Starting to fill a bit overwhelmed.

[SSScout]

1) The Charter Org (unless you are a self chartered "Friends of" Pack) should help with the initial stuff. It agreed to this when it signed the Charter document. Meeting place, first dues, buy a flag, etc. which the Pack will repay as it gets going. Fundraising (car washes, popcorn, bake sales, lawn raking, etc.) is an activity you plan into your year.

2) Parents are made to understand the Pack Cub Scout Program is for their boys, and if THEY (the parents ) do not see the benefit of the Cub Program for their boys, either by reputation or by actively reading about it, it (the Pack) ain't gonna happen. Get the Parents together over coffee/tea/BBQ/whatever and get the commitment from them. YOU as Cubmaster can not do this alone. THEY cannot expect YOU to do it all for them. The Pack Needs: A Cubmaster, some Den Leaders, a Committee Chair (if not a Committee, that is de facto all the parents)

3) Suggest a yearlong schedule. Someone in the District or Council should be able to give you a sample schedule to look at. Actively ask for particular parents to step up and take charge of a particular activity. Do not expect these new folks to volunteer.

Make sure they understand this is not work, it is PLAYING with their children! It is TEACHING their children about the world and their community, how to live and play and BE with others. Is this important to them?

4) Get together with your DE. Sit down and GET IN WRITING what is lacking in the process. Figure out how you, the parents, the Charter Org and him/her can get it all done. He/she is paid to do this. Expect service for your dues, which brings up....

5) Decide early who your Treasurer is. Keep a clear , honest accounting. Give receipts. Work with your Charter Org and it's Institution Head about this. If you are to be a Cub Pack, know what the yearly dues are. The idea of pro-rating them is a Council bookkeeping construction. In real life, the Cub Parent is expected to pay (thru the Pack) yearly dues to National to the Pack for it's expenses and to Council for insurance and "stuff".. The Council keeps a "slush fund" for each unit that allows some elasticity in their bookkeeping. Any extra "prorated" dues go in there, and gets parceled out later.

6) The Pack needs a treasury, to buy the patches, belt loops (for awhile), and such. Your parents will expect their Cubbies to get their awards when they are earned, yes? Many Packs award the Rank Books, Neckerchiefs (you can save by deciding NOT to buy a new necker and hat for each rank but keep ONE yellow necker and hat thru Cub Scouts) and such rather than ask the Parent to buy them themselves. Some hassle eliminated and monetary saving there. Hence the need for regular fundraising.

7) There is always complaint about the purchase of uniform and rank books (see above). Note the need for specialized uniforms for sports, which often turn out much more expensive. As has been noted, the activity is more important than the uniform. Get the boys DOING Scout stuff first, wear a Cub Tshirt and jeans. Cubbie pants CAN be worn to school, or the Pack can agree to wear BLUE jeans. The boy will outgrow them, no matter what is decided. The story is told about the boy who was told he was going to his cousin's wedding and needed to wear his best clothes. He naturally donned his Cub Scout uniform, much to his mom's surprise and pleasure. As Cubmaster, set the example, be uniformed, praise the boys that dress right, do not castigate the boy who is not yet uniformed, he will be soon.

8) Be assured, you are doing the right thing. You may not see it now, but the boy that stps you in the Safeway and says "hi" will make it worth while.

 

Good Scouting to you!

[Loy_36]

Thanks SSScout, that was a lot of helpful information. Even though I'm technically the Cub Master in the councils eyes I will be stepping in as one of the Den Leaders. So I got the three other parents with kids that are in various ranks to agree to be Den Leaders. That was my biggest fear for some reason. I think I will ask the school that chartered us to purchase an American Flag and a Pack Flag for us. My district does have a round table to meeting the second Thursday of each month so I'm really looking forward to going to the one coming up. About the yearly dues, how do you figure what new Cub Scouts will pay when joining? I know that the council prorates your registration depending on when you join in the year but if you join late in the year you have to turn around and pay a full years of dues at the begging of the new year. Do you just go ahead and collect the prorated rate plus the next years dues up front or just wait until January and ask everyone to pay their registration again? We are going to implement Pack Dues that will amount to $1 each week for the kids. Thanks for all the advice.

[Loy_36]

Let me ask everyone about Scouting software. I have heard a lo about different software to help you keep up with everything from bookkeeping to advancement for the kids. Is there a preferred software for Cub Scouts?

[JasonG172]

Let me ask everyone about Scouting software. I have heard a lo about different software to help you keep up with everything from bookkeeping to advancement for the kids. Is there a preferred software for Cub Scouts?

 

USE ScoutBook!!!! I really enjoy it. Tell all the parents for now to set one up individually and then make ALL the connections. You shouldnt have to spend a dime then. You are allowed 1 free scout, so if ALL the parents setup their 1 free kid, you set up your account, connect all the kids together through connections BAM !!!

 

[King Ding Dong]

You don't need software for 5 scouts. The Scout should use his book, it is training for Boy Scouts. Maybe a spreadsheet if you must, but there are plenty of printed advancement sheets you can use. Keep your eye on the ball and don't waste time on all this other stuff. Remember what we said about the uniforms? If you really want to waste some time go poke around the scouting on the web subgroup but I would put that time into learning the program and working with the boys. If you must know we use Scouttrack. The UI sucks and there is no user manual. It gets the job done but for $50 a year I would look elsewhere.

[King Ding Dong]

Don't buy a flag! A) your uniform has one on the sleeve. you are always prepared! B) your congressman will send you a free one that flew over the Capitol. C) give your congressman a few months notice and he/she will likely attend your blue and gold and give a citizen speech. Cheap way to spice it up and impress the parents. Must send the request on pack letterhead. No, don't go to a printer, grab some clip art off the web and paste it into Word.