What am I doing wrong?

[Coffee Lady]

I just started doing scouts with my son 6 years ago. This past January, I stepped up to be the Scoutmaster. There are several key important factors that others should be aware of: The troop is small(6);Two, of the three boys have a disorder i.e. A.D.D.;Three, the boys have no one to lead;Four, if you put the leadership fully on the boys they all want to quit. Five, the boys believe or think that I am running the meetings (if they knew that more and more they are doing it, I know that all three would quit Scouts)

Now this is what I have been doing since finding out that these boys werent doing things by BSA guidelines.

Started rotating Patrol Leaders every six months. Have each boy take on a smaller form of Leadership that they feel quite confident to handle. Give them ideas and let the boys decide what it is they want to do. Have them to decide what Council events they wish to participate in.Follow the 11 steps of Leadership skills to look over the program and evaluate to see what it is the Boys want to do.

My question is this--what am I doing wrong?

[sctmom]

I'm no expert on this by any means, but as a Webelos leader have been studying up on Boy Scouts, from the boys and adults perspective.

 

I read your post a few days ago and have been pondering it since. First, I think you are on the right track.

 

A few things I would consider would be Junior Leadership training for all the boys. Also, is there a nearby troop that does things "right" that your troop could visit. Maybe if they saw how other troops are really boy-led, it will inspire them. Then it may not seem so scary. Once your boys see that they really can lead and that you believe they can lead, then they will believe in themselves.

 

 

[Coffee Lady]

Hi

Thanks for the help and encouraging words. I am planning on having the boys in the troop do some Junior Leadership training in the next few months. I liked the idea of having the boys visit another troop. That would be great however, the troops around my area aren't that nice to us,which is being taken care of by Council. I do thank you again for the insight and help. You have made my day.

 

[Mike Long]

I've been thinking about your post.

 

1. Troop is small-Not a problem just function as a patrol with an SPL until you start to grow.

 

2. Boys with ADD- I still don't see a problem just don't overwhelm them and be aware of their needs.

 

3. No one to lead-If you mean the boys then once again not a problem. Leaders are trained just work towards training them to eventually lead. A district of council JLT session is the best way.

 

4. Boys wanting to quit cause of work- Once again not a problem that's the way kids are until they get trained and become more comfortable with the mantle of leadership.

 

5. They think you are running the show- Sounds like you have that one covered see point 4.

 

Reading the rest of your comments it appears that you are taking positive steps towards solving your problems.

 

If you are dismayed at seeing big troops with an active leadership component and you are struggling with yours don't be discouraged. Every troop started just like you and it takes a long time to grow into the aformentioned big troop. I've been through this as a adult and as a scout and each time it worked out fine by doing just what you are doing. Go to roundtable meetings and talk to other Scouters for ideas. If the boys see other troops doing things they want to do then work towards doing those things in your troop. Keep them interested and learning and you WILL grow.

 

I do not see you doing anything wrong, as a matter of fact it looks like you are doing everything right.

[eisely]

Like the other responders to your post, I was somewhat puzzled by the way you characterized your post. I agree with the others that you seem to be doing many things right. I also agree that getting the boys to JLT is an excellent idea. You don't say so, but there are probably a lot of reasons why you formed this new troop and the boys did not want to go with other established troops. Insist upon support from all the parents. Get these guys camping sooner rather than later. Good luck.

[Coffee Lady]

Oh Thank you all! I want to clear up some things first. This troop of boys was established before I became Scoutmaster. The reason why they don't want to go to other troops is due to the fact the Leaders and boys of the other troops make them feel uncomfortable and usually the Leader asks me what do you do? How do you do whatever task your doing with them? Those are the usual two questions fired at me. I have JLT planned in the next couple of months. I have just learned of this wonderful training for the boys. I do like knowing what I am doing right and wrong especially the wrong things because it means I will learn and won't give out misleading information to the boys or parents. The parents are very supportive and helpful. Now the only thing left to do other than JLT is enlarging our troop. We are the unique troop in our area because we know what to do for the boys with special needs as well as treat them like regular boys not boys who are different in anyway. We just roll when we have to roll and rock when its needed. Basically bounce when we have to meet the boys needs. That is what I meant that the people in my Council doesn't know the needs of the boys in my troop whereas I do. I used to be their Webelos Leader.

God Bless and Thank you for letting me know and reafffirming what I am doing and why.

Sincerely,

Coffee Lady

 

[OldGreyEagle]

I am not sure if you mentioned/alluded to it, but have you taken Scoutmaster Fundamentals or whatever they are calling it now? That may help strenghtn your confidence in yourself that you are doing the right thing. I guess I missed it when you said you were a special needs troop. Having a couple of ADD kids is nothing new, in fact if I meet a scoutmaster who says out of 20-30 kids he only has one ADD, i know he is blind or doesnt pay attention. Our troop is half ADD, we have a boy who is in a wheelchair or a walker at all times and another who must catheterize a urinary stoma every 3-4 hours and sleep with a drainage bag. (he is an Eagle and SPL)And I may add we have over 70 boys in the troop as well.

Our Committee chair is a pediatrician and at summer camp she has two foot lockers, one for her stuff and another for the troops medication, the medicine locker is the bigger of the two.

 

I told you all that because I wanted you to know Special Needs Troops (we were once referrerd to in the council as the "spaz" troop) can flourish. We do it with heavy parental involvement, heavy JLTC orientation and a full schedule. Camping at least once a month and another day activity during the month. We are a place boys can come to be themselves, not all stand at strict attention during opening and closing of our meetings. Indeed for some to stand at strict attention for 10 minutes is as impossible as having our wheelchair bound boy walk 20 miles. Its not gonna happen, the kid cant help it and we dont require it.

We do require the kids do their best and push themselves and keep the parnts involved.

 

GO GET'M, YOU ARE DOING NOTHING WRONG

[Chippewa29]

Coffee Lady-

 

It sounds like you are doing things correctly. I am in something of a similar situation with my troop right now. Keep in mind you won't see big changes for a while (it will take 2-3 years to really get things rolling). Also, as far as the kids not wanting to take responsibility: your three ADD kids may be used to always having adults do everything for them and wonder why they should have to do anything for themselves (I've seen it before as well as with a Scout currently in my troop).

 

Something else you may need to do is something a lot of people won't look real kindly on. Even though you have worked with these kids for a while, they may not be a group around which you can build a troop. You may have to still work with these kids, but your "core" group of Scouts with whom you will develop the troop (if that is really your goal) may be off in the future. The Scouts we welcomed from 97-99 were from a certain pack and ended up not being the highest quality kids. We had a blowup in summer 99 which resulted in all of them leaving the troop (there were seven left by that point). Looking back now, there was no way we could have built the troop around those kids. They didn't attract other kids and we would have had a very tough time developing them as leaders. The next spring, we got kids from a different pack and they are developing very well. I'm not saying that you should get rid of your current kids, but you may have to find other Scouts around whom to build the troop. The current Scouts can still go along for the ride.