Den Discipline Presented by Staci Thomas

Keys to Behavior Plan out the meeting Keep the boys busy Make it fun Create a Code of Conduct Behavior incentives Have a back up plan should you have extra time or an activity doesn’t work out

The first three are all related. ~ If you make the meeting fun the boys won’t be as likely to get distracted ~ Plan – must all be planned out. What to play, what material to go over, any activity to do, etc. Don’t walk into your meeting without a plan. ~ Of course you do above and the boys will be kept busy.

Code of Conduct Do this your very first meeting. Supplies – marker, flip chart or poster board Ask the boys to brainstorm – what does good conduct/behavior mean to them Once the poster board is filled up take it home and make a clean copy with all the boys ideas and have posted at every meeting as a reminder.

Behavior Incentives Be creative – change it up from year to year Ideas – ~ Token Jar – at the start of the meeting give the boys 5 tokens. During the meeting take a token away for a behavior infraction. At the end of the meeting have boys add remaining tokens in their possession into the Token Jar. Once the jar is full have a party (with cupcakes, pizza – whatever is agreed upon by the leaders and the group) ~ Tokens for candy – hand out tokens for good behavior or for being on task. At end of meeting, allow boys to visit the candy box to buy candy for however many tokens they have. IE – large candy bar 10 tokens, piece of gum 2 tokens, etc. ~ Tokens or coupons for good behavior to be saved up for a chance to throw a pie at the den leader/cub master.

Other do’s and don’ts Do use the Cub Scout Sign as a signal for quiet. Do Keep the meeting going Do treat boys impartially Do give opportunities for the boys to make choices Don’t criticize – if you need to correct a behavior talk to the scout away from the group (don’t forget your 2 deep leadership)

Don’t forget to reinforce the Cub Scout Promise: I promise to do my best To do my duty to God and my country To help other people and To obey the Law of the Pack And....

The Law of the Pack: The Cub Scout follows Akela The Cub Scout helps the pack go The Pack helps the Cub Scout grow The Cub Scout gives good will

Coming Mid – 2015 The Cub Scouts will begin using the Boy Scout Oath and Law rather than the Cub Scout Promise and Law of the Pack.

Scout Oath On my honor I will do my best To do my duty to God and my country And to obey the Scout Law; To help other people at all times; To keep myself physically strong, Mentally awake, and morally straight.

Scout Law A Scout is: Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean, Reverent

One Final Thought Remind your Scouts to follow their code of conduct at the Pack Meetings and any Scout outing.