Merit Badge signoffs

[FireKat]

I have read some of the comments on parents signing off on their kids MBs. My main question is if you are the only know councilor for that on in your general area should you sign them? I am new to MB counciling and do not wish to anger anyone but seem to be the only one available for some MBs. I also read in the books that the minium number of scouts to teach is two. I had planned to make sure that at leaste one other non-related scout attends any I have my son do. I would like to know how others feel about this policy. Thanks for your input!

[evmori]

The BSA has no rule or reg that states parents can't be the MB counselor for their sons. Some Troops have this as their policy.

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[Hunt]

A boy is not supposed to be alone with the MB counselor for child protection reasons--obviously this is not a concern if the boy is your own son. Even if he's not your son, you can counsel one boy if his parent is present, for example. I think it's a good idea to counsel other boys along with your son, though, because that would tend to blunt any criticism of your counseling your own son.

[SemperParatus]

Ed's is correct. When I have to counsel my own son, I make sure his work is extremely well documented (more so than I would require of other scouts), just in case there is ever a question. It is probably adding to the requirements for him, but he understands the reasons.

[Trevorum]

Good advice from Hunt and Semper. I also suggest first checking with your Troop Committee and/or Advancement Chair. As Ed suggests, your troop may already have a policy regarding this issue.

[EagleInKY]

I would agree that most of us are harder on our own sons. Unfortunately, there are those that are not. I personally get frustrated when I see that.

 

As for the counseling multiple scouts, I guess it would not be a big deal if the only person you were counseling was your son. Since the BSA's 1-on-1 contact rule doesn't apply to parents.

 

Also, my understanding is that the second person doesn't necessarily have to be a scout. Let's say a scout is the only one wanting to do Landscape Architecture. He could get a friend or a sibling to go along with him. As long as he is not alone. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe I heard this in MB Counselor Orientation.

[Eagledad]

Hi Firekat

 

I think this is a really good question because it comes up in most troops. When I trained or helped train Merit Badge Counselors, I first directed them to the Three Aims and the Boy Scout Requirements guide (no.33215). The reason I did this is because most MB Counselors dont even understand how the MB fits into the scouting program. Most are basically told that MBs are required to get Eagle, but what value is that for scouts who dont get eagle since only 5% of scouts even get eagle. There must be more to the value of MBs than get a boy to Eagle.

 

Here is part of a quote I found on the Internet that does a pretty good job of explaining the purpose of advancement.

 

Advancement sets a pattern of setting positive goals and reaching them throughout life. Even though its not one of the primary aims of Scouting, advancement is a natural byproduct when your Scouting experience is acquainting you with the BSA ideals, the patrol method, the outdoors, association with adults, personal growth, leadership development, and the Scout uniform.

 

I found that at:

http://www.bsatrainer.org/Training/Boy%20Scout/Advancement/Advancement%20Guidlines.html

 

The whole Web Page is a pretty good read and also quotes the Boy Scout Requirements guide for a scout to sign up for Merit Badges.

 

I think Firekat, if you read and understand what is said in the Boy Scout Requirements book and counsel each badge under those guidelines, then you will likely do it right no matter how you consel these guys. If someone ask about your actions, how could they deny your noble intentions when you explain why and how you counsel these young men.

 

Have a great day.

 

Barry

 

[torribug]

I am a merit badge counselor for about 5 Eagle-required merit badges, plus 4 non-Eagle. We homeschool, and often work MB requirements into the curriculum (often adding to them; our perogative as his parents). My son creates a portfolio for the Eagle-required merit badges, including pictures when appropriate. He then asks another counselor (who has counseled merit badges in the same merit badge grouping) to review his work. The counselor asks questions about the work he has done, ensuring that he understands all the concepts and did all the work. In effect, the other adult "re-counsels" on the merit badge. I like the practice that he gets meeting with another adult, and the reassurance that requirements were not overlooked, even though our troop has no rules or guidelines that say we have to do this.

 

For the non-Eagle merit badges that I counsel, my son creates a portfolio for verification (and to turn into his umbrella school), but we don't involve other merit badge counselors. I do, however, like to have the advancement person or committee chair take a three-minute look at the portfolio when we turn in the blue card.

 

Bug

[OldGreyEagle]

My son, the oft afore mentioned YoungSpikedEagle can boast of being an Eagle and having none of his merit badges, enough for a double bronze palm, come from Dad. We had a Dad in the troop who was a counselor for a multitude of the rare and esoteric (for us at least) merit badges and he would rave how easy they were to earn, this was confirmed by the fact his son "earned" everyone of them. His sash was quite the motely assortment and we delighted in asking him which is this one and hearing him say 'I dunno' The Troop now uses a guideline that a parent wont counsel their son in an Eagle required merit bage unless its done as a group (with individual testing of course).

