kittle 10 Posted March 17, 2005 Share Posted March 17, 2005 My son has just joined a troop and I am trying to figure out how it all works. I am planning on going to training in April when they have it, just so I know what is going on. But until then, I will probably be asking a lot of questions. If a boy is voted Patrol leader, do they remain patrol leader 'forever' or is this position changed on a regular basis? Katrina Link to post Share on other sites
red feather 10 Posted March 17, 2005 Share Posted March 17, 2005 Troops will rotate the positions normally. However if your son gets elected again then another term may be possible. Some troops limit the number of terms. And congrats of the nomination of your son to PL. and congrats to your son on the nomination. yis Link to post Share on other sites
frank10 12 Posted March 17, 2005 Share Posted March 17, 2005 If your son is in a New Scout Patrol (6th graders) than chances are the term is one month and they may limit him to only one shot this year. this is done to teach each boy how the job is done and how the troop is run. This allows each new scout to attend one troop leaders meeting, lead on one camp out and then it's the next guys turn. Link to post Share on other sites
kittle 10 Posted March 17, 2005 Author Share Posted March 17, 2005 Sorry for the confusion. My son wasn't elected PL, I was just wondering how it worked. It is my hope that he eventually will, but the boys are going to have to get a chance to know him first. He was the only 5th grade Webelos that we had in our Pack and he chose not to join the local Troop (local meaning in the same county). He chose to joing a Troop in another county, he had only met the boys twice (when we went camping with the Troop for his AOL requirement). They did all get along and they let him join right in, but they still know each other better because they have came up ranks together and go to school together. Thanks for the clue in on how it works. We have shakedown for his first campout tonight. Then he leaves tommorrow night. Katrina Link to post Share on other sites
Lynda J 10 Posted March 17, 2005 Share Posted March 17, 2005 We hold elections twice a year. Our new scouts come into the newest patrol. We are starting to break our boys up a little differently for meetings. We have our troop meeting and cover anything related to troop. Then we break out and the boys that are 1st class or above meet and the boys 2nd and below meet. The 1st class group works on badge work and 2nd class group works of rank advancement and skills. Last week 3 of our 4 new boys got about half of tenderfood completed. This camping trip will help them get more. The older boys come and help with skills. It seems to be working. THe older ones aren't getting bored and the younger ones aren't getting left behind. I would suggest that you step back and let your son make his place in the patrol. When we have new scouts come up one of the hardest things is for parents to understand that the boys have to make the decissions. And the adults are there to supervise and guide but not control. Had a dad come and ask for a blue card last week for his son. I explained our policy on badge work and that only his son could request a blue card. They will both learn. It is an adjustment moving from Pack to Troop. Our last camping trip when the boys headed off for one of the activites the SPL round them up, got the patrols and their flags and headed off. One new parent ask if we were going with them. We said NO. We know where they are going and the SPL is in charge. The only activity we have an adult go with them are the shooting ones. Link to post Share on other sites
kittle 10 Posted March 17, 2005 Author Share Posted March 17, 2005 Lynda, I do plan on stepping back and letting my son find his place. But I also plan on knowing as much as I can to encourage and protect him. I do not want to do it for him, I get more satisfaction when he does things for himself. Katrina Link to post Share on other sites
anarchist 10 Posted March 17, 2005 Share Posted March 17, 2005 Kittle- Get your training and.... learn to make camp coffee and bread...and try not to 'protect' too much...Unless he is in the troop from "Heck", he will do better with quiet, low keyed home-side encouragement...find work and pleasure just being outside...with the adults... unless you are a "program person". and now, (maybe) before you completely blow a gasket... I am in charge of Camp Coffee and make the best darn Sourdough Dutch Oven bread around...(among other things)! It keeps Me (you?)busy and 1.) out of the boys business and 2.) out of the program...unlessed asked... and it also makes me darn popular (and I need all the help there I can get)...if its not and adult asking for more coffee or another hunk of bread its a scout trying to "mooch" (which doesn't work) or how you "do it"...(which does)! Link to post Share on other sites
