campout-tempest in a teapot

[Lisabob 13]

Having mom randomly show up at camp outs on a regular basis is a little weird. I could see where she might be concerned if they were brand new and they wanted to be assured that the adults in charge were competent (not that I'd advocate swinging by unannounced as the best way to do this, but I'd be more patient in terms of my response to such behavior) but it has been almost a year now and she's still doing it?? Yup, time for some gentle re-direction of her free time and energy - or as Beavah suggests, more backpacking.

 

And yes, I agree w/ Beavah that many of the people in key positions are and ought to be focused on the boys - not the parents. This is why, though, I've advocated that troops have a designated committee member (somebody really good who knows the program well, has good people skills, and works well with the SM/CC - not someone likely to undermine your key program leaders) whose job it is to help new parents understand the program. This might be the CC but it could be part of your webelos-scout transition team too. That frees up the SM to be working with the kids with far less hassle, while also socializing the parents to your program so that they get "on board" more quickly. Tends to reduce communication problems too.

 

Lisa'bob

[baden 10]

Lisa'bob-

 

I agree that this Mom showing up randomly is weird. It isn't every campout or meeting, but frequently. This woman used to be in the business world (banking or real-estate Maybe both, I don't recall) and since she left there to be a stay at home Mom and Home School teacher, it seems to me that her son is her career. That is just my take. Backpacking might be the answer. Her visit to Summer Camp, against my advice against it was something else. Her son was really determined to go home with her when she left. This is not the first time I have seen this which is why I recommend against parents showing up mid week, especially Moms. I give her credit, she firmly told him he was going to finish the week and she looked forward to seeing him at home Sat. afternoon. Some tears, but she stayed tough.

 

I'll talk to the Troop Comm. about a parental liason. Don't know if I like the idea or not. I don't like getting the message filtered through someone else's perception. Might save some hassles though.

 

Thanks for the input.

[CalicoPenn 729]

Baden,

 

I had a thought (which may be my limit for the night) brought on by your post about summer camp. Sure, she showed up to camp midweek, but she also held firm that she wasn't bringing her son home early. While she may come across to some as a kind of uber-mom, I'm starting to think she may also be very curious and engaged. My thought? Have you spoken to her about possibly becoming an ASM and getting her trained? If she's willing to drive up to spend a few minutes or hours on a campout seeing what's going on, she may very well be willing to spend a whole weekend camping and helping with the day's activities. Getting her trained will certainly help her understand the program, and you could end up with another good leader at your side. Though it may sound like she's not the type to wait for one, she may be waiting and hoping for your invite in to help. How many other parents are taking the kind of interest she is? I think you have an opportunity here to channel that interest to something that could benefit your troop and program.

 

CalicoPenn

[theysawyoucomin' 10]

Lisa I would never tell a parent to SHUT UP but I sure wish some would.

 

These people have been identified for many years.

 

 

...the person that had took a bull by the tail once had learnt sixty or seventy times as much as a person that hadn't, and said a person that started in to carry a cat home by the tail was getting knowledge that was always going to be useful to him, and warn't ever going to grow dim or doubtful.

-Tom Sawyer Abroad

Sammuel Langhorne Clemens

 

I am sick to death of parents that are "too busy" to have their hands soiled in Scouting but they have more than enough time to run their pie hole and tell people (that are using more than enough of their free time on providing a wholesome exciting activity for their kids) how to do things.

Wow what a run on sentence that was.

 

I think it is remarkable that some folks think there are more hours in my day than 24. We all get the same amount of time. Some of the Dad's are too pretty to go on a camping trip. Most mommies wouldn't leave the pavement. That's fine just don't tell me how to help the boys run the show.

 

Some folks don't have time. Yes single mothers working a full time job with three small kids don't have time. Sometimes they are very helpful.

 

 

 

 

 

The last camping trip we went on I was trying to get the boys to focus on mounting out the gear. One mother was talking to a couple of the senoir boys (that should have been helping and guilding the young ones)I asked the boys for help and she informed me that she and the boys had not seen each other all summer and were "catching up".

HEY LADY HOW ABOUT YOU USE SOME OF YOUR FREE TIME TO "CATCH UP". Right now they are on on TROOP TIME.

 

In about two hours honey we are really going to need the 45 minutes of daylight she was helping to waste.

 

Hey lady drop the kid off and go have a glass of wine at home and let us get on with the campout.

 

Wow that felt good!!!!!!!!!

 

 

[Venividi 35]

A good vent, like a primal scream, can help blow off steam. Then one can go back into his/her own tempest in a teapot, and be the tactful, friendly, courteous person he/she is.

 

uz2bnowl - now that you let yours out, get back in there and help some boys grow to be men!