One of the frequently asked questions posed to me over the years goes like this one below:
“Hi Mike!! We have a son who graduated from Cub Scouts — we had a great time at it! We are now trying to work with our son to get the various requirements done for Boy Scout rank. I think our Scout leaders are trying to keep us from getting our son ahead, however.
We work with our son on several of the tasks in his Scout Handbook and we sign them off as they are completed. So my son takes the book to the Scout leader, and he says “doesn’t count”. When my son asks why not, the guy said “you have to do them where we can see them. This isn’t Cub Scouts — your parents don’t sign off jack!”
Is he right? Or is my son being held back in favor of the leader’s son or other (older) kids??”
There’s variations of course on this but it’s basically boiled down to Mom and/or Dad wanting to assist their son and not fully understanding the difference between Cub Scouting and Boy Scouting.
Here it is: the MAIN difference between Cub Scouting and Boy Scouting:
In Cub Scouting, advancements are started on during the weekly Den meetings but are left for the Cub Scout and his family to complete at home or vacation or wherever. The family signs the place in the Cub Scout’s handbook; the Cub Scout brings it to the meeting and it is recorded by the Den Leader.
In Boy Scouting, advancements are started AND COMPLETED by the Boy Scout either during the meeting, activity or campout. The appropriate leader (youth or adult, depending on the advancement step and the Troop’s procedure) signed/initials the item in the Boy Scout Handbook and reports it to the Troop’s Scribe (a youth member) and/or the Troop’s committee member working advancement items (an adult).
The PARENTS are not involved in the advancement process in Boy Scouting. Period.
So the “Scout leader” (the Scoutmaster, Assistant Scoutmaster or advancement person) was RIGHT — this is not Cub Scouting. In Boy Scouting, parents don’t sign off anything.
I think that an explanation similar to this should be given to the parents and they should sign it. It will help folks like me in resolving those issues which from the outside, looks like they are favoring some Scouts over other; when basically they are applying the general idea that in Boy Scouting, one must prove their advancement steps with their appropriate leader — NOT Mom or Dad (even if Mom or Dad are “Scout leaders also”).
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