of a BB gun and demonstrate how to properly load the gun.

2. Demonstrate the shooting positions.

3. Develop proficient shooting techniques by practicing for three hours.

4. Learn the correct scoring techniques for target BB gun shooting.

5. Make a poster that emphasizes the proper range commands.

6. Draw to scale or set up a BB gun shooting range.

7. Show improvement in your shooting ability with an increase in scoring points.

8. Help make a type of target for the camp BB gun shooting range.

9. Show how to put away and properly store BB gun shooting equipment after use.

10. Explain how to use the safety mechanism on a BB gun.

11. Tell five facts about the history of BB guns.

 

Most tigers I enjoy are not mature or focused enough to to them

 

or this

 

1. Make a chart and record at least five hours of hiking.

2. Help plan a den, pack, or family hike.

3. Earn Cub Scoutings Leave No Trace Awareness Award.

4. Earn the Cub Scout Outdoor Activity Award.

5. Learn seven trail signs and tell your den leader or adult partner what they are.

6. Be able to identify five different trees and five different birds on your hike. (These can be of the same species if multiple species are hard to find.)

7. Using pictures or photographs, identify three poisonous plants. (Examples are poison ivy, poison sumac, and poison oak; oleander, poinsettia, etc.). Watch for these plants while on a hike.

8. Take two different hikes for different purposes, for example, a nature hike, neighborhood hike, historical hike, city hike, stop-look-and-listen hike, and so on.

9. Explain to your den leader or adult partner what a compass is and show how to use one on a hike.

10. Explain to your den leader or adult partner what a global positioning system is and demonstrate how to use one on a hike.

11. With visuals such as pictures or maps, report about one of your hikes to your den. Tell about how you prepared for your hike, who went with you, and what you saw.

 

 

[Lisabob]

In our experience, by the time the kids got to Webelos rank, they were a lot less interested in the "glamour" of earning the belt loops (or the pins) anyway, but a few belt loops are Webelos requirements.

 

Still, whether they are 'easy' or 'hard' for a particular age isn't really the issue. I agree that they should not be limited to specific ranks. Different kids develop differently, or have different home experiences. If earning a belt loop encourages a 5th grade webelos scout to try something new, fine.