Parents Acting as Merit Badge Counselors

[Laurie]

I see no reason why a parent can't serve as MB counselor if he has filled out the appropriate paperwork to serve in that capacity and if the SM has provided the Scout with a blue card naming that counselor. Parents are one of the best resources the BSA has in respect to MB counselors, so to not use them would be a shame, even if that means that on occassion a Scout would have his own parent for a MB. There have been some lively discussions here in respect to this issue if you're interested in checking those out too.

[OldGreyEagle]

If a scouter is to follow the scout law, and the first tenet of that scout law is to be trustworthy, and the BSA then has a policy that prohibits a parent from being a meritbadge counselor, it would be saying ok we know you parents can't be trusted. If the parent cant counsel their son, why should a scoutmaster be allowed to be in the same troop as their son. After all, we know scoutmaster's s decisions effect scout's advancement, so parents shouldnt be scoutmasters, then a Committee Chair probably shouldnt have a son in the Troop, or any committee member as well. Heck, I dont think any scout should know any adult involved in the troop, after all, adults arent to be trusted.

 

OK OK OK. maybe I went over the top, but perhaps hyerbole is a useful device at times, A scout and scouter is trustworthy

[kittle]

If we expect our Scouts to be trustworthy, then we as parents should be trustworth.

 

Besides all that, the BSA has to have volunteers to run. If we don't allow parents to volunteer, then how are they going to have enough adults to run the program.

[packsaddle]

I personally tried not to allow my son to do a merit badge with me as the counselor. Not that he wanted to anyway, but I was the only counselor available for one MB. I felt it was better for him to meet new people and learn from them. I relate this fact to other parents in the troop as well and I think they understand my rationale. But I don't object to them as a counselor for their sons if they choose to do so - it doesn't happen very often anyway.

[FScouter]

"I'm rather surprised that Scouting not only permits but requires that parents be elgible to act as Merit Bade Counselors for their children and sign off requirements."

 

There is no policy that addresses parents, children, and merit badge counselors. Do you mean something else?

[Bob White]

"I'm rather surprised that Scouting not only permits but requires that parents be elgible to act as Merit Bade Counselors for their children and sign off requirements."

 

No such "requirement' exists in scouting. Who or what gave you that impression. The BSA specifically "allows" a registered and qualified adult to serve as a merit badge counselor for any scout...including... their own son or guardian child. Why is that a bad thing? Are you saying you feel qualified to teach your son things as a parent but you are not qualified to share with them knowledge or skills you have acquired that relate to a merit badge?

 

As far as limiting a boys exposure to other adults...I don't see that happening. There are over 130 merit badges just how many do you think one adult could actually be qualified to teach?

 

What is wrong with a parent sharing their enthusiasm for their career or hobby with their son? Isn't there a good chance that it could bring about a greater understanding of each other and help them to grow closer as a family? Do those sound like values that are contrary to scouting?

 

As a commissioner Seattle this is an advancement element that you should know and understand (as are other advancement related policies and procedures). I am also surprised that you do not seem to have much information on the BSA accident or liability protection as this is one of the most frequently asked questions by new unit leaders.

 

I am curious with all the hats you wear, what resources of the scouting program have you read related to your various scouting positions?

(This message has been edited by Bob White)

[tortdog]

I have acted as counselor for my boy. I think he wishes there was someone else, though. I find it hard to not be HARDER on my own son (expecting more than I otherwise would).

[evmori]

Let's not forget that when a Scout wants to start a merit badge, he needs his SM to sign his blue card & assign a merit badge counselor.

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[Bob White]

"assigns" is not an accurate description. The BSA does not say 'assigns'. Its says the scout "otains" the name of a qualified counselor. If you were to attend advanced training in this area such as the Advancement conference at Philmont Training Center you might have a better understanding of what is expected of the SM in this case. The SM repsonsibility is to see that the scout is seeing a registered and approved counselor. Approved means approved by the council advancement committee. You will see in the Advancment Committee Policies and Procedures manual that a registered counselor can work with ANY scout.

 

So it is not for the scoutmaster to "assign" the counselor, it is for the SM to make sure the scout has the the name of a registered counselor. Whether the scout brings the name to the SM or the SM finds one for the scout does not matter, But it is not as if the scout MUST go to the one person assigned to for him by the SM.

 

Much of Webelos is a transitioning from Cub Methods to Scout Methods.

