Involving parents - roundtable topic

[OR Pioneer 10]

Could the campfire take a moment to discuss this topic?

 

 

I will lead a panel at our next roundtable on involving parents. Would you please take a moment to share some of your most important thoughts from this list of topics (1) methods your troop uses (2) structures that keep parents involved (3) lessons learned about involving parents - both thorns and roses! (4) advice to a new SM or ASM on involving parents (5) a funny or heartwarming story about your efforts to involve parents. I promise to compile and share with anyone who wants the results.

 

Berk Moss, ADC Pioneer District, Cascade Pacific Council, Portland Oregon

[EagleInKY 14]

We ask every family to volunteer one person to serve in a leadership capacity (ASM or MC) for one year after they join. We've never had anyone turn us down (yet). What we've found is that folks don't want to step down after participating for a year. The committee members enjoy being involved in boards of review and in the decision making regarding troop operations. It actually leads to almost having TOO many members in the committee.

 

How to keep parents involved? If they want to be involved, they will (if you let them). If you operate like a good-ole-boys club, then outsiders will never be welcomed in. We start early, by getting the Web II's out camping with us, with their parents. They feel part of the "club" from the start.

 

Now, some parents either don't have the time or won't make the time. There's little to nothing you can do about them. I've found that their sons are usually very disappointed when they can't get dad to go on a campout with them. It's very discouraging for the one or two that don't have an involved parent.

 

Lessons learned - New parents (and several that have been around a while) don't understand the "boy led" concept. They find it easier to do it themselves rather than let the boys do it. I get quite upset when I walk into the camp kitchen and find a dad taking over the cooking. I tell them there is a big difference in helping and taking over. They need to learn the concept of "don't do anything that the boy can do for himself". I think some parents think I'm the laziest adult out there. That's because I let the boys do what they are supposed to do.

 

Advice - Try to get the parents to believe in the scouting program. Become a scouting evangelist. Make them feel like this IS the most important thing they are doing with their son. Believe me, the soccer coach and the band teacher are certainly telling them the same thing about their program. Don't be shy about it. Convince them that they need scouting in their life.

 

That's enough for now. I can't think of any funny or heartwarming stories. If I do I'll add another post.

[Fuzzy Bear 12]

I agree with Eagle about getting the parents involved from the start. We tell-told (*I am not the SM now) them that we require one parent to participate in some way (*each year). They can take on MC, ASM, or event/project leader. They are the resource support that allows the Troop to run. Without them, the program their boys want can't happen. One step further, the program their boys want will not happen. I was/am willing to allow failure either by the boys or the parents. Everyone knew and understood my choice to allow things to flop for their lack of support or their lack of initiative. (*The exception to this rule has to do with safety.)

 

I have told this one before. At one COH, we were to have a Pot-luck. The PLC had agreed and then been instructed by the SPL on what to do and I concurred with their decision and the instructions. We wound up with a large crowd and a small amount of food. I lead the prayer and then stepped up and heaped my plate full. I later thanked the PLC and the SPL and told everyone the food I ate was very good. Several parents were not happy about the scant amount left for them. That incident was the basis for renewed communication and support at future pot-lucks.

 

One Dad was only able to take on a project. We needed storage for our equipment. He had a wood shop with several employees. He built eight Chuck-boxes for the Troop and delivered them. I had not expected this gift but it was what he could do for the unit for that year.

 

There is story after story of things that parents did for the unit. Some of things were small and some were large but at the end of each year we handed out certificates to each parent and recognized their accomplishments. We were very proud of our parents and the work they put into their son's program.