Melissa in St Louis Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 For some reason, Cub Scouts has been hugely on my mind lately. I'm wondering if it would be a good match for our family/my son. We're not really "camper/outdoorsy types," although all of us (son included) really enjoy hiking. Does this matter? Thanks so much in advance. When I think of Boy Scouts, my 2 thoughts are 1) that awesome chocolate carmel popcorn they sell and 2) bad things happening at camp. :confused: Not the best or most correct thoughts, I know...please fill me in! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snickerdoodle Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 :lurk5: I have been thinking of this exact thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JenneinCA Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 It depends on the Pack and Den you get. Our first Pack/Den was wonderful. The leader was organized and had a plan for every meeting. My son loved going to cub scouts. But we moved and changed Pack/Den and this one is a disaster. There was one den leader for 14 boys. And he often came to meetings unprepared. The Cubmaster quit part way through the year and no one wanted the job. My son asked if we couldn't just stay at park day longer and skip Cub Scouts. He no longer wants to go. All that to say. It can be great. It just depends on the leaders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirtroad Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 HUGE! He has blossomed into a natural leader, has been with the same group of boys for going on 3 years... they all get along great! They learn so much & get to help others learn. My son, who is rather quiet, was even selected to be the speaker at a church for Scout Day. He represented the Webelos & was so confident.. he didn't seem bothered to share the things he enjoyed about scouts. He got many compliments & of course, I was so proud. It has been great & he is going back for more!!! I think the pack/den can make a big difference... you want a good atmosphere & consistent, dependable adult leadership. You can research the rank of the pack or contact your state scout office for details on who does what. But... you can do so much independantly & let him gain experience in many areas as he earns loops & pins. You keep records (in case his leader is not doing enough)... as I did ths, it helped me learn more too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tutor Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 It depends on the Pack and Den you get. Our first Pack/Den was wonderful. The leader was organized and had a plan for every meeting. My son loved going to cub scouts. But we moved and changed Pack/Den and this one is a disaster. There was one den leader for 14 boys. And he often came to meetings unprepared. The Cubmaster quit part way through the year and no one wanted the job. My son asked if we couldn't just stay at park day longer and skip Cub Scouts. He no longer wants to go. All that to say. It can be great. It just depends on the leaders. We have had a very similar experience. First pack was great. Not as organized as I would have liked, but there was a real love for the boys and the families and we were all encouraged to be involved and had a great time. Then we moved. :glare: This pack is completely unorganized. It took 18 months for someone to get back to me about by son joining and when he finally got in a group, he worked his butt off to catch up, earned his Wolf badge plus more achievements than anyone else in the group and they forgot to tell us when the last meeting was when they had to reschedule it. We have been after his pack leader for three months to get is badge and other awards. Grrrr. This same man is supposed to lead the boys again, my son has been working over the summer on his badge, and we have offered to help organize paperwork, etc. Hopefully it will get better. (Sorry for venting here. I guess I had to get it out. :D ) We are more of a hiking family, but we are quickly becoming a camping family through Scouts, and we love it! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TxMama Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 We are a big scouting family and it is a HUGE blessing. Camping is optional on the Cub Scout level and are family oriented. There is a requirement at the Webelos level for some camping experience and of course there are many camping requirements at the Boy Scout level. Actually at the cub scout level most activities are day trips with the whole family. Rocket day/Raingutter Regata/Pinewood Derby= FUN, FUN, FUN! Bad things happening at camp? If there are bad things happening at camp then you need to change troops! Remember with Cub Scout a parent must attend overnight camps with the scout. Boy Scouts is a different story but I usually had a few trusted parents and we would trade who would go. THere is a LOT of camping with Boy Scouts but hopefully once you get to that level your boy will be really into it. We hate summer because at the Cub Scout level there are no weekly meetings and only monthly outings! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lgm Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 (edited) For some reason, Cub Scouts has been hugely on my mind lately. I'm wondering if it would be a good match for our family/my son. We're not really "camper/outdoorsy types," although all of us (son included) really enjoy hiking. Does this matter? Thanks so much in advance. When I think of Boy Scouts, my 2 thoughts are 1) that awesome chocolate carmel popcorn they sell and 2) bad things happening at camp. :confused: Not the best or most correct thoughts, I know...please fill me in! Scouting has been good for us. I was a leader in Cubs, which was fun as I enjoy projects. You meet a lot of interesting, very helpful people as you go along. If you like enrichment, Cub Scouts is good. Camping/outdoors is only a part of the program. You can get a look at the table of contents of the handbooks for each level here:http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/CubScouts/Library/Parents/handbooks.aspx If the den & pack and/or other families aren't a fit, you can move on during the year to another pack or you can be a den leader and help the pack improve. The training is good; between the leader's manual, the program helps literature for leaders, and the handbook it's pretty easy to figure out how to organize den and pack meeting. If you go to any informational meetings, look for the pack that is organized...it's usually a pleasure if the PackComittee has it's act together. Browse these to get an idea of what packs/den may choose to include in the program: http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/CubScouts/Leaders/CubScoutHelps.aspx http://usscouts.org/usscouts/bbugle.asp Bad things in camp....Cub Scouts has a very reasonable ratio of leaders:youth for summer resident camp...our pack hasn't had any trouble but we're only 20 yrs old and we do