Cubmaster Corner

February 5th, 2007

• Cub Scouting is a family oriented program that provides ideas and opportunities to bring boys of grades 1 through 6 together with an adult partner and other family members. Each boy is introduced to goal setting and methods of building self confidence. The reason why Cub Scouting works so well is that it teaches every boy, parent, or sibling something new and useful while making it all FUN.
  
  Scott Wheeler - Cubmaster
  

February 12th, 2007

• Cub Scouts and camping.
  Cubs Scouts go camping with their families. This helps the boys to ease into the out of doors. It is good for the boys to be away from the sterile, climate controlled atmosphere of home and school. It is an opportunity for boys and their families to get to know nature and not to fear it. Boys need to be taught that plants and animals in the wild are living things that are important to our existence and they deserve respect. Often times boys see something new or different and there first reaction is to find out what it does when they poke at it or try to take it captive. This comes from an in-born trait that causes us all to fear what we don't understand. We can guide the boys and show them the beauties of nature and teach them how to appreciate all of its diversity. Camping also helps the boys to value the "finer" things in life that are usually taken for granted like running water, electric lights and four walls to protect them from the elements. When families camp together each member of the family takes on chores and all work side by side to make things in camp as livable as possible. When on occasion fowl weather presents challenges, the Pack and associated family members work together to solve problems and assist in making each participant as comfortable as can be achieved. In part, each boy begins to see how he can benefit from the help of others and most of all he learns that service to others can be very rewarding and FUN. Den friendships develop between the boys, parental networks are established, and a sense of pride is felt as they all learn to be an active part of a community group. The Law of the Pack state that "the Cub Scout helps the Pack go. The Pack helps the Cub Scout grow". Camping and Cub Scouting are a terrific combination when experienced leadership and loving parental involvement come together.
  Scott Wheeler - Cubmaster
  

February 19th, 2007

• Cub Scouts and Water
  Boys are drawn to water like a moth to a flame. The Cub Scouting program has many programs to help to fill that need with FUN and safety. The Boy Scouts of America have strict guidelines regarding the use of water and water type activities. A boy must always be accompanied by his adult guardian during a Cub Scout water outing. A pack must have at all water events a trained leader in Safe swim defense and Safety Afloat. These are just two of the programs used by the Cub Scouting organization to keep our boys safe. Spring and summer bring activities like the Fishing derbies, Rain Gutter Regatta, water propelled rockets and swimming at day camp or the local YMCA. Car washes raise funds. Water balloon tosses and apple bobbing at pic nics are a great way to use water to develop skills and entertain. Let us face the facts. If a boy knows that there is water to be found it is almost impossible to keep them from it. Education and a watchful eye will make sure that the boys are safe as they fill that need to be wet and have FUN.
  Scott Wheeler - Cubmaster
  

February 26th, 2007

• Cub Scouts and recognition.
  Every boy loves being praised. Give him a chance to show off in front of his friends and/or family and he will think you are the coolest thing since video games. Let him have fun and do stuff as well and you have got that boy's full attention. Cub Scouts has just the right combination of things that a boy could ever want. With a patch or a pin that can be worn on a uniform, Cub Scouting has found a way to turn the ordinary into extraordinary. Combine the thrill of accomplishing a task or feet of skill with the chance to be recognized in front of an audience of his peers a boy can accomplish anything. Self discipline is learned by doing meaningful things and seeing a measurable result. True happiness comes from making a positive contribution to the world around us. The requirements for achievement and for advancements of rank give the boy a tangible feeling of this contribution. This is something that he can enjoy and can display so that others can see his successes and join in his happiness. So, what does all this hulaBALOO mean? Boys don't join Cub Scouts just for the fun alone. They want something that they can display that would invite others to ask them to tell about that FUN.
  Scott Wheeler - Cubmaster
  

March 5th, 2007

• Cub Scouts and competition.
  Good,fair competition is a terrific tool for helping us to better ourselves. Cubs and parents get together every year at this time to plan and work together to build their Pinewood Derby cars. We will find many opportunities for "teaching moments". Let us teach our sons that the Cub Scout motto of "Do your best" is a great idea to follow. We each have the chance to see just what our best can be. It then gives us a moment to reflect and see if we could do anything better. Cars will race and awards will be given but know for sure that everyone takes something home when the competition is done. What we take home will depend on what we value most. This Cub Master hopes that the thing most experienced and learned from our race is that we value the worth of others. We can increase that worth by a cheer and a pat on the back no matter what place we take in the race. We are winners if we all have FUN!
  Scott Wheeler - Cubmaster
  

