I’m not a registered cub master, or current volunteer. I’m just a dad of three kids who thinks they would benefit from a few scouting lessons. But the world is crazy, I’m busy, and to be frank I don’t even know if they’ll like scouting.
I loved it. In 1999 I earned the Eagle Scout rank. My scouting career starting with Cub Scouts led to Boy Scouts, Order of the Arrow, Philmont and finally Eagle Scout. My parents got involved. Mom and Dad were den leaders, pack leaders, and merit badge counselors. They didn’t really care for each other, but through some kind of grace got me and my brother involved. Honestly, to me it’s one of the greatest gifts my parents gave me.
But the world is a different place now. Scouts allows girls. They have the stain of sexual abuse. And we can’t leave out Covid. Schools are having enough of a time with new protocols, that I don’t even know how the scouts are dealing with it. I hope to find out.
Girls in scouting is fine by me. While it’s prudish, let’s just say that probably scouting isn’t the place for the kind of involved exploration that would cause us concern any more than your place of work should be. That’s probably more sensible than prudish, but I need to sound cool. I think boys and girls who grow up to be men and women can learn a lot of valuable things in scouting. I don’t know enough about Girl Scouting to say whether Scouting as it’s now referred to is better or worse. It’s just different I imagine. There are protocols to work through all the considerations. I’m lucky to have two sons and a daughter. So we can start our own informal den/ pack before ever registering as Lone Scouts or joining a pack.
Then there’s the sexual abuse. Personally I never saw or even heard of anything like that and I’m surprised I didn’t even see bullying. Besides the life guard who called me out on my lie for saying I could bench press 250 pounds (Why did he even care I wonder, and why did I lie about something so stupid?) my interactions were 99% positive. They had training back then on avoidance of sexual abuse. And this isn’t the first time for this either. The sixties had its own issue with this. But it’s awful and perpetrators of abuse deserve punishment and the victims compensation.
Finally Covid. The benefit of Covid is showing how flexible things really can be. From school, to therapy and work we’re connecting remotely. And it’s changed the game forever. I haven’t heard how Scouting has dealt with this, and since I’ve got my own plans I’m not too concerned. But it’s an interesting question.
This is my basic plan. I’m going to hold a couple of meetings in my home with my 9 year old son and my 7 year old daughter. I’m going to document it for the sake that if there is progress maybe I can show others how I did it. I’m planning on starting with the Lion Cub program, even though my 9 year old is a little old for it. If they like it, I can’t imagine it will take us too long to complete the Lion program. Then we’ll go onto the next program.
But for now, that’s really it. Stay tuned for updates and resources.
For the time being, I can provide following outline.
Planning a Cub Scout Lion Cub Meeting
Preparation
Outline
Presentation
Blog/ Video/ Podcast
Execute
Participants
Materials
Activity
Review
Evaluate
Next Action
Communicate
Preparation
Research
1. https://www.sgcbsa.org/files/29281/Lion-Leader-Parent-Guide-pdf
1. Read guide
1. Code of conduct
2. Vision, mission, aims
2. Has anyone done anything like this?
1. Check YouTube
2. Check Facebook
3. Check internet
1. https://www.boyscouttrail.com/cub-scouts/lion-scouts.asp#leaders
3. Material
1. Lion Cub Materials
1. https://www.scoutshop.org//cub-scout-lion-kit-2018-644816.html
2. Paper color printed US flag
3. Paper color Cub Scout flag
Consider in publications disclosure that you are not operating as an official through the BSA at this time. I want to see if my kids even liked doing this before formally registering. The next step we plan to take would be through the lone scout program. I’m an Eagle Scout, class of 1999. Please give me the opportunity to be wrong.