Cub Scouts - Teaching Boys to Act like Men or Teaching Men to Act like Boys
My children are involved in many activities, and I can honestly say that I have never seen this many poor-behaved children in any of their other activities. I found it ironic, that in the one activity that is supposed to build character, that so many of the children were rude and disobedient. I soon learned that this was probably in direct relation to their fathers.
When I attended the pinewood derby race, I was quite disturbed. Looking at the entries, it was immediately apparent that the young scouts did not have much of a hand in making the cars. Most of the fathers were circled around the aerodynamic cars painted to perfection. I could overhear them saying, "That one is mine." Huh, isn't this a Cub Scout activity? When the races were going on, I would hear grown men whine that the races weren't fair and also even hear them "boo" at some of the cars. Is this the sense of sportsmanship that we wish to instill in our children?
And nowadays, packs do not only have the traditional pinewood derby car race, but also the space derby and the rain gutter regatta. I believe that all these father/son bonding experiences were more about the mens' competitiveness than the boys' feelings, at least in the pack that my son is a member of.
This year, due to my husband's work schedule, I act as my son's akela during den meetings. So now, I not only get to see this behavior once a month, but I get to see it every week. A few of the boys run around in complete disregard to what the den leader or their parents say. When the scouts are doing an activity, a few of the fathers are doing the projects without even letting the children help. Not that the kids seem to care, since they are off wrestling or doing other inappropriate things.
In all fairness, my son has learned a few things in Cub Scouts. He has really enjoyed some of the activities they have done. He also enjoys working with my husband on the derby car and other things. His car might not win, and it might not look perfect, but it is his and it looks like a car that an eight year old would design and decorate. I will allow my son to continue in scouts as long as he desires unless he starts acting like some of the boys there. Right now I use it as a teaching tool. When we drive home, I will ask, "Do you think those boys were acting appropriate? Why not?" This leads to discussions about how children should act.
I hope if your son chooses to join the Cub Scouts that you insure that the experience is his, and not his father's. May your experience with scouting be better than mine.
Published by Ms. Wettin
- Pinewood Derby RacingRather than using the larger cars built by kids that they sit in and steer down the road, this derby race is the one that you have seen in a recent commercial.
- The Boy Scouts' Annual Pinewood Derby and It's Scientific ImplicationsI thought my son's pinewood derby car looked pretty good....until I saw everyone else's cars! You're telling me little Johnny made an EXACT replica of Earnhardt's car? I don't think so.
Cub Scout Adventure Camp in Park Hills, MissouriThe Greater St. Louis (Missouri) Boy Scouts of America Council and the Ozark Trailblazers District held their annual Cub Scouts Adventure Camp this year July 6th through 10th. 
Building a Pinewood Derby CarAs raceday approaches, get the facts on building a car that will fly down the track. - Cub Scouts and the Pinewood DerbyThe Pine wood derby is quite an experience. The kids build the car from a kit, A block of wood, four wheels and four axles.
- Confessions of a Cub Master
- How to Build a Winning Pinewood Derby Car
- Pinewood Derby Car Weight Placement for Maximum Speed
- Pinewood Derby Car Designs: Tips and More
- Pinewood Derby Car Winners You'll Never See
- Pinewood Derby Car Pictures: Easy Free Pinewood Derby Car Design Ideas with Photos
- How to Build a Winning Pinewood Derby Race Car
- Cub Scouts should be about the scouts.
- Fathers should set a good example for their sons.