March 14th, 2007

• Cub Scouts and friends.
  When a boy is between the ages of 6 and 11 he begins to establish the person he will be. He starts school and he learns about other children. He will find some person or persons who act in a way that makes him feel good or happy and will commence to mimic what they do. After all, if he thinks they are cool then he can be cool too. The boy is usually influenced by the "FUN" factor and will follow anyone that can show him how to have as much as possible. His friends become a very important part of his decision making and his manner of conduct. Cub Scouts helps to bring together boys of similar interests and tastes to interact together and to expand their view of the world around them. Often times the boy gets the chance to make friends with his Den leader or Cub Master and thereby have two more mature pieces of the puzzle that he can use to establish who or what he wants to be. Cub Scouting is geared for these times of growth and development. He is ready to play after a long day/week at school and is constantly searching for divertional input. Cub Scout activities help to guide the boys down the path of fun and growth by challenging them to do and experience things that often times might be overlooked because they haven't been made a cartoon or a video game yet. Cub Scout leaders have a wonderful opportunity to be a good friend to the boy and not only help form the character of the boys while they play but can be excellent resources for parents and caregivers who want to teach personal responsibility along with the FUN.
  Scott Wheeler - Cubmaster
  

March 19th, 2007

• Cub Scouts and Attention
  Everyone wants to be noticed. We all have a deep need to feel important and useful. Boys of Cub Scout age are especially good examples of this fact. We live in a day when the family unit is strained and divided. Each member needs extra reassurance that they are loved and cared for. Parents and guardians do the best they can to manage home, work, and family. Our youth will seek out anyone who will help them feel accepted. This is why Cub Scout leaders can be a major asset to our boys' early life. Often time boys will seek attention by making noise or being somewhat disruptive because they what to know that an esteemed adult is thinking about them. This is not a sign of being neglected or ignored it is merely a signal to the observant that they desire personal interaction with someone who is important to them, kind of like getting a piece of memorabilia signed by a sports star or prominent public figure. They in turn become important by association and being acknowledged. "Boys will be boys" and Cub Scouting is a terrific way to help those boys feel that they matter. Games and activities help to bring the boys together with their guardians to act as a partnership and stimulate the interaction between the two. It also gives them something in common that they can use for teaching and learning as well as just something that they can sit down and talk about together. As adults strive to fill the attention needs of their own children and fulfill the requirements of service in their communities they find that it is at times difficult to be patient and struggle to maintain order at functions. The principals and methods of the Cub Scouting program are great resources in working with this challenge. Well trained leadership coupled with active parental involvement at meetings will provide solid civic values mixed with the instruction of personal responsibility. Combine those things with a large portion of FUN and we will have a recipe for well-mannered and dependable "adults-in-training". Just think…if we could take all of the energy that is expelled by our boys on a daily basis and help them to focus their attention it in a productive and positive manner, we could make the world in which we all live FUN for everyone.
  Scott Wheeler - Cubmaster
  

March 30th, 2007

• A Scout is reverent
  This phrase is short but it says a lot for the Boy Scouts and their little brothers the Cub Scouts. Lord Baden Powell recognized that we all exist and thrive under the direction of a supreme being. It is important for Scouts and Cubs to understand this and seek to serve their creator. As families we can instruct our sons (and daughters) to love our God and to recognize that all things come to us by way of this God. Deity take on many forms and each of us see it in different ways, but when A boy bows his head or remains silent and still when a prayer is said it demonstrates that he has been taught love and respect by a diligent adult that understands the worth of humble submission to God. Our lives must be lived in a way that the future leaders of this country know without a shadow of a doubt that God is real and that life is sacred. Let us live to serve one another and be examples of the 12th point of the Scout Law... A Scout(Cub)is reverent.
  Scott Wheeler - Cubmaster
  

