Siblings, Scouting, and Leadership

Scouting is a family program. Its basic goal is to teach young people to be better citizens and parents. However there are situations and rules of appropriateness that need to be followed.

Tiger Cubs is an adult partner-member program. If the Group desires, some of its meetings can involve the entire family. However Groups should remember part of the purpose of Tigers is to cause the boy member to feel special.

Cub Scouting is a family program. The entire family is encouraged to participate in pack meetings and many pack activities. However the den setting is designed for the boy and his leaders, not the family of leaders. Den leaders should not take their non-scout children on den activities. Their role of supervision is weakened when their attention is divided between the boys in the den and their children. Non-scout children in the home during den meetings should require limited attention so that the den leaders can focus on their role of leader not parent.

Activities such as Day Camp, Mom and Me, Dad and Lad, etc. are designed for Cub Scouts and their leaders or parents, not the entire family. Non-scout children should not participate with the Cubs or be a distraction for the leaders.

Boy Scouting supports the family but is designed for the boy and his leaders. Troops are encouraged to have family activities such as courts of honor, picnics or campouts. But when troops are functioning as a troop with boys and adult leaders in charge, non-scout children may not participate. The adult leaders of a troop must be able to devote all of their attention to the scouts in their care.

Non-scout children may not attend troop activities including summer camp, jamborees, camporees, troop campouts, etc. Only scouts may participate in these activities. Families are encouraged to visit these kinds of activities but they may not spend the night or participate.

Venturing is designed for members and their leaders. Non-scout children should not accompany leaders. The leaders responsibility is to provide leadership for the Venturers not care for their own children.

In summary if an activity is designed and planned for the whole family then certainly non-scout children are welcome and desired. If an activity is designed and planned for the scouts and their leaders then non-scout children should not attend. A non-scout is a child who is not a member of the specific program being discussed, i.e. a cub scout may not participate in a boy scout activity nor may a boy scout participate in a cub scout activity.

Leaders need to remember they are responsible for the children in their care and that they must not be distracted from this responsibility by their own non member children.