Cub master diliema - What would you do?

[Scoutfish]

I have been Cub master of my pack since the first of June this year. So far, it has been fairly smooth going.

 

But last night, something just occured to me: TOMMORROW is our first pack meeting since we came back from summer break.

 

Although, all of the leaders/committee know I am Cub Master, and a big handfull of parents do too.....not all know it. Not all the scouts know it.

 

Now, TOMMORROW night is also our second night of sign up at 1 of 3 schools. This is also the school that we get the biggest draw from out off the 3. I did not notice/realize the scheduling conflict until last night!

 

Now, I feel I should be at the sign up as I am the Cub Master.

 

But then again, I am the Cub master! I am the Emcee and master of ceremonies at pack meetings. I am/was planning on welcoming all the scouts as well as parents back, intoducing myself as the new Cub Master, and also go over any new rules and policies the leadership/committee made as well as new Adult Leaders.

 

I was also going to present our National Summertime Activity Award ribbon to be hung on our pack flag pole, hand out fishing derby participation certificates , and present two Summertime Activity pins to the two boys who participated in all 3 events.

 

Okay, after typing this all out, I feel I may have discovered the obvious - Do the pack meeting - but now I think I'm just looking for confirmation that I am choosing wisely.

 

So he options are:

 

1) Be there to give a good impression to the POTENTIAL scouts and possible future adult leaders....or

 

2) Stand with my EXISTING group of scouts and leaders who already invested time and energy into the program.

 

Okay, I guess it's obvious.......stick with who we have, not he we "might" get!

 

AWESOME! You guys have been a great help! (This message has been edited by scoutfish)

[SSScout]

Glad we could help. ;-)

 

But who IS going to the JSN?

 

Any good show and tell for it? Photos? Computer show? Flags? Tents? Ropes? Give out free popcorn! And stickers. Boys love stickers: ((Cub symbol)) "HEY MOM AND DAD! CALL CUB SCOUT PACK XYZ FOR ME! PHONE CUBMASTER JOHN SMITH 555.666.7777"

[Scoutfish]

See....Now I am having second thoughts again.

 

At the pack meeting, we do have an ACM who will stand up and sign, dance and get the kids all excited. He's been in scouting for a long, long time.

 

So the pack is in capable hands.

 

At our sign ups, the DE pretty much runs the show. He signs, dances, teaches a song or two - then steps aside to let us introduce ourselves, talk about our pack, etc...

 

There will be at least 3 if not 4 packs recruiting from this crowd.

 

So now I am thinking that the pack we have is there..they are in.

The pack is not hanging on a thread waiting for ONLY me to save it!

 

 

 

 

[UCEagle72]

And what about your Committee Chair, or Membership Committee person -- could they not handle the school night while you handle the Pack Meeting?

 

As Cubmaster your #1 priority should be to the Pack Meeting. You could even sending your CA to the School Night. But you are the "ringmaster" and should be there, especially since this will be your first Pack meeting!

 

[Scoutfish]

Yeah, I decided to go to the pack meeting.

 

Like I said, those are the guys and gals who arlready invested time, money and a good part of their lives to our pack already.

 

 

 

I am also taking into consideration that the school scheduled for tommorrow also serves a good size portion of an area that a brand new pack was created for.

 

 

That and we already have 80 registered scouts in our pack. Losing a potential scout or two might be a good thing.

[ScoutNut]

You state that you have a full committee.

 

With a full, working, committee, there is absolutely no reason for the Cubmaster to do everything.

 

Membership, and recruiting, is the job of the committee.

 

The decision to not recruit more than 80 boys is not yours to make on your own.

 

There is no reason to cancel a Roundup because you can't be there. Talk to your Committee Chair. The CC, and/or the Membership Committee Member should be the ones to attend.

 

If you have no working CC, or Membership Chair, then the COR and the Asst CM can do it.

 

 

 

 

[Scoutfish]

Yeah, I gonna see if our CC, COR or another committee member will go.

 

I did have a bunch of sheets printed up that list out CO, location, what nights and time we meet and list me as Cub Master and my contact #.

I handed them out last time and will pass them out next time too. I will give my rep some to pass out tommorrow.

 

 

[Novice_Cubmaster]

Scoutfish,

 

Make sure somebody who can well represent your pack goes to school night.

