I AM A DEN LEADER.

I own a hot glue gun, a ring toss game, an American flag, and a 12 passenger van.
I know all about tour permits, permission slips, and registration forms.
I save bits of string, scraps of lumber, old tin cans, and a whole garage full of newspaper.

I am a den leader.
I get excited over paper sack kites that really fly, boys who remember to bring their books, and first aid kits that finally sell.
I laugh at Boy's Life jokes, cheer for my den kick ball teams, sing Frankenstein songs at pack meetings, and once wept with a Cub who just found out parents are getting a divorce.

I am a den leader.
I have bribed new Cubs through the Bobcat trail, herded unruly boys along library tours, puffed my way up steep mountain tracks, and panicked when I looked down the other side. I have threatened to quit more than once.

But I am still a den leader
My patch says I'm "trained", but I know I still have a lot to learn from district and council leaders, Cubmasters, other den leaders, and especially my boys. And I still have one more lesson to teach. I will not give up, especially on any of my boys.

So I am still a den leader.
I like to think there is a special place in heaven reserved for den leaders. Surely, they would have a need for bird feeders and barometers and someone who could love a dirty faced Cub Scout.
I hope when I die there is a hot glue gun plugged in and waiting.

For I am a den leader.

Julie H. Erickson, Pack 64, Weber View District, Lake Bonneville Coucil, Ogden, UT

TIPS FOR A NEW DEN LEADER

So you're a new den leader.  Someone thought you have the potential to make a difference in the lives of a bunch of kids. Here is a quick checklist of what to expect.

Plan to have fun! Being a den leader is an adventure every week. Plan to get to know your son and his friends. They are wonderful kids and Scouting can bring out the best in them. They can be rowdy, noisy, inattentive and forgetful. They can be truthful, inquisitive, imaginative and humorous. They can be fearful, greedy, stubborn or disrespectful. They can be fair, sharing, helpful and loving; all in the same den meeting. They are kids, working hard at growing up.

Be prepared. Get trained as soon as possible. Take   Fast Start Training on the internet or  someone in your pack may have a Fast Start DVD. If not, call your District Executive – see your district section of Council News Letter. Check out the Training pages and find where the next and nearest New Leader Essentials & Cub Leader Specific training session will be held. Show up with your questions and concerns. Experienced Cub Scout leaders will be on hand with lots of ideas and tips.

Line up your resources. Check out veteran leaders in your pack for copies of these books or purchase them at the Nor’West Scout Shop, or at ScoutStuff.org.

Cub Scout Leader Book. One of the best scouting manuals ever. You will need this one. Program Helps. You will want the current issue that comes out each summer, but old issues are full of ideas for games, ceremonies and projects. Check your friends and neighbors whose kids were in Cub Scouts - they may still have copies.The How To Book. A compendium of games, outings, ceremonies and special ideas for Den Leaders.

Find out where your Round Table meets. Attend and collect ideas, names and phone numbers.
Sign up for the Cub Scout Leader POW WOW in November. Registration forms come out in September.
 

Meet the Parents of the boys in your den. Tell them what you expect. They all agreed to help when they signed their boy's application to join. Give them specific assignments.

 And remember to have FUN!

The NEW Den Leader

--- BB wrote:
 New to this list and new to Scouting... and I'M  CLUELESS!!! I'm am the wolf leader and due to lack  of boys combining with the bear leader (we are both brand new and clueless)

Answer:
Welcome to Cub Scouts and to Cub-Scout-Talk as well.
Ok, here's a couple of easy start off ideas:

Take 3 long slow deep breaths

Go stand in front of a mirror

Smile great big, cause you're looking at a brand new Cub Scout leader, one of the nicest people in the world!