 

I use the term guideline because if anyone ever challenged it on a District level, the policy would lose. A meritbadge counselor approved by District/Council has no limitatons on who they can and cant counsel,

 

The family earned "their Eagle" and we all were happy when they moved on

[SemperParatus]

OGE,

 

What were you saying the other day about troop's adding to the requirements...or does that only apply to uniforms?

[OldGreyEagle]

Perhaps my head cold is preventing comprehension, what are you taking about Semper?

[FireKat]

Thank you all for your comments. They are very insightfull and usefull.

 

To OGE: you are proud that your son got a bunch of esoteric badges that you did not sing off as you had another Dad in the troop that counciled them. Well, I am the one in our troop/ local area that does those, making it good for the other parents but creating the problem for my son. Did your esoteric dad in your troop teach his own son or struggle to try to find someone else to teach his son those badges?

 

[OldGreyEagle]

Holy Cow Fire Kat, I have lead you astray. I didnt mean any of that. Although I see how my posting may have lead you to that conclusion. My son earned a lot of merit badges, all legitimately I beleive, and he only received one from esoteric dad, and that was the safety merit badge, it had been Eagle required but I beleive personel Fitness supplanted it.

 

it was esoteric dad's son that had the multitude of merit badges all counseled by dad, and the kid didnt understand half of them, or so it seems. It was after his era in the troop the troop adopted a guideline that a parent would not counsel a son for an eagle required badge unless it was done in a group. Now, that is only a guideline and if a duly recognized counselor for a eagle required badge counselef their son, there is nothing that can or should be done about it. Its about propriety, nothing else. Is that better?

[Eamonn]

I have lost count of how many MB's OJ has. He does have have all those required for Eagle. I think he has close to 40. Some of these he will freely admit, were just given to him, some were the result of sitting through long and boring classes some he really worked for.

I have never signed up as as a MB Counselor. To be very honest I have no idea if I'm qualified!! I know that I could do a few, but most of them would be covered by a troop that has an active program. I really enjoy and am fairly good at pioneering but looking around the District, we only have one or two troops with leaders who are able to do any pioneering and with so few troops doing it I can't see too many Scouts wanting to take on the MB.

I have at times helped OJ with some of the things that he needed, mainly pointing him to where he would find stuff out. I have to admit to being a little smug, when I say that I have had no part in his Advancement.

The District Advancement Committee has not ruled against Parents signing off on their own kids MB's. I think that is because we know it would go against the rules.

I remember as a Scout, the word spread fairly quickly among us Scouts as to who were the easy and who were the tough Proficiency Badge Examiners (As they were and I think still are in that Green and Pleasant Land) The guy who was marked as being real easy was our District President. Frank Colebert. Frank was an Ex-Judge, he had an OBE (Order of the British Empire) from the Queen. He was always very old, no one ever remembers Frank as being young. He had been around Scouting from the very early days. Going to see Mr. Colebert for a badge was a nice way to spend half a day even for an easy Collector Interest Badge. He was an old bachelor, the house was in a very nice part of town. He would make tea and show off his collection of first edition books, then he would dig out his old photos. If the weather was nice he would show off his garden. He was a tiny little fellow, not much bigger than most 14 year old Scouts. Everybody just loved him. Long after the Badge and the work you had done for it had been forgotten. Frank stayed with you.

I remember crying when he died. He left everything to the District. He really loved Scouts and Scouting and we all loved him. I really think if I were to take on MB counseling Mr Frank Colbert OBE, would be my model.

I hadn't really thought much about him, these past few years but this thread brought him back. People like Frank are very special people and they do make Scouting very special.

Eamonn.

[FireKat]

Thanks for the clarification, OGE. This old scientist has a tendency to see thing a bit different than some at times, thats why I ask many questions. It helps me see things at a different angle. In some ways I hope my son finds others to teach these MBs as he is a bit terrified on how hard I would be on him but he really wants to learn these things. I am afraid of the MBM like summer camp. I cannot see how they can teach some like astronomy or environmental science in the week of camp. I brought up at a meeting that I was looking to start on ES to let the kids know and one parent said why bother when they can get it at camp "with a lot less work". I cringed but let it go. That does not seem to me to be the correct attitude to have on learning. And who's to say if the person/ kid will not spend the time, as others have seen, playing games. The value of a MB is the knowledge acquired not the little embroidered patch.