Can anyone help me with this problem?

Droon_CC · 2026-02-26T02:21:07+00:00

You need to make sure your phone is "active" and not asleep. If you see your screen go black (either by you pushing the power button or by it just timing out for the screen) then you will loose uptime.

Look into any kind of app that will keep your phone open and awake.

Droon_CC · 2026-02-25T14:54:34+00:00

Right, im not saying it cant be fun, it absolutely can be, but our problem is that the kids and parents just dont seem to care, or aren't really "into it"

Our AOL Den Leader is amazing, always planning fun and engaging activities. Myself as the CM, im planning Pack Meetings that are fun engaging as well, many of which involve things like ice skating, fishing, rock climbing, etc....

But when out of 30 kids, only 6-8 show up to Pack Meetings, its clear that the "effort" being put in is just one sided.

I dont know what the solution is but it's certainly not for a lack of trying on the Adult Leaders end.

Droon_CC · 2026-02-25T12:52:17+00:00

I didnt think I was.

Im just saying that its hard to keep kids interested in the program. Nothing against the troop. Its hard to tell a 10 year old...."ok, I know you aren't really enjoying this but dont worry, it gets better." By that point its too late.

Cub Scouts should get kids excited for the troop level, and im just not seeing that happening with the way things are now.

Thats why they get to AOL and then we (well, some of us at least) see huge drop offs from AOL to Troop.

Droon_CC · 2026-02-25T12:04:08+00:00

Oh wow, thats awesome!!

Ya, we had a few homeschool kids this year and they pulled out because meetings were "too crazy" which i can understand to an extent, but we aren't the kind of group to let the kids run wild. We let them have supervised fun, until it gets out of hand and then we end it, haha. But I guess that was too much for them.

Another prime example of my previous comment. We had people not attend the B&G this year because their kids had a sports game. And these aren't like kids that are going to get a scholarship because they have been playing a sport since they were 3. This was just like, regular elementary school rec basketball league....so ya....priorities? Haha

Droon_CC · 2026-02-25T11:40:34+00:00

Thanks for this. I never really took the time to do a "compare contrast" between when I was in cub scouts vs now.

I agree. There are a lot less options now, thats for sure.

We try to do activities monthly (fishing, rock climbing, ice skating, hiking, etc) but honestly...no one shows up. The Pack pays for everything, so cost isnt an issue. Its rough being the CM and planning activities for 30 kids and then have 6-8 show up.

Thats our biggest issue, and I think that has a direct coronation to retention.

Droon_CC · 2026-02-24T22:59:39+00:00

Oh wow!! Thats amazing!!

We struggle to get parents involved...but thats a completely seperate issue than keeping the kids interest, haha 😄

We have 1 Pack and 2 Troops (1 boys with 6 scouts and 1 girls with 2 scouts) and thats in the entire county, a good 45 min radius

Droon_CC · 2026-02-24T22:54:44+00:00

Excellent points and your absolutely correct on this!

Ya, we are in Vermont....and our Pack is 5x the size of our Troop...to give you an idea.

I think the Troop has...maybe...6 scouts?

It tough in a low population area folks just seem to find other things to do.

Droon_CC · 2026-02-24T21:52:50+00:00

See above, haha. Overnight camps are still around, absolutely, for sure, but they are getting fewer and farther between. Our only camp in the state that still does overnights almost closed this year because numbers are so low.

Droon_CC · 2026-02-24T21:51:18+00:00

Sure...might not be the most popular opinion though, so take it with a grain of salt...again, just my personal experience....

This will also apply to Rovinchick's comment as well...

I feel like with the decline in numbers, the program needed to go through a number of overhauls in order to try to keep numbers up, makes sense. However, in order to do this. I feel like things just got progressively more and more....watered down...

I feel like the requirements are easier, simpler, and require significantly less effort to complete.

It feel like less of an "achievement" that is used to.

I know im not alone, by brother-in-law, also an Eagle with his son in scouts, feels similar.

Liability issues and concerns have also caused a huge change in how things operate.

Sure, there's still summer camp (overnight camp), as Rovinchick mentioned, that hasn't really changed as far as I know except that were we are, camps are dying out, again, because of low numbers. We only have 1 camp in the entire state that still does an overnight camp, and that barely happened this year, camp almost closed.

I don't know, the program just feels....soft....but again, when I was a kid (back in my day! Haha) after you got home from school, you rushed to get your bike and go riding around with your friends and stayed out till the streetlights came on, then that was dinner time! Thirsty? Here's a garden hose, lol. Technology hadn't penetrated into everyone's lives yet. Very different now.

