Three Merit Badges Requiring 3 Months of Tracking

As a mother of 3 Eagle Scouts, I can tell you that the hardest Merit Badges for Scouts to earn are the three that require 3 months of tracking.  Tracking any one thing for that long is difficult!  Three? Really?

The way we managed this successfully was to track all three together.  Think about doiung all three over the summer when the family could focus a bit better on tracking all three.  Or maybe being in school is a better idea, when routines can easily stick.  Whatever the timing, choose a 3 month block of time that you think you can knock these off.

1.  Familiarize yourself with the requirements by visiting Meritbadge.org and print out summary sheets for each Merit Badge:  Family Life, Personal Fitness, Personal Management

2.  Remember to start each Merit Badge with the approval of your Scoutmaster and Merit Badge Counselor (MBC).  Get a blue card ready and get the Scoutmaster to sign it and you're ready to let the MBC know you are starting.

3. Get a physical examination from a health-care practitioner.  Use the BSA Annual Health and Medical Record Forms. Here's a link:   BSA Annual Health and Medical Forms  (If your forms are up to date-- you've had a physical in the last 12 months-- then you can just proceed.)

4. Print out this Three Month Merit Badge Tracker.  Or make your own.

Adapted from myexcelltemplates.com

As you set goals and work out the daily things you need to track, you can write them in this tracker and check them off daily.  Once you've written down what you are tracking, you can copy it two times so you have three months worth of tracking space.  Consider taping these to the kitchen cabinet or putting them on the fridge so you'll see them daily and won't forget what you need to do to knock out these merit badges.

5. Let's started with Family Life.  Look over the requirements for Family Life-- specifically #3.  Write your chores in the Three Month Merit Badge Tracker under the Family Life section.  If you don't have at least 5 daily chores, work with your parents to choose 5 appropriate chores.

6.  Now let's look at Personal Fitness.  Print out the Personal Fitness MB Tests sheet below and take the fitness tests at the top half of the sheet. Fill in the boxes with your results.  Using that information, devise a fitness plan to improve in each area and discuss it with your Personal Fitness MBC and/or parents.  Use requirement #8 as a guide.  Write the daily exercises in the Don't start on any fitness program until you have gotten approval from your MBC and your parents.

Charts courtesy of Meritbadge.org

Where it describes using a sit and reach box, you can easily measure without one by placing a ruler out from the wall with zero touching the wall.  Put your feet against the wall and reach toward the wall.  Have someone standing above you note where your hands reach on the ruler.

Note that there is a place to record the fitness test information every two weeks.  That's a great way to track your progress towards your final fitness goals.

7.  Now let's work on Personal Management.  Look over the requirements for Personal Management, specifically #2.  Print out a Sample Budget Plan sheet or make one up like it.

Courtesy meritbadge.org

8.  Prepare a budget using the Sample Budget Plan or something like it.  Write in your estimates on the 'weekly' line then multiply that by 4 for your projected monthly amounts in the next columns.  As the months go by, add the 'actual' numbers into the boxes for actual amounts.

Courtesy Paul Murray of maththings.net

9.  Print out the Check Register above or make a similar log sheet.  Count up your piggy bank.  Put the amount in the first line and write it down as 'Opening Balance.' Every time you earn or spend money out of your piggy bank, write it down on the Check Register and do the math to find out how much money is in your piggy bank.  Now using your Three Month Merit Badge Tracker again, write down the categories you think you'll see the most action in,the Personal Management section.  If you spend money, put a minus sign; if you earn money, put a plus sign.  This shows your attentiveness to your budget while the details can be kept on the Check Register.

10.  For the next 3 months, do your chores and exercises, and write down your financial transactions. Meanwhile, consider doing the other requirements in these three Merit Badges, so when you finish the trackers, you can receive the badges at once!

11.  After all is done, meet with your MBC for evaluation.  As with all other Merit Badges, give your signed blue card to the Advancement Leader for awarding.

Armed with this collection of paperwork, you can complete all three of these Merit Badges at the same time with about the same effort as doing one.  Boo-yah!