Happy Trails

[campcrafter 10]

Dear Fellow Scouters,

 

Well things just haven't worked out at the troop my son is in and he has been put off so that he and I have decided to move on to something else.

 

Thought things were getting better but after reports about the campout this weekend ( we did not attend my son was sick last week and with the weather and homework we thought it best to stay home) it just isn't getting better. There is no leadership in this unit.

 

I did discuss with my wife becoming more involved, but based on a number of factors we decided it just isn't worth the anguish ( or our marriage)

 

My son at this time is not interested in visiting another troop - too bad because we do have a couple of others in the area that have a good rep.

 

If you are a new (or old)leader please get the training, follow the program and deliver the promise.

 

So to Big E, One Hour, Trev, Ed and Ma and all of you I wish you Happy Trails and Good Souting! I will miss this forum and will no doubt lurk from time to time.

 

pax,

ron

campcrafter

 

 

 

 

[EagleInKY 14]

Good luck Ron. I'm sorry this worked out this way and you'll be missed by us and your troop.

[gwd-scouter 11]

Campcrafter. It is so disappointing to those of us in the trenches when we hear about someone having a negative experience from scouting and pulling out. Perhaps you and your son can take a break for a while. Then, after things settle down, you may find you'd like to try one of those other troops you mention.

 

Good luck to you, and Happy Trails.

[SemperParatus 1]

So sorry to hear about that.

 

Just to clarify, your son has decided to drop scouts because of poor unit leadership...not because the uniform is dorky, the icons are outdated, the merit badges aren't cool enough, and his friends think scouting is bogus. Right?

 

Here's hoping that maybe after a couple of months, he might miss the good parts of scouting and give another troop a try. I certainly hope so.

[campcrafter 10]

Thanks for the notes and yes I hope he'll want to try another troop in a few months. Maybe after the first of the year.

 

Semper- To clarify - no it wasn't that the uniform is dorky (he had full uniform socks and shorts and neckerchief as do most of the boys in the troop now), nor was it outdated merit badges (he had Space Exploration and wanted to do Pets and First Aid)and most of his buddies are in Scouts, about 5 of these boys go to the same school and have been in Scouts together since Tigers. Nor the icons - the boys in his patrol chose as a name Rabid Wolverines and thought it cool.

 

It was lack of leadership and disorganized and BORING meetings. The program was/is not being followed.

 

cc(This message has been edited by campcrafter)

[OneHour 11]

Ron,

Best of luck to you and your son! Whatever that something else is, support him fully and he will excel! See you down the road somewhere, some place.

 

YIS,

 

1Hour

[Beavah 205]

no it wasn't that the uniform is dorky (he had full uniform socks and shorts and neckerchief as do most of the boys in the troop now)

 

Sounds like at least da uniform method was being followed, eh? And that the energy put into it was mis-spent since it could have been put into adventure.

 

Bein' a SM or team of scouters is hard work. Some guys and gals just aren't cut out for it. Some burn out. I think findin' scouters of the right sort is our biggest challenge. There are fewer and fewer, and the BSA bureaucracy and modern parentin' makes the job less and less attractive. The moral is it's not program or trainin'. It's people.

 

I hope you and your son get a chance down the road to find a troop, or maybe a crew, or some other youth activity that is blessed by high-quality adult guidance of the right sort.

 

 

[t158sm 10]

Ron:

Hope things work out for you and your son and that Scouting comes back into your life soon. But you can still hang around and put in your voice just the same here. Nothing to stop you except yourself as far as that goes. Stay cool

[evmori 11]

Ron,

 

Sorry to see you go but it is something you have to do. I hope you and your son find an activity as rewarding as Scouting. It has been a pleasure to share these forums with you.

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

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