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From: Brad & Rainee Mitchell (mitch1@MIDAMER.NET)
Date: Mon Jun 12 2000 - 05:26:33 CDT
> Yet it is my WIFE who believes that, IF POSSIBLE, the SM should be male. And
> she prefers to let the dads do all the camping if there is enough willing to
> go each month. There are several reasons for this which I support:
>
In all my years as CM, I tried to get a MALE speaker or guest at the pack
meetings every time. I understand that scouting shapes and develops boys as they
become young men. We also have a high percentage of single moms with their sons
in scouts.
My husband, as SM, hasn't missed a campout or activity, including OA, for years.
He had a hard time getting the other MEN to attend too. I was only involved on
an "as needed basis" and as merit badge counselor for some required merit
badges. The boys all know me well and respect me. In fact, there have been a
couple of instances where the scouts have confided in me (instead of the men)
for personal problems (family out of food, out of money, needing community
assistance and not knowing where to turn... illness impacting the family...).
Sometimes a young man in high school can't confide in another man because of the
situation.
I have always been around and a woman is typically the softer, gentler person to
take a problem to.
I never wanted to be the SM or even attend all the campouts. Because of the
national scouting computer system, I had to move my position in order for the
new CM to be plugged in. It was natural to move it to the troop, in a job that I
had been doing anyway. The other option is to reduce the number of camping trips
and day hikes that were planned due to lack of leadership.
> In most families, the children get more time with mom than with dad. So we
> need
> to push most dads into spending more time with the kids. When I was CM, I
> had
> no problem getting moms to step up to be den leaders and assistants. But it
> took a lot of recruiting to get dads to be den leaders and assistants. So
> with
> a lot of work I had 50/50 men and women as DL and ADL. In my troop, there is
> enough room for as many moms and dads to go camping with us as are willing
> to go.
> Encouraging more dads to spend time with sons does not mean you have to
> limit
> the number of women who go camping. As far as ASM goes, I accept either men
> or
> women, but only if they are willing to put in the time. I've had to move
> several
> frequent "no shows" to the committee.
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