OA ordeal question

[HashTagScouts 435]

2 hours ago, mashmaster said:

He has joined a Sea Scout ship and has been getting very involved their.  It is different than the troop.  My son has no issues dealing with the boy led structure and leadership.  It just frustrates him to pieces when he has to deal with an adult that acts badly.  When she said that he was making the numbers up when he had a record of it and showed it to her, he was done with her.  He was trying to tell her about each line item in the list so she knew what he did and when.  She basically didn't believe him (essentially calling him untrustworthy).  He actually has pictures for each event so maybe that would convince her.  

Personally, I don't blame him for being upset and wanting nothing to do with her anymore.  But since she is SM, he is stuck dealing with her if he is in the troop.  His Skipper talks to him so much different.  

Go with where he is comfortable.  That sounds like his ship.  I've encountered crews and ships that are even more active than many troops, so I feel confident that he isn't "missing anything" if he doesn't chose to stay in a troop as well.  Based on his age, trying to maintain significant involvement in both is difficult- he's old enough he's experienced the "trail to 1st class" level stuff, probably doesn't really want to be on those campouts or at those meetings anymore anyway- especially where he has another outlet.  Scouting has to be fun - youth will tolerate an amount of "work" to it as well, but when that work overtakes the fun, they will just chose to do something else to get the fun back.  my advice from one dad to another- let him focus on the ship, there's no point into trying to change this SM.  Once he has had a few months away from her, sit and have a conversation with him if he thinks the ship is enough for him, or does he want to try another troop and go back to having both.  Life is too short to be in misery. 

[mashmaster 783]

Thanks everyone.  He will get through it.  I would not be surprised to see others show up at the ship in the future.  Probably will get a nasty letter from the SM how we are "stealing" her boys.  But time will tell.