Our Den Rules

By the time our den had 16 boys in it...yikes! 16 very enthusiastic boys.... our previous den discipline needed readjusting. Back in the beginning, before being a Cub Scout got super cool in our neighborhood, we only had 4 boys and that was by combining boys with another ward (congregation) in our area.
Due to Cub Scouts moving in and other scouts joining and a very excited Executive Scout Commitee Chair (who walked the neighborhood recruiting any boy he could see) we eventually had to go it alone. It was very comfortable having scouts with the other ward (congregation) because the den leader was 1) my friend, 2) very confident, 3) very good at planning and 4)unflappable. But we could see that our overzealous boys were making her 2 calmer scouts a bit uncomfortable. Not to mention our group was really REALLY big.
So we parted ways.
My assistant and I, both quite new to Cub Scouting, looked at each other and sighed. We didn't know what to do with our boys. We knew that individually they were really great boys, unique children of God with wonderful talents and abilities. We also knew that together they had become disrespectful, unorderly and unruly. We knew that boys would be boys but we also knew that what they were learning at scouts could and should change their lives for the better. We were afraid that what they were really learning at scouts was changing their lives for the worse. We had a classic case of gang mentality.
After studying the matter over for a few days we came up with a plan. We decided to level with the boys. We told them that over the summer scouts had really loosened up and that was ok for the summer but now that school was starting up again it was time for scouts to become more disciplined too. We introduced our Positive Points plan and poster. *see another discipline post for details.
We then whipped out a fresh piece of poster board and together came up with the rules for our den. The boys thought of the rules. I wrote them on the poster and then they each came up and signed the bottom of the poster saying that they understood the rules and would follow them.
We crossed our fingers.
AND IT WORKED! The boys knew what was expected and what they could expect and scouts transformed into a group that worked. We could get stuff done, have a good time and go home happy. (Unlike before where we'd go home and need a nap and some ibuprophen.)
We still have to remind one or two of them once a week or so and sometimes we have to minus off a positive point but hey- they are kids.

Our Den Rules
1. Follow Directions Immediately
2. Keep Hands and Feet and Objects to Ourselves
3. Follow the Scout Law
4. Have Fun