Cub Scouts Hate Their Uniforms!

[blw2]

I think the T-Shirt thing is just lazy.

 

Yeah, sure.... there's a place for it when doing some highly active outing or something..... but IMO a meeting aint the place. A field trip to tour a fire station or whatever aint the place. Hanging from a zip-line, jumping trampolines..... ok, I might buy the idea of a T-Shirt here.....

 

I've heard my son grumble about the uniform 2 or maybe 3 times over the Tiger and Wolf years..... but I think only because he's had to get up and move to make the meeting. It's more about not wanting to change clothes, go find his socks, etc..... than the uniform itself. We get exactly the same grief often when leaving the house for other things too.....

 

Honestly, I think the boys can sense that they look goofy or sloppy..... I know I sure can, and did as a boy, too.

 

You know that feeling of looking sharp if you put on a new suit that fits? Put on the uniform complete, neat, and looking sharp. Feels good. Makes you stand a little taller!

 

Now put on some clothes that don't fit right. Baggy shirt or worse, one that's too tight.... Mismatched pants (jeans or whatever) that are out of place. Maybe throw in white socks and dress shoes to complete the goofy mismatched outfit.....untucked and sloppy. Feels goofy. Makes you want to stand a little shorter & hide..... or just go home.

 

So the boys see their dads' and leaders wearing half a uniform for one or more of the many excuses already stated many times before..... maybe a shirt that doesn't fit right.... and then they follow suit and only wear it half way. Necker rolled up sloppy and thrown around their neck. Lost the woggle, so they have it tied in some sloppy knot, with the standing ends pointing in different directions, one more or less down and the other up and to the left..... they look like a complete goof, and feel like it too!

 

No wonder some of the boys start complaining about the uniform. Much easier and more comfortable to wear the same t-shirt that they wore to school, as opposed to putting on a mess and feeling like a goof.

 

Sure there are weaknesses in quality, design, or whatever...... but nothing that can't be overcome if you wanted to.

Teach them to take pride in the uniform!

 

[ParkMan]

My son's the same way. He grumbles about putting his uniform on (though less now with the tan uniform), he grumbles about having to go to meetings, he grumbles about having to eat dinner too In my house, scouting is important and my son sees that. So, as he's matured, he's taking more and more pride in scouting. When he needs a nudge to get active in Scouting, I give it to him and over time that's worked.

 

In a lot of houses, that's not the case though. I know many parents who don't see the bigger picture and for whom scouting is just another activity. When their son grumbles a few times about going to meetings or putting on their uniforms, the parents start to give up.

 

For us, right or wrong, we've not been fighting the battle. Do I think it would help if we were better uniformed - yes. However, I think before we do that, we need to get better participation at pack meetings, have better programs, etc...

 

So, for now I make the uniforming as painless as possible - hence the t-shirt.

[blw2]

My son's the same way. He grumbles about putting his uniform on (though less now with the tan uniform), he grumbles about having to go to meetings, he grumbles about having to eat dinner too In my house, scouting is important and my son sees that. So, as he's matured, he's taking more and more pride in scouting. When he needs a nudge to get active in Scouting, I give it to him and over time that's worked.

 

In a lot of houses, that's not the case though. I know many parents who don't see the bigger picture and for whom scouting is just another activity. When their son grumbles a few times about going to meetings or putting on their uniforms, the parents start to give up.

 

For us, right or wrong, we've not been fighting the battle. Do I think it would help if we were better uniformed - yes. However, I think before we do that, we need to get better participation at pack meetings, have better programs, etc...

 

So, for now I make the uniforming as painless as possible - hence the t-shirt.

I sort of see it as a chicken or egg thing. Which came first?

 

Maybe if the whole pack, leaders and all, went all out with the uniform.... not so much as to be rigid or military, but enough to instill an attitude of Doing Your Best.....Maybe it could as designed or intended, install a group identity and pride in self and accomplishment, that is missing. Therefore pack meetings would get better participation and the program will be better.

