Cub Scouts?
 

Went to sons school introduction last night. On they way out the door , the cub scouts were passing out information. One of the cub scout leaders was my sons friends father. Later in the evening, my son expressed some interest in becoming a scout.
I did it for one year, I remember thinking it was sort of corny, but a cool side benefit was that I could wear my cub scout outfit with a pocket knife hanging off my belt loop to school ( the good old days, they would arrest you for this now). I quit after one year. The pinewood derby was sort of cool, I remember building , and painting that little car with my dad.
I remember hearing some pretty bad press about the scout organization a while back.
Think there is any real benefit to be had for a 6-7 year old boy? Any of you guys active in scouting ?

I was a scout, my boy did it for a couple of years.

The experience will largely be determined by the den/pack/troop leader.

They are all a bit different.

Give it a go, what do you have to lose?

I will not deny to you that the organization has its issues Fred, but I would do it all again in a heartbeat. I would say scouting had the greatest influence in making me who I am today, and my eagle scout rank means more to me than anything. I worked harder for that than any school work.

The experience is very dependent on the local group of course, which is why you won't see the effect if the national BS very often. Stay involved yourself, and you can guarantee the best experience for your son.

Do it Fred, no one ever regrets being in scouting...

Give it a go. We did some great things--lots of conservation projects, visited historical sites, went camping alot--learned some useful outdoors skills, marched in the 4th of July parade every year, pinewood derby, etc.

Going to Heritage Reservation for a week each year was a highlight.

I loved scouting. The problem for me was my troop wasn't very good and fell apart eventually. It was a well to do community and I guess none of the parents could bother.

I joined another troop which was far far better. It focused on camping, canoeing and survival type things. Everyone in the troop, all of the leaders, were accomplished hikers and campers. It was more "inner city". I was teased for being the "rich boy". Great experience for me.

Younger scouts were taken on smaller hikes with the older scoutmaster. The bigger boys (13 and up) did the harder hike. Every summer was a 1-2 week canoe trip (50 miler). Winter was winter camping to sub-zero temps.

Don't just join the local troop. Look around and find one which matches the personality of you and your son.

In scouting, as in life, a child's path to success or failure is determined by the parents.

To get a scouting experience that has a lasting, positive impact, the kid needs to have (a) a good troop/pack/den leader, and (b) a parent who is interested and involved, and doesn't just treat the scout meeting as a "free afternoon daycare center".

Scouting is a good thing, Cub and Boy.

+1

I enjoyed the experience.

Scouting gave me some of the best times in my life. Started form scratch, and worked to way up to become Scoutmaster of my troop. As previously posted, it all depends on the people running the show.

The downfall of my troop was the lack of participation of the kids parents. it was a joke. They would come to me complaining about their kids not going on trips. I would tell them "well we have a trip planned next month, are you available to drive?" I'd always get an answer like. " I have a golf tournament that day. or, I have to cut my grass that weekend..etc, etc..." I'd say well I guess then I have no way of getting them there, so that why they dont go anywhere.

My son (who just graduated high school this year) would have become a very different man if not for the Cub Scout and Boy Scout programs. He didn't make Eagle, but he did learn all the important stuff and that's what made it worthwhile.

I helped start a new Pack when he decided he wanted to join. I've spent the last 12 years as an adult leader in the BSA and have found the experience to be rewarding for many young men (and me as well).

If your son goes in as a Tiger Cub, please don't make any "stay/go" decisions while a Tiger Cub. The Tiger program is very "loose" and doesn't have a lot of depth. Stick through at least him being a Wolf or Bear Scout.

Similar opinion and experience. The BSA organization is so-so. The individual leaders make it. Pine Wood Derby is fantastic. My boy (10) just left his original group which had an alcoholic leader. Still. We made some very good friends - both kids and leaders. We just joined a new group and I think this will be a significant improvement.

On a different note. I have two girls - both involved in Girl Scouts. I believe Girl Scouts is a far better organization than Boy Scouts. They just seem to have their stuff together.

Good luck! Should be fun.

Larry

My son just did Tiger and I would agree its a lot looser than Wolf, which starts soon. My son is competitive, so earning the badges is a big deal.to him. I need to focus that energy. Yes, it is very parent dependant. Like any volunteer organization. I'd say go for it. I'm not into the uniforms and stuff myself, but i like seeing the positive effect is has on the kids. Its a bit different than the little league. I had no appreciation for somw of those threads until my son joined and I have seen some of the drama there.

I am an Eagle scout like porsche4life so I am a bit biased, but I think scouting is great. It is absolutely true that your son's experience is going to depend on the pack/troop leadership... Which is a good reason for you to get involved.