Did ya grin? Sure hope so.
In the business world, some sum things up by the  phrase, location, location, location. In Cub Scouts, the same idea applies, but it's not so much the location as it is the training ..…
Training yourself Training the parents of the other boys Training the boys
So, what's with all this training? Why, training is to make it easier to have LOTS OF FUN, fun for the boys, and fun for you.
Sooooooo, what kind of training is available?
Well, first out there is Fast Start Training, available two ways - either via video cassette [ now DVD] and follow along pamphlet locally, or a different version is available online.
For the local version, ask your Cubmaster or Committee Chair if your pack has a copy of the video. If they do not, call your local council office. For the   online version, you can go there and follow along with the materials there.
There's also Cub Scout Leader Basic Training. Find out through your local pack leaders or the council when the next available course is.
There is also a monthly Leader's Roundtable meeting, where one night a month, other Cub Scout leaders, some who feel clueless and some who are old  ands at Cubbing, gather together to share ideas and help each other.
Ok, Ok, so all that's just great, but what about next week you might ask?
 Well, There's the Program Helps book, a collection of den meeting ideas just waiting to be put into use by any interested den leader. Your pack's Cubmaster, Assistant Cubmaster or another more experienced den leader may have one you can use until you get your own. Program Helps has ideas for both Wolf and Bear age boys.
Your pack or one of the leaders in the pack may also already own the Cub Scout How To Book , another BSA publication full of games, crafts, etc.
One thing about the BSA, there is no shortage of preplanned ideas out there just waiting to be put into motion. To help you better understand Cub Scouts in general, a, in my opinion, must have book is the Cub Scout Leader's book. If you don't have your own, do make sure there is one you can borrow regularly.
For your Wolf boys, and for you, first up is learning the Bobcat requirements if they don't already have those. Plan your next couple of den meetings around those requirements and mix in some fun games too. After all, no Wolf age boy wants to think Cub Scouts is just another school period with a nice blue shirt.
Pop in here frequently as well. Lots of great folks here, and just oodles and oodles of ideas are shared.
Now, take another 3 deep breaths, go smile at the fantastic new Cub leader in the mirror again and say, "hey, you're just too kewl for wanting to be a den leader!"

CT - Kevin Pate, Norman, OK

WEARING A UNIFORM

You don't really need a uniform to be a den leader, but it sure helps.

You will notice the looks on the faces of the boys when you first show up in your Cub Scout leader uniform proudly decked out with their pack number and especially their den number on your shirt. Wow! It says a lot to these kids.

They're pretty sharp, these boys, they recognize that you have made a major committment for them. They know that uniforms are expensive and even though they'll never say it, they do appreciate it. You are now one of them.

So wear it proudly. It's a good place to sew on your Trained patch and your pack's Quality Unit award. You are going to earn both of those, right? You should notice that the boys will probably be more likely to wear their uniforms, that they will be somewhat more attentive and and a little prouder of their den, because their leader - their special Akela - sets the example.

You can be a den leader and enjoy it!

SURVIVAL HINTS FOR DEN LEADERS

You've taken care of your own son for seven or eight years, and you're still fairly normal, so adding seven or eight boys to the roost isn't all that hard.

The first rule is: Clothe yourself with optimism. Grin a lot. And be prepared at least an hour before your Cub Scouts are due to arrive. One enthusiast always comes early.Do not feel you're copping out if you use the Cub Scout Program Helps for games to play and projects to make. Use it as a guide. As you gain experience you may branch out and create your own ideas.As soon as the meeting opens, collect the dues, make announcements, and explain the days projects. You're not likely to have the boys’ undivided attention again.Cub Scouts have little enthusiasm for the more worthless things in life and may refuse to waste their time on such stuff as table centerpieces that can't be played with later, on artificial flowers, or on crepe paper things. Keep your projects goal oriented.Good den leaders know where to find treasures. Scout your basement, attic, and trash barrel. Keep your projects simple. If you don't, you know you will be putting the finishing touches on 10 projects the night before your pack meeting. Learn enough carpentry that you can build a bird feeder.Cub Scouts love to hammer, but an adult craftsman might be asked to do most of the sawing in advance. Keep one inch bandages on band, just in case.  Also, decide what you'll do about unsavory words that might follow when the boys bang their fingers with a hammer.  When Cub Scouts are painting, have them wear men's shirts to protect their uniforms, even if the paint is washable.  And never leave a roomful of Cub Scouts alone with paint buckets.Cub Scouts love to wait their turn to use supplies or tools because it gives them time to explore your closets, test each other's endurance for punches and pokes, and leaves time for races and shouting contests. There is a way to avoid this: Make up a den box of contributed tools and supplies from others provided by the pack committee.Remember how the kindergarten teacher pinned notes on your son's shirt? He's too old for that now, so put the notes for home inside the boy's shirt pocket.  Leave a corner of the note showing so his mother finds it before the shirt goes into the washer. Tell parents that this is your communication system.Always make it clear that everyone left in your home 10 minutes after the den meeting must take a hot bath and then clean out your garage. This spurs the boy to make sure his parent picks him up on time.
Den leaders gain some very useful knowledge. They learn that their son is quite typical and normal. He even behaves better than some of the other boys.  Some of the boys you've gotten to know as a den leader may be around your house far years as your son grows up. Believe it or not, some of your fondest memories will be of them in their Cub Scout days.

