Anyone involved in boy scouts?

snappy

snappy

YHDG's adopted son!!!
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I was elected Tiger cub den leader tonight. Anyone ever held this position or can offer me any insight on what to expect? We have a total of 5 scouts in my den.
 
lol, guess what... Jonas is starting cub scouts this year, he's a Tiger too... and although we have a den leader now, she wasn't real eager to do it...
...word is getting around that I'm an Eagle Scout, and I'm already being heavily "leaned on" to step into leadership as an ASM or den leader... so I may be right there with you!
I never even did Cub Scouts so this is new to me, too ;-)
 
How old are the Tigers? I've got a 7 Y.O. and I couldn't even imagine trying to keep up with more than one. Take 'em camping and play capture the flag. That's what we did.
 
hmm..not sure what this means. but sounds as if some sort of congratulations is in order, sooo.....
 
I was a Cub Master and Asst Boy Scout leader for 8 years. KISS is a good motto. A laid back attitude and a program geared for FUN. Forget the RULES, REGULATIONS, ADVANCEMENT, ETC! Scouts, especially Tigers, just want to have fun, not prepare for their Eagle Scout award!
 
JC said:
Forget the RULES, REGULATIONS, ADVANCEMENT, ETC! Scouts, especially Tigers, just want to have fun, not prepare for their Eagle Scout award!
Click to expand...
I completely disagree with this. Structure and advancement is what makes Scouting great. It's not just a bunch of boys gathering and running wild. Ok, well...sometimes it is but that's beside the point. It allows them to earn rank and badges through working towards specific goals. Their achievements aren't just hand outs.

Still, the boys definitely need to be learning basic Scouting skills, knots, how to build a campfire/set up a camp site, etc. It's been a long time since I was in Cub Scouts.

There are leadership handbooks (Scoutmaster's Handbook, or for Cub Scouts Den & Pack Meeting Resource Guide) to follow that lay it all out pretty well. Check out scouting.org, tons of good info there. I am an Eagle Scout, my boys are 3 and 4, and I definitely plan to get both into Scouting.
 
We're talking Tiger Cubs, 6 year old boys. You want them to learn knots? There is PLENTY of time for them to learn all that, advance, build fires, etc LATER. I've seen way too many boys turned off of scouts by having "basic scouting skills" demanded at too early an age!
 
Thanks for the advice guys. I am starting to plan the year out some what. With this few boys, I'm thinking of having them attend a clean up day as a group and we pick up a small area, maybe a parklot at URE and have the Hot Dog Guy feed them as a reward. This is something that we could count as a "cool" outing....lol
 
i just left scouting because my job didnt leave enough time me and my wife were den leaders. remeber that the smaller scouts are there to play with their friends and go camping they are not going to want to do the book work. our cubmaster was the best i have ever seen. if you need any advice call me and i will help you through it and can give you his number as well. as far s random trips to places you will find its harder than you think just to go somewhere. you have to plan it with everybody from scout master to the congress. i learned a lot in bloo training that i never knew. take the class it will teach you a lot. 336-687-3813 i also have a bunch of uniforms for scouts and leaders that i purchased if you could use them you are welcome to them.
 
Scouts runs deep in my family. My dad still attends the local meetings in Tennessee. I didn't make Eagle but I earned my arrow of light while a webelo. I give my credits for defining the odds and thriving in life to scouts while coming from a hoodlum / outlaw type of family. Alot of it was fun but yes the structure and lessons was benificial. I think the KISS moto applies to everything in life. If political issues arise, find a way to laugh out of it.
 
I was also in scouts, but not in Cub Scouts, I joined when I was 11 years old, and went straight into Boy Scouts.
I was also in RA's at church, and also in 4-H

When dealing with the younger kids I have found that all lessons and activity's need to be short, as short as their attention span is at that age.
Example

Meeting agenda

Settle down the kids, and recite the pledge of allegiance, and the scout promise (not sure what it's called for cub scouts)
After the first meeting, welcome any new scout.

Today we are going to learn how to "pitch a tent"
Explain what you are doing
Pitch the tent(demonstrate)
Get two volunteers, and let them do it(try out)
As soon as the others see it done, they will want to do it as well, let everyone give it a go.
questions? answer and then take it down and properly store it.
Done
Game:
Many to choose from, Crawdad soccer, tug o war, wheel barrow race, three legged race, hid and go seek etc

Refreshments, Koolaid and cheap cookies (if it's not a burden for the parents(not sure the status of the ones you have) You may consider letting a different parent bring the refreshments each week. Put a limit on it.

Give them one task to work on for the next week. such as

Bring in five different types of leaves, 2 different types of rocks, and so on. (they start learning to identify different stuff)

end the meeting with a scout song or something to that affect

just a few ideas

As the boys mature, you can do more. just feel out the attention span.

Build a bird house, or other crafts as time passes.

I do recommend that they all wear the uniform of choice. No kid to look different. As simple as a scout t shirt, jeans and tennis shoes. If the family's can afford, maybe full scout uniform. But ONLY if ALL can afford it, discuss with parents

Any outing. NEVER do this alone. Always get volunteers parents to go with you.
 
You guys are selling children short. I work with children everyday and they are capable of so much more than most adults give them credit for.

I'm involved with the Cubs with my son and he started as a Tiger last year and he and his den had no problem knocking out the objectives in his Tiger book. There is a Scout Handbook for each level and is geared accordingly. I assume your son will be in your Tiger Den so he will need a Tiger Handbook, if your Pack doesn't provide it go to the local Scout store and pick one up. There should also be available for you from the Pack a "Cub Scout Den and Pack Meeting and Resource Guide" which is a meeting by meeting plan from Tiger to Webloes for activities to get them through their requirements.

Set reasonable expectations for them and remember your not teaching children, they already know how to be children, your teaching growing adults so keep them challenged and see how they grow.
 
The Cub Scouts are awesome! My son was a Tiger, now a wolf. He went to two different camps over the summer and earned many belt loops and some pins. He loves bb gun shooting and archery is his favorite. He is meeting his requirements in addition with learning his knots, crafts, team building exercises, pinewood derby, raingutter regadda, rockets, sports, etc, and enjoys learning and trying new things. I am a den leader also and would love to help out, give suggestions if you need it, just PM me.

It is a rewarding experience especially if you have a good Cubmaster and pack.
 
Thanks again guys. Our first meeting the activity is a family scrap book. I went out to staples and got each one of the boys 3 ring binders. I'm going to go ahead and make a nice cover with there names on it. Also going to have them bring there pics with them and the first section in the book will be family and set up it where we take pics for each goal and the build a family based scouting scrap book to be able to go back and look at over the years.... Does this sound right or am I going overboard for the boys..
 
Cub Scout packs are all about the leaders. My son was 1 year into it. Hated it. The leadership sucked. Now he is in Boy Scouts. Different troop. The leaders are really on top of it. Makes it more fun.

Be organized. Don't wing it. You'll spend alot of time doing the stuff.
 
Took my son to his first meeting this past Tuesday. He's a Tiger.
I'd rather sandpaper a tiger's arse than go camping, but I guess I'll have to now, at least a few times.
 
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