How Do You Scouters Get a Recharge?

[Pack38Scouter]

How do you lifelong scouters get a recharge with the Scouting spirit? Being a Cubmaster and having to deal with the parents/leaders issues and their lack of involvement do have their drawbacks. It's the frustration dealing with volunteers that gets me down from time to time. I know that the question "What in the world am I doing this for if no one else cares?" comes in your mind from time to time. Even the most die-hard scouter has his/her doubts.

 

Three things that get me recharged: 1) My two (eventually three) scouts, 2) the boys in my Den/Pack, and 3) The various training at the District or Council level.

 

1) When my interests start to wane, I would remember what my oldest said to me when he was a Wolf ... "Dad, when I grow up, I want to be the best Den Leader just like you!" Now that just hit you right at the weakest point in your heart.

 

2) I also remember what my Cubscouts told me once or twice ... "I really had fun, thanks."

 

3) When I hit the bottomless pits of scouting, I would attend roundtable, POW WOW & Cub University and the likes. Seeing these volunteers who do more than just being leaders in their Dens or Pack while volunteering their time at the District and Council level as well inspire me. My volunteer effort is minute in comparison. Their enthusiasms overwhelm you and their scouting spirits are contagious.

 

When I am at my low point ... I refocus my goals to the boys! Although, getting full support from parents would be ideal. It would fuel my scouting energy and that of my leaders' to their capacity.

[shemgren]

I have been a Scouter since I got my Eagle, and I get recharged by 1) Scouts who have the spirit!, 2) Training new Scouters (5 or 6 times a year), 3) FOS presentations, 4) Checking out another unit who has to spirit and lastly, 5) a SCOUT CAMPFIRE! I don't have any childern, but I can get the spirit.

[NativeTexan]

Pack38Scouter hit the nail on the head. There is nothing like seeing the boys (especially my son) have a good time doing "scout stuff". I attended a Pow Wow this past Saturday and it was not only a great source of information but also a great motivator as well.

[sctmom]

Was in a bit of a bad mood going to my den meeting last night. We had a police office come visit. Seeing the boys full of questions and so excited to see the police car helped. Then when when a few ran off saying "I'm going to be a police officer when I grow up." that really warmed my heart to see that they had some interest in this and a positive role model in this officer and the others in our area.

 

The 4 boys and one little brother all climbed in the back seat of the police car. They wanted to police officer to drive them to the store. LOL

We told them we NEVER want to see them in the back of a police car again!

 

 

[cbmstr922]

Award purchased from council...A Couple of dollars.

Amount of time spent with the den to earn award....Doesn't matter.

The proud expression a new scout has when he receives that very first award at a pack meeting in front of family and his den.....PRICELESS

[forestengr]

had one of my scouts call me one night crying telling me his mom and dad were getting divorced and needed to talk to someone, all he could think of was his Cubmaster (he first tried his den leader but she wasnt home).

 

I think I'm set and staying until my son bridges.

[purcelce]

I just got back from an Eagle Court of Honor.

The kid is not in my troop and he invited me.

I've known him for about 9 months, first met him when we went to NOAC this past summer.

 

When I went to him after the COH and offered him a handshake. He refused it, and gave me a big bearhug instead. I had to fight back the tears!!

Now that recharged my batteries!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

[OneHour]

Last night at our Blue and Gold ... it was my time to step down as a Cubmaster after two years. While walking around greeting everyone in our Pack, one mom took me aside and told me a little story about her son.

 

Her son finally realized that I am stepping down as Cubmaster... for real. He told his mom, "Mom, that's sad. I like him very much." His mom asked him why ... he told her, "He makes me laugh and he is funny! I'm going to miss him very much." His mom told me that he broke down and cried.

 

His mom became teary eyes while I tried my best to hold back mine!

 

*******************************************************************

 

The whole Pack got together throughout the year and made me a scrapt book with every one of the 121 boys signed it!

 

Now, this is why it is worth all of those "one-hours!"

[red feather]

I think you will find a common thread in the posts of this thread. It is the boys that provide the recharge. Watching young, bumbling, stumbling first year scouts grow and mature in scouting until the proud day that one of 'your' scouts stands proud and tall at his Eagle Ceremony, HAS to recharge you.

 

yis

[sst3rd]

Yes, authentic comments from Scouts without having to "prompt" them.

 

I was teaching a Scout to snow ski this past weekend. The other Scouts had long since gone on their way. After a couple of hours of intense instruction, he was moving along. After a particularly big spill, I approached him and assisted in getting him up. He looked at me laughing and said, "you've got a lot of patience to do this." That's a recharge for me. He was on the intermediate slopes by the end of the session. He'll be teaching younger Scouts next season.

