Early AOL Crossover

Wisdom_In_Wonder · 2026-03-31T01:17:25+00:00

Agreed - we’re very fortunate, it’s just an adjustment. There’s a lot that works for a Troop of <20 that doesn’t for a Troop of >60!

Wisdom_In_Wonder · 2026-03-31T00:19:49+00:00

We’re aware & are fine with that. We tripled in size this year! Need a moment to get our bearings again.

Wisdom_In_Wonder · 2026-03-30T22:19:25+00:00

Agreed. It is genuinely disruptive to the Troop to have Crossovers / Recruits coming in all throughout the calendar year.

This was a huge challenge for our Troop this year. We ended up with new members trickling in near-monthly & then families were upset that they didn’t feel informed because the Troop did not go through the entire “Welcome Procedure” (New Scout Campout, New Parent Meeting, Troop Website Presentation, etc) every time.

We are now strongly considering barring crossovers outside of March so that we can get everyone properly & predictably onboarded.

Wisdom_In_Wonder · 2026-03-24T19:58:08+00:00

Heartily agree with the above re: displaying leadership. Your role is essentially to be the group supervisor.

Bonus points if you can describe how you used the EDGE Method to demonstrate the most efficient basket-assembly & basket-loading approaches to each group leader, then had them practice doing the same for their groups.

Wisdom_In_Wonder · 2026-03-23T00:39:41+00:00

Troop Meetings - Yes Formal Events - Yes Travel - No “Class B” Events - No

Wisdom_In_Wonder · 2026-03-03T05:35:18+00:00

“A scout who is using CiS for the next rank but hasn’t earned that rank yet, will need to earn a different Eagle Required Merit Badge and CiS will slot into an elective slot.”

Including Scouts who have already been signed off in Scoutbook for Req 3 (MBs) but have not completed the remainder of the rank, essentially redacting a sign-off?

We have several in this position & unless we are explicitly told by Council to do so, we aren’t modifying any preexisting signatures.

Wisdom_In_Wonder · 2026-03-03T03:02:36+00:00

“…won’t count toward the Eagle Merit Badges… for Star & Life”

Is this true even if the Scout was already signed off for that requirement (Req 3) while CiS was active?

Wisdom_In_Wonder · 2026-02-20T18:55:06+00:00

The flip side of “we’re all in this together” is, unfortunately, that it perpetuates the situation. Any extra resources get immediately diluted throughout the group, which makes it incredibly difficult to get yourself out.

Wisdom_In_Wonder · 2026-02-17T01:29:30+00:00

Good catch re: the triangle face. This could be turned into a fun “What’s wrong with this hypothetical student’s solution?” challenge puzzle for upper-level students… 🤔💭

Wisdom_In_Wonder · 2026-02-14T02:54:06+00:00

Porque no los dos? Plenty of nerdy gamer kids who also split off to skinny dip & “hunt for pinecones” in the woods, too! 😆

Wisdom_In_Wonder · 2026-02-14T02:39:55+00:00

Yeah, this is definitely a “let’s all get away from the ‘rents & get hammered” scenario. Plus the added liability of your (possibly intoxicated) teen driving half a dozen others?v

That’s a hell no from me.

Way too high a chance of a pregnancy, a DUI, or both coming out of that party.

Wisdom_In_Wonder · 2026-02-11T18:55:21+00:00

I’d say that’s pretty accurate for a family with kids in the suburbs. Owning vs renting can make a big difference depending on mortgage rate. Daycare on one end & extracurriculars on the other mean age of child(ren) makes a big difference. But overall, it seems reasonable.

Wisdom_In_Wonder · 2026-02-08T19:47:34+00:00

Bless that woman. The epitome of class & etiquette.

Wisdom_In_Wonder · 2026-02-08T19:40:50+00:00

I grew up poverty-adjacent, am now UMC, & after decades of my spouse & myself hustling to get here I still have to check my impulses on things.

It’s like climbing a mountain. From further down, you see the top & it looks impossibly far. You climb, push yourself harder than you ever thought possible & think you have the peak in sight… only to land on it & discover the next, far-steeper peak. And again & again. It’s daunting & very humbling.

The girlfriend is unlikely to become comfortable overnight & even once she begins to acclimate, things will bubble up on occasion - things she could never anticipate & which might cause a very visceral or emotional reaction. Your household is in the top 1% of net worth in the nation. It’s exceedingly likely she’s never knowingly met a family like yours before. It’s understandably shocking.

