Help me, what should I do now?

[momof1]

Hi everyone,

You guys have all been so great in answering my quiestions before and now I have a real doozy. I can not get a hold of my DE since it is Sat. night and I am hoping that over the weekend someone might be able to direct me in the best path possible for my problem.

 

Ok the cubmaster is still taking his time to make up their mind. when I spoke to the cubmaster about some of the things that I have heard from some of the parents complaining about the leadership of the pack (which is why I can't get them involved for the parents don't want to deal with the cubmaster) the cubmaster's response was that they could go to another pack. Here in lies the largest problem. Our pack went from 90+ kids to just a little of 40 from tthe quick count that I got from the leaders. The pack even lost the wolf (the one and only wolf leader) because of this. I found out that the wolf leader was leaving this afternoon. I am going to step in and start the wolf den meetings this week, which of course is late, and when I called around to the kids parents half of those kids are not coming back. I am not sure how to get the cubmaster to see that because of their who cares attitude that this pack is losing support quickly and with the cubmaster being who it is, we may loose even more.

 

I plan on going to the Charter Rep and the DE on Monday with this for they need to know what is going on, is there some other route I can take to head off problems before the pack meeting this week?

 

Please tell me what you think. I firmly believe that the kids come first and foremost. Some of these kids that we lost come from single family homes where the only adult male role models that they have in their lives are the den leaders (all just happen to be males) and I just don't think that they should go without it when some of these kids truly loved coming to the meetings from what I saw, but the parents where unhappy with things and felt that it was better all the way around to pull their kids out. I would feel better if they went to another pack, but no one has, they just quit all together.

 

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

Momof1

[Eamonn]

Do not call the DE.

Do not call the Charter Rep.

Do call Pack Committee Chair.

Do Call Unit Commissioner,

Look at all the stuff that you are doing already.

Do you really have time to be the Wolf Den Leader?

What will happen if the Cubmaster steps down.

I have mentioned STAR in the forums.

S = Stop

T = Think

A = Act

R = Reflect.

Slow down and take a look at the Cubscout Leader Book.

Eamonn

[Laurie]

Would it be inappropriate to direct parents to the cubmaster with their concerns? If he doesn't see it, isn't aware of it, then he can't fix it. Just a thought.

[dsteele]

Eamonn, where were you when I needed a district chairman who would protect my time?

 

Back in the day when I was a D.E., my home phone number was printed on my business cards and no one who had one would have hesitated to call me at home on a Saturday. Even if the matter could have easily waited until Monday. For my part, in my youth and enthusiasm, I wouldn't have minded the call.

 

Things have changed a bit, and that call would irritate me, so I thank momof1 for not making it.

 

Now, to the matter:

 

Eamonn's advice is sound. The Committee Chair and Unit Commissioner are the resources you should use.

 

It sounds like what's going on with your cubmaster is what I think of as the worst thing a volunteer can do -- not commit or say no.

 

If the cubmaster hasn't decided to return or not return, it leaves a lot in limbo. It's well after the start of school and the pack should be in full swing. It is better to have a volunteer say "I'm not going to do the job." and life moves on than to have them say "I might do the job" allowing no one to step forward.

 

Maybe is not an acceptable answer to a yes or no question.

 

Yes, I think it's acceptable to refer those with concerns to the Cubmaster. However, I agree with Eamonn that a call to the Unit Commissioner (or District Commissioner if there's no unit commissioner) is appropriate. They exist as volunteers to serve the needs of the unit.

 

DS