DugNevius 10 Posted March 18, 2005 Share Posted March 18, 2005 Red Feather- what do you mean by "rotate"? In our troop there is no limit to how many 6 month terms patrol leaders stay PL, but for the most part the average time is 1 year or more. Link to post Share on other sites
kittle 10 Posted March 18, 2005 Author Share Posted March 18, 2005 Anarchist, Why would you expect me to blow a gasket? I do plan on getting trained. With a little practice, maybe I will learn how to make camp coffee (but I won't drink it), and who knows what in the Dutch oven. My brother gave me a camp cookware set for Christmas that I should really get out and start using. I'm not part of the program, just a parent who is willing to do whatever is needed. Link to post Share on other sites
scoutingagain 20 Posted March 18, 2005 Share Posted March 18, 2005 "I do plan on stepping back and letting my son find his place. But I also plan on knowing as much as I can to encourage and protect him. I do not want to do it for him, I get more satisfaction when he does things for himself. " " I'm not part of the program, just a parent who is willing to do whatever is needed. " kittle, Good to hear from you. So far you've gotten good advice so I won't add to it. But based on the two statements above, it seems to me you have the makings of a great scout parent. Good luck to you and your son. SA Link to post Share on other sites
Lynda J 10 Posted March 18, 2005 Share Posted March 18, 2005 Kittle. Don't get me wrong. But I have been in scouting as an adult for close to 40 years. And have seen parents that "want to help" that simply have a hard time turning lose of their son or daughter. Had a mother last night as we were loading our trailer for camp today that said her son was sleeping with her. Our rule is that all scouts sleep in their patrols and adults sleep in a seperate area away from the boys. Thought she was going to explode. Her baby simply could not sleep without her outside, that he had never spent the night away from her. Our PLC set the rules on suggestion of the SM, and ASMs. Her son is going and will be sleeping with his patrol. And she will be rudely suprised when she finds out she can't go on the map and compass hike. It is run by the Orientating Association and unless you register as part of the team you don't go on the trail. My Kevin is a foster that I got when he was 4. I have raised two kids who are both in their mid 30's When we moved up into the troop and I was made ASM I requested that I not work with Kevin's patrol. It is important that he learn to do things on his own without depending on me. He made 1st class in 11 months. Elected to OA Has earned 12 merit badges 4 of which are Eagle required. He has been APL and PL. Was ask to run for SPL this last elections but said no that he needed more experience. Oh BTW he will be 12 in April. My wonderfully wise Gran always said we should raise our children like the birds. Hatch them, feed and nurture them, teach them to fly, then push them out of the nest and make the use their own wings. Anarchist is right. Over the years the scouts that seem to have done best are the ones whose 1 Parents are involved but not to the point that the boy can't set his own path 2 Parents that are trained. Right now Kevin has three badges that he is working on. One has been sitting on his desk for 2 weeks without being touched. All he lacks is doing the paperwork. It is his responsibility. Link to post Share on other sites
Bob White 20 Posted March 18, 2005 Share Posted March 18, 2005 Rotating leadership An element of the New Scout Patrol isthat during the fist year the patrol leadership rotates among the patrol members so that each scout gains an understanding of the responsibilities and leadership structure of troop operation. A troop that is following the BSA program will be having a Patrol Leaders Council (PLC) Meeting each month. The Troop Guide and the Patrol Leader for that month from the New Scout Patrol (NSP) attend that PLC to represent the NSP. Depending on the size of the NSP each scout would get to serve a minimum of 1 month as the PL and one month as the APL. Then after they earn First Class and either become a regular patrol or join a regular patrol they have a better understanding of the role of junior leadership in scouting, and are better prepared to begin service to the patrol or troop in an elected or appointed position. Link to post Share on other sites
NIscouter 10 Posted March 18, 2005 Share Posted March 18, 2005 I agree on the need to rotate the leadership in the New Scout Patrol. Our troop had as NSP that had one boy as the PL for a year-it was tough on him, it did not provide the other scouts an opportunity to experience the PL position and the PLC. After being part of this forum, I have championed the idea of rotating the PL in our NSP. It welcomed by all involved, both adults and the PLC. Kind of nice to see the things I'm learning here do apply to real life :> Link to post Share on other sites
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