April 11th, 2007

• Cub Scouts and the Hand book
  Have you ever asked yourself why our children weren't delivered with a handbook of instructions? If by chance they did come with one I would hope that it would give us ideas on keeping our children Happy, Healthy and Safe. The individual Cub Scout rank handbooks come close to filling this need. It is a time when our boys are most in need of specialized training to meet their mental, physical and social interactive challenges. Each page is loaded with colorful illustrations and easy to understand instructions that expose the boys to the wonders of the world around them. Front cover to back page the emphasis is on learning and trying new things with FUN and safety in the forefront. Parents are encouraged to take time and sit down with their son(s) and review the program and ideas within. Personal safety is the first thing in the book and from then on it systematically teaches boys and their parents how to set goals and see the evidences of progress. As a boy and his adult partner work their way through each of the tasks and experience the challenge their confidence builds and they grow in many ways that other wise would have been missed. The requirements and experiments increase in complexity and detail as the boy works his way from beginning to end. He learns how to start and more importantly finish a worth while lesson. There is truly something to be said about the look on a boys face when he goes from page to page seeing his ongoing success as the signatures fill the lines of Akelia's requirements completed. This thrill along with the corresponding badges or pins that comes to them only help to remind them of all of the FUN that they have experienced along the way.
  Scott Wheeler - Cubmaster
  

April 17th, 2007

• Cub Scouts and Parents
  Parents play a very important part of the Cub Scouting program. It has been thought that the parents only job was to drop off their son for the meeting and then pick him up after its over. If this were the case then BSA would stand for "Baby Sitters of America". The leadership of the Cub Scout Pack is made up of parents who love their sons and want them to have a quality program. They also feel that if they can provide for the needs of their own boy then it aught to be good for other boys too. Not every "Cub Scout Parent" is needed to be a leader. Many of the parents can make a difference just by working in the handbook, coming to meetings and helping out with a project or craft. Parents are also very useful at keeping order during a meeting or outing. Parents are a terrific resource for ideas, supplies, assistance, and sometimes transportation. Cub Scouts work the best when the adult partners of the boys get together and form a bond of friendship and teamwork. It has been said that a community raises a child and cares for him till he becomes an adult and reciprocates the actions. A parent's participation in a boys "Scouting life" is absolutely critical to the success of the program. Every parent has an important part to play. They often act as record keeper and conscience for the boy as they systematically learn how to focus and achieve. It is the parent's hard work and help that make Cub Scouting FUN.
  Scott Wheeler - Cubmaster
  

April 24th, 2007

• Cub Scouting and the Family
  One of the biggest assets to the programs of Cub Scouting is the family and its close participation. Compared to other social groups or sports associations, the involvement of the family in the over all plan is a huge boost to its effectiveness. When a boy starts as a Tiger Cub he is paired up with an adult partner to be his buddy and learning companion. As he progresses through the ranks he is repeatedly encouraged to have new experiences and do things with other members of his family. Moms, dads, brothers, sisters, and even the grand parents are invited to attend the Pack meetings on a monthly basis. Many activities that occur outside of the pack meetings are focused around families getting together to have FUN and build relationships while helping the boys to accomplish their objectives. Activities such as the Pinewood derby, the Blue and Gold banquet, camping, marching in parades, placing flags or flowers on grave markers, picnics, bike rodeos, and bowling are geared toward the learning and achieving of the boys but are planned so that friends and siblings can enjoy them as well. Each boy learns the importance of other family members and the enjoyment that can be experienced by working with people who love him. Family members are an integral part of the Cub Scouting way of life. We all will find that doing things with the family is the best way to fill our lives with happiness and FUN.
  Scott Wheeler - Cubmaster
  

April 27th, 2007

• Cub Scouting and the Training
  Cub Scouting is the perfect organization to join if you want to be an active part of your community and work with children. It is specifically designed for use by volunteers and first time parents. The things that make Boy Scouting so successful are the Aims and Methods that Lord Baden-Powell developed and taught to all of his associates. When Scouting came to the United States in 1910 it brought with it a duplicate able plan that was soon modified to provide for the needs of the younger boys. The Boy Scouts of America have developed a comprehensive system of methods and programs that help adults to establish themselves as leaders and advisors to grade school children (boys primarily) and their parental partners. There are limitless resources available today to help instruct and inspire any adult wanting to find a way to spend quality time with their son(s). Ideas and procedures are given to provide a safe, structured lesson with instruction on a wide variety of subjects. The main goal of the Cub Scouting program is to teach a boy at an early age to be good a citizen and help him to develop the skills to not only take care of himself but his neighbor and respect nature. Most of all, the Cub Scouting program is designed to teach adults to be guides to the youth of today and constructively allow "boys to be boys", full of energy and looking for FUN.
  Scott Wheeler - Cubmaster
  

