Question for Cub Scout parents

[Anonymous]

Do you think the Cub Scout program would be a good one for girls?

If you also have a daughter would you like for her to be able to be in an all girl Cub Scout den, and work on the Cub Scout and Webelos program?

(As opposed to being a Girl Scout Daisy, Brownie, or Junior)?

[Anonymous]

I don't know anything about Girl Scouts (I have 2 boys and wasn't a GS) but I don't see why not. There is nothing gender specific about Cub Scouts. In my son's den there is a set of boy/girl twins and the girl participates as a full member of the den and nobody bats an eyelash.

[Anonymous]

I have a girl scout and a cub scout. I am much more impressed by the organization of cub scouts. Each den in cub scouts is embedded in a larger pack, so even if the leaders of your particular den aren't strong, you still have the rest of the pack to provide a good experience. With girl scouts, if you have an uninspired leader (like we do) you're really stuck. My son does much more interesting stuff than my daughter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you think the Cub Scout program would be a good one for girls?

If you also have a daughter would you like for her to be able to be in an all girl Cub Scout den, and work on the Cub Scout and Webelos program?

(As opposed to being a Girl Scout Daisy, Brownie, or Junior)?

Would this be done within BSA and as an official part of the Cub Scout program? Or an independent group just following the Cub Scout manuals? I would consider the former, but not the latter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you think the Cub Scout program would be a good one for girls?

If you also have a daughter would you like for her to be able to be in an all girl Cub Scout den, and work on the Cub Scout and Webelos program?

(As opposed to being a Girl Scout Daisy, Brownie, or Junior)?

Would this be done within BSA and as an official part of the Cub Scout program? Or an independent group just following the Cub Scout manuals? I would consider the former, but not the latter.

Why?

[Anonymous]

No, I wouldn't want my girl to go to cub scouts. There are a lot of boys in our cub scout troop without father figures, and I think the single-sex aspect of it is good for them. I don't think boys should be in girl scouts, either. I'm fine with transgender kids. I think girls can be explorer scouts later on in scouting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, I wouldn't want my girl to go to cub scouts. There are a lot of boys in our cub scout troop without father figures, and I think the single-sex aspect of it is good for them. I don't think boys should be in girl scouts, either. I'm fine with transgender kids. I think girls can be explorer scouts later on in scouting.

This.

Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts is a boy organization.

Having girls involved would change the whole dynamic.

Look for a coed organization for your daughter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you think the Cub Scout program would be a good one for girls?

If you also have a daughter would you like for her to be able to be in an all girl Cub Scout den, and work on the Cub Scout and Webelos program?

(As opposed to being a Girl Scout Daisy, Brownie, or Junior)?

Would this be done within BSA and as an official part of the Cub Scout program? Or an independent group just following the Cub Scout manuals? I would consider the former, but not the latter.

Why?

The cub scout program isn't just about earning those belt loops and badges in isolation. While most of the achievements are earned in the den setting, the pack structure is important to the broader principles of the program. The younger boys have opportunities to learn from the older boys, and the older boys have opportunities to develop leadership skills by teaching and helping the younger boys. A den of same-age girls working through belt loop skills on their own doesn't get these opportunities. If you don't understand this community aspect of the BSA program, you don't understand it's principles and goals.

If all you want is for your girl to have an opportunity to make germ molds and learn to use pocket knives, there seem to be plenty of ways you can work those belt loop activities into the girl scout achievement system.

[Anonymous]

My son was a Cub Scout, and the issue I see with this is that to get the ranks and other recognition, you have to turn in paperwork and each child has to be registered. Each achievement is filled out in the Boy Scout computer system. I was the advancement chair for our pack, and I couldn't just buy whatever I wanted.

So while you might be able to work the program, you couldn't give them all the rewards that go with it.

My DH just got back from Boy Scout camp with our son, and he was musing that he thought down the road the Boy Scouts might incorporate girls into the program. They are already involved in the Venturers program, and there are many female Boy Scout leaders.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

My son was a Cub Scout, and the issue I see with this is that to get the ranks and other recognition, you have to turn in paperwork and each child has to be registered. Each achievement is filled out in the Boy Scout computer system. I was the advancement chair for our pack, and I couldn't just buy whatever I wanted.

