BellaOnline Forums Family Boy Scouts

Anyone involved in Boy Scouts?

Or was a boy scout growing up?

We would love to hear from your

Yup... was & still am. That's what also ties up my weekends.

Hi Beetle:

Thanks for responding and here I was thinking it was family (lol),

How long have you been volunteering?

I am so glad to see that this organization made it through all the drama a few years ago.

As an adult volunteer, it was a couple years before the military & then returned when my son joined, back in 1995. I feel I'm giving back what was given to me as a youth. I became an Eagle just shy of turning 14 & then enjoyed my time as a leader, instructor & Order of the Arrow member.

Thanks for the response Beetle

my son will be crossing over february of 2011... and i dont understand the boy scout book, is there anyone who can help

Beetlemess should be along soon to help you out. He is a long time Scout in good standing.

During the crossover, your son should learn most of the information needed to get the Scout badge when he gets to a troop- Scout Slogan, Motto, Oath and Law. If he crosses over with a group of boys, they might form their own patrol or it might be good to get with an existing patrol- some older Scouts to act as leaders.

Troops are generally run on the patrol method and youth leadership is the guide. The Senior Patrol leader (older boy) in general runs the troop with supervision and guidance from the Scoutmaster. Boys plan their trips and activities. Your son's patrol will do things together and will compete with other patrols in activities and events.

Unlike Cub Scouts, parents can not sign off on requirements (most of the time). Review requirements with your son and guide him along the trail. Initially he will be getting used to his new troop. Things will be strange for him and he will be trying to find how to fit in. Stay with him and encourage him. What bonds these kids is shared experiences. After his first campout, things will improve, he will have stories to share and events to discuss.

Summer camp will be another bonding activity. I know it's a long way off, but his first summer camp is an excellent advancement opportunity. Most camps have a program that focuses on Tenderfoot, Second Class and First class requirements. He will also have time to work on merit badges. Let him take the badges he wants but have him take at least one Eagle required merit badge- I usually suggest Swimming (it's hard to get away from camp).

Hope that helps. Let me know if you have any questions. I'm an Eagle Scout and I have 4 sons who are Eagles so we have covered a lot of Scouting ground.

Guess I'm a bit late. Eagleone seems to have covered very well.

Your son's preparation for the crossover to a Troop & attaining the Arrow of Light will open the paths toward understanding what's presented in the book. Basically, it will be a new world to him, in that older, experienced Scouts will be guiding him toward the requirement sign-offs.

thanks everyone for your help

Beetle, never late - just pulling up later to add something good (lol). How is your boy scouting doing? I know it keeps you busy.....

Already finding my summer schedule filling up, not to mention squeezing in things throughout the late-Winter & Spring.

Just trying to keep a balance between Scouts & the Domestic Queen Mother...

Just learned that my week after Independence Holiday will find me staffing the conservation projects surrounding the New River Gorge National River and the new National Jamboree site near Beckley, WV. Glad it's just a hop-skip-jump away from DC-area and not like my participating in a similar effort near Price, UT back in 2008.

Hey Beetle, glad to see you are working on a balance between your boy scout activities and home. You wife is indeed a luck lady.

Angela

Actually, I'm the lucky one to have her...

Beetle, you are awesome. She is indeed a LUCKY lady to have you APPRECIATE her Good to know there is another guy like mine out there. You don't find alot out there now. I hope my daughter marries a decent one...

Sorry, I'm not available any more....

LOL, no you are not available anymore because you have an AWESOME lady in your life.

Any updates on your Boy Scouts project?

Do you do overnight camping trips?

Are they doing okay as far as recruiting volunteers?

I seem to remember they were having some issues in the past due to the bad press with "molestations" - hate it when a few perverts mess up stuff for others

I'm heavily involved with the 'Honor Society of Boy Scouting', called Order of the Arrow (in short: OA). The Order's purpose is to mainly promote outdooring experiences (camping) and to cheerfully provide service to others. All this is tied into Native American culture & traditions that fosters a mystique of the ceremonies.

With that said: I do get out on weekend overnights at least monthly. At least once a quarter I spend a weekend as the local Camp Master, where duties involve checking-in & supporting units that use the local summer resident camp for an off-season weekend. Do spend nights under nylon when staffing camporees or induction weekends for the OA. Then there are those weekends of camp service in preparing for the summer activities or closing up shop in the fall. So camping & service go hand-in-hand on those weekends.

Have been selected to coordinate the DC-metro contingent to an experience in NC called Indian Summer. The last one was held 8 years ago and the popularity makes this one seem to not come fast enough. A week-long exposure to customs, ceremonies, traditions, & Pow Wows every day. <I can hear Phyllis asking how she can sign up>. This is the first week of August.

Three weeks prior, I've been accepted/invited to staff a concerted effort with the OA & US National Park near New River WV. Here OA Scouts will come together to construct and rehabilitate trails between the new BSA high adventure/Jamboree site and the New River Gorge National River. This will permit access between the reservation and the activities the gorge provides.

My storage area in a partially finished basement is loaded with outdoor equipment. It's kinda like walking into the department store to 'shop' for the weekend. <Is it backpacking? Is it plop-n-drop car camping {easily accessed by a parkng lot}? Is it OA related & I need to pack out my regalia & ceremony equipment that's in the garage? Converservation or service weekend needs gloves, eye protection, chainsaw, etc etc.

I'd rather be in the outdoors with the youth than cooped up in some church basement giving adult leader training on a Saturday.

I could go on & on, but I think all will yet be revealed...

Wow, Beetle you are a reservoir of knowledge and yes, I hope Phyllis reads this. Right up her alley. Thanks for taking the time to share with us. Awesome - never realized that so much was involved. Who knows, you may get some other men involved. Angela

My son is in 7th grade and loves scouting...the boys refer to it as the secret society..lol...they love it but dont talk about it in junior high...you get picked on mercilessly...same goes for my daughter who is still in girl scouts and is a freshman. It's sad that it is like this...the wonderful things the kids have done,they have received proclamations from the mayor for thier community service, yet wont discuss it at school. I am greatful that they didnt go with the peer pressure and quit like many of thier friends did, they are sticking it out and they both are glad they did...they love it!

Hello - I'm here... & very involved as an adult leader

LOL Beetle, when I dug this out from the OLD files, it was because you had reminded me that you were.

Any news to share with us?

Please say hi to the missus...

Hi Missus

U are so FUNNY!!!!

Does the Missus come on this forum? And I would say NO!!!!

So how is she going to know I said hello...

"Chuckling" - let me go back to work, took a "mental sanity" break while my boss went out to the post office. Should be back soon.

That is our Beetle - bring "chuckles" our way and KING of the forum as usual.

Top Posters (30 Days)
Beetlemess 827
Angela J. Shirley 654
Rosie L 524
Phyllis - Appalachia 483
Jilly 259
Burt B. 257
VintageGS 250
anna*AHHA* Ruscult* 188
Lisa LowCarb / VideoGames 168
Cassie67 164

Yup

Nope

Later...

Boy Scouts can be family in some ways, does infringe on family time with all the scout only meetings and trips. There is also a leadership component that the Scout Master oversees. The male thing can happen, but if you are a mom, don't let men push you into handling the paperwork in the background while they go with the boys. BSA allows women to be Scout Masters and Assistant Scout Masters, and to camp and travel with Boy Scouts. You will need to fulfill all the training requirements. I stuck in there in my sons male oriented troop and I am now the Adviser of our co-ed Venture Crew in addition to being an Assistant Scout Master. You do not have to give up being feminine, but do need to be professional at all times.