Only the Webelos leader signing the handbook is to help transition the scout from cubbing where any Akela can sign, to Boy Scouting where only a select few people in the unit may sign. Even in Boy Scouts' parents cannot sign ALL requirements. They are specifically limited to merit badges for which they have been approved by the council advancement committee.

 

 

 

(This message has been edited by Bob White)

[Hunt]

"If you were to attend advanced training in this area such as the Advancement conference at Philmont Training Center you might have a better understanding of what is expected of the SM in this case."

 

For those of us who only have access to more mundane materials, the 2005 Requirements Book, p. 22, says the following: "Your Scoutmaster will give you the name of a person from a list of counselors." A normal reading of this would suggest that Scoutmaster has discretion to decide which name to give the Scout. The Advancment Committee Policies and Procedures manual says nothing about what discretion, if any, the Scoutmaster has in this matter, so it is not helpful (I think it is one of the worst-constructed "manuals" I have ever seen).

 

If Bob is right--and he may be--that a Scoutmaster is not supposed to choose the counselor from the list, this should be made clear in one or both of the above documents. What does the SM Handbook say? I don't have that one.

 

I will add that it is made clear in the Advancement manual that a parent may counsel his own son, and there is no limit on the number of MBs a counselor may counsel for a particular scout. As I've said before, while there is no rule that a scout should work with multiple counselors, and not do too many with his own dad, there are reasons why this is a good idea, and the scout can be advised that he should consider it.

[evmori]

OK assigns was maybe the wrong word. So is otains.

 

Hunt,

I think the wording in the SM Handbook is similar to the BS Handbook which is similar to the Requirements book. I don't have any with me now to refer to for the exact wording.

 

But, "obtains", "gets", "is given" or "assigns" still yields the same result. The Scout obtains the name of a qualified MB counselor from his SM.

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[Bob White]

The Boy Scout Handbook says "obtains".

 

Assigns is is totally different thing. This is not about the Power or Authority of a leader. This is about helping the scout to achieve. There is no need for a SM to be "in charge" of who a scout sees for a merit badge. The Scoutmaster assists the scout by making sure the counselor he is contacting has been approved by the council.

 

We need more leader who are in the business of helping scouts and fewer who want to "run" troops.

 

(This message has been edited by Bob White)

[Laurie]

"As I understand it, parents aren't permitted to sign off requirements for Webelos Scouts ---unless they have special permission from the Webelos Den Leader. I don't think the rules are saying they parents can't be trusted in this case are they? There might be similar reasons not to have parents sign off merit badge requirements."

 

This is absolutely not the case; a parent is not considered untrustworthy in Webelos. Having worked with Webelos, not one parent has objected to this or felt it was in any way a reflection on them. One of the most important things to come of this is that the boy will learn to bring his book to meetings, to go to adults other than his parents (unless his parent is the DL, in which case the parent DL may sign off on the requirements), and prepare for Boy Scouts where he may be asked to his book to his Troop Guide, PL, or another in the troop who may sign off on completed requirements. But it sure isn't about parents not being trustworthy, and I'm surprised it would be seen that way.

[Hunt]

Bob, you are saying that when the Requirements Book says, "Your Scoutmaster will give you the name of a person..." it really means something slightly different. You think, apparently, that it means the Scoutmaster will tell the Scout that there are several possible MBCs. And to support your argument, you rely on the idea that the purpose of the procedure is "helping the scout to achieve." This is fine, but it is not really the way you usually react to the specific wording of BSA publications.

 

I guess this is an example of what I find frustrating about many of the issues we discuss here. Sometimes, BSA lays out a clear answer--but it's in a relatively obscure document or training material. Sometimes, there doesn't appear to be a clear answer, or the language seems to be inconsistent. This is why I think it would be a good idea for BSA to set up an official FAQ, on advancement if nothing else. That way, it could deal with some of these repetitive questions, and maybe if would help prevent some troops from setting rules that are wrong. Parents acting as MB counselors is a perfect example--that's just the kind of thing that should be in an official FAQ, because although the rule is clear, we all know that many, many people believe in the myth.

[Eagledad]

Hi Seattle

 

I can relate to your question because my experience as a youth was using counselors outside our troop. Most were not leaders and back then, and not even registered.

 

A lot has changed. We now live in a time of Merit Badge Colleges and Troop Parents counseling most of the merit badges. Still, so long as the scouts follow the BSA guidelines, they still get a lot of character building experiences. But watch out, it is usually the adults making the short cuts, not the scouts. Most Merit Badge Colleges almost completely ignore the guidelines.

 

Have a good day.

 

Barry