Cub Scout and Webelos Program Helps 1991-92

TIPS FOR INVOLVING PARENTS

Get to know your pack and den parents. It is easier to ask someone you know to help, rather than a complete stranger. Likewise, it is harder for someone to say no to someone they know. One of the best places to visit with your parents is at the monthly pack meetings. Introduce yourself and follow-up with a phone call or a note.Have a specific request/task in mind when you contact a parent. It is much more successful to ask, “Can you help with the roller skating party in two weeks by driving four of the boys to and from the rink”,€� than to say, “I need help next month with whatever it is we decide to do.€� 

Everyone can identify with a specific request, but vague questions deal with the unknown and will be easily answered with a negative response. If the parent cannot help with the current request, have another activity in mind. Always have alternatives. If they are unavailable for the current activity, ask them at that time to help with a specific future activity. For instance, if they cannot attend the roller skating party, they might be available the following month to help drive during Scouting for Food. Keep asking - give them lots of opportunities to participate and continue to let them know they are needed.

Be fair and honest with your requests. If you ask a parent to take the boys skating, explain the exact times and what will be expected (drive, supervise snacks, skate with the boys, etc.) Don't abuse anyone's willingness to get involved. In addition, we are responsible for the health and safety of the boys and must ensure the involved parents appreciate the rules (seat belts, two deep leadership, appropriate activities, etc.)Acknowledge the help you receive when someone volunteers.

A short note or telephone call after the activity, thanking someone for helping you with the boys will go a long way to ensuring you continue to have help when you need it. A simple certificate or other recognition at a pack meeting may also be appropriate. Thank-yous, while not time consuming on your part, show your volunteers you appreciate the time they have to help you.Don't put people on the spot.No matter how much we need help for projects and activities, we must leave room for a parent to gracefully decline without experiencing severe guilt when not helping with a son's activities.

If a parent offers help in a specific area, ask for help in that area. Use the parent's help as it was offered, not in a different capacity or unfamiliar area. If you put someone in an uncomfortable situation, you will eventually lose their talents. Don't assume everyone has the same attitude and interest in Cub Scouting that you have.This certainly does not mean we should in any way refrain from offering parents opportunities to become active and involved.

After becoming familiar with the program interest and excitement may develop and grow.

Strictly for Cubmasters Conference,
Philmont Training Center

10 COMMANDMENTS OF DEN CONTROL

1. Regularly use the Cub Scout Ideals: the Motto, the Promise and Law of the Pack, in ceremonies, and as a guide to conduct. You must set the example.
2. Use Den Rules. Start using them immediately. Boys need to know what is expected of them. Make sure both boys and parents know what the rules are.
3. Make uniforms important. Have regular uniform inspections and instill pride in wearing their uniforms. Boys behave differently when they dress up.
4. Be firm, fair and consistent. They will test you from time to time to make sure that you really mean it.
5. Use positive incentives. When the conduct candle burns down or the marble jar is full, give them the special party or outing you promised.
6. Make each boy feel special. Use warm greetings, compliments, words of praise, and fond farewells, liberally for each boy. Make them feel appreciated and wanted.
7. Boys must have input to rules.  If you want them to cooperate they should feel that they have some control of how the den operates. You empower them and teach responsibility when they help set the rules.
8. Den programs must be full of short, fun activities. Boys at this age are active and quickly become bored or frustrated. Long talking sessions and complicated craft projects make it difficult to keep control of the meeting.
9. Use lots of help. From time to time, boys require individual attention. They will need help, encouragement, reassurance, advice or just want to tell you something important. You can't give them that attention if your doing it alone.
10. Get to know each boy. Every boy in your den is a unique individual with his own dreams, fears, and sense of humor. He needs to know that you care about him.