awilson70

I put in 13 years with a troop under these circumstances and finally gave up. I guess the adage: "You can't fight city hall." applies here. I am now in a different troop and loving every minute of it. I wish I had made the move years earlier. Stosh That is what the dist. rep. suggested as well. She said her son thrived when they moved to a different troop that was more active. He regained intersted. My 11 year old wants to be with his friends. My 14 year old wants to quit. When I offered a new troop, he said if I was going to make him go, he might as well stay where he is. I have so many good friends in this troop that I feel truely value my volunteerism in the troop. I transitioned 3 years ago with my 1st son and stepped up right away as Treasurer. I told the SM I would love to become more active when my youngest crossed over last year and stepped up as Committee Chair. That first year is very tough - to step back and watch. I think what it might come down to is a serious personality conflict between the SM and I. I am going to have the Unit Commissioner in to do the Committee Challenge with our parents. I hope it helps!!! I guess as parents (maybe some are with me on this) I have a vision for my kids and I help guide them in areas that I feel they need help in. I think our troop is so young (mostly 11,12,13) that they are not receiving the guidance they need from our adult leaders. (I don't interact with the boys during meetings - just the adults) Do you folks have Parent meetings in your troop? We have Committee meetings after our Court of Honors. They invite the parents - but I think most do not stay because they think it's just for committee members.

Our Troop seems to be an old school troop where the leaders have been around for years and there is VERY little flexibility for change or to do things any other way than it's currently done. I have had a few run in's with the SM in the last few months that have left me wondering why I keep brining my kids back to this troop other than the fact they refuse to leave. (even for dear mom!) I believe our old school leaders have a hard time accepting women into the group and will seldom acknowledge the other moms and rarely listen to any ideas I present. I love working with the boys and had a blast for 6 years as a cubmaster. I love finding ways for troops to make more $$ - find cool new trips - outings and events. I see so much potential in these boys if they only had this info put into their hands. BUT I'm shot down every time I make suggestions. We have a hard time maintaining boys when they hit that 9th grade level. I think they are bored and I feel like there is so much to offer them if they only knew about the things out there avail. to them. My ideas have led to the SM yelling at me and belittling me during meetings - and I had my husband get involved this last time becasue I felt like the situation couldn't be handled by me alone anymore. I hate going to meetings now because I am positive I am going to get myself in trouble again for something he didn't like. I wish so badly that he would step down. Well - mostly I needed to vent. My dist. rep. said there is little I can do unless the boys are being abused or harmed. I know as adults we are never going to get along with all the other adults - it's just so frustrating when you know you could really make an impact on a group but you are being held back by one person who offers no flexibility at all (

So I'm interested in learnin' about any units out there who are doin' things with more modern communications methods. What have you done? What have you learned? How's it worked? Even "What would you like to try?" ________________________________________________ I'm a modern technology gal/scout mom and I prefer the email method. I am the Troop Treasurer, taking over as CC and a big volunteer in our group. I prefer to send parents reminders when bigger events are coming up. I got a HUGE hand slap from the SM last month when I did this and he asked me not to email families anymore. It's up to the boys to relay messages to their families and the families to read their newsletters (which come out every 2 months). I still email but I delete the SM's email. You would not believe how much scout attendance and parent involvement have improved! I get that it's up to the boys to relay messages and be responsible - but if the parents never find out about the info - how can they become involved as well? So for the time being - it's my little secret.