 

Of course it wouldn't work without a fun meeting agenda, but hand in hand??? I think it stands a good chance. Whoever it was that started this uniform thing a long time ago sure thought so....... and it apparently worked for a long time before we started watering it down with "Class B's" and other self produced variations on the theme..... After all, to this day almost anyone out there, no matter what will be able to tell you what a Boy Scout or Cub Scout is 'supposed' to look like.

 

Unfortunately, I won't be reporting about anything learned from such an experience in my pack any time soon. Leaders are too entrenched in a half-way attitude.

[ParkMan]

My son's the same way. He grumbles about putting his uniform on (though less now with the tan uniform), he grumbles about having to go to meetings, he grumbles about having to eat dinner too In my house, scouting is important and my son sees that. So, as he's matured, he's taking more and more pride in scouting. When he needs a nudge to get active in Scouting, I give it to him and over time that's worked.

 

In a lot of houses, that's not the case though. I know many parents who don't see the bigger picture and for whom scouting is just another activity. When their son grumbles a few times about going to meetings or putting on their uniforms, the parents start to give up.

 

For us, right or wrong, we've not been fighting the battle. Do I think it would help if we were better uniformed - yes. However, I think before we do that, we need to get better participation at pack meetings, have better programs, etc...

 

So, for now I make the uniforming as painless as possible - hence the t-shirt.

As I wrote that, I had that thought too. Perhaps I'm thinking about all this too hard and trying to solve issues one-by-one instead of just dealing with a bunch at once. I don't know.

[ScoutNut]

In 17 years of working with Cub Scouts, I have heard very few (if any) complaints about the uniform. The Tigers love it. The older boys tend to get whiney, but then they get whiney about everything as they get older! They still wear their uniforms.

 

The short sleeve Cub shirt isn't really any hotter than a regular shirt, and Cubs have the options of buying shorts, or the zip-off Switchback pants. The problem with Cubs is a lighter weight uniform will not last a week. Especially the pants. Little boys seem to be highly affected by gravity. They spend a good portion of their time on their knees, and/or skidding across floors/sidewalks/etc. You need something extremely sturdy.

 

As others have stated, a Pack t-shirt for active activities is also a viable way to go.

 

Faith - for the slipping neckers, tie a knot, or put a rubber band, under the slide,

[King Ding Dong]

In 17 years of working with Cub Scouts, I have heard very few (if any) complaints about the uniform. The Tigers love it. The older boys tend to get whiney, but then they get whiney about everything as they get older! They still wear their uniforms.

 

The short sleeve Cub shirt isn't really any hotter than a regular shirt, and Cubs have the options of buying shorts, or the zip-off Switchback pants. The problem with Cubs is a lighter weight uniform will not last a week. Especially the pants. Little boys seem to be highly affected by gravity. They spend a good portion of their time on their knees, and/or skidding across floors/sidewalks/etc. You need something extremely sturdy.

 

As others have stated, a Pack t-shirt for active activities is also a viable way to go.

 

Faith - for the slipping neckers, tie a knot, or put a rubber band, under the slide,

I suspect many of the complaints are because the parents bought a long sleeve shirt. Unless you are in Alaska I would always go short sleeve and add layers underneath as needed.

 

I have always tied a knot in the necker but there is a safety issue with that. When boys play "holding" violations are common. They grab for whatever they can and could potentially cause some neck injuries with a tied necker. I never could get the rubber band trick to work well. Another solution to loosing the slide is to loop one side through and leave the other side as normal. This minimizes the risk of loosing the slide.

[Faith]

In 17 years of working with Cub Scouts, I have heard very few (if any) complaints about the uniform. The Tigers love it. The older boys tend to get whiney, but then they get whiney about everything as they get older! They still wear their uniforms.

