Cub Scouts meeting drop-off policies (official)

[FireStone]

Is there an official BSA policy on Cub Scouts being dropped off for den or pack meetings with no parent present? My understanding is that from 2nd grade and above, drop-offs are ok, but I can't seem to find any documentation on this.

Anyone aware of any official BSA stance on this?

[MikeS72]

51 minutes ago, FireStone said:

Is there an official BSA policy on Cub Scouts being dropped off for den or pack meetings with no parent present? My understanding is that from 2nd grade and above, drop-offs are ok, but I can't seem to find any documentation on this.

Anyone aware of any official BSA stance on this?

Since Cub Scouts is family scouting, I doubt that there is anywhere that would easy to find that explicitly gives the ok for parents to drop off and leave, although the fact that only Lion and Tiger require an adult with them at all activities and meeting seems to imply to parents that once they hit Wolf it is ok.

[elitts]

My pack always operated with the requirement that no child could attend any function without some adult taking personal responsibility for the scout.  It didn't have to be that child's parent after Tigers, but there had to be someone.  You couldn't just drop your kids at the door and drive away.

[qwazse]

The reason why you can't find any is because there is none. The Lion and Tiger program are, however, very focused on the relationship between parent/guardian and child. The scout would not be getting the full benefit of the program without them.

Wolf through AoL programs center around the den leaders, so parent's (aside from a 2nd registered 21+year old of requisite gender) aren't really needed for den meetings.

Pack-meetings, let's be honest, are really about showing off to the parents and other dens. So, you definitely want them around then.

If the scouts are traveling any distance, having a parent in the room definitely helps in the handling of emergencies.

[5thGenTexan]

My policy is just "No"    Never ever...   When AOL comes around, that is a different matter.

[Armymutt]

We don't allow drop offs at any rank, unless it's really necessary, like retrieving a sibling from an activity down the road.  We had one family who thought Scouts would be a date night for them.  When the meeting could last 30 minutes to an hour, you're not going to get much of a date out of it.  The best chance would be to run to the gas station and microwave a burrito.

[5thGenTexan]

3 minutes ago, Armymutt said:

We don't allow drop offs at any rank, unless it's really necessary, like retrieving a sibling from an activity down the road.  We had one family who thought Scouts would be a date night for them.  When the meeting could last 30 minutes to an hour, you're not going to get much of a date out of it.  The best chance would be to run to the gas station and microwave a burrito.

We had a Webelos / AOL campout this weekend with the Troop.  Only parents we had stay were leader parents.  

[Armymutt]

Just now, 5thGenTexan said:

We had a Webelos / AOL campout this weekend with the Troop.  Only parents we had stay were leader parents.  

Our Webelos den has a campout planned at our church - if they put it on the calendar.  I'm not sure if they are having parents attend.  For some reason, they don't feel it is necessary to discuss these things with the Cubmaster.

[T2Eagle]

For den meetings, as long as there were enough folks sticking around to help I never required every parent stay.  Teachers handle 25 kids, I figured with at least one or two other adults I could handle eight.  Always had a lot of, OK Cub is here, then I'm taking sister to soccer, then brother to gymnastics, then I'll be back before the end to pick up Cub, and then make the pick up circuit for everybody else.

For Pack meetings it worked about he same although parents did seem to hang around more because of the awards stuff.

Edited November 16, 2021 by T2Eagle

[5thGenTexan]

1 minute ago, Armymutt said:

Our Webelos den has a campout planned at our church - if they put it on the calendar.  I'm not sure if they are having parents attend.  For some reason, they don't feel it is necessary to discuss these things with the Cubmaster.

We use Slack as our communications platform for the Pack.  CM and CC are in every Den Channel.  So, we have a pretty good idea on whats happening.  But yes, they need to communicate with the CM about that sort of thing.

[Armymutt]

17 minutes ago, 5thGenTexan said:

We use Slack as our communications platform for the Pack.  CM and CC are in every Den Channel.  So, we have a pretty good idea on whats happening.  But yes, they need to communicate with the CM about that sort of thing.

I think their communications are in person at the meetings.  I'm busy being a Lion parent for my daughter at the same time.  When it's not my turn to lead, I try to get over there and find out what is going on.  They aren't good about returning emails or text messages either.

[Momleader]

Based on some of the behavior I’ve observed at recent den meetings and the leaders struggling to get kids to focus for 5 minutes - I would say zero drop offs regardless of rank. 
 

And no more parent sitting in the back on their phone either. Get involved and keep yours in line - parents are going to have to step it up a bit to help the leaders because the kids refuse to listen. 

[Ojoman]

My response is that BSA doesn't mean Baby Sitters of America but there may be times when a child might miss an important or fun activity or meeting so as long as that child is with an appropriate other adult and the 2 deep rule is met I would not want anyone excluded. Just don't make it a habit. 

 

[fred8033]

On 11/15/2021 at 3:00 PM, elitts said:

My pack always operated with the requirement that no child could attend any function without some adult taking personal responsibility for the scout.  It didn't have to be that child's parent after Tigers, but there had to be someone.  You couldn't just drop your kids at the door and drive away.

Same with our pack.  We explicitly did not have a check-in / check-out program.  Pack did not take responsibility for watching who comes and goes from the event with the cubs.  The pack ran the event.  The pack did not run the attendance.  

 

On 11/15/2021 at 11:44 PM, Momleader said:

Get involved and keep yours in line - parents are going to have to step it up a bit to help the leaders because the kids refuse to listen. 

In many ways, this is because the maturity difference between kindergarten and 5th grade is too big.  There is no way you can month after month create a pack meeting format that serves both groups.  The maturity level is just too big.  

 

ORIGINAL QUESTION ... 

On 11/15/2021 at 1:01 PM, FireStone said:

Is there an official BSA policy on Cub Scouts being dropped off for den or pack meetings with no parent present? My understanding is that from 2nd grade and above, drop-offs are ok, but I can't seem to find any documentation on this.

Anyone aware of any official BSA stance on this?

Policy would be in Guide To Safe Scouting.   I don't see one.  Closest is in the camping section.

https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/34416.pdf

Page 22 ... "Cub Scout youth should attend the camping event with their parent(s)/ guardian(s).

• "Lions and Tigers must have their adult partner present to take part.   
• "For all other ranks: only in exceptional circumstances, a Cub Scout whose parent or legal guardian cannot attend a unit overnight camping trip may participate under the supervision of another registered adult member of the BSA, a parent of a Cub Scout who is also attending. The unit leader and a parent or legal guardian must agree to the arrangement, and all Youth Protection policies apply. At no time may another adult accept responsibility for more than one additional “non family member” youth.
• "Webelos and Arrow of Light Den Camping: Each Scout should attend with their parent(s) or guardian(s). A Webelos or Arrow of Light Scout whose parent or legal guardian cannot attend a den overnight camping trip may participate under the supervision of at least two registered leaders. The leaders and a parent or legal guardian must agree to the arrangement, and all Youth Protection policies apply."

 

 

Edited May 16, 2022 by fred8033