Picky Eater / Mother's Apron Strings

[yaworski]

Your summer camp experience sounds great! As usual, we went to a Scout Reservation, which can be a bit too pre-packaged. We took 50 scouts and at least 10 adults.

 

If you want to talk about apron strings, we had moms go to camp and their primary function seemed to be following their son's from station to station. Why? Well, you know, the boys have "issues" and "lack confidence" so they had to go to make sure the counselors treated the boys right. All of the men simply relaxed, fished, or did other fun stuff (I spent most of the day at the rifle range, teaching).

 

I wanted to grab these moms by the shoulders, shake them, and yell in their faces "Let them go so they can develop confidence in themselves." However, others had tried and been rebuffed.

 

As for the food issue. It should be allowed. Just like we confiscate Game Boys and cell phones, catering by mom should be stopped at the gate. Unless, she's bringing for everyone at her expense.

 

 

[evmori]

little dove,

Congrats to your son! And to you.

 

Ed Mori

Scoutmaster

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

 

P.S. I will be on vacation until 8/4. Just didn't want anyone to think I ducked out.(This message has been edited by evmori)

[OldGreyEagle]

Congrats from an OldGreyEagle and from his scion, Young Grey Eagle... Dang, I need to get him his own name

 

 

Anyway, let the celebration begin... continue....

[yaworski]

That should have read:

 

"As for the food issue. It should NOT BE allowed. Just like we confiscate Game Boys and cell phones, catering by mom should be stopped at the gate. Unless, she's bringing for everyone at her expense."

 

Gotta learn to proofread.

[denver4und@aol.com]

hello. I thought I'd share an experience I thought you might enjoy. By the way, I use your comments in these threads for "parents scoutmaster minutes".

 

Two years ago we had our Webelos join and ended up with Greg and his MOM!!!! (she really was a MOM!!!). The first thing she told me was that Greg doesn't eat most foods. I asked about allergies and he didn't have any, but she explained that he had "sensitive" taste buds and so even at family meals if they had roast and he sat down and decided it didn't taste good, she'd get up and fix him something else in the middle of her meal.

 

Needless to say I didn't respond except to tell her that we always have PB & J and that nobody goes hungry on our troop campouts or at summercamp. [i probably should have cut to the chase and handed her several pages from "pyschiatrist" section of the yellow pages]. First campout, I got the full tantrum treatment over the menu. He got PB & J. [Of course, if the duty roster said he was cook or cleanup, he did those chores regardless of whether he ate the menu]. By the time we were headed for summercamp (3 mos and 3 troop campouts later) he and MOM!!! had quit scouting.

 

I'll bet she ends up living in his college apartment. I'll bet Greg ends up a basket case.

 

Anyway, our rules are simple:

 

1. pickiness doesn't get you out of chores.

2. you eat the menu, if you don't like the menu, then either speak up at the planning meeting, or get out the PB & J.

3. No food in tents. If you have candy or goodies, you share with your buddies or eat in private.

 

I would suggest that in our new climate, that "making 'em go hungry" is probably not going to square with the Youth Protection program. But PB & J (or a substitute for the nut allergies) can't go wrong.

 

I also wanted to comment on the one submission that said that summercamp food was inadequate. I guess that's possible, but I'll bet it was picky eater syndrom. In my experience, the boys throw away more than they eat (another thread there) and I've never seen a summercamp not give out enough food -- sometimes the menu could be better, but that's not the same as not enough.

 

YIS, Jim

 

 

[yaworski]

"I also wanted to comment on the one submission that said that summercamp food was inadequate. I

guess that's possible, but I'll bet it was picky eater syndrom."

 

I went to Goshen for Webelos Camp last summer and I was often quite hungry. The only meal that consistently had enough calories for me was breakfast.

 

I'm a large fellow (6'2", 240 lbs) and I need a bunch of food when I'm active. Four slice of lunch meat and a roll just don't cut it when I've been hoofing it all over creation. Fresh fruit was available but that has it's own problems since I'm diabetic. Eat a couple apples and then I have to start fiddling with my insulin dosages.

 

Heritage was great this summer, I was never hungry. My only complaint about Heritage was a lack of greens. Goshen had a salad bar available for the leaders.

 

 

[denver4und@aol.com]

Wow. Dining Hall or Patrol cooking?

 

I'm surprised at only one sandwhich limit. Did you talk with commissary, camp director?

 

I was at Goshen back in 80's and dining hall couldn't be beat. Sorry to hear problems now.

 

YIS, jim

[denver4und@aol.com]

Wow. Dining Hall or Patrol cooking?