My troop was great, a truly "boy run" troop where the adults were there to enable, but the boys led. We camped once per month, year round, and did 50 miler backpacking trips etc. I think this is critical, no point in learning all of these skills if you are not out using them.

If you were not a scout or don't feel like you have "scouting skills" that is all the more reason for you to become part of the organization to help shape the experience for your son. Try it out, you might like it!

My son has recently joined. I was a scout through Boyscouts too...

I signed him up for the socialization aspect, his favorite school friends are in his pack. Additionally they plan activities that I want to do with him, saves me the effort and time. Fishing Derbies, Camping Trips, basic weapon safety, common sense.

I ignore the politics as what really matters is your local pack, politics don't play in at that level.

One thing I've noticed, they are a LOT more focused on patches than we were 30 years ago...

Our Son has been involved from the beginning as a Tiger Scout. He is now a Boy Scout and in 2 years will most likely achieve his Eagle rank. As a Cub it is a commitment by the parents more than the boys - they do learn stuff and have fun and ya its a littlew corny but harmless. As they get older and 'bridge over' to a Boy Scout troop it is really meant to be Scout Run Scout Lead - parents begin to step back. In the right troop a young man can flourish and learn things and develop confidence that he will take with him through life.

We have seen our son grow into a young man that has a work ethic unlike other kids his age, heck more so than most adults! He also has gained anamazing amount of confidence that only comes from having to organize and run meetings and camp outs.

There was a time he wanted out but I wouldn't allow it. I told him that the world is full of men who quit and regreted it but I never met a man that quit before becoming an Eagle and didn't regret it. So the question is, do you want to live a life of regret or fulfillment? He became a Senior Patrol Leader Shortly after that speech I gave him. He has earned over 29 MBs and needs only 3 more Eagle required to make rank (plus his project).

When he starts complaining about all the extra work he has to do for Scouts combined with his music, school work and sports I remind him that not many kids his age can show legit achievements. I ask him how many boys his age and even older have been able to acomplish what he has and run a lawn business and have over a few hundred cash in their wallets that THEY EARNED - not mommy daddy money.

My advice, stick with Scouts and if you don't like something about how the Pack is run, get involved and work to change it. Thats what I did back in the day. It makes a world of difference.

He (and you) won't regret it. I promise you that.

Without trying to PARF this up, the only bad press I recall recently is the same bad press they have been getting for the past 20+ years, regarding their stance on gays.

I was in scouts through the 5th grade, and enjoyed it. Probably would have been in longer, but we moved, and never bothered to look up a new troop.

Looking forward to participating with my son when he is older. Hoping to introduce some of my Navy land survival training to the camp outs :D

I was an Eagle Scout so I too am a bit biased.

- My son earned his Eagle early this year, and for us it was a great experience.
- For Cubs, it's mostly just fun, and the Pack you choose is not all that important - so long as you like it.
- For Scouts, it's all about the outings. At 11 or 12 find a troop that fits your son:
- is he a backpacker, or a car camper
- does he like the high adventure stuff. etc

We have had the best father-son experiences through the Scouts.

I would agree with the consensus here. I did Cub and Buy Scouts. I didn't reach Eagle, but the one under it and wish i would have stay with it for another 6-12 months.

Some of my best memories are from scouting and I think it establishes a good foundation for personal development.

no Kids..
so I'm just throwing this out..

do it..
do something with him..
don't just give him another gameboy..

early exposure too..
this is right /that is wrong..
will save you yrs of WTF happened with him..
or those rolling eyes as you look at his Nose piercing's..

Rika

my cub scout troop was lame.

i did love that uniform. but all we did was make stupid things. i remember making a paper machet "liberty bell"..like i said, lame.

the pinewood derby was a blast. my parents were not engineers AT ALL. i remember my dad's butcher helping me build the car..i found paint, it was that orange highway paint..my car was tangerine..and it was UGLY. i came in second..hahha.

my most humiliating moment..we were supposed to bake a cake for a cake sale. my mom read the instructions, "no help from parents" and stayed out of it as ordered. kid baked cakes. she stood by so i didnt burn the house down. i made a bunt cake, with fruit filling..it was horrid. chocolate cake with a fruilt filling. i carried it into the school gym and was stunned!! all the kids cheated!! they had these elaborate 3d cakes!! no effen way the parents didnt step in.. i put my cake down on the table, among all the other professional looking cakes. man, i was crestfallen. and you know what? the cakes were for sale!! my mom was prepped to buy my abomination..i sunk into my seat..some man saw me all worried, and bid big on my cake..it was the first to sell. i still remember that. nice man.

weeblos? nahhh..i quit.

My neighbor kids are both Eagle Scouts. Their Dad was a huge contributor to the troop and to their achievement.

However, I have seen one self-driven kid make it to Eagle on his own. His folks paid for Philmont and did taxi runs for merit badge work, but he drove it.