 

The short sleeve Cub shirt isn't really any hotter than a regular shirt, and Cubs have the options of buying shorts, or the zip-off Switchback pants. The problem with Cubs is a lighter weight uniform will not last a week. Especially the pants. Little boys seem to be highly affected by gravity. They spend a good portion of their time on their knees, and/or skidding across floors/sidewalks/etc. You need something extremely sturdy.

 

As others have stated, a Pack t-shirt for active activities is also a viable way to go.

 

Faith - for the slipping neckers, tie a knot, or put a rubber band, under the slide,

Thank you both for the suggestions! We will play around with it and see what we can do that's safe and will keep that bugger on.

[blw2]

In 17 years of working with Cub Scouts, I have heard very few (if any) complaints about the uniform. The Tigers love it. The older boys tend to get whiney, but then they get whiney about everything as they get older! They still wear their uniforms.

 

The short sleeve Cub shirt isn't really any hotter than a regular shirt, and Cubs have the options of buying shorts, or the zip-off Switchback pants. The problem with Cubs is a lighter weight uniform will not last a week. Especially the pants. Little boys seem to be highly affected by gravity. They spend a good portion of their time on their knees, and/or skidding across floors/sidewalks/etc. You need something extremely sturdy.

 

As others have stated, a Pack t-shirt for active activities is also a viable way to go.

 

Faith - for the slipping neckers, tie a knot, or put a rubber band, under the slide,

I just bend the little tabs on the back of it in to tighten it up.

If they are doing some horsing around, my son usually brings his necker and woggle to me to put in my pocket. Sometimes I tell him to put it in his pocket!

With a homemade woggle, or my old liberty bell woggle, I've done the knot thing and the rubber band. Both good options.

[blw2]

Oh, and about the pants not holding up for boys. I bought the size to fit him as close as reasonable as a Tiger, not oversized. I wanted him to be sharp, and not baggy.

Anyway, two years now, and he's just outgrown the switchback pants. They've held up fine and he's even wore them some on non-scouting days! & he plays in the dirt with the best of them.... the shirt still looks fine too.

I just haven't had the issue with poor quality of the uniforms.....

[ParkMan]

In 17 years of working with Cub Scouts, I have heard very few (if any) complaints about the uniform. The Tigers love it. The older boys tend to get whiney, but then they get whiney about everything as they get older! They still wear their uniforms.

 

The short sleeve Cub shirt isn't really any hotter than a regular shirt, and Cubs have the options of buying shorts, or the zip-off Switchback pants. The problem with Cubs is a lighter weight uniform will not last a week. Especially the pants. Little boys seem to be highly affected by gravity. They spend a good portion of their time on their knees, and/or skidding across floors/sidewalks/etc. You need something extremely sturdy.

 

As others have stated, a Pack t-shirt for active activities is also a viable way to go.

 

Faith - for the slipping neckers, tie a knot, or put a rubber band, under the slide,

I'd recommend making slides. It's great fun, they're memorable, and the boys like them more anyways.

[Adam S]

In 17 years of working with Cub Scouts, I have heard very few (if any) complaints about the uniform. The Tigers love it. The older boys tend to get whiney, but then they get whiney about everything as they get older! They still wear their uniforms.

 

The short sleeve Cub shirt isn't really any hotter than a regular shirt, and Cubs have the options of buying shorts, or the zip-off Switchback pants. The problem with Cubs is a lighter weight uniform will not last a week. Especially the pants. Little boys seem to be highly affected by gravity. They spend a good portion of their time on their knees, and/or skidding across floors/sidewalks/etc. You need something extremely sturdy.

 

As others have stated, a Pack t-shirt for active activities is also a viable way to go.

 

Faith - for the slipping neckers, tie a knot, or put a rubber band, under the slide,

Someone suggested making their own slides and that is always great, bending the tabs works on the BSA neckerchiefs, but for the non-BSA slides try using grip tape (the textured tape on top of a skateboard) it gives the slide a bit more friction while making the opening a little narrow, works like a charm!

