Pack 689 / For Parents
What to Expect
When you join the Boy Scouts of America, Scouting is like an extension of your family: It follows your values, it sees to the overall care and well-being of your child, and it’s always there for you. It’s not an either/or choice you have to make for your child. It works with you to let you manage your time and other activities and will always be there when you return.
Maturity. Youth experience dramatic physical and emotional growth. Scouting offers them opportunities to channel much of that change into productive endeavors. Through service projects and Good Turns, Scouts can discover their place in the community. Many Scouting activities allow youth to associate with others from different backgrounds. The unit provides each Scout with an opportunity to explore, to try out new ideas, and to embark on adventures that sometimes have no design other than to have a good time with good people.
Flexibility. The Scouting programs are flexible and accommodate the need to balance the work and life requirements of a busy family. It’s easy to plan for meetings and activities, and if something unexpected comes up, just let your leader know—it’s expected in the lives we live today.
Adaptability. Your child can work on achievements at his or her own pace and/or with his den. For example, if your child is in a spring soccer or baseball league and has to miss several meetings and activities, he can still complete and sign off on Scout activities to work toward the next level.
Transferability. The skills and values your child learns through Scouting can be applied in any non-Scouting activity he or she participates in. As your child builds character, this can be an especially valuable defense to the peer pressure all youth experience when growing up.
Your Role as a Parent
Cub Scouting encourages closeness to family. The program will give you opportunities to take part in activities with your child that you normally couldn't do. It provides a positive way for parent and child to grow closer together, and encourages you to spend quality time together. In this way, Cub Scouting is a program for the entire family, and your involvement is vital to the program's success.
Some specific things you can do to help your child in Cub Scouting are:
- Work with your child on projects
- Help your Cub Scout along the advancement trail
- Participate in monthly pack meetings
- Go on family campouts with your child
- Provide support for your child's den and pack
The Cub Scout years are developing years for young boys, falling between the dependence of early childhood and the relative independence of early adolescence. As he grows, your child will gain the ability to do more things "on his own," but at this stage of his development, your help is critical.
Work with your child on projects
Boys often start projects at den meetings and finish them at home with the help of a parent. Such projects become the catalyst for parents and boys—often joined by siblings and friends—to interact with each other in an informal, relaxed way.
Because the purpose of projects is to teach a boy new skills, a project will challenge a boy to do tasks that he hasn't currently mastered. It's not uncommon, therefore, for a boy to need help from his family to do some of his projects. In Cub Scouting, boys are not expected to do things entirely on their own. So long as a boy does his best to do as much as he's capable of, it's perfectly acceptable for a parent or sibling to help him with the tasks he's unable to do on his own.
Help your child along the advancement trail
The advancement plan is designed for parents to use to create a learning environment in their home. With the Cub Scout handbooks as a resource, parents and boys work together to do the achievements required for each badge. The advancement plan provides fun for the boys, gives them a sense of personal achievement as they earn badges, and strengthens family understanding as adult family members work with boys on advancement projects.
While Cub Scouts will learn skills and begin work on projects in their monthly den meetings, the parents remain at the center of the advancement program. As each task is done or each skill is demonstrated, the parent signs the Cub Scout's handbook to record its completion. And when the boy has completed all the requirements to earn an award, the parent presents that award at the next monthly pack meeting.
Participate in monthly pack meetings
The monthly den meetings are for Cub Scouts and their adult leader. The pack meeting is for the entire family of every Cub Scout. At pack meetings, parents see their child in action with their friends, meet other parents, and join with neighbors in caring and sharing. These types of opportunities are scarce, and pack meetings highlight how Cub Scouting teaches boys cooperation and collaboration.
The pack meeting is also a monthly showcase for all that the boys have worked on in their den meetings. Craft projects are on display, skills are demonstrated, and skits are performed to show the boys' command of the monthly theme. While boys at this age seem to be struggling toward independence, having the approval of their parents and other adults whom they admire remains important to them—so your presence at these meetings is critical to underscore the importance of the lessons your child has learned.
Go on family campouts with your child
Besides being fun, family camping is a chance for quality time together and an enriched family life. This program is a recreational opportunity—it's not on a tight time schedule. Family leadership rests with the adult member(s). This leadership might be yielded from time to time as the family chooses to take part in activities, such as swimming, where specific camp policies must be followed for safety and proper operation.
Provide support for your child's den and pack
It's important to remember that the adult leaders of your child's den and pack are volunteers who give their own time to provide a quality program for your child. While they have been carefully selected and extensively trained for their roles, there are always times when they could use help from parents in the pack.
Pack events such as the pinewood derby, blue and gold banquet, or field days take a lot of effort—more than the monthly meetings. The pack's leaders would likely welcome any help you can give. Likewise, den leaders will be grateful to parents who can lend a hand with field trips and outings. By pitching in as needed, you can show your child the importance of helping others. So be on the lookout for opportunities for you to help the den, the pack, and its leaders.