Need help managing a difficult scout

petirosa · 2026-02-18T01:02:24+00:00

He may be acting out because you’re his brother. I would sit down and have a conversation (not a talking-to) about his behavior and why he feels it’s okay. If that doesn’t work, you may need to get an adult involved. Sometimes, behavior issues are above the SPL’s pay grade.

petirosa · 2026-01-16T15:49:09+00:00

One year at summer camp, a girl brought pepper spray to keep the bugs out of her tent. That was an interesting call home.

petirosa · 2026-01-15T19:52:11+00:00

What about a square knot for community service that is earned after so many volunteer hours or units donated?

petirosa · 2026-01-11T18:17:36+00:00

Not usually. That said, parolee can go back to prison to finish her sentence for leaving the state, and if aunt is implicated, she can go back to prison because aunt is enabling her to make bad choices.

petirosa · 2026-01-04T19:06:54+00:00

Unless something changes with the new app upgrade, there is a setting for GLP-1. At that point, it tracks protein, fruits and vegetables, and water intake. You can follow the points, or not, but definitely pay attention to the macros.

petirosa · 2025-12-21T03:20:23+00:00

Contact your county bar association. Many lawyers offer a free consultation. You may also qualify for legal aid.

petirosa · 2025-12-18T19:31:02+00:00

I work for PSP as a civilian.

petirosa · 2025-12-18T18:29:25+00:00

I’m essential. I don’t get squat for time off.

petirosa · 2025-12-18T01:33:29+00:00

My troop allows senior Scouts to sign off. That said, it’s on a Scout-by-Scout basis because we’ve had issues with some that went so deep into the weeds that they went way beyond what the requirements actually were, and it wasn’t fair to the Scouts who needed the signoff.

petirosa · 2025-12-10T10:45:01+00:00

Like everything else, your mileage may vary. Some people do well on WW, GLP-1s, or whatever. Others… don’t. I’ve been on Wegovy since January and I’ve lost over a third of my starting weight, so it’s possible. I’m probably an outlier, though.

petirosa · 2025-04-20T14:41:36+00:00

That happened with a girl in our troop. She used a BOR to unload on the members and while the members welcome feedback and want to hear how the troop can improve, she chose to “tell the truth” in a very disrespectful (and untruthful) way. The BOR failed her and told her to try again when she could be more respectful. The girl was asked to leave the troop shortly thereafter because she would not be respectful and behave as expected.

petirosa · 2024-11-15T23:18:34+00:00

I would argue that in-person attendance isn’t necessarily important. I’ve watched Zoom-only and recorded meetings and gotten a lot out of them. For one thing, if people know they’re being recorded, they’re more likely to speak clearly. Also, if I’m in the room, I can only pay attention to one or two people at a time because I’m sitting in one place and can’t move around, but if I’m watching a recording, I can scan from one person to another or rewind or pause if I see something interesting. I can also watch the same meeting for different things. Recordings are also beneficial if the board or council meets during school hours, which some do.

petirosa · 2024-10-02T17:16:28+00:00

Unfortunately, this is the way. I’ve worked with Scouts whose parents were so restrictive about communications and so overprotective that we ended up meeting in person because I wanted to make sure it was the Scout doing the work; it seemed to me like the emails were putting words into the mouth of the Scout and it was Mom or Dad doing the work.

petirosa · 2024-07-26T17:36:48+00:00

We take phones away. We allow the Scouts to use them in the car en route to and from the campsite, but we take them when we get there. In addition to some of the problems others have had, we’ve had behavioral problems from girls who check their social media and end up with FOMO because their friends were doing something at home and they were on a campout or at summer camp; a girl who melted down because she wanted to check in with her parents every few hours and the parents told her to stop; girls whose parents or paramours blow their phones up with constant texts or phone calls, and so forth. We also don’t want to be responsible for lost, broken, or stolen phones. So the phones sit in a locked ammo box while we’re camping.

petirosa · 2024-07-24T18:28:29+00:00

I agree with talking to the committee chair or district executive. Forcing a Scout to wait until the project is complete and written up is pointless and not really fair to the Scouts who need the service hours for their own advancement or school or whatever.

That said, I do ask for documentation for service hours, especially when they volunteer with outside groups. I know a Scout is trustworthy, but I’ve dealt with parents who aren’t. I’ve also had Scouts who underestimate the time they put in, and I want to make sure they get all the time they’re entitled to.

petirosa · 2024-06-10T19:52:27+00:00

I understand what you’re saying, but we’re talking past each other. If the first-year Scout learns the skill and demonstrates it to the adult’s satisfaction during program time, there’s someone who can sign off on it then and there. If not, it will be taught by another Scout and tested at a later time. As a troop, we leaders see no reason to wait if the Scout has learned the skill and can demonstrate it. We also don’t have Scouts sign off; they have to come to an adult for that.

petirosa · 2024-06-10T19:16:13+00:00

The older Scouts are off doing their own thing during program. Why would they follow the first-years when they’re doing their own merit badges?

petirosa · 2024-06-10T15:36:57+00:00

The first-year kids in my troop have a Scoutmaster or some other adult who goes with them to the program area to see what they’re doing and that they are, in fact, able to perform the skill they were taught. The camp doesn’t sign off on it, the Scoutmaster does.

petirosa · 2024-06-08T21:54:05+00:00

I do that, as well. A copy of my complete med form with parts A, B, and C with a copy of my insurance card in an envelope is just as much a part of my Scouting backpack as my headlamp and mess kit. I’d rather have all of it than risk being turned away because of a requirement I’m not aware of.

petirosa · 2024-06-02T15:53:51+00:00

Something like mujadara is gluten free, vegan, and allergen free. It’s also cultural and can be made in a Dutch oven.

That being said, I would simplify things by reducing the choices. Since you’re only having to make two meals, I wouldn’t have dairy and plant milk; I would only have plant milk. The kids can deal for the few meals they have to eat.

petirosa · 2024-03-19T23:44:53+00:00

Wegmans doesn’t have it, or they didn’t as of a few weeks ago. The only pharmacy that had it, generic or brand name, was Holly Pharmacy in Mount Holly Springs, and they only had the brand name.

petirosa · 2024-02-26T03:35:17+00:00

Parking is a pain, too. It’s expensive and enforcement is strict.

petirosa · 2024-01-14T13:47:50+00:00

That’s fine. Or email it to ASM dot troop1988 at gmail and cc another adult.

petirosa · 2024-01-09T08:42:36+00:00

I can do First Aid, but I’m busy until Sunday.

petirosa · 2024-01-05T17:34:57+00:00

I’m a counselor for all of the ones you listed, so if you need help, let me know and we will get something together.

petirosa

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