not allow youth that can't take adult direction to go to summer camp unless their parent is there (and will be supervising that child 1:1). Resident camp is optional; the rest of Cub Scout camping is all family camping. you'll know immediately at the first Boy Scout meeting if it's a troop that's operating safely and with the BSA youth protection guidelines. If it is not, don't join and go interview another troop. Edited July 31, 2009 by lgm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OHGrandma Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 It's been a huge blessing for our grandson. I love to camp, husband can't anymore, so the cub scout den & pack camping trips have been great for me & GS10. It's given him a group of friends at school, and I know their parents due to den meetings. The worst thing that happened at Adventure Camp: the WEBELOS II camped out under the stars, only it rained. They stayed outside in the rain. I picked him up later that day. He started telling me how awful it was, but in 15 minutes it had turned into a great adventure that he survived. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet in WA Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 (edited) Cub Scouts was definitely a blessing for our family, on many levels, as well as a ministry. Our 3 sons are all Eagle Scouts. Edited July 31, 2009 by Janet in WA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blessdmommy Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 We have been blessed by scouting as well. Our boys have made some great friendships and taken some fantastic field trips with the scouts. Plus many of the things they do to earn their badges count as schoolwork in our household. The handbooks are a very nice resource even if you weren't a scout. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in WI Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 My oldest started as a Tiger and is now a Webelo I. My middle started was a Tiger last year and will be a Wolf this year. My youngest can't wait until he can join! :) It's been a great fit for our family. I wouldn't say it is camping focused, although that is a part of it. In our pack, they do two camping trips. One is one day overnight "cabin camping" in early April. The other is 1-2 days overnight tent camping in July. Both are at the Cub Scout property and have lots of different instructed activities for the boys. I think there my oldest will have a three day overnight this year because he's now a Webelo, but I'm not for certain. Our pack is very community oriented, so they put flags on the graves of soldiers on Memorial Day, collect food for the hungry, collect pennies for abused children, march in parades, visit the police and fire stations, etc. They work on their badges as a group in our pack which my boys love! Definitely check out the table of contents in the books linked earlier. It will give you a better idea of the huge variety of activities the boys do. Also, there are extra sports and academic activities that the boys can complete to earn beltloops. The boys in our pack are pretty competitive with their beltloops! LOL! Oh, and Pinewood Derby! I can't forget to mention that. That is a huge event that is so much fun for everyone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cougarmom4 Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 I love the cub scouting program! The requirements/achievements/belt loops are all such fun things to do together with your son. Your experience will depend on how good the leaders of your pack/den are and how much encouragement/enthusiasm you help your boy to have about learning new things & checking off requirements. The biggest recommendation I would make is to be sure to help your son pass things off--or do extra at home, if it's not happening at den meetings. Boys who earn patches/belt loops/pins are much more motivated--because it is so much fun at pack meeting to get the awards! (Maybe it's because both my ds and I are 'checklist' kinds of people...just tell us what to do and we're off!) We have always been with a den/pack within our church, so we know the leaders well enough and have gotten involved ourselves. Is there a group with your church or in your area with people you know already? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LG Gone Wild Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 I got ds into scouts just so he could do boy stuff. I am always amazed at how great it is and it is so hard to believe that it is all volunteer. If you are worried about bad things (me too) just be there. Go to the camp outs or outings or events. At the cub scout level, you really can't just drop you kid off, anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2fiveboysnc Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 Scouting is definitely a worthwhile organization for your boy(s). My oldest 2 are both Eagle Scouts and the other 3 are on their way. I agree with the other posters that leadership in your pack/troop is key. However, I was somewhat disappointed that there were no suggestions for you to get involved as a leader or committee member. I have been a Cub Scout/Boy Scout leader/committee member for 14 yrs now and what I have found is that most of the jobs are only done by a few parents in the pack or troop. This is very disappointing because most of the parents work and volunteer in their church or sports also. In my opinion most Scout leaders are spread too thin and this can affect the program for the boys. Most leaders have good intentions but many times "life" gets in the way. You may also have good leaders who are great with boys but the paperwork bogs them down (this is where a good committee comes in, a perfect opportunity for parents to help that excel at organizational skills). As far as camping goes, they are normally very safe and well-run functions. As a former day camp director there are many, many different checklists you must complete before beginning camp, such as site planning, safety plans for police/fire/ambulance (you must notify each in writing about camp), as well as volunteers. Most Cub Scout camps are ran by registered leaders and a few parent volunteers (remember 2 adults for every boy) and Boy Scouts must have registered leaders (think background check!) plus health professionals on site for each camp. You will find groups that push their boys to earn achievements (patches or loops/pins) and forget about the character focus that Scouts are famous for. My suggestions: 1-determine your reason for joining Scouts (camping/outdoors, character, socialization, etc.) 2-visit different packs/troops in your area and find one that matches your focus 3-study your leaders, do they have alot going on? if they are committed but totally disorganized offer to help in some capacity. make sure they are trained, even committee members should be trained, it only takes about 6-8 hrs. beginning a few years ago any registered leader must pass a background check. this looks mainly for drugs, any sexual offenses, etc. many people think traffic tickets will stop them from being approved but unless they are excessive or whatever the Scouts are looking for something that will potentially harm boys. be wary of someone who will not fill out paperwork to be a leader. 