Stepping Down as Scoutmaster

[swilliams]

When I first took over in January of 2025 I saw myself staying as Scoutmaster for at least a year or two after my youngest aged out.  He turned 18 this week, and I'm stepping down.  I'll be taking on the role of Eagle coach instead.

The biggest challenge was time, made worse by the lack of parent involvement in the actual running of the Troop.  Of those who were willing to volunteer time, I'd say about 80% of them only wanted to be in an administrative type position - committee member, advancement chair, service chair, etc.  Of those who were ASM's, one never came camping even on the trip they were in charge of organizing, and one needed to be hand-held through everything to the point it was faster and easier for me to do it myself.  (Crazily, this parent is an Eagle, yet can't cook a meal or put up a tent that isn't their own.)  

Anywho... it's been great, and awful, and everything in between.  God bless those of you who are in this role.

I figured I'd share the message I sent to our Troop after the latest political issues, because I think it's a message that's needed no matter what we're facing, but didn't want to clutter the other thread.

Although I have just one more week as your Scoutmaster, I wanted to issue a statement of support for ALL our scouts, our friends, and our families.  I wholeheartedly believe in the overarching mission of Scouting, which is "to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law."  That doesn't change how we are meant to treat others, no matter what is said by outside individuals or administrations.  

Trustworthy and Loyal means a scout can be relied upon to act with understanding, Kindness and Courtesy in their interactions with others.  Scouts should strive to be non-discriminatory and Helpful to everyone around them.  In short, the same principles that Baden-Powell espoused when forming this organization still stand today.   Do your best to continue to be the amazing young people that you are.

[Eagle1993]

More than everything, lack of parent volunteers will damage this program.  I took a similar step a few months ago .. it is sad seeing the change over the last several years.   Went from more than enough parents willing to camp and lead outings to crickets.

[skeptic]

4 hours ago, swilliams said:

When I first took over in January of 2025 I saw myself staying as Scoutmaster for at least a year or two after my youngest aged out.  He turned 18 this week, and I'm stepping down.  I'll be taking on the role of Eagle coach instead.

The biggest challenge was time, made worse by the lack of parent involvement in the actual running of the Troop.  Of those who were willing to volunteer time, I'd say about 80% of them only wanted to be in an administrative type position - committee member, advancement chair, service chair, etc.  Of those who were ASM's, one never came camping even on the trip they were in charge of organizing, and one needed to be hand-held through everything to the point it was faster and easier for me to do it myself.  (Crazily, this parent is an Eagle, yet can't cook a meal or put up a tent that isn't their own.)  

Anywho... it's been great, and awful, and everything in between.  God bless those of you who are in this role.

I figured I'd share the message I sent to our Troop after the latest political issues, because I think it's a message that's needed no matter what we're facing, but didn't want to clutter the other thread.

Although I have just one more week as your Scoutmaster, I wanted to issue a statement of support for ALL our scouts, our friends, and our families.  I wholeheartedly believe in the overarching mission of Scouting, which is "to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law."  That doesn't change how we are meant to treat others, no matter what is said by outside individuals or administrations.  

Trustworthy and Loyal means a scout can be relied upon to act with understanding, Kindness and Courtesy in their interactions with others.  Scouts should strive to be non-discriminatory and Helpful to everyone around them.  In short, the same principles that Baden-Powell espoused when forming this organization still stand today.   Do your best to continue to be the amazing young people that you are.

This theme has appeared often over my time here on the forum, and it almost alway comes back to reality of lives and responsibilities outside of the program.  Early in my long tenure, now fiftyish, I was visiting my parents and mentioned my frustrations to my father, the man that in my youngest years worked three jobs, one full time with a long drive to and from.  Anyway, he looked at me and laughed.  He said something to the effect of, "nothing new".  Then he asked if I thought that all my scout brothers' parents were involved as he was.  He was on the committee in a number of jobs, as actually was my mother for the time.  She had been a denmother for my brother.  He told me a couple of stories that matched mine like a Polaroid almost.  Then he told me that if it was important to someone, they somehow would work at it and often find the time.  But also he told me that life could wear you down, and that Scouting involvement also could, and likely would.