 

sst3rd

[sctmom]

Sounds like lots of us had exciting weekends. I'm still buzzing from a great Blue & Gold. The first year that we did not hire outside entertainment. Our pack is pitiful about skits. But not this weekend! Every den did a skit or presentation. The ROTC came in, posted colors and did a couple of routines for us, including twirling a gun. One of the dads did his own comedy routine, he ad libs a lot and was great. Everyone was laughing and having a great time! Been a long time since I've seen our pack have so much fun.

 

[jbroganjr]

My recharge is the boys. Whether in the troop or in the pack. I am from a small town and when I go to school for any reason, I always here, Hey Mr. B, from the younger kids, and now older scouts in 6-8 grades.

When I feel burnout, I know that it is a sign that I am doing/trying to much and when this happens, I also realize that nothing is being done well. So I start saying NO. A simple word, hard to say, harder yet to follow. But it does prioritize things. In my world it goes like this: Am I happy?, then "is my spouse, children happy? When burnout occurs, it normally has affected one of those two instances, so I have learned to say no, i.e. No I won't run the camporee, No I won't run the pow wow, to small things like, No I can't make that trip and thus the work is spread around to someone else and in the process making scouting stronger. Once the burnout is out of the way, the recharge is, like mentioned: Pow Wow, either attending or staffing, Troop stuff, working with the kids, Round Table, etc.

Find time for yourself and balance your schedule.

[dsteele]

Okay -- So I'm a softy. Not really, but if you want to know what recharges an old professional, I'll tell you.

 

It's you.

 

Here is my Scouting resume:

 

1973 -- joined Cub Scouting.

 

1979 -- Became an Eagle Scout

 

1984 -- Became an Assistant Scoutmaster

 

1989 -- became a District Executive

 

1990 -- met future wife at summer camp. I was Assistant Camp Direcotr and she was the health officer.

 

1990 - 1992 Senior District Executive

1993 - 1994 Senior District Executive/ multiple person

1994-1996 District Director

1996- 1998 Senior District Director

1998 - 2002 Field Director

2002 - present Assistant Scout Executive

 

From 1992 to 1995 I was also a Scoutmaster in my own district. I know the power the boys have in our hearts.

 

Your stories of how they warmed your hearts brought tears to my eyes. I just want you to know that you're the reason I give all that I can to the BSA.

 

Unless I know that the rewards in volunteering for the youth of the BSA are right and good, I could not do my job in good conscience. I couldn't ask you to do the things you do.

 

Every once in a while, it's very good to get validation.

 

Thank you, BSA volunteers, for all that you do.

 

Without those who helped me when I was a nerdy kid seeking Scouting knowledge, I would be worthless.

 

All hail Troop 234 of Kalamazoo, MI. I'm one of your sons.

 

DS

[Stan Riddle]

I had nine little Webelos. They are now Star and First Class. Eight of the nine are in National Junior Honor Society. All are in church regularly. They still think I'm cool, even my own son!

 

But as big a "recharger" as that is, let me tell you one more.

 

A couple of years ago at summer camp, there was a first timer there from another Troop with a learning disability. He saw me tying a monkey fist, and asked if I would show him how. After about an hour or so, he was tying his own, as good as I've seen. A couple of days later, he came up to me, and asked if I was the one who showed him how. I responded "Yes", and he told me, quite proudly, "I'm the only one in my Troop who knows how!"

 

Moments like that cancel out ALL of the aggravation that goes with the job. That's when the Scoutmaster receives his pay

[OneHour]

There I stood, giving my last CM's minute to my 2nd year Webelos (17 of 'em and some of whom I have known for five years and of which 13 will continue with me to Boyscout) sitting in front of the campfire three week ago. After I finished with my minute, I turned the ceremony over to the Arrowmen and started to walk off the campfire. I turned around and saw that the boys had stood up and followed me. I had to tell them to go back to their seat. What parculiar is the fact I heard laughters from the parents' section. I didn't pay much attention to it. Until I review the video tape that my wife took from the parents side.

 

At the point when all the boys stood up and followed me, on the video tape, one could hear one of the parents said, "... oh how cute, after all those years, they still follow him wherever he goes!" All of the parents laughed and agreed amongst themselves.

 

Looking at the tape again ... it almost brought tears to my eyes when I realized how special all of those boys are! Now, if that doesn't hit you in the right place ... I don't know what will.

 

For the last two years, every time anyone asked the question, "do you have any children?" I usually tell them that I have three boys of my own, but I really have 120 boys in all!