4-don't look at Scouts as a babysitting service (not that you are, BTW) many parents think just that and you would be surprised at how many kids are dropped off for meetings and never have a parent show up for awards night. Once parents find out they are required to attend campouts with their sons they lose interest fast. sadly enough, this is just the kind of boy that Scouts could really influence in the right way. 5-Scouting and homeschooling go well together. many of the activities in each book can easily be done by homeschoolers, especially in Boy Scouts with merit badges. just keep in mind that a Boy Scout must have a merit badge counselor (your troop or local council can give you a list of approved counselors). 6-keep in mind i'm not saying you have to be a registered leader or committee member. any parent can help at any time without being registered. in my experience, parents who become registered participate more, their boys get more out of the program and both of you are more in the loop about what is going on with your pack/troop. also, one more thing to add. local packs/troops recruit from schools nearby. many times these schools are in low-income areas (title I schools) so be aware the boys are from these areas. many parents do not like their sons being exposed to boys from this environment so ask yourself do you mind. in my experience these boys have nothing else in their life so they really need Scouts. these children require alot of prayer and patience with (as a general rule, definitely not all of them) but there is nothing more satisfying than seeing one of them later on and having him speak to you and telling you what he remembers about Scouts and the fun he used to have. Oh and for those who like a religious focus (not character) Scouts also has a program called PRAY (indepedent program) that has books for many, many different religions that you can use to earn religious awards. Adults can also earn awards from PRAY for church work too. HTH, sorry so long! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWSJ Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 Cub Scouts has been a great fit for our family. We inquired about several packs. Only one called back. The others, I assume, were not very active. Luckily, the pack we visited was great. Ds hit it off with them from the start. He is very excited about the events and achievements. I can definitely see him growing with Scouts. The only issue we've excountered is our dd3.5 wants to join when she gets old enough. She is as excited as her brother. We've heard that Girl Scouts is "different" from Cub Scouts and not to have similar expectations. We'll see in a few years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCoppock Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 We inquired about several packs. Only one called back. The others, I assume, were not very active. . Where did you find the phone numbers of local packs? I've wanted to have DS join but have no idea where to even start looking for a group. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCoppock Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 Do a Google search for the Council in your area and give them a call. They can give you the contact info. Thanks I did just that last night and up popped our local "council". I guess I never knew the correct terms to put in. I emailed the recruitment person so hopefully I will hear back soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alessandra Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 I agree with pp about calling your Council -- we were in a do-nothing pack. The man at the Council was very frank as he told me about all the packs, and we found a great one that way. Here is my favorite site for achievements -- it will give you an idea of what you can do: http://usscouts.org/advancementTOC.asp#misc For ds, those awards are a real motivator and a plus for the whole family. BSA publishes a family activity guide that is well worth getting if you have non-Scout dc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jayfromcleveland Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 Scouting has been a blessing to our family. All three of my sons were Cub Scouts who received the Arrow of Light, and my daughter is an American Heritage Girl. Scouting gives the kids good direction, teaching useful skills, health and nutrition, citizenship, self-reliance, leadership, and a bunch of other great things, all while having fun. Cub Scouts isnt really an outdoor program, though Boy Scouts definitely is. I'm personally not very "outdoorsy" myself. I hate camping, or rather, I hate sleeping on the ground away from my comfortable bed, especially when it's cold and rainy. But the boys learn great skills on campouts (such as the above) and that's why scouts camp. Here's an article on homeschool scouting I wrote for TOS a few years back. Check out cub packs in your area, I'm sure you'll have a great experience as did we and all our friends. http://www.thehomeschoolmagazine.com/How_To_Homeschool/articles/boy_scouting_and_homeschool.php Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in St Louis Posted July 31, 2009 Author Share Posted July 31, 2009 Wow! Thanks for all the great responses! I'm looking into a few local groups, andI'm hoping we'll find a good fit. I'm a bit nervous because *I* am so busy already, but the more I look into this, the more it sounds great! Thanks so much again for all of the responses -- amazingly helpful links, too! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnTheBrink Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 It depends on the Pack and Den you get. Our first Pack/Den was wonderful. The leader was organized and had a plan for every meeting. My son loved going to cub scouts. But we moved and changed Pack/Den and this one is a disaster. There was one den leader for 14 boys. And he often came to meetings unprepared. The Cubmaster quit part way through the year and no one wanted the job. My son asked if we couldn't just stay at park day longer and skip Cub Scouts. He no longer wants to go. All that to say. It can be great. It just depends on the leaders. Most definitely depends on the den and pack. Our cub scout experience was HORRID. I was the only single mom in the group and it was just a very very negative experience, both for and ds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calandalsmom Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 We love scouting. My dh is a leader for both boys and its a wonderful enriching activity. Choosing a pack and den with good leadership is key. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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