Adult sleeping arrangements

[Laure]

A question has come up in our troop that no one recalls being covered at a training. Can married leaders share a tent with each other on a troop campout? Our Scoutmaster's wife has just become an ASM and will be camping with us. Anyone know the official word on this?

[scoutldr]

I assume you mean a man and woman married to each other? I know of no reason not to.

[Vigil-Hiker]

Scouting is supposed to be family friendly, especially for Cubs. So, why not?

 

There should be times when the troop has events for whole family to attend. So if both parents(non-leaders) went on a campout

open to parents staying over, they would then require separate shelters otherwise as well. That would be absurd.

 

But it depends on the shelter they are staying in. If using a tent that will house multiple leaders, she would need a separate tent. Just the married couple then the same tent is fine. For cabins, she would a separate private room or a separate cabin. A leader can only stay in same shelter with their own child and/or spouse of the opposite sex.

[LongHaul]

Welcome Laure,

Even though the GTSS has been rewritten and is at the printers as I write we are still using the "old" version until the new one is available. Under the heading Youth Protection & Adult Leadership subsection Leadership Requirements for Trips and Outings; "#4. Male and female leaders must have separate sleeping facilities. Married couples may share the same quarters if appropriate facilities are available."

LongHaul

[John-in-KC]

Welcome, Laure,

 

Will add a caution that some Council Scout Reservations do not permit parent with child (especially in the Boy Scout program), and they may not permit husband/wife adult leader couples to sleep in same tent.

 

Check your own Council's LT camp adult leader guide. It usually has info on this.

 

YIS.

[gwd-scouter]

My husband and I go on every outing with our Scouts. I always have a tent to myself. We just don't think it looks right for us to share a tent, even though GTSS says we can.

 

During summer camp our Troop is housed in a dormitory style cabin. GTSS says adult leaders can stay with the Scouts in the cabin as long as there are at least 2 and a privacy partition is put up (Leadership Requirements for Trips and Outings, #6). So, while the male adults and the Scouts are in their large cozy cabin with bunk beds, mattresses, and box fans to keep it cool, I am relegated to a tent for the week. Ah, the price I pay for being a female SM!

[ronvo]

GWD

 

If you are married why would it "not look right?"

 

I think we are trying to overprotect the boys from non-existent problems. Your children know you sleep in the same bed.

 

Do you sleep in another room when your children have friends over to spend the night?

 

Maybe it would be good for some of the boys to see a helathy relationship. We all know how many kids today are the creation of unhealthy relationships.

 

I think it is silly that we as a society don't even know who we are and engage in such conversations.

 

JMO,

ronvo

[gwd-scouter]

Ronvo - who sleeps when my children have friends over??? Ha ha.

 

Now, back to the point. I am not trying to over protect anyone and all the Scouts in our Troop know that Mr. and Mrs. Buchanan are married. But, we have never shared a tent - over all the years we've been involved with Scouts. Maybe it started because many times I was the only woman on site and my husband just tented with one of the other men and I had the tent to myself. Maybe it's because at least for a couple nights I can be a bit removed from his snoring.

 

Whatever the reason, perhaps my wording that it just didn't seem to look right was, well, wrong. We are both just more comfortable on Scout outings to act as Mr. Buchanan (ASM) and Mrs. Buchanan (SM) and not Mr. and Mrs. Buchanan - husband and wife.

 

Our personal choice.

[ronvo]

That it is your choice and what you prefer makes sense and is a plausible answer. ( I know my wife at time- especially allergy season - would prefer her own room everynight!)

 

But I still don't think that it "doesn't look right" should be a reason.

 

I always prefer to tent alone and my wife enjoys the bed to herself when I am away with the Scouts!

 

YIS,

ronvo

[MaScout]

While spouses may share tents, my husband & I don't usually, either... First, he usually takes a "tin teepee" if he can, and I prefer (as SM) to be outdoors in a tent where I can hear what is going on. Besides that, I LIKE sleeping in a tent, or even under the stars! He's not so keen on it. When we go to summer camp, if we take a large tent, we share. If we take smaller tents, we don't, simply for space.

 

MaScout

[Vigil-Hiker]

I know the extra space is nice - especially on hot days. My wife prefers to share the tent. She has tent camped twice, once with the cubscouts 2 years ago, and last sumer family camping. I think being that she grew up in the city, she prefers to have some one near who is use to tent camping in the wild(and she was a girl scout).

 

The advantage of car-based camping with the cubs is I get to take a queen size air mattress.

 

My tent is suppose to sleep 5, but with my 2 daughters(under age 5) the tent seem a bit tight on space. My son ended up staying with my parents(in their mini-van since their tent did not withstand the storm). There is nothing like camping in the remnants of a hurricane.

 

For winter camping I would definately prefer sharing the tent - warmth you know, one in a tent gets cold.