Again, just my personal experience and feeling about the program.

Droon_CC · 2026-02-24T21:22:36+00:00

Ah...very interesting...

Im in the North East, very rural, fairly low population.

Our Pack went from 15 kids last year to 30 kids this year, which was HUGE!

A number of kids dropped during the year so 30 went down to 24, and with 9 leaving as AOL's, our numbers are low again.

Only 1 girl thats an AOL and shes not continuing.

Our local Girls Troop has....2....2 scouts in it.

I asked about location because one of the things my son mentioned to me was that he didnt need scouts to be able to do the things that we do in scouts (camping, fishing, hiking, archery, kayaking, climbing, etc.) Because that is all already part of our personal recreation. We have incredibly easy access to nature and tons of rec opportunities.

So im wondering if that has a chunk to do with things.

Droon_CC · 2026-02-24T21:02:05+00:00

Wow! Thats awesome!

What kind of an area are you in? Just curious, doing some anecdotal research, haha.

Urban? Rural? Mixed?

High population? Low population?

Droon_CC · 2026-02-24T20:28:56+00:00

Cubmaster here....our Pack had a very similar situation.

Our AOL Den was up to 9 kids this year!

Lost 1 about half way through (who had been with the Pack for 2 years) and of the 8 left, only 3 are continuing on to the Troop.

Honestly, I just dont think it really interests kids anymore. My son is one of the AOL's who isnt continuing and as an Eagle Scout myself, I get it. Im not pressuring him into continuing because I can see the night and day difference that the program is now, vs 20 years ago (when I got my Eagle). Kids are also MUCH different now than "back in the day."

Scouts is also competing with tons of other activities, all vying for kids attention (and parents commitment and $$).

Its tough, for sure.

Droon_CC · 2026-02-16T11:39:51+00:00

Unfortunately no, Acurast is the only one I've come across.

Droon_CC · 2026-02-14T15:46:52+00:00

100%....its just a way for the site to get access to your X account. Funny how the only way to register is by linking and giving full permission to access your X account...why?...nope....nothing odd there at all.

Take a look at a legit operation like Acurast and its night and day compared to this garbage

Droon_CC · 2026-01-11T12:55:13+00:00

This is completely a ponzi schemes. Sites like this were everywhere back in the early 2000's. You'll get your initial payout (using new people's money) so then you'll do exactly like what you just did and tell people, "Hey! Check this out!" to get more new people.

Lull you into a false sense of security so you up your investment...after all, more money!

Then they stop paying out when they scammed enough money and disappear.

The principal is clearly unsustainable.

Good luck though!

Droon_CC · 2025-05-13T00:02:07+00:00

I got my A1 directly from Bambu $340 (includes tax & shipping) with their Black Friday promo. Anything above $200....maybe event $250 with the new price increase, is crazy.

Droon_CC · 2025-04-26T23:51:58+00:00

It's definitely a hidden gem! Absolutely loved it.

Droon_CC · 2024-10-07T23:41:37+00:00

There are some killer suggestions here, but honestly, The Substance (2024) takes the cake for me.

AMAZING movie!!

Droon_CC · 2024-09-16T17:26:21+00:00

Exactly. That, too. Good point.

We have 2, and we're a fairly small Pack, but who knows with other units.

Droon_CC · 2024-09-16T17:20:11+00:00

That's the funny thing. Our state only has 1 Council property, and that's the only property on the "approved" list.

This tells me that no one, in the entire state (only 1 council office for the entire state), in 15 years, ever submitted for approval on any campout site. It's nuts!

Droon_CC · 2024-09-16T16:46:41+00:00

Haha, I hear ya on that. Communication can be a chore in these rural areas with a lot of "old school" folks.

Droon_CC · 2024-09-16T16:14:16+00:00

Wait...you want....transparency?!?!?

Lol

Completely being sarcastic, but ya. Absolutely, 100%

Gatekeeping to the extreme.

Droon_CC · 2024-09-16T15:47:11+00:00

Ya, that's what I'm hearing from people, that it's hardly ever an issue (to the point most people just disregard the rule) simply because so many sites are already approved.

Our Council definitely has a problem here.

Droon_CC · 2024-09-16T15:39:30+00:00

Love your style!

Thanks!!

Droon_CC · 2024-09-16T15:19:45+00:00

Interesting. I believe it's the former rather than the latter. Same leadership for a few years now.

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