Red Beard's experience is the way to do it. Scouts is what you make of it. It is an incredible oportunity for boys. Cub Scouts does seem corny to an adult, but it is not corny to a 7 year old. As the boys get older they get to do more, start camping, building fires, whittling, etc. By the time he's 12 or 13 and in a good troop, he'll be able to lash poles to make his own structures, build his own emergency shelters, and survive in the wilderness for a couple of days witout hardship.

It really is amazing what Scouts can teach a kid. Stick with it.

I am an eagle scout.

The BSA organization has challenges but the program and what it provides is unmatched.

I started as a cub scout and worked through the entire program to eagle. After that I became an adult leader and after a break of a few years to get married and have kids I am again an adult leader for my sons cub scout pack. Last year I was the tiger den leader and now I am the wolf den leader.

It has influenced my life more than any other 'thing' I have done. The relationships I built with other scouts and adult leaders are lasting, in fact I count among my most influential mentors and friends my scout masters from my boy scout troop. That means it is a fantastic program but it also means you have to pay very close attention to the Pack/Troop you choose to join. Visit a few den meetings and visit a few pack meetings (where all the dens are together). In the town I live in we have 2 Packs that operate out of the same location and they are both very different organizations. Both are great but one is very 'tightly' organized and is about twice the size of the other which is loose and easy going. Both are great - which would be right for you?

I've often considered moving to the looser Pack just because in Cub Scouts things should be pretty easy going in my view. I'm hoping that an upcoming leadership change will allow us to loosen up a bit.

Every good job I have ever gotten is because I am an eagle scout. It has been more valuable than any education I have.

Find the right pack for you and your boy, be a leader. Encourage the othe parents and your wife to participate and feel free to contact me directly.

Eagle scout here, my son is in Webelos now. I didn't push him into it, he came to us about a year ago and said some of his friends were in Cub Scouts and he wanted to do it too. Great thing to do as a kid, Boy Scouts is really where it gets fun though.

Do it!

My son did cub scouts for a year, but never really took to it. My oldest is starting Boy Scouts Explorer Club next week. They are associated with the boy scouts, but their sole purpose is to experience an occupation like engineer.

His group meets on a college campus and works on robotics.

Welcome! - Indiana Tech Explorers

You still are an Eagle Scout.

My son and I are much closer when we're doing scouting than when we are not. It's been very good for us.

My son (now 8) did it last year, when it was up for renewal he had no interest. Our troop was a joke, the leadership was inept and planned frequent but boring and pointless exercises for the kids. They spent more time focusing on earning lame patches by learning things like the food pyramid than they did outside. My son was interested in Boy Scouts because he wanted to fish, camp, and do fun outdoorsy stuff, not spend another two hours per week in school. Most of the adults and teens involved were seriously uptight with questionable social skills, many of the decisions that they made were bothersome to myself and the other parents. Overall it was a negative experience that I'm glad is over, I'll handle the hiking, fishing, camping, etc on my own. Of the group of friends my son's age that joined in the last few years, all but one is leaving or has already left.

Yes, still a proud Eagle Scout. And I pushed my son. Till he too was an Eagle. He got it right about the time he started smelling the fumes - gas fumes and perfume! He is very proud of his accomplishment, and I no longer push him. He helps the younger scouts when he can.

One thing I noticed in the scouts compared to my friends with boys not in the scouts. Just about everything you do in the scouts you can do on your own without joining. But will you really plan an outing EVERY month, 11 months out of the year? Scouting gets you in to the habit of regular outings with your son. And the older they get, they begin to go on their own. For the last three summers my son has had a paying summer job in the Sierras. And truth be told, he'd pay them!

If our group had monthly outings, my son would probably still be involved. The only outdoor related activity was the summer camp, which by all accounts was a disaster (we were on vacation at the time).

I did the whole shootin' match - silver palm, O of A, SPL, etc. then Explorers, but never went on to become an adult leader as I became a bit disenchanted eventually.

I agree with post #2 - let him try it out.

Our regional Girl Scouts are a joke. My wife has been dealing with them for a few years. The last episode the raised the fees because too many troops were requsting financial aid and when asked what to do if the troop couldn't afford the higher fees, the answer was: Apply for financial aid.

I loved being in cub scouts. We learned important stuff like how to properly extract a barbed fish hook from a nose (not mine) while out in the wilderness camping and fishing. I really did have a good time though. Mom was a den mother and dad was involved in the trips we took. Learned how to tie different knots, sign language among other things. Try it for a year and see how it goes. Stay involved.

Scouting is good stuff!! >> starting off as Cub Scouts and then up to Boy Scouts.. exposes kids to a myraid of "things" knots, water safety, first aid, citizenship.. working as a team... it's all positive....