 

I'm surprised at only one sandwhich limit. Did you talk with commissary, camp director?

 

I was at Goshen back in 80's and dining hall couldn't be beat. Sorry to hear problems now.

 

YIS, jim

[denver4und@aol.com]

Wow. Dining Hall or Patrol cooking?

 

I'm surprised at only one sandwhich limit. Did you talk with commissary, camp director?

 

I was at Goshen back in 80's and dining hall couldn't be beat. Sorry to hear problems now.

 

YIS, jim

[little dove]

New news on picky eater. Went on another outing, baseball game (scout night thing). After the game they got to campout on the outfield and they showed a movie for the scouts. This boy kept disappearing and running off with his friends (scouts at another troop). He even refused to come back until the adults went to get him. My son had found a small toad, one scout and picky eater came over, the scout asked if he could see it, my son went over to unroll his sleeping bag and heard the two boys yelling. When he walked up and saw the picky eater had been throwing the toad against the wall until it exploded and said "I hate toads". The first scout said that picky eater had thrown it against the wall about 5 times. We had our festival that same weekend, me and another mother ran it Friday night so the boys could go to the game. 3 days we had garbage detail (we get paid from the town), me and the mother did it Friday (I believe that I never ask of someone what I would not or have not done myself)and the boys were to do it Saturday and Sunday. Saturday night picky's mother decided to show up and her part was to walk around, get something to eat, take her son to see the sights and complain. Garbage detail time came, 3 boys went (one was the SPL) after about 15 min., the SPL came back and said he couldn't find picky eater, I'm thinking the worst. So we started a search. He's with his friends and mom at the outer most corner of the festival and I came up and said that he needed to be doing his job like the other boys. Mom and him started walking away without a word, I repeated myself, still walking, I said it again. She turned and screamed at me that they had heard me and he had a right to visit with his friends and to back off. I said,yes he can visit with friends, but he does not have the right to disappear with out a word and panic everyone. After that he still didn't do his job, I helped the boys. I am tired of trying to deal with it. I have tried to talk to her nicely but it gets out of hand sometimes. She is foul mouthed and threatens you with voilence, she will later say she was just joking about taking you out and pounding the %"&** out of you. She was told to leave the GSA and was told to leave another troop for these very same things. She complains loud enough for people to over hear but not to their face. We just started our troop and did a couple of pancake breaksfast fundraisers with our charter fire dept. to get all of us aquainted, her remarks were heard and the fire chief came to us about it. So now they don't want to do anything with us again. How do you have someone not be in your troop anymore without them bad mouthing you or going to the council and say we are discriminating against them? Do you report it to someone? Are there papers to fill out? Do you tell them to leave and not come back? Have never had this problem and I am at a loss. If anyone knows, please let me know soon. Thank you eveyone for all your great input and concern. It's scouters like you that make all the bad worth going through and of course the boys that make your chest swell and bring a tear to your eye as you watch them grow and transform and know that you were part of it.

little dove

[evmori]

little dove,

It's time to lay down the law. I would get a meeting together with the SM, CC & COR to discuss a plan of action. The only thing this mom is doing is creating havoc in the Troop. Another option might be to not advance the Scout based on lack of Scout Spirit.

 

Ed Mori

Scoutmaster

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[Chief Decorah]

Ordinarily, I'd say this person needs training to understand the workings of the BSA and the Troop. In this case, however, I believe a parting is inevitable.

 

It sounds like the mom and "picky" don't want or accept Scouting, so I would organize a meeting with the parent(s), Scoutmaster, Committee Chair and Chartered Organizational Rep (I don't remember if you're one of these) and tell them that they're free to go elsewhere for their Scouting experience.

 

Apologize to them for the Troop not being able to give them the Scouting experience they were expecting, but tell them that the Troop does things one way, the BSA way, and will continue to do so. Then, end the meeting.

 

I doubt you'll get the opportunity to exchange handshakes at the end of this meeting, but I can't imagine anyone really wanting to be a part of Scouting if they don't want to do things the Scouting way.

 

I've encountered people like this in the past. They're bullies, they have a big bark, they're even litigeous if given a fraction of a reason, just royal pains in the butt. I highly doubt that they'll fight to remain with the Troop, and when they're gone, your Troop will be better for it.

[little dove]

Have started new thread from my last reply, little dove on 8-5-02. "New Trouble in Troop w/ Picky Eater" is the new thread. Seems I went off subject and do apologize. Still new to the boards. So that will be continued on that thread. Thanks.

little dove