[DigitalScout]

We could try switching from a necker to a silk ascot.

I love this idea. Not only is silk soft to the touch but will make any scout look dashing!

[Faith]

In 17 years of working with Cub Scouts, I have heard very few (if any) complaints about the uniform. The Tigers love it. The older boys tend to get whiney, but then they get whiney about everything as they get older! They still wear their uniforms.

 

The short sleeve Cub shirt isn't really any hotter than a regular shirt, and Cubs have the options of buying shorts, or the zip-off Switchback pants. The problem with Cubs is a lighter weight uniform will not last a week. Especially the pants. Little boys seem to be highly affected by gravity. They spend a good portion of their time on their knees, and/or skidding across floors/sidewalks/etc. You need something extremely sturdy.

 

As others have stated, a Pack t-shirt for active activities is also a viable way to go.

 

Faith - for the slipping neckers, tie a knot, or put a rubber band, under the slide,

Nice, thank you! I was not aware that we could make our own (as someone who is trying to get everyone to follow the uniform code to the best of their ability, I had no idea if that would be acceptable or not.) I know they'd love to do that though, we have a crafty bunch Never would have thought of grip tape either!

[King Ding Dong]

We could try switching from a necker to a silk ascot.

Didn't the Air Force use them at some point ?

 

" I don't always wear an ascot, but when I do I wear my Tiger Cub Orange"

The most interesting Cub in the world.

[Scouter99]

The short sleeve Cub shirt isn't really any hotter than a regular shirt' date=' and Cubs have the options of buying shorts, or the zip-off Switchback pants. The problem with Cubs is a lighter weight uniform will not last a week. Especially the pants. Little boys seem to be highly affected by gravity. They spend a good portion of their time on their knees, and/or skidding across floors/sidewalks/etc. You need something extremely sturdy.[/quote']

 

I have to agree about tougher pants. I collect old uniforms, and sometimes I get hold of 40s-60s Cub pants as part of a Boy Scout lot, and I've yet to see one pair that the knees aren't worn out. Suggestions that the old uniforms were more durable and/or comfortable strike me as patently ridiculous. The uniform was completely canvas and denim until the 60s or 70s, then it was 65/35 Dacron poly/cotton from the 70s on.

Comfort: Anyone want to postulate that denim shirts are more comfortable in heat? Give me a break. The polyester blend shirts are arguably cooler if they had no collar, but there was an option with a collar. You cannot argue that they were cooler than the Oscar de la Renta (ODLR) or Centennial uniforms based on material, because it's the same material.

Durability: Fully half of the collarless shirts that I acquire are muslin-thin, which might make them cooler, but it's impossible that they were more durable because (1) they were made of the same material or (2) in many cases the fabric was so thin.

I love the old uniforms, but I don't have any illusions about their comfort in some cases, or their durability in others.

 

Digital' date=' your cubs aren't the only ones unhappy with the uniform. The BSA hasn't fielded a functional, durable, affordable, user-popular uniform since the early '70s. Today's uniforms are designed for sedentary activities, like passive listening at meetings, watching powerpoint slide shows and videos, crunching JTE metrics in a cubicle, and the like.[/quote']

 

There's truly no difference between your 1970s uniform and the ODLR or Centennial uniforms. The shirts are made of the same 65/35 Dacron polyester/cotton blend. Sure, the pants were stifling and the shirts were little plastic steamers. But that's true of both: the pants and shorts are the same between the 70s and ODLR, just a different color. The shirts are the same, just no collar in some cases (but again, even in the period you're talking about, you could buy the shirt with or without a collar). The pants for the Centennial uniform are made of a better material for the outdoors. The Nylon Centennial shirts I can't speak to, I never wore one; I have no complaints with my 67/33 poly/cotton shirt.

You also overlook that in the 80s/90s there was an activity uniform option that consisted of khaki shorts and a red polo (http://boyslife.org/wayback/#issue=z2YEAAAAMBAJ&pg=53).