Quote:
Originally Posted by Teresa  I don't have any boys - so I'm unfamiliar with Cub Scouting.
Do I understand that they have to KNOW what the meaning behind their rituals are? AND they (and you) have to participate in a family project? Is the project something that is supposed to benefit the family? That sounds wonderful! |
It's not a 'project' per se, so much as an achievement that each boy works towards. They do need to demonstrate a basic understanding of the rituals, BUT the Cub Scout Motto is Do Your Best, so perfection is not the goal.
Challenging yourself is the goal.
Each boy has activities to complete to earn his Tiger Cub badge. There are three categories of activities: Family Activities, Den Activities, and Go-See-Its. There are five themes (Achievements) in each of those categories: 1: Making My Family Special, 2: Where I Live, 3: Keeping Myself Healthy and Safe, 4: How I Tell It, and 5: Let's Go Outdoors. So for each of those achievements, each Scout will have a Family, Den, and Go-See-It Activity that revolves around that Achievement.
1F: 1: Making My Family Special: Family Activity:
Think of one chore you can do with your adult partner. Complete it together.
1D: 1: Making My Family Special: Den Activity:
Make a family scrapbook.
1G: 1: Making My Family Special: Go-See-It:
Go to a library, historical society, museum, old farm, or historical building or visit an older person in your community. Discover how family life was the same and how it was different many years ago. There are more instructions regarding how to complete these in the handbook, but this is just an example of what Tiger Cubs are doing in their first month to work towards their Tiger Cub Rank Badge. After they complete each activity to the best of their ability, their adult partner and den leader can sign off on their handbook and they'll earn immediate recognition by way of a small ceremony and a bead to add to their Tiger Paw Totem. When they've earned all 15, they've earned their Tiger Cub Badge and they can begin earning Tiger Track beads (the yellow, disc-shaped beads in the photo below) for their totem as well by completing other enriching challenges. 
These beads are merely rewards for challenging themselves to work beyond the rank requirements. Some Tiger Track electives can also be applied to other Rank Achievements when they're Wolf and Bear Cubs, so there's even more incentive to continue.
I had to give this explanation to half a dozen parents a few nights ago. I'm just going to print this off for future use.
Some pix I found to put this in perspective:
All Cub Scouts, no matter their age, must earn their Bobcat Rank Badge First:
Earning the Bobcat also entitles a Tiger Cub Scout to the Immediate Recognition Totem:
After he earns all those beads through achievement activities, he'll be awarded the Tiger Cub Rank Badge:
So, even though he's called a Tiger Cub, technically, he won't be one until about 3/4 through his first year. Then he'll begin working on his next rank badge.