Lack of interest

[Basementdweller]

Well, another summer is officially over......the rest of the pack starts meeting tomorrow night. Webs have meet every other week all summer.

 

I am really disappointed in the lack of interest in our summer program. We had decent attendance at resident and day camps.....but we had a decent mix of events on rotating nights. Had 5 families participate in them. Week night hikes, fishing, star gazing with astronomy club, frisbee golf with the local club. Weekend fishing derby, picnic and zoo visit.

 

Plenty of reminders, paper calendar handed out for the last month of den meetings. facebook events schedules, google calendar on pack website.

 

Well I had fun with my family.....

 

 

Disappointed in the parents.

[SeattlePioneer]

We do our best. After that it's in God's hands.

[GKlose]

As a district membership chair, I put together a roundtable presentation on "spring recruiting" for Cub Scout packs. In it, I made the point that it makes no sense to do spring recruiting unless a pack has a summer program. The rest of the talk (in fact, the bulk of the talk) is about running a summer program. I did this because I was getting the sense that most packs in our district were "academic year" Cub Scout packs. I used every bit of ammunition I could think of (Scouting outdoors is a whole lot more fun, it's easy to put together a few simple ideas, take advantage of local events such as a minor league baseball team, etc.).

 

Afterward, one CM comes up to me and says "you don't understand -- after the end of our 'Cub Scout Year', *I* want a break."

 

Anyway -- I try to focus on positive things. You had 5 families that were interested in doing things over the summer! That's great. There's not much you can do for the ones that don't want to show up or can't show up. Mix it up next year with some different events, and maybe you'll get a few more.

 

Guy

[Tampa Turtle]

Basement,

 

This is my seventh year in scouting and I only had one year where I could even muster interest in a monthly summer activity. So while it can be done it is a tough slog.

 

Toward the last few weeks before school interest always seems to pick up. Maybe mom's want to get the boys out for a while, or interest peeks with the coming of a new scout season, or whatever. Our Pack always did a fairly successful fishing derby (about 50% participation) a weekend or two before school starts. Kind of a get reacquainted. A local vet offered a Vet MB class (complete with surgery!) at the beginning and end of summer. Expected eight boys each time. Beginning of summer got two. End of summer got twenty-six.

[Stosh]

When I was a Webelos leader I held weekly meetings and once a month activities throughout the summer months. It's the best time of the year to get the boys outside and doing their advancement pins. Parents complained, boys loved it. The real rub came when the boys complained to their parents that they would rather be at scouts than whatever the family had planned.

 

In my situation, it was not necessarily a case where the boys were not interested, it was more with the support of the parents.

 

Stosh

[Basementdweller]

Oh I will keep planning fishing nights and evening hikes and programs with the naturalist, because I enjoy them.

 

If the cubs wish to partake then they will be available.

 

We had a cook out where 40 people rsvp's they were coming and 15 showed up.

 

I will say many parents work nights and odd shifts, weekends too. that is why I mixed the schedule up from events on normal meeting nights, to friday nights, saturdays, sundays and even wednsday nights. Heck I even took a day off work and held an event during the middle of the week during the day.

 

 

[Tampa Turtle]

My sons were and always up for something during the summer. They will even volunteer for adult work days if it is scouting related...

 

Over the years my attitude has changed. I say offer a summer program and not worry who shows up. Make it something you enjoy anyway and celebrate those who come. Don't get a chip on your shoulder over who does not. Best cub meeting ever was only me and my co-leader and our sons. We almost cancelled but decided to go on. It was like a father-son play-date. My boy still remembers it 5 years later as one of his favorite times.

 

By doing an activity and going forward even with a few boys you send a clear message to those boys: you are important enough to do this with.

 

I think barriers to Summer Program is the parents.

[momof2cubs]

Tampa Turtle: it depends on he pack and where you live. I our area, people travel during the summer. A LOT. Seems we have a lot of SAHMs that like to visit their out of state family during the summer. Plus regular family vacations, and other camps, or day care, or whathave you.

 

In my personal case however, I tend to avoid summer activities because here in the South it is just ridiculously hot. It's miserable for me. If you live in Tampa, then I assume you understand what that's like. A week of volunteering at summer day camp almost did me in.

[fred8033]

I dead on agree with Tampa Turtle.

 

 

"My sons were and always up for something during the summer. They will even volunteer for adult work days if it is scouting related...

 

"Over the years my attitude has changed. I say offer a summer program and not worry who shows up. Make it something you enjoy anyway and celebrate those who come. Don't get a chip on your shoulder over who does not. Best cub meeting ever was only me and my co-leader and our sons. We almost cancelled but decided to go on. It was like a father-son play-date. My boy still remembers it 5 years later as one of his favorite times.

 

"By doing an activity and going forward even with a few boys you send a clear message to those boys: you are important enough to do this with.

 

"I think barriers to Summer Program is the parents."

 

 

Especially, the "parent" issue. I think this is key. I've made a real effort to get to know the parents and get us each enjoying each others company. Whether it is cards or just discussing our lives with each other, it doesn't matter. If you can show the parents they matter and enjoy each other's company, they will bring their kids.

 

There is a side benefit too. The kids are then more separated from the adults. The kids get to know each other better. It helps reduce the kids manipulating their parents thru their normal learned habits.

 

This summer we had 62 people attend summer camp, 31 scouts and 31 parents, about 50% of the pack. The last few Cub Scout years have been great. I have four years left and I hope they continue to be as good.

[Tampa Turtle]

Yes it has been pretty hot this summer but Tampa was not as hot as most of the SE. I think we get some ocean affect. I think aquatics are good in the summer, though even with the heat. I don't think I would do anything super-ambitious like a 10 mile hike in the afternoon.

 

When I had by Webes we did twice a month summer activities. One was just a glorified field trip (the dump, evil laser tag, bowling) just an excuse to stay connected. The other we worked on the physical fitness/swimming requirements that seemed hard to do during a busy school year. Those were usually pizza and pool parties. We also worked on a few individual activities with a few boys who were out of sync with the rest; we had a few late joiners who wanted their AOL and we used the summer for catch up.

 

People here also travel a lot in the summer, but not everyone does. More staycations the last few years as well.

[Scoutfish]

Our first summer event does great. WE went to a ball game and led opening ceremonies and entered a contest almost every change of sides.had around 20 scouts attend.

 

Boys couldn't wait to go back, and several did go back more than once over the summer.

 

Our second event was at the soundside of a beach town. About 32 scouts showed up.

 

The boys had a blast! Swam, played in the sand, caught jelly fish and collected shells, fished, caught minnows, