What we've got here is failure to communicate!

[InquisitiveScouter]

Sometimes I think we are just not getting through...

I am an ASM working with a Patrol of younger Scouts.

Last night, an older Scout interrupted this Patrol's Meeting to try to take a younger Scout out to work on his Life requirement #6, using EDGE to teach a skill.

The younger Scout is the planner for the Patrol's next camping trip, and he was working out plans with his Patrol mates.  

The younger Scout was obviously frustrated by this demand (from the look on his face) and turned to me for guidance.  I dismissed the older Scout and told him this was time for the Patrol Meeting, and that the younger Scout was to stay and finish his planning with his Patrol Mates.  

This morning, the parent of the older Scout sends a scathing missive to the Scoutmaster, outlining how his son has been trying to complete this requirement for months now, and is not getting any support from the Troop.  (This is factually incorrect, and the SM handled the email response to the parent perfectly.)

The parent made brief mention of the Patrol Meeting scenario last night, and made a comment in reference to it that makes me believe we are just not getting through...

"I understand the importance of patrol meetings, but don’t get why they would take precedence over completing rank requirements."  This, followed by threats to leave the Troop if the Troop does not immediately make and implement a plan to help their Scout finish the requirement.

Important to note also, this older Scout rarely comes to meetings, and has not been on a Troop outing since Oct 2024.  He did not make arrangements with anyone to try to work on the requirement during this meeting...

smh

https://youtu.be/V2f-MZ2HRHQ?si=ljwnDk_wERNKzhz4

 

[skeptic]

Yep.

[Tron]

Patrol time; the bane of the main character syndrome parent. 

[qwazse]

Possible reply:

“Priority is given to skills training, which is primarily done in situ on campouts, which we use meetings to plan. We encourage skill mastery at meetings BY PLANNING IN ADVANCE with fellow scouts to set aside meeting time to do so.”

Or, don’t waste your breath and just work for smiles.