Parent as MB Counsler?

[troop787]

Can anyone tell me if a parent can sign his son's MB card? The parent is a MB counsler and the scout (son) did fulfill the requirements for the MB.

 

Thank you

[OldGreyEagle]

As far as I know, as far as the BSA is concerned the only thing a parent cant do is sit on a son's Board of Review for any rank. Other than that, its open.

[Bob White]

As long as the parent is a registered MB counselor for that particular MB it's okay.

BW

[KoreaScouter]

BW's right of course, they can. I'm the SM for our troop, which includes my son. I can and have signed MB blue cards for him, at MB Roundups, when a group of Scouts are doing at badge in conjunction with an outing, and so on. Whenever possible, though, I steer him to other registered MB counselors, for the experience of interacting with and being tested by other adults -- good for 'em, I think. I also have some leaders who counsel multiple badges. I try to make sure our Scouts don't go to the same counselor all the time...same rationale.

 

KS

[LauraT7]

YES!

 

but most parents prefer to have another counselor sign the card just to avoid any hints of favoritism. Unless, as Korea Scouter said, they are teaching a class or a group of scouts.

 

For the same reason, most parent ASM's will not choose to sign their own son's advancements.

 

Some troops will try to pass this off as a troop/district/ council/ national rule - but it ain't so!

[mk9750]

We allow parents to be MB councelors for their sons. We handle the potential questions about favoritism and such right when a parent approaches about being a councelor. We explain our advancement standards, we impress them that it is not in any boy's interest to be cheated out of the full benefit of the effort, and that we will not allow boys to work with that councelor again if there appears to be anything amiss (I have no idea how we could enforce that if we ever needed to, but it makes the point).

 

Although this has been said about me, I think it is far more true about others in our Troop. We have a parent who is phenominal when it comes to certain MBs, like the Citizenship badges. Anyone doing these badges with him enjoy them more, and learn more, than if they went to anyone else I can think of (and I councel these also). It isn't fair to ask a boy to forego this experience just because they share the same diner table.

 

KS is again right on the nose about it being valuable for boys to get a flavor of other Councelors. We make this happen by making sure none of our adults is registered to do First aid or Emergency Preparedness. That way, everyone has to use an outside Councelor for at least one, maybe two required MBs. And although many of our parents councel multiple badges, no one does more than three required badges. Even if (and it hasn't happened yet) a parent went easy on his son, there are still at least 9 more required badges he would have to EARN.

 

Mark

[k9gold-scout]

For years I have been a MB counselor for 14 MB. Several of these, I was the only MC counselor in our council. I have often presented several badges with like requirement into learing sesions and camping trips so that at the end of several months of work the group would receive up to 3 badges. Yes my son did earn 5 MB from me along with other scouts in groups. He finished his boy scout advancement with over 50 MB.

As long as you are willing to teach your skills to other scouts I see no reason you should exclude your own son. However I would have my son see other counselors when they were available.