So while you might be able to work the program, you couldn't give them all the rewards that go with it.

My DH just got back from Boy Scout camp with our son, and he was musing that he thought down the road the Boy Scouts might incorporate girls into the program. They are already involved in the Venturers program, and there are many female Boy Scout leaders.

I really hope they do not.

[Anonymous]

Or we could fix what's wrong with Girl Scouts, which has become 95 percent about "creating little business ladies" and "sharing our feelings while making useless crafts."

[Anonymous]

I have both Girl Scouts and cub scouts. There are good and bad things about each. For cub scouts, I don't like how all the various things are required for advancement so if you miss a meeting you have a lot of homework to make up or you can't advance. It's a lot of box checking. Also I think the all pack meeting is kind of a mess--70+ boys crowded into a room and lots of recognitions and reports/announcements. Much more sitting than GS.

For the PP complaining about her troop leader, volunteer to be the designee for service unit meetings. The SU is like the pack and lots of great activities happen at the SU level. Also sign up for the rallyhood for your GS level so you get notifications of events sponsored by the SU, council, or other troops. And for the one complaining about crafts, volunteer to get camp certified or just plan an outing to rock climbing or something for the troop. Be the change.

[Anonymous]

OP here. The question I had was whether you thought the Cub Scout program (badges, ranks, activities, system) would be good for girls, too.

I have heard that BSA is considering letting Cub Scout packs form girl-only and boy-only dens. So the same sex environment, but girls in their second grade Wolf Den; boys in their second grade Wolf den. Seems like everyone would come together once a month for a co-ed Cub Pack meeting, and might do some Co-Ed activities together (like the Pinewood Derby).

The girls would be fully members of the Cub Scout pack, and could earn official rank along with the other Cub Scouts (Arrow of Light).

The pack camps as a family (moms,dads, cub scouts, little siblings each in their own family tents).

I'm not that familiar with the new Cub Scout program. I was wondering if the different activities would appeal to girls?

This is the second grade Cub Scout program as far as I am able to determine. (It would correspond to the first year of Brownies for Girl Scouts.)

http://www.scouting.org/filestore/cubscouts/pdf/Wolf_Addendum.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. The question I had was whether you thought the Cub Scout program (badges, ranks, activities, system) would be good for girls, too.

I have heard that BSA is considering letting Cub Scout packs form girl-only and boy-only dens. So the same sex environment, but girls in their second grade Wolf Den; boys in their second grade Wolf den. Seems like everyone would come together once a month for a co-ed Cub Pack meeting, and might do some Co-Ed activities together (like the Pinewood Derby).

The girls would be fully members of the Cub Scout pack, and could earn official rank along with the other Cub Scouts (Arrow of Light).

The pack camps as a family (moms,dads, cub scouts, little siblings each in their own family tents).

I'm not that familiar with the new Cub Scout program. I was wondering if the different activities would appeal to girls?

This is the second grade Cub Scout program as far as I am able to determine. (It would correspond to the first year of Brownies for Girl Scouts.)

http://www.scouting.org/filestore/cubscouts/pdf/Wolf_Addendum.pdf

Where did you hear this? I'm the one with the DH who is predicted Girls in Boy Scouts.

Interesting! To your question, yes, I do think girls could benefit from Cub Scouts. I was a Girl Scout, but I think they've lost their way on programming. Boy Scouts is much better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

My son was a Cub Scout, and the issue I see with this is that to get the ranks and other recognition, you have to turn in paperwork and each child has to be registered. Each achievement is filled out in the Boy Scout computer system. I was the advancement chair for our pack, and I couldn't just buy whatever I wanted.

So while you might be able to work the program, you couldn't give them all the rewards that go with it.

My DH just got back from Boy Scout camp with our son, and he was musing that he thought down the road the Boy Scouts might incorporate girls into the program. They are already involved in the Venturers program, and there are many female Boy Scout leaders.

The Ventures have been co-ed for at least 40 years. I was in a troop in HS in the very early 80's