May 15th, 2007

• Cub Scouts and the Community.
  Throughout the United States and many countries around the world the Scouting program has earned much respect and has a well established reputation as a community service organization. The Cub Scouting program follows along in that notoriety and you can see it in the faces of the people as they see a group of cubs out selling popcorn or collecting food for the needy. People come from far and wide to get their car washed by smiling boys and their adult partners just because they think it will be worth the trip. They gladly pay the fundraising donation and for once turn off their "critical eye" as they see little ones miss some dirt. They know that they are in the learning stage and are trying hard to do a good job while providing service to their neighbors. Many in our community understand very little about the Cub Scouting program. But if you ask them what is the Cub Scouts main objective is they would quickly respond "to have FUN and learn to be good citizens". The Cub Scouts are just one of many groups that get together to pick up trash along a river bank or in a park. They plant trees and perform feats of skill before a senior audience in an assisted living facility. They march in parades and place flags by the markers of our past veterans and loyal defenders. The familiar Blue uniform always gets a smile from onlookers and people recognize that if you see them in the neighborhood then someone is being served or something good is being done to better their surroundings. Best of all… If you see Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts among the list of community organizations you know that hope for the future of the community is strong and well. Not to mention loaded with lots of FUN.
  Scott Wheeler - Cubmaster
  

May 15th, 2007

• Cub Scouts and the uniform.
  The use of the uniform has been used throughout time to join individuals together in thought and actions to accomplish what one could not achieve singularly. What is it about a blue button down shirt with colorful patches on it that inspires a boy to feel an unspoken importance? It may be hard to define but it is evident in the actions and attitude of every boy who wears one. The uniform of a Cub Scout is a wonderful tool in helping him to see himself as an important part of something good. It is amazing to see the change in a boys face as he receives a new patch or rank award to be put on his uniform. While he adorns the shirt with neckerchief and slide he feels honored and set apart from ordinary individuals. Cub Scouts feel like part of elite club that specializes in FUN stuff and learning how to get along with other boys. The uniform is just another shirt and accessories, but when placed on a boy and displayed before a crowd, it represents association with and belief in one of the finest character building organizations in the world. It is a canvas for personal progress and a symbol of honor. It provides a close bond with others who are also striving to learn, and earn, and enjoy a life of achievement and FUN.
  Scott Wheeler - Cubmaster
  

August 1st, 2007

• Cub Scouts and singing. When the boys are together and full of energy it is almost impossible to get them to sit still to start the meeting. Let's face the facts; it is hard enough to get them to just move in the same direction. I have found that a fun song can be used to get all of their attention and get them ready to focus on the part of the meeting that is most important. Once the boys are singing together they are more likely to continue the pattern and do other things together. It is just how boys think. It also trains the boys to follow instructions from a leader. The song is most effective if it is lead by a Den Chief or another Cub Scout. Singing works best with the younger Cubs and once they are used to the routine they will stick with it as they get older and more advanced in rank. It becomes a pack tradition. Because Cubs are boys, the song usually needs to be about something funny or weird. High volume and active gestures that accompany the song promote the most participation. There are lots of songs available in the Cub Scout song book, on the internet, and at the child's school or place of worship. With just a little imagination leaders can make up their own song about just about any subject they need to bring to attention. It has often been done that words of importance or instruction have been put to a tune that is familiar such as a popular song or a nursery rhyme. Songs can be used as an ice breaker or to help the boys learn each other's names. Group participation songs can be utilized to unify a pack or den and work well as a part of the monthly Pack meetings, especially if the families are invited to participate in the singing. It is important to pick the songs carefully. If not closely monitored, the subject matter can deviate and become gross, rude, or of poor taste. As with most boys, bodily sounds and functions are a fascination point but can really destroy the mood desired. Fun is important but not at the sake of propriety. Let common sense and the golden rule be a guide in song selection. If a song is chosen that is known not be appropriate, kindly suggest that they try another or give them a few alternatives to choose from. Be calm but firm about the issue. Making a big deal about the song(s) selected can discourage the boys from singing at all and may hamper their willingness to work together or with the leader. A song can be used as a very powerful tool if one just remembers to keep it simple and make it FUN!
  
