parents visiting kids at summer camp.

[CalicoPenn]

83Eagle - you had Cubs there the whole time - even though some left early, your unit should still have gotten a participation ribbon. I'd be giving the District Chairman an earful right about now because whoever made that boneheaded decision should be called to task.

[83Eagle]

To be specific, it was for full participation in an OA-sponsored service award. To earn the award individually, the boys have to fully participate in all camp activities, including going to chapel on the last evening.

 

So, five boys missed the chapel service, five boys didn't get the individual award. The participation ribbon was for 100% Pack participation in the award program among those attending, so it's fair that we didn't get it.(This message has been edited by 83eagle)

[beardad]

Thanks folks for all the discussion on this. I still don't have a clear picture of what happened. but I did get a chance to talk to my son again. (I don't know why they let him have his cell phone at camp)

 

again still not too clear, because I spend most of the time on the call trying to get him to hang up, but sounds like the over acting imagination of a 12 year old. basically he said the first day he saw a bunch of moms hanging out waiting/trying to see their kids. he said he didn't know any of them, but then his best friends mom was there, she was in the area already for a separate vacation so stopped in to say hi. so I guess he put this together to mean that everybody's mom but his was there.

 

on a good note, beside his self made homesickness issues, he is having a blast at camp. may actually come home with his first 3 merit badges ever, and should come home having completed all his tenderfoot, and most his 2nd class requirements completed. His troop isn't too big on advancement, and that is probably why it has taken him 2 1/2 years for tenderfoot.

[Tampa Turtle]

Well dang Beardad I wasted a perfectly good self-righteous rant on that. Even shared it with my wife so we could feel morally superior to ignoring our sons at camp. Its getting so you ant even trust the stuff you see on the internet.

[Twocubdad]

Had a Cub dad like that, 83E. Always signed on to come to the last day of resident camp, spend the day and night with the pack and help get us home Sunday morning. Funny though, it never really worked out that way. He would wander in sometime after lunch Saturday, follow us around camp an hour or two and have dinner. Shortly before the closing campfire, you would see his son heading for the parking lot with his gear. There was always some late-breaking reason they needed to be home Saturday night and/or early Sunday (no it wasn't church, more likely an early tee time).

 

He pulled this six years straight with three sons like clockwork. Don't know why he felt the need to play the game -- just tell us you don't want to help with the cleaning and loading so you're picking your son up early.

 

[ScoutNut]

83Eagle - While it is a shame the Pack did not get the Pack award, at least the boys who stayed got their individual awards, and that, to me, is more important.

 

As to having to many parents present at Cub camping, that is really not possible. Cub Scouts are not Boy Scouts and they camp differently. Even with the District not requiring a parent to attend with their Cub, there is nothing wrong with them doing so. Cub Scouting is all about family.

 

Personally, I would be happy that the dad who left the first afternoon came along. A homesick Scout is one thing, a hysterical boy quite another.

 

If your Pack attends this camp again next year, I suggest that you stress that only parents who can stay the full time period attend. Let them know how disruptive it is to the group, and the boy. You can also fully advertise what a fun program it was (including the one for the last day), and what a great time was had by all.

[83Eagle]

ScoutNut, I understand and agree in principle, but at some point it's time to cut the apron strings and the helicopter to fly away. Scouts going into second year webelos....I do not think we need one to one.

 

Here's my counterpoint also. ALL the scout complaints about being too hot, too tired, "I don't wanna," came from the boys who left early with parents. In contrast, two boys who were there by themselves, first year Webelos, who normally are not real independent never complained about anything. They were also two of the ones most enthused about coming back to camp next year.

 

And the saga continues...one of the parents who left early noticed that, in our photo album of the event, the boys were getting plastic "gold" coins from a treasure chest on the last day...a diversion the camp counselors were doing with them so the adults could finish cleaning up and packing out. I got an email asking if I had gotten a gold coin for their scout. Ummm...seriously?

 

I can't wait to see what happens when they realize he is not getting the special OA award as well...and yes I went through all the requirements before they left...

[SeattlePioneer]

Ummm.

 

 

I just got back from a week as Camp Commissioner.

 

All the troops but one did creditably. The one that didn't was a soccer and scouting troop that combines a soccer and a Scouting program.

 

Thursday was a troop dining day when troops were supplied food and had the responsibility of preparing lunch and dinner. The soccer and Scouting troop lacked the skills to make a fire to cook their dinner and went hungry --- except for eating watermelon.

 

They didn't have the concept of tinder and kindling down ---. The wood they tried to burn was too big.

 

This morning they were the most dilatory troop in the camp in getting up and breaking camp, leaving a not particularly neat or clean camp and a smelly kybo.

 

They would have been sitting pretty had a carload of moms showed up to pack up and clean up their camp for them.

 

I'm hoping their marksmanship was better on the rifle range than in the kybo. Some Scouts failed to make the dime club there...

 

One Scout did capably in the camp triathlon, and mostly they seemed to get along OK during the week except for the weaknesses I described.

 

Kind of a disappointment. The Scoutmaster was a young adult Eagle Scout probably being paid by Scoutreach funds to take the troop of five Scouts to camp, and a couple of older Scoutreach staffers were at camp a couple of days each.

 

Apparently the troop has about ten boys, five of whom attended camp. A couple of the older Scouts had attended Philmont type high adventure trips. I'd say the Scoutreach program was making a determined effort to make a troop program work for these boys, but several of the boys were a tough sell.

 

They seemed to be doing pretty well early in the week but the stress started getting to them later in the week.

 

 

[ScoutNut]

So, their older Scouts have attended high adventure programs, and their SM is an Eagle, and still no one had a clue how to build/start a campfire? Sad, but not the fault of the Scoutreach program.

 

Stress, at Summer Camp? Really?

 

I wish I had that kind of stress right about now!

 

Someone (a knowledgeable Unit Commissioner perhaps), should talk to this SM and suggest that the Troop might think about looking at Summer Camps for next year that have all dining hall meals instead of Patrol cooking. They should also make sure the program(s) are appropriate for their Scouts.

 

Hopefully all of the Scouts had a good time at camp.

 

 

[acco40]

A lost art that is very helpful - cards and letters mailed to the Scout. I couldn't stress this enough to the parents of the Scouts. Cards and letters are tangible, physical things that can be revisited.

 

I this day of facebook, text messaging, mobile phones, email, etc. the art of letter writing has been lost.

[shortridge]

I've never seen a Soccer & Scouting troop in action, ever.

 

But what's the difference between that and a Varsity Team?

 

Perhaps the troop should have gone to a soccer camp rather than a Scouting camp.

 

Also: Was the Scoutmaster the troop's regular leader? Or was he just tasked with taking them to summer camp?

[SeattlePioneer]

I believe the Scoutmaster is paid by Scoutreach funding and that he serves as Scoutmaster during the year.