Re: Parent involvement in Boy Scouts
Steve Cobb (scobb@VIVANET.COM)
Wed, 12 Mar 1997 22:33:59 GMT
>
> Parents are always welcome to come to our campouts. If they
> come,however, they must follow our rules. (A friend had a father come on
> a canoeing outing who refused to wear a PFD while on the river. Do you
> cancel the whole outing?)
You explain to the "adult" that he/she will not be permitted to be on the river
without the proper saftey equipment. Maybe a requirement for all parties going
on a water outing is a class in Saftey Afloat.
> I am afraid I often offend new parents on
> campouts by asking them to sit down or not to help their son with his
> duties. I can understand their actions, I was just as bad when I crossed
> over to Boy Scouts, but they usually get the idea pretty soon. I have
> had new parents look very bewildered as the ASM's and I sat with out feet
> propped up and drank coffee or hot chocolate while the boys cooked,
> cleaned and packed on Sunday morning.
I agree with this totally. From my own experiance it is hard to watch your
pride and joy strugle with something, but in the end it is for the best. As a
SM with a son in the troop I have had to sit on my hands or stick my nose in a
book to NOT help. I always was up front with my son about my helping him at
home as apposed to in a troop campout situation.
> The second situation described is difficult to believe, although there is
> one troop in this area which is somewhat exclusive about participation.
> I welcome all parents to troop meetings to watch. They can all be on the
> committee, and some will be invited to be ASM's. I try to find a job for
> anyone who wants one. In many cases, I suspect that the is a
> misunderstanding by the parent about the type of involvement that is
> expected in Boy Scouts. Sometimes it seems that the longer a parent has
> been involved in Cub Scouts, the harder the transition for the parent.
>
My problem has always been to get more adults to help out, there is always a
job that needs doing.
----
steve cobb
"i used to be an eagle"
SM troop 42, Orleans District
2nd ASM Jambo troop 516
Iroquois Trail Council,upstate New York
scobb@vivanet.com
fax 716-682-3965
i'm looking for CSP's
"In the begining God created man.
SHE was having an off day."
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City | 
