parents driving on campouts

[jtswestark 11]

Anyone ever done a 'switch around' during your trip to/from a campout? I had ASMs assigning Scouts to cars, which drove me nuts. So I came up with this idea and use it once or twice a year. Simple rule: scouts are not allowed to ride with their own parent. They need to ride with someone else. At times, we have a lots of drivers and this is a way of taking a Scout out of his comfort zone, gets him to interact with other adult(s) and shuffles the cliques a little too. Funny the reactions I get.

 

JTS

[artjrk 11]

Interestingly enough, half the times my kids don't want to ride w/ me. They don't like my choice of radio stations.

[OldGrayOwl 10]

What we use is the clothes-pin method.

All of the Scouts have their name on a clothes pin. These pins are dropped into a bag or a hat, then the pins are shuffled around. The driver of a vehicle then takes out as many pins as there are seats in his vehicle. If the trip is a long one, we then, when we get to a first stop, do the same thing again.

This helps keep cliques from forming, as well as giving the Scouts an opportunity to learn about their fellow Scouts.

The driver knows who is supposed to be in his vehicle by simply looking at the clothes pins.

 

(edited for spelling)(This message has been edited by oldgrayowl)

[Stosh 3452]

We try to have as many from the same patrols go in cars together. Troop officers travel together as well. Pertinent information can be discussed on the way to and AAR's can be done on the way back from activities. I like my patrols to clique up as much as possible.

 

Stosh

[Bob White 20]

We always traveled as patrols. I agree that the patrol is supposed to be a clique.

[eagle90 125]

Must we micro manage every aspect of Scouting? Let the kids ride with who they want.

[Bob White 20]

Doing things by Patrol is micro managing??? Since when?

[epalmer84 10]

The SPL is responsible for filling out the attendance roster and ensuring everyone has a seat. The preference is to keep patrols together.

 

Ed Palmer

[Bob White 20]

We had the Patrol Scribes fill out the patrol rosters and give them to the Troop Scribe. He assembled them onto the troop roster and gave the master list to the SPL.

[Eagledad 2779]

Our SPL was responsible for loading the cars and making sure nobody got left behind. I didn't care how he did it because we never had problems, although I'm pretty sure it was delegated to the PLs. It did take new drivers a little time to get use to meeting with the SPL and not the SM.

 

The only time our troop ever left a scout behind was when the adults took responsibility for loading the cars. The new SM learned his lesson and gave it back to the SPL, and all has been well since.

 

Barry

[Bob White 20]

Here's another way to consider that worked for me for many years.

 

The patrols were each responsible for their patrol. That meant planning, shopping, cooking, drawing patrol equipment, and arranging transportation.

 

Each patrol knew where we were going and when, and it was up to the patrol to get there.

 

We only had a patrol left behind one time. There was no screaming parents, there were no angry scouts. Everyone knew that the patrol was responsible and they dropped the ball. So instead they made arrangements and made it to camp early the next morning.

 

Once was enough to convince everyone that it really was their responsibility.

 

 

 

 

 

[Knot Head 10]

We ride as patrols as much as possible.