Parents who do not read communications

[scoutldr]

You might want to check to see if they object to getting text messages. I get charged 25 cents for each one. (I have an old plan, but I don't do texting anyway). NIce idea, though.

[joff1965]

During sign up I asked if they wanted to do this, those that did I get their cell numbers and providers at the same time. Most people have unlimited texting these days. (I don't because it takes me half an hour to write two sentences and as a teacher I hate what it's doing to the English language.

 

Joff1965

[Twocubdad]

Speaking for the Ludites in the group, I don't care to get mail on my telephone. I'm not particularly thrilled about getting phone calls on my phone. For mail I have a mailbox (you remember, the black metal thing at the end of the driveway?). I don't much like voicemail, but if you insist, please leave an actual message with facts and information, not just a request to call you later. I you want to talk later, YOU call me back.

 

When I was Cubmaster, I turned my phone off at noon on Friday before a campout. I found it absolutely impossible to get ready for the campout with 100 Cub Scouts and answer stupid questions all afternoon. (And as I tell my boys, despite what your teacher may have told you, there ARE stupid questions: those for which you should be able to learn the answer on you own. )

 

IMHO, technology has ruined everyone's ability to perform basic communication functions, like taking messages, using punctuation and capitalization and using stupid abbreviations like IMHO. Remember the little pink message pads? At minimum you were expected to get a name and return phone number. I was taught that a good time management technique was to set aside a block of time and return all phone messages then.

 

I do like email. I leaves a trail. I can provide as much or as little detailed as I like. And I can respond on my own time. But I've always considered myself a wordsmith. I take time with emails, re-read, edit and (gasp!) proofread them before I hit send.

 

It is not my responsibility to cover every possible mode of communications in order to make sure everyone gets a message in their preferred medium. Morse code signals anyone? We have an online calendar with automatic email functions. We have a master calendar on the wall of the Scout hut. But the 100% solution is showing up for meetings and listening in on the last 15 minutes when we do announcements.

 

Scouting is a priveledge. If a parent is not willing to put in even the most minimal effort to secure their son's participation, then they need to get out.

[SctDad]

Well I have looked into several different things and I was talking with our CC and we looked for something on the WEB. We found one of those programs that dials your list of numbers and gives a message. The one that we found was free and after he makes some modifications to his computer my CC will be sending out practice messages to me and him.

 

IF it works out as good as we hope, I will see about posting a link to the download.

[walk in the woods]

I use one of the phone services as well. One call for me results in everybody being notified. Yeah, it's a buck out of my pocket for each time I use it but worth it to me.

 

We also use a web page with email notifications, etc. but it's not as effective as the phone blast.

[rclearh2o]

We use EMAIL for our pack. We also have a blogspot that I post on weekly. I do have a few parents that don't have computers so I print out the email and hand it to them at the den meeting. I encourage everyone to keep looking at the blogspot as that will eventually be our main source of communications. That being said I still get phone calls verifying what the email said or the parent who only checks their email once a month. You can't please everyone all the time.

[918denleader]

We have a good website with a calendar that is updated all the time. In my den, I also email weekly to give schedule updates, etc... Even with all that, we never get 100 percent of participation, but I get a lot of comments that between the emails and the calendar posts, people have a good idea of where the need to be and when. I always put the pack website in my signature to encourage people to go to the calendar and use it as well. I like the email to text feature, I may try that. I have a lot of tech savvy people in my den.

 

[desertrat77]

Some parents are disorganized. And lack basic communications skills (not answering rsvps, for example).

 

But even for those with good comm skills, it's easy to get buried under a ton of info.

 

The data (and commitments) roll in from everywhere. PTO/PTA, scouts, sports, church, school...hard to grapple with it all.

 

Previous posters have excellent suggestions...one that works well is the day-before email: "Friendly reminder, troop committee meeting tomorrow night at 7pm."

 

Needless babysitting? Perhaps. But the just-in-time communication helps parents focus.

 

As others stated,keeping meetings and locations set in stone, as much as possible, helps too.

 

[AnniePoo]

Making sure all parents get all information is one the hardest things about being a scout leader.

 

I may not have every phone # and all parents may not have e-mail. However, I DO have current addresses for everyone. So, as CC, I've started periodically sending mailers to all pack families about really important events, such as summer camp. These mailers take different forms:

 

(1) postcards - for different specific events, such as mailing info about the first (early Sept.) pack meeting of the year to all families from the previous year. Got good feedback from families about this. Postcards are cheap to print in black & white and relatively cheap to mail.

 

(2) Folder containing informational flyers about 4 upcoming events, including summer camp. Included signup sheet, permission slips, etc., and stamped envelope addressed to me, along with instructions to mail back to me. This appears to be working well. I'll send a follow-up e-mail to parents reminding them to mail these back if they haven't already done so. These were a pain to print & assemble and relatively expensive to mail (~$55 in postage). However, it appears to be paying off.

 

I have a Word file with addresses already formatted to print address labels, so these are super easy to update & print.

[johnnylaw101]

I have been both a Cub DL, and soccer coach.... There are always parents who just seem to be unable to organize their lives. This is why we are the leaders/volunteers and they are not. It's just part of the reponsibility we assume when we volunteer for kids. With that being said here are some tips about easy communication.

 

(1) Email... at the beginning of the year or sport season I get both mom and dad's home, and work emails. (i.e. My wife and I each have our own personal and work emails = 4) Organize a CONTACT/GROUP LIST on your email so that you only need to type one message, and dont have to enter every address separately.

 

(2) Text Messages.... LOVE em' !!! Again, get cell phone numbers for mom and dad... and create a CONTACT LIST in your cell phone. (They all can do it... just learn how) Then you can send just ONE SINGLE TEXT at the same time to the group list. I will send text message reminders the day of the meeting both at noon, and again one hour before. (i.e. "Cub Meeting 2nite at 7 pm!! C U there!!")

 

(3) Keep it simple... When, Where, Who, what time....

 

(4) Keep it regular... same day of the week, and same time.

 

(5) Calendar... download a blank calendar for the following month.. put events on it, and hand them out... they hopefully will put on their refriderator.

 

Any other suggestions?

[ScoutNut]

Before you start sending 2+ text messages each week, make sure you have the ok from the people you will be texting. Not everyone has unlimited texting. My daughter was just complaining to me yesterday about people sending her unnecessary text messages and wasting her minutes and messages.

 

Personally, I would be a bit upset to get 2 den meeting reminders, of any kind, within hours of each other.

 

I have an automatic email meeting reminder that goes out 2 days before. If that is not enough, oh well. I can not (and will not) drag them bodily to the meetings.