So How Many Adults Are Too Much?

[ASM59 10]

OK, it seems that there is a mix of opinions on this. It still seems that the BSA program is set-up to utilize adults in certain roles. To expect the boys to take on those roles seems to me to be diverting from the program as set-up by the BSA. I understand that there are different circumstances in different Troops and different maturity levels in different Troops. I am all in favor of using such a method if it works for a given Troop and it's what it takes to keep the Troop alive.

 

As far as the Eagle issue and involved parents...

I've seen Scouts get Eagle who have no active involvement from parents and you really know that they earned it and deserve it. I've also seen Scouts that "earned" their Eagle who didn't actually deserve it because Dad pushed and actually put together the service project for them; Dad being SM or ASM. So yes I've seen a trend of more boys earning Eagle if parents are involved in the Troop, but the boys who earn it without an active parent I really applaud...

 

ASM59

[OldGreyEagle 5]

So, my son who made Eagle isn't as big an Eagle because I was/am involved in the troop? Even though I never counseled him a single merit badge and never signed off any requirements?

 

Just joshing, I know he is an Eagle because I saw him take every step, and from a personally imposed distance, of course I cant say the same for others, thats their issue.

 

I do have to ask, which kids do better in school? The ones whose parents are involved with their children's education or the ones that can't be bothered to show up to a parent/teacher's night? The ones who ask to see homework and have a standard that must be met or parents are just as happy if the kid stays out of their way? I ask the educators of the forum to weigh in

 

Everything has its limits, but having involved parents is do much nicer that uninvolved parents, then again I might be wrong

 

 

[ASM59 10]

OGE,

 

No, and I'm sorry if it sounded like I was saying that Eagles from families who have parents) active and involved are any lesser Eagles. I guess that I have a sour taste left over from watching two boys get Eagle that I know didn't deserve it. Unfortunately, the only Eagles that I saw in a 7 year period (in our former Troop) were these two. In our present Troop, I witnessed a boy get his Eagle whose father is serving in Iraq and whose mother has no interest in Scouts and works two jobs. All I meant by my statement was that I know this boy did all the work himself, he had no one to help him at home. I'm sure that most of the boys getting Eagles do deserve it. My own experience must be fairly unique.

 

ASM59

[GernBlansten 10]

ASM59, perhaps its better to say that these scouts have gotten eagle despite their parents lack of involvement in the troop. Demonstrates the scout's true commitment to the program.

[anarchist 10]

IMHO

You can Never can have too many adults...if you utilize them correctly. Except for our annual family beach camp, we generally figure out how many boys are signed up for an outing and how many adults are available for transport. In as much as many of our camps are literally hours away our adults generally camp in their own area and stay out of the program side of the weekend unless they are part of the program...if we have 30 boys we might have between 5 and 7 drivers...45 boys might mean 7 to 11 drivers depending on types of vehicles available. (we have lots of suburbans, mini vans, excursions and four door pick-ups to choose from)

 

I teach canoe skills to scouts from time to time and First Aid, advanced cooking skills and fishing/ fly fishing but if I am only transport I take advantage of the down time for personal relaxation...I have been known to drop the guys off at a cave with the program leaders and go fishing or simply set up my fly tying station and tie flys all weekend until they need my truck to carry folks home.

 

Sometimes we might have a group of NSP parents going along who the SM is afraid will do too much "hovering" and a couple of older parents might find themselves detailed to hog tie and teach the new parents all about the patrol method and the BSA program...We actually play a game much like the "Troop Committee Challenge" where the new scout parents play the part of scout patrol members...set up menus, duty rosters, advancement goals, learn knots, lashings, knife and saw use, how to build fires, the whole nine yards... We have been known to totally engage new dads so they don't know what happened to the weekend.

 

Even on back-packing trips the transport drivers have been known to drop the guys off at the trail-head then drive to the take out and camp for the weekend, both to save fuel and to have a good "kids free" time.

 

Occaisionally, the CC has BoRs for scouts in the field ...because it just works out to be needed...You have parents who are committee members and when a scout needs a BoR and has some down time from patrol or troop activities it seems perfect. (We had one young man who only had two indoor BoRs during his scout career-his tenderfoot and his Eagle...the rest were "in the woods" and it is a perfect non-imposing use of adults.

 

A lot of this is training parents and CC/SM diplomacy. They have to start indoctrinating parents that Scouting is for the boys...Adults are support services not participants. And sometimes you have a problem parent and you just do your best (and hope for a grizzly attack...sorry, just a joke ;>)

Anarchist