Fwiw.... I do not come from a religious family, and I did not attend church most of my scouting career, and it never proved to be an issue for me....

you can win a Sangha Award if you are a Buddhist and that was true in the 1950s

the troop will reflect it's community

I didn't do scouts and my son wasn't interested. If he's into it, why not? As others have said, the experience will be what both he and you make of it.

after a friend died a few years ago the mother took her sons out of cubs, worst parenting thing i had ever heard. the cubs were a productive connection they had to their dad and a great way for a single mom to get a positive male influence for her sons. my dad was very active in my troop so we had a great time together.

i was in cubs and scouts from 7or 8 whatever the starting age is to18.

cub troop did the usuall stuff pinewood derby, visit the local army base for .22 shooting, xmas tree lot to raise funds, etc. and one campout a year.

but scouts was a differenty story. very camping oriented troop. we had at least one campout a month, and that is what i enjoyed the most, proably hiked 500-600+ miles in the backcountry through all the 50 milers, weekend trips, and canoe voyages we took. we were so active camping that some summers we had two 50milers and a week at summer camp. some of us did both the canoe trip and the hiking trip some years.

could start a fire and boil water in the rain in under 5minutes before i turned 12.
carried a 40lb pack on my 100lb body for 50miles at the age of 12.
been to camp muir (10000ft) before i turned 16 in the winter.
traversed the olympic mtn range in a week at 17.
my first job, was as a full time councilor at the local scout camp at 16, teaching other scouts cooking and pioneering skills. was away from home for 7 weeks that summer.
never made it to eagle, spent too much time in the woods to bother with my project, had fullfilled all the other requrements though.

so just like anything scouting is what you put into it.

it is also a good way to get Brownies

Why not let him try it rather than tell him what you think is fun or not fun? This will help him explore who he is and what he likes. He'll speak up if he finds out it isn't for him. Draw the line at things that are harmful or dangerous like reading PPOT or PARF.

One of the most important things you have to remember is that Cub Scout packs are parent led organizations (Boy Scouts is boy led). If you don't like the folks running the Packs that are around where you live you can absolutely start your own. If your son is in a Pack and you're not contributing to the leadership of that pack then he will get less out of it and is less likely to stay with it. Scouting is not a babysitting service it is an educational program to teach our boys the (American) values we hold dear. As an aside - your boys are not the only ones who will benefit from Scouting - I can't tell you how much as a leader that I benefit from it.

To volunteer you do not have to be a uniformed leader - you can volunteer to simply teach something at a den meeting.

Some of those things we do seem mundane at the time - like the food guide stuff or 'keeping yourself safe' - maybe they seem lame but to a six year old they can make a difference. My son took those lessons and quite possibly saved his brother's life after a head injury resulting in a concussion. I'm not quite sure how else to put it - his brother probably wouldn't have died but if we had not reacted based on his alerting us to what had happened after witnessing it we wouldn't have known why his brother was having the problems he was. His Doctor was adamant that what my 7 year old did was in fact a life saving event.

I am in the process of completing the paperwork to submit him for a 'Medal of Honor' for it. I just hope it gets approved by the national council.

It is an extremely rewarding program for parents and the boys (and you can usually include the siblings in most events too with the proper planning).

As a leader I try to encourage as much parent participation as possible. One of the main things I do is to encourage the MOMs to be leaders as well. I tell folks that if we want are kids to treat people equally then we have to show them what that means and act as equals ourselves. I have Den planning meetings twice a year just to see which parents want to teach what topics. Parents who don't volunteer usually have kids who don't enjoy it and don't stay. I don't force anyone to do anything and I tell people if you can't make every event - don't sweat it - we'll probably do the same thing next year. I know for a fact I won't be making every event and am not going to sweat that. Pretty soon the boy won't stand for that though...

We've been having a good time with it. Let's me remember when I was a kid and I was a scout for a few years. I never went to Boy Scouts. My brother did though. I was a little more wound tight when I was a kid. They had a father and son "bake off". This was about the time of the Wendy's "Where's the beef?" ads....1980's We made two round cake layers and didn't assemble it. In the middle of one, we put one of those giant peppermint patties. I think we won a prize, I'm pretty sure.

This is from my son's pack Pinewood derby. They have a metal track with a computerize scoring system. My boy won a "judge's choice" award. In the car he said he wanted to win one of the competition prizes next year. LOL

His is the black (Grand Am) car, mine is the 908 tribute. I didn't have time to make fenders. He did all the painting and sanding, I helped with the cutting.

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We went camping in the summer. It was a lot of fun. All the families eat 10 to a table in the mess hall. The kids have to get the food and clean up. We rotated through the bunch, but my son did it twice. Since he proved he could clean up, I have him doing that now after meals at home.


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