Leaderboard

Wanted to give an update, especially since @CodyMiller351 posted about a problem Scouter and this may help him out. My boys and I leaving was indeed the catalyst for the troop's core adults to start fixing things. Even the COR got involved as he heard grumblings from the Scouts about too many adults at the BORs he conducted. The core adults know why I actually left, and not the polite reason I am giving everyone, which is indeed true, but not the complete reason. And they too have heard some grumblings from the youth. The core adults met, discussed the issue, and came out with some r

19, eh? Props and a Scout salute to you! I was once an ASM for a brand new troop at that age. SM was a good guy but knew nothing about scouting. So I pretty much ran the whole show while he did the paperwork. As others have pointed out, being young gives you a closer bond with the scouts than is possible with us old folks. They will look up to you and copy you. ( scared yet?) The down side is that some of the older adults have a hard time seeing you as an adult. I said things as a 20 year old to some 40 year old parents and was completely blown off. I say the exact same thing now and

That changes my understanding. First of all, a big round of applause for taking this on. Second, getting Grandpaw to help with this guy is a good idea. And any other adults. Third, officially you're an adult but the scouts are going to see you as one of them. That's a big plus. Use this to your advantage. You love backpacking and these scouts are looking up to you. So go backpacking. It doesn't all have to be long hikes. And some campouts that require all food to be cooked in dutch ovens will make for a fun break. As long as you look out for them and throw some fun things in the mix go ahead a

Simple plan (one you can explain to the boys): choose each campsite twice as far from the cars as was chosen on the previous campout. By the end of spring, you'll be hiking in a quarter mile; summer, a mile or two; late fall, four to six miles. Boys grow fast! Call the rangers at most camps, they will be more than happy to set this up for you. Many have special sites set aside for folks to hike into. Others have trails or canoe treks between a sister camp. Three adults + three scouts. That, some rope, and some tarps ... and you're good to go. Give your adults full warning that they

All the world’s a trail, And all the boys and girls merely hikers; They have their exits and their entrances, And one Scout in their time plays many parts, Their acts being seven ages. At first, the Tenderfoot, Huffing and aching in the Patrol Leader’s gaze. Then the willing Second Class, with his backpack And shining new boots, creeping like snail Willingly to camp. And then the First Class, Working like journeyman, with a woeful ballad Made to his buddy’s ’ cookset. Then a Star Scout, Full of fun tales and dirty like the worker,

If my comments seem ageist, please bear with me as that is not the intent. In fact I was in similar shoes once long ago. Your age is both a curse and a blessing. A curse in that you will encounter adults who will ignore you, be condescending to you, and outright rude to you all because of your age. But it is also a blessing you close enough to the Scouts' ages that you can relate to them, be a confidant and mentor them You probably have more influence over the Scouts than the other adults do, and more than you even realize. While you cannot change the adults, use that influence over the

Vision at your age might sound trivial, but we humans find noble idealism hard to argue against. Adults on one hand want the fun of scouting, and on the other hand they like purpose with their fun. Even the best scoutmasters has to learn how to justify the fun for the noble cause. Barry

If you really want to go back to the early days, pre BSA, go back as far as the Crystal Palace Rally of 1909. A number of girls showed up there calling themselves "Girl Scouts". One of those girls was Marguerite de Beaumont who later wrote a biography of Baden-Powell, which my daughter really enjoyed reading. The book is The Wolf That Never Sleeps and it was published by the Girl Guide Association in England in 1944 (with some later reprints.) I was able to find it through alibris.com.

This is key. Before you talk to the "problem guy", talk to these folks and be sure you are on the same page about your vision, and expectations. If possible, garner their help with dealing with "the problem".

BTW: ours was not a backpacking troop, and water purification was foreign to us. I remember nighttime insertions where we would go back those hundreds of yards to shuttle the 20 gal army surplus water bottle! Next time, talk to the state park ranger about a primitive site removed from the cars. Grandpaw's still "wearing the patch." So, commit to sitting down with him to review each weekend you all go on. Just give him the good, the bad, and the ugly as you saw it. Most of SM's and Advisor's get a reputation for not being the easiest people to deal with. The more adults you deal with

This may not work for you, but even at a State campground, there is often a main parking lot. Use that and then hike into the campground area. This will also free up space in the site to use. Do you have the support of any other adult leaders (besides grandpaw?)

So, how far from your vehicles were you when you difficult leader started blowing smoke about the big tent? Honestly, growing up, our SM never parked the car within eyesight of the camp. Note: I said "car" -- singular because the other drivers dropped us off and picked us up at the end of the weekend. I think you need to bounce this off of Grandpaw, and have him tell it like it is to these adults. The result might not always go your way. But, if he lays out a standard of conduct, your odds of this errant adult falling in line are a little better.

As someone who has dealt with this type of adult i can tell you this : IF YOU DO NOT NIP IT IN THE BUD NOW, IT WILL GET WORSE! (caps, bold, and underline for MAJOR emphasis, not shouting). My sons and I just left a troops with adults like this. Unfortunately I was not the SM and was unable to nip it in the bud. Problem grew and grew until SM and others were fed up with the adults acting like you mentioned.

This is the part of the problem that I would address first, as playing inappropriate media while with Scouts shows a serious lack of judgement on his part. Also, it only takes one Scout to go home and talk about what he may have seen or heard on this leader's phone to cause parents to pull their Scouts, or for someone to file a YPT complaint against the troop leadership.

Sure it depends on the site size and available sites, we camp so the scouts can camp and do what scouts do. I expect adults in my troop to be flexible with tent size and be available to suppport what the scouts want to do. With only 3 scouts it sounds like a new troop trying to form so best to start off by creating a scout led troop. Good luck!

I see a lot of back-country backpacking trips in your future!

Thank you all for your input and advice. I have been following the thread, but unable to comment until this morning. Last night my son received a call from the district leader, who it turns out was the gentleman who told us to appeal. He told my son that even though in the original meeting they did not have a unanimous decision, there was another meeting where they went over his qualifications and reviewed his project again. This time he was approved. He is now an Eagle in waiting. He was told that the papers will be sent to National as soon as they get a signature from him due to it