Historical Cub Scout Pack 6

Real Pack 6

Parent guide for den meetings.

Remember, Pack 6 has no paid leaders. All leadership duties are shared among the parents, even working parents. We are in this together.

Your son's den leader does his/her best to provide a good program. We believe that den leaders deserve help setting up the meetings. Otherwise, organizing meetings week after week can become hard. We all should take turns in providing the activities of the meeting. Pack 6 does not rotate den leader positions, but it encourages taking turns organizing the den activities.

Since you are a parent, you are as much an expert on children as even paid cub scouters would be. All you need to know in addition are some little tweaks how to make it "cub-scout"ish...

Den meetings typically have 5 parts

Structuring the meeting this way should help you; if it hinders you, simply change it.

1. Gathering period

   The boys don't arrive all at the exact same time. We have to provide an activity for the boys who come early since we can't start the main program before a majority arrives.

    

2. Opening ceremony

   The opening and closing ceremonies make the meeting more formal. The boys know when the meeting starts and stops. Your den might do the den yell, you might do a flag ceremony, or, say the cub scout promise. Don't forget: the boys do not serve the ceremony, but the ceremony is for the boys.

    

3. Work on achievements

   Use the boy's hand-book. Make this fun. But don't fill the whole meeting with processing the book.

    

4. Games, other fun thing to do

   Do some activity the children like.

    

5. Closing ceremony

   The meeting "formally" ends. Many den's add a snack time after the closing ceremony; that's up to you.

    

Take an outing from time to time. Don't forget: activities involving travel need a tour permit.

Belt loops and certain patches can be awarded in the den. Make awards a part of either the opening or the closing ceremony. A den meeting is mostly activity; leave lengthy ceremonies for pack meetings.

You or the den leader might plan a time when the children are busy and the parents can do some talking.

Don't hesitate to ask your den leader or the cubmaster for help on what to do. Your den leader might have some scouting literature and good ideas. The cubmaster certainly has tons of literature. In particular, consult the "Cub Scout & Webelos Scout Program Helps" booklet, your den leader has a copy.

The youth protection rules require us to provide "two-deep" leadership. The second person doesn't need to be a registered leader but can be a parent or relative of a boy at least 18 years old. But even more important, two adults make organizing any meeting much easier.

Exception to requirement for two-deep leadership: while driving it is allowed to have a single adult in the car, if there are at least two children. (Of course there are no restriction on driving alone with your own child).

Note that this is a pack proposal, but it really is up to the den leader how den meetings are handled.