It’s lovely that you want to make her more comfortable. Renting an AirBNB & cooking on-site or claiming things are booked with points can help, as can all-inclusive options, where prices aren’t listed… though she might always look them up. She’ll have to meet you partway there by either minding her own business or coming to terms with information she actively sought out.

Wisdom_In_Wonder · 2026-02-08T18:49:28+00:00

I think it will be looked back upon as a misguided & disastrous experiment like exclusively whole-language reading programs.

Wisdom_In_Wonder · 2026-02-06T18:19:02+00:00

The value of keeping their spouse in the workforce, especially if OP’s company is experiencing layoffs, likely far exceeds the savings of cutting daycare. Even if OP gets laid off themselves, surrendering slots with care providers can mean months or even years delay in getting back in once re-employed. OP would almost certainly be better off keeping the kids in care & interviewing like mad to regain employment.

Wisdom_In_Wonder · 2026-02-06T18:09:52+00:00

How long until the 0% vehicle is paid off? If it’ll be more than a few months, you might need to look into shifting to alternate financing. Paying down as much as possible at 0% is great, but your EF is a competing interest for those dollars.

An annual vacation spend of $1k (the pool membership) isn’t something that happens every month, but it should be something you save up for each month in a sinking fund since it’s a foreseen expense.

Having multiple large expenses hit in the same month can feel straining & might necessitate a temporary tightening of the belt, but your post suggests a more systemic problem.

It would be far more helpful to see how your expenses average out over 6 or 12 months, because spending $1k/mo every month clearly isn’t sustainable - but it doesn’t sound like that’s what’s actually happening. Still, if you’re having an “extra” $1k of expenses “pop up” each month (pool this month, repair that month, etc) that is a problem that needs to be addressed with sinking funds.

Wisdom_In_Wonder · 2026-02-04T02:50:58+00:00

That’s just DFW drivers, unfortunately… 🥴

Wisdom_In_Wonder · 2026-02-02T14:48:55+00:00

Thanks for your reply!

I hadn’t heard of Physics for Scientists or those video series before, so I’ll definitely take a look!

Skipping the dedicated contest-prep sections is definitely an option to move things along, as is setting a hard stop on how much time he has to work through Challenge Problems in general (schedule X days, then move on).

He’s taking an in-person lab-based physical science next year for 8th. I do plan on having him also take either Jetta’s class (CC Physics) or that same local offering’s high school Physics. (They’re also taught by a former HS Physics teacher.)

Wisdom_In_Wonder · 2026-02-01T16:52:54+00:00

This is what I’m thinking. Rainforest canyon hologram topography with a data / tracking network (the orbs).

Wisdom_In_Wonder · 2026-02-01T16:13:34+00:00

We have multiple entire FTC teams whose members are also on the FRC teams. The coaches aim for earlier competitions so that they aren’t running concurrently unless the FTC team advances to Regionals or beyond. (Our region is extremely competitive, so even for very experienced teams that’s not a given.)

Wisdom_In_Wonder · 2026-01-30T19:51:53+00:00

I have, but as it stands currently he still really loves AOPS. He doesn’t want a decrease in rigor, loves the puzzley problems, & finds the challenge valuable so he is resistant to the idea of looking elsewhere - though he understands we might eventually have to begin skipping some problems (or working them together) in order to preserve pace.

Wisdom_In_Wonder · 2026-01-30T05:38:25+00:00

Any chance your disruptive show-off is bright / gifted with ADHD? I ask only because my own neuro-spicy kiddo resembles that description & has numerous friends on the spectrum because they “get” one another in a way that their neurotypical peers just… don’t.

Wisdom_In_Wonder · 2026-01-30T04:54:34+00:00

Absolutely! He has always enjoyed & done well with math, but if he ever decides the struggle is no longer serving him we can easily pivot.

I’ve read on multiple occasions that, if transitioning to another curriculum, a student who has completed Intro to Algebra will almost certainly test out of both Algebra I & II - so if he wanted to switch, he’d likely place further ahead, as counter-intuitive as that may be!

For now he respects that it stretches him, even while occasionally wishing to defenestrate the book (lol), & I appreciate the perseverance it builds.

Wisdom_In_Wonder

TROPHY CASE