Cubs/Beavers

[sugerbones]

My sons have been going to Beavers/Cubs for 3 weeks, last week they couldn't go but they went tonight and the first week so altogether they've only been twice.

Thing is I've been told tonight they I need to buy them jumpers and scarfs for next week and start paying the subs of £5 each a month. The jumpers are £12 each.

I really begrudge being pressured into buying 2 jumpers when they've only been twice and this month happens to be a very skint one for me due to holiday payments I've had to make.

I'm thinking of just taking them out of it as, like I say I begrudge the pushyness of the uniform so soon.

Am I being unreasonable? are all scouts places like this?

I think the £5 subs is reasonable, but as you can't be sure they will stay in it you shouldn't buy the jumpers yet. Maybe explain this to one of the leaders, or sometimes they have an old jumper lying around from someone who has moved up to the next group and you could borrow this. The scout unit was so brilliant for my 3, and I highly recommend it, so if they like it at all stick with it. But I think most people would understand why you don't want splash out just yet.

Think the jumper thing is a bit much, but £5 is very reasonable for a month. I don't think there are any other clubs around which will only cost a fiver. Remember even if your boys don't go, leaders have to buy stuff in advance and also pay for the hire of the hall.

i think you are being unresonable.
cub scouts is probably themost rewarding out of school club in the entire world. the fact that they are celebrting ther one hundreth birthday this year is an indicator.
subs of 5 pounds a month, is nothing compared to what they get out of it. the uniforms are very roomy, nd you will probly only have to buy two, the entire time they are going, including all the years fo beavers and cubs. so 24 poundss for jumpers for four years isnt that much. if you re skint this month, tell them, and just get it next month.

my boys can recomend it
my father cn recommend it, and he was only in it for about a year or two, circa 1940's and another contnninent away
my cousin never left. he is now a scout leader himselff.
other than football, its about the only club where boys get to be boys. and are taught to be men. (well thats the idea anyways, not everyone stays on that long)
talk to the leaders, if they really are being unreasonable, then change packs..every church around here seems to have aa scout groopu, not to mention the scout halls dotted around everywhere.

Don't forget that girls can go to beavers and cubs now stitch!

Sugarbones, surely the leaders would understand if you explained you couldn't afford the uniform right now. Also, like potoftea says, they may know of someone who could pass some uniform on to you.

my ds goes to cub and my dd has just gone up to scouts .they love it. my dd went to brownies and didnt like it.she is quite a girly girl but still thinks scouts is great.out of all the clubs and things they have done and do after school this is by far the cheapest.

At our group children usually get invested during the 4/5th week, so need the jumper for that, and usually the children know by then whether or not they like it iykwim.

With most children's activities, you have to start paying as soon as you join, or by the second session, at our group, you have to start paying subs once invested - ours is £5 pm, and about half of that goes in area admin costs, before the leaders purchase anything necessary for the cubs themselves, so I think it's reasonable to expect to have to pay subs after a few weeks.

I can see your point about the cost of the jumpers, but to be part of the group you have to be invested, and to be invested you have to have the jumper, etc etc. In your case I'd have a quiet word with the leader and explain the situation, and you'll probably find some leaway here - I know our leaders have been quite understanding of this sort of situation - and they may be aware of someone who may have a second-hand jumper which may help.

I agree that it would be worth discussing the jumpers with the leaders. Explian if you are not sure if they want to join yet and you can find out when they will be invested, you can make the excuse that you will have to wait until payday to get them.

TBH I like the discipline, the standards of dress and the fact DS loves it. He is just back from his second scout trip.

The £5 subs is not bad at all - we pay £30 per term.
I don't begrudge it though as my ds gets so much enjoyment out of Beavers.

The uniform to me is par for the course. I knew ds would have to wear a uniform/scarf before I signed him up. I like it as it identifies him as a Beaver from this particular group, plus it is somewhere to put his badges.
In our pack only 'invested' Beavers wear the uniform, so if your ds's did not wear one they could theoretically always look like the new boy.

Also, I assume your ds's will want to earn badges, which need to be sown onto the jumper.

I think the money is not an unreasonable request as the leaders are all volunteers and all activities are paid for out of subs.

If your ds played football, wouldn't a kit cost more money? Dd does ballet and her leotard, skirt and pumps cost more than ds's beaver uniform.
Have a look for secondhand jumpers.