New Tiger Den Leader in Michigan

[Theresa49343]

Greetings all,

My son and I just joined Cub Scouts a few weeks ago. Unfortunately the unit we joined is in a stage of 'reorganization' I found out after being talked into becoming a leader.

With basically no help (since we have no Cub Master) I've taken it upon myself to locate training which I completed last weekend.

Not to sound as though I'm complaining... but I may be asking some pretty silly questions in this forum simply because I have no other resources available to me locally.

I must admit as a single mom the expense was a little surprising to me. Since the den is new I've had to purchase all of the basic supplies for my cubs, apparently the Pack Committee is lacking in funds and people as well. But hey, it's all tax deductable right??

 

[ScoutNut]

Hi & Welcome!! Tigers are FUN!

 

You said you have taken training. Did you take both New Leaders Essentials & Tiger Leader Specific? How about Youth Protection? Your council should have a link to online YP training on their council website. Fast Start training online is also a good thing to check out. It has a good overview of the program & a downloadable pdf Guide with a nice section for new Tiger Leaders.

 

You also said that you had to purchase "all of the basic supplies" for your Tigers. What supplies are you talking about? Remember, Tigers are set up differently from any other Cub Den. The Tiger Teams of Scout & Adult Partner should be SHARING the responsibilities of running the den. That means sharing the costs too.

 

Check with your Council office to find out when/where your next District Roundtable is and plan to attend. You will get some good ideas, meet your Council folks, meet Cub Leaders from other Packs in your area, & keep up on what is going on in your Council & District. You should also find out when your Pack has their Committee meetings & attend those. That is where you will find out what is going on with your Pack & how best you can help.

 

Good Luck - Have Fun !

 

 

[SemperParatus]

Welcome to scouting!

 

I hope you and your son find scouting to be an enjoyable experience. As a leader, there will certainly come times that challenge your patience and enthusiasm, but it is always better than ever once you work through it. Best of luck to you and your boy.

 

 

[Cubmaster-Fred]

Welcome and remember that Tigers are fun!!! ( everyone probably thought I would say they are greatttttttttttttttt!)

 

Like was said go to roundtable, the experience is worth it. ( at least at my roundtable)

 

Fred

[EagleInKY]

Welcome to the campfire. We look forward to getting to know you. There are no stupid questions (but there are some stupid answers). :-) Check with previous den leaders, often they'll have leftover supplies (as well as some good meeting ideas and themes). This can save you money and time.

[Lisabob]

Welcome! Glad to see I'm not the only one from MI on here!

 

Joining a pack during "restructuring" can be frustrating but it also means you'll have more say in building a program that you are really excited about, rather than inheriting a lot of "we are going to do it THIS WAY because that's how we ALWAYS did it" types of attitudes. So hang in there!

 

About the Expense: Uniforms can be found fairly simply for less money online at ebay, etc, as well as local good will or salvation army stores. Or see if the graduating webelos scouts have old uniforms that they'd be willing to donate to a pack uniform exchange box. Esp. since tigers are using the blue shirts for the first time this year, advise all the parents to buy big. The boys can always grow into the shirts. Some packs also don't require you to buy the BSA issue pants, which cuts down on the expense, so see what your pack does first.

 

Den supplies - local stores will often donate items to you, but you'll need to ask in advance. (Store managers also really appreciate thank you's written/illustrated by the scouts!) This is a great way to build up a den supply box for items that you might use in the future. Some stores require you to provide the pack's Non-profit Tax ID # for donations. If your pack leadership doesn't know what this is, your council staff should be able to help you figure it out. And so you don't end up doing everything, maybe put one of the other parents in the den in charge of procuring donations.

 

Have fun!

 

Lisa'bob

A good old bobwhite too!

 

 

[gwd-scouter]

Congratulations on joining the Cub Scouts! I was a Tiger Den Leader many years ago before there was an actual program in place. The changes that have been made over the years are a wonderful program and help the Tiger Den be a real part of the Pack.

 

One thing special about Tigers is that a Tiger Cub Scout is actually the Scout and an adult partner. Have a planning den meeting with a calendar and assign each family a meeting to help plan. They can be in charge of bringing supplies for the activity as well. This spreads out the leadership, expense and relieves you of having to plan every meeting.

 

Attending Round Table meetings and Pack Committee meetings is also very important for you as the leader to get program ideas from other leaders in your area.

 

Remember to keep it lively and have fun!

 

[Theresa49343]

I'd love to attend Pack Meetings and Roundtables... however, we don't HAVE a pack committee.

The lady at the Scout Shop of G.R.Ford council said 'well you're running illegally then!'

I'm like... BINGO! That's my point!

 

[ScoutNut]

In order to charter a Unit you have to have a Cubmaster & Committee Chair. If you have them on paper ONLY how is your Pack functioning? Who runs the Pack meetings? Are you even having monthly Pack meetings? If not, how are the boys receiving their recognitions?

 

Contact your District Commissioner to find out who your Unit Commissioner is and ask for help. Also talk to your District Exec.

 

According to your council website, your district (Timber Trails) has a Roundtable coming up 11/10/05. Give your council a call to find out time & place. That is a great place to talk to your district folks. You might think about asking for a list of nearby Packs that are actually up & running right!