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Question on the definition of Adult / Guardian


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I have a family that would like to go camping at a district campout. They were told that because they are not married they could not go together. This specific campout offers two man tents, and this family has four members going. the mother and her fiancee, her son and daughter. I dont see why they cant put mom and son in one tent, and the other two in a different tent? Even mom and daughter in one tent and the other two in a different tent? This doesn't seem right to deny them an oppurtunity for a family outing? Any ideas or opinions would be appreciated thank you

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This is not done capriciously to deny the family a fun opportunity. It is done to protect the children.

 

Youth Protection specifically forbids a youth from sleeping in a tent with an adult who is not his parent or guardian.

 

There is no reason why the entire family can not go on the campout. They have a few options. 1)They can purchase a larger 3/4-man tent for the mom and her 2 children and let the fiancee use a council 2-man on his own. 2)Borrow a larger 3/4-man tent from a Troop and have fiancee use 2-man. 3)Use 3 of the council's 2-man tents with fiancee in one, mom in one, and kids in one. Depending on the ages of the kids, if they don't want to tent with each other, one can tent with mom and one can tent solo, or everyone can tent separately in 4 of the 2-man tents.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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This is an important question and not a decision you should make based on the opinions of strangers on the Internet. You should REALLY be talking with your District Executive.

 

(This message has been edited by Bob White)

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Ask a DE with only 6mo of total scouting experence (fressh out of school)?

I think I would like a few seasoned opinions before asking someone so green. That way if it sounds like a case of 'baffle them with B...S..' I would know to continue up the ladder to get a more experenced verdict.

Been burn that way before. And the tap dance always points back to the originator of the problem if it hits the fan.

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A DE doesn't have have any Scouting experience. He just has to know where to get the correct answer. An internet chat forum will give you 12 opinions, 11 of which are likely to be wrong, maybe even all 12. Except of course for "my" opinion which is always right. See how easy this is. "Everybody" is right, just ask them.

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evansm and Fellow Scouters,

 

 

Greetings!

 

I concur with most all of our fellow posters. The DE should be able to obtain the answer. But I've got a great idea, which I'll address at the end.

 

District and Council camps are specifically arranged for the Cub Scout, Boy Scout or Venturing membership. The opportunity to attend a Scout camp is for the Scout, not necessarily for the "family".

 

Without creating a large controversy. There seems to be a difference in the definition in family.

 

To bring it closer to home....

Just a few years ago, I too was a single parent/father. Eventually, I was courting a single mother. As we began to date, we finally broached some of the difficult topics to see if we may have similar likes and dislikes, discussing work, hobbies, and religion. After a few months of the boys and I always going to different Scout meetings and taking my sons to Scouting events on the weekend, plus youth sports, plus church, plus my own clubs and other hobbies. After a few months, she asked, "what does it take to spend more time with you?" I grabbed my Scout briefcase and handed her an adult application. Silly her, she filled it out and handed it back. I forked over the 10 dollars to the council office though.

 

We camped together and took the boys to many Scouting events. But we never slept in the same tent, until after we legally became a "family".

 

If a district was conducting a high adventure event, they would have to have completed a risk assessment and obtain additional medical insurance.

 

Even if it was a routine camporee. The camp director does not have to accept the liability. But, some camp director's do purchase the additional insurance event coverage, and do accept the liability for unregistered guest.

 

I doubt the "family" or the single mother and her fiance, you're referring to, has actually been told that they cannot attend a district campout together. I would believe it, if you had said that they have been told they cannot tent together, or arrange mutual sleeping arrangements.

 

evanscm stated, "This doesn't seem right to deny them an oppurtunity for a family outing? Any ideas or opinions would be appreciated"

 

Yes. I believe it is right.

 

I speak from personal experience.

My idea and advice, for 30 dollars and 30 minutes they can become a legal family and for 20 dollars and two adult BSA applications they can become registered adult leaders and resolve most of their own issues. For approximately 50 dollars they would not need to ask this question.

 

 

Scouting Forever and Venture On!

Crew21 Adv

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Thank you all for your advice and ideas. I am fairly new to scout leadership, and dont yet know all the rules and regs. I have been to youth protection, and baloo, as well as multiple position specific trainings, but still questions come up and it is nice to know that i can get multiple responses and ideas from this site. I will always turn to my district office for questions I cant answer, but i also like to know what others might think. In this case, we have a solution agreed upon by the district and the camp, the mom will bring her own tent for her and the kids, and her fiance will sleep in the two man provided by the camp. I learned of this issue last night, after hours, and wanted a quick way to get some ideas and opinions. Thanks Again.

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There's another option, boy friend stays home. Since he's not married to the mom, he can stay home, see the importance of being married to mom and then boyfriend doesn't put a burden on the system of requiring more tents to accomodate HIM. I don't believe they are denying this "family" from an outing, but rather, setting an example that a family is a married mom, dad and kids (insert stepmom, stepdad as necessary)

 

Additionally, the new DE can use the learning experience by asking the SE or other more senior DE's for the answer - he's gotta learn sometime.

 

Crew_21 Adv, I think the actual "investment" is well beyond the $50. If they're shackin' up, perhaps it is only the $50 holding them back, maybe not.

 

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I don't think it's any of our business whether (or when) these people choose to get married or how they choose to spend their weekend. We were asked for advice on an issue of what BSA policy says about who can be in what tent. Evanscm, the solution you reported in your second post is the one that avoids any issues under the applicable policies.

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I do think it is very much a lot of our business if they want to carry their lifestyle into a Scouting event. An uncommitted shack-up relationship is a lousy model of the kind of moral behavior we should be demonstrating for our kids. The non-member stud with no kid in Scouting has no business at an overnight Scouting event with his honey. Stay home.

 

And how does the kid feel about it? He has a chance to spend a weekend with his mom at a Scouting family camp and she wants to bring her boyfriend along? His life is disrupted enough with his dad not being in the family. Now he has to share his mom with another boyfriend. Sound mighty selfish to me.

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