10 Comments
Post a CommentI'm sorry to hear that you had such a bad experience with scouting. I personally have 15 boys in my wolf den. We work real hard to maintain an orderly meeting. However if you do not like the way things are being run in your den you personally need to step up and make a difference. I believe everyone can contribute to making scouting fun for all boys. My assistant den leaders and I involve our parents to help control the boys. Last year wa my first year to be a leader and it was dificult controlling the boys. However we are doing things different and it has made a difference. I will leave you on more thought: If do like like the way things are done stand up and make a difference. Don't complain to someone on the internet be apart of the solution. Sincerly,
Wolf Leader
The original writer of this thread and Zsolti are both so far off base. I love the original writer (note my sarcasm) she says things like "acted as his Akela" - do you even know what that means? A tiger has a parent partner, after that their 'Akela' is the Den leader or Cub Master, a parent, a teacher, anyone in a leadership capacity. You don't ACT as an Akela. Don't get me wrong, I dont care that you dont know what it means, except that clearly you are not involved to any great extent, but feel the need to rip it up, and you don't appreciate the efforts of the parents (100% VOLUNTARY!!) who are busting their butts working all day and coming home and trying to come up with new and creative and innovative stuff for your kid to do, to see, to hold their interest, to educate, entertain and teach. The biggest problem in scouting is that very small handful of critical and yet uninvolved parents who are disrepsectful in the back of the room yappin' up a storm, putting down the program and t
Dear Zsolti continued-the next year. The goal of BSA/CSA is to help boys be the best they can be, not the best at everything at any cost. Thank goodness there are women willing to lead them or fewer boys would have the opportunity to be a Scout. If a woman is into man bashing the last place you would find her is Scouting. Check your own bitterness.
Dear Zsolti-As a fully-trained female Den Leader I would like to respond to you directly. Mothers must often attend Scout meetings due to a father's work schedule, travel, illness, death or disinterest. In our pack, men who are willing to step up and lead the pack, den or even a meeting or two are in very short supply. We now have more women in leadership positions than men. Because we have so few men willing to volunteer, my Bear den has 11 boys, double the suggested number. It is very difficult to control their behavior even with a code of conduct and plenty to do. Boys having fun should not include rudeness, wrestling, fighting or throwing objects at other Scouts, all behaviors we have deal with on a continual basis. My husband and I both agreed when our son started Scouting that it is about him and his best effort, yet the derby and regatta etc. are all dominated by models that could only have been created by adults. Many boys are disheartened each year and some don't enter
Not Every Pack is like the one you describe, mine certainly is not. While I agree with your thoughts on the Parents needing to more involved in effecting the behavior of their children (boys and girls as siblings often disrupt my meetings) You make the generalization that all Packs run the way yours does. We have a "Code of Conduct" which the Boys know they must follow. If they don't there are consequences which we enforce, up to being dismissed from the meeting. Generally things go very well and the boys behave. As far as "Men acting like boys" occasionally we do see that and in general it does everyone's heart good to see a father and son having so much fun together. By the way the Space Derby and Rain Gutter Regatta have both been around since I was a Cub Scout almost 40 years ago.
The sad commentary made by this woman about the boy scouts is the very reason women should not attend or participate. Sounds like
boys having fun to me without the over reationary estrogen, male bashing, bitter, dramatic, critical review of this whiny mother.
Women make terrible fathers. Women are unable to understand testosterone because estrogen is an emotional, irrational and selfish doding, hormone. Thier is no hope for her son or boys that are introduced to her. The boys will sense through logic and reason that she is bitter, and unhappy possibly due to her experience of her overbearing mother and possibly her poor relationship with her father. Either way boys will sense her complaining whinning male bashing spirit. I pity her son(s). The son's will undoubtably seek the moaning male bashing personality of their mother and the cycle will continue.
Be the change you wish to see.
IT sounds like the adults need to be trained. scouting help will provide programming that will engage boys. Make suggestion that you think will help...how about a marble jar? Boys get a marble at the begining of each activity and get it taken away for break the rules (ours are BE Respectful, Be Helpful and Keep Your Hands To Yourself). At the end of the meeting, they get to put it in the jar. when the jar is full, they get a sundae party.
I totally agree with you. I am a den leader for a wolf den, and I think tonight was my last straw. They are so disrepectful, don't listen, run around like crazies, and the parents that do stick around are NO HELP. I am going to address this issue at my next meeting with them, because i don't deserve it. Thanks!
MAN HATER!
The pinewood derby.... I totally remember that! Make sure your son stays with it, and hopefully the boy scouts. He'll have a blast.