  Scott Wheeler - Cubmaster
  
  
  Cub Scouts Fun Songs
  Fun Scout Songs

September 13th, 2007

• Cub Scouts and the Volunteer The well known writer and columnist Erma Bombeck once wrote a small story about a society that lost all of its volunteers. It told the tale of all the things both great and small that never got accomplished. The homeless went hungry. The infirmed remained lonely in their hospital beds, and millions went uneducated in the finer things of life. There is no way I could do justice to her story in this small paragraph. The point of the matter is that Cub Scouts and Boy Scouting in general would cease to exist without the volunteer. It is a proven fact that Scouting provides the best quality of programs and instructions for the individual with the amount of funds used. No organization could provide the equivalent experience without setting a price that would make it cost prohibitive to most of the nation. The quality of the Cub Scouting program is greatly enhanced by volunteers because they are usually doing it because it is out of a desire to serve and provide for the future. Ultimately, the volunteer is the greatest asset that a community can have and that is why Cub Scouting is so successful. Caring citizens with a dream to make tomorrow better than today and provide a world where their children can learn, grow, and have FUN. Excellent programs and people who are willing to do whatever it takes to keep our communities strong. Remember this… The most important part of a volunteer is "U" (You).
  
  Scott Wheeler - Cubmaster
  

January 17th, 2008

• The Cub Scout and the Cub Master The Cub Master has a very unique position in the organization of the Pack. His or Her job is to be the keeper of great ideas for crafts and activities and the "Master of Ceremonies" at all Pack outings and events. He or She is the promoter of all of Cub Scouting's many traditions. Their duties according to Boy Scouts of America consist of the planning of the program that is delivered to the boys either through the Dens or the Pack Meetings. They are also in charge of the readiness and care of the meeting place and its facilities. We often quote the saying that it is only "one hour a week". The "REAL" duties of the Cub Master are much more than what is told to you in training. You become a cross between a public servant, a school teacher, a grand parent and a little bit of "next door neighbor" thrown in to give it flair. There is nothing more gratifying to a child than to be recognized by an "important" member of the community. When a boy greets you on the street or in a hallway he is instantly propelled to the "I'm important too" list when you favorably respond and acknowledge him with a wave or a calling out of his name. If he is in a crowd of his piers his happiness is doubled because it shows to the other children that he has adult friends and is someone to be noticed. Cub Scouts have a special place in their hearts for Cub Masters because they often represent many different adults at one time. For instance, The uniform places the Cub Master in the same group as the Policeman and the Fireman. These are community servants that provide safety and security and who encourage respect of authority and a civic duty. The leadership position of the Cub Master mimics the role of the Teacher. An individual that bases his or her involvement with the children on the teaching of life principals and will gladly instruct the boy in all that they would seek to learn. The fun of the program provided by the Cub Scouting aims and methods give the Cub Master the apearence of being a Grand parent because they come to you for a short visit and you have fun and games with them. You practice patience and love as you try to focus the energies of youth and the short attention span of a boy. You do all you can to re-enforce manners and fair-play taught to them by their parents and your form of discipline is more aptly received than that given by Mom or Dad. After a short time of having fun with you and trying something new they go back home to the life they experience daily. The "good neighbor" part comes as you get to know each one personally. The boy looks to you as a person who is close at hand that they can trust should they not be around with their parents. We become the person they can turn to for help or encouragement without any relational biases or ties of responsibility. We usually have kids of our own in the program and our relationships become one of being their good friend's dad or mom. Being a Cub Master has been one of the best experiences of my life, second only to that of being a parent. I must admit that I have been doing it a little longer than most would ever have thought. I have 11years in as of this writing and will be in for at least two more. The most any one would expect from those who feel a need to fill the position would be 5 years. That would mean that you took on the mantel with your son being a Tiger Cub in first grade. My situation is extreme because I have 4 boys and they are all 3 years apart. I found early on that the Scouting program was a terrific resource to help me raise my sons and serve the community at the same time. Your time and availability will vary but the rewards will be with you for a life time. The bottom line is that I have enjoyed every minute of being a Cub Master and I am guaranteed new friends each year. The boys and their families have given my life a fountain of FUN and fond memories that will never run dry.
  
  Scott Wheeler - Cubmaster