 

We are one of two packs that recruit from the local elementary school. The DE arbitrarily directs families to one pack or the other based on a map. The other CM & I used to let families know, we didn't care which pack the boys went to, as long as there was the best chance their son would stay in scouting. We told them to consider which pack the boy's friends were in, what night the pack/dens meet, location and activities. One thing we'd mention is our annual special trip - like to the USS Yorktown, or the Okefenokee Swamp. We'd also mention nasty little details the DE wouldn't like what the pack dues are & what our expectations are around popcorn sales participation, uniforms, etc..

 

NC

[ScoutMythBuster]

I hate District Maps!! All of the Packs in your area should represnted by NIGHT YOU MEET! Make it convient for mom and dad.

 

As for you being the new Cubmaster, congrats!! You CC should have made the transfer of power a big event so there is no doubt and that everybody knows that this is your new position. I know you are not trying to tute your own horn but if it is not clear what the chain of command is there will be problems. As for what is your job and what the committee does ... you need to decide that. Some Cubmasters rely heavy on their committee while others just consults the committee. I know what the book says but the writers of that book are not in your shoes and only you know what is going on at your Pack Meetings. Trust and work with your Den Leaders. You are the front line in your efforts to teach these cubs.

[Scoutfish]

WEll, as it turns out, the COR went, Back in the day....way, ay back, he was CM for about 5 years and SM for our Co's Troop for 7.

 

Great guy, traditional scouter. Always making sure we keep costs down, and knows every known fact that has anything to do with the United States Flag.

 

So the pack meeting. How'd it turn out? Well, it was okay, nothing spectacular. I showed up 30 minutes early so i could make sure I was ready.

 

Spent every minute of that 30 signing up new scouts and answering questions.

Then 5 minutes before the meeting, the CC asks me if he can speak right after colors because he had to leave and do some Marine Corps stuff

I said sure.

 

Turns out that he talked about- was almost 90% of what I was going to talk about.

I bent my brain trying to figure out how to fill up an hour.

 

Yeah, I introoduced myself to those who didn't know me or my takeover as CM. I introduced all our leadership to anybody who didn't know. And had our Acm DO SOME SONGS AND DANCING.

 

I thought I really bombed, but had several leaders tell me I did great.

 

But you know, you also tell your 3 year old that the crayon scribble he made is the best drawing ever.......

 

I also brought up Q&A for the new folks. I might have been the most at ease at that time.

[ScoutMythBuster]

We usually judge ourselves more negatively than others. It sounds like you did great!! The main objective is communicating and you covered what you had to, sounds like you had some fun too. What else can you ask for?

[UCEagle72]

Hmmm ... if you spent 30 minutes signing up new cubs, then it sounds like you needed your membership person there 30 minutes early too!

 

(This message has been edited by UCEagle72)

[DYB-Mike]

I bent my brain trying to figure out how to fill up an hour

 

Ahh Scoutfish, it sounds like you didnt heed the advice given in earlier threads PLAN and OVERPLAN!

 

As others have pointed out, the pack meeting is your domain as Cubmaster and you are responsible for planning and implementing the festivities.

 

Our first Pack Meeting is this coming Sunday and as Cubmaster Ive been busy. To prepare I researched games that fit this months Core Value Cooperation and assembled an agenda of the order of activities that I have distributed to the Den Leaders. Responsibility for the Opening Ceremony has been assigned. Ive got a song to open with and some songs to sprinkle in. We have rank advancements (two boys finished their Wolf over the summer), at least on Bobcat, and a host of other awards to give out. We also have a former leader coming in to help with our popcorn fundraising kickoff. Unfortunately the Dens arent prepared with skits or anything this month, but I think well have more than enough to fill the hour and then some. Again, all this has been laid out on paper so that the Leaders know what comes next and we keep things moving.

 

We go through this process every month and because of this I think our Pack Meetings come off pretty well.

 

It sounds like your Committee Chair is pretty involved and maybe you dont have the latitude to take full charge of the pack meeting. You should still do your homework beforehand and come prepared with an arsenal of games and songs, and props to put out there. You shouldnt have to bend your brain to fill up time, thats a recipe for disaster.

 

Judging the type of guy you appear to be (fun and gregarious) from your posts, Im sure you did fine at your first pack meeting. Hopefully youll love the challenge of making sure each pack meeting is fun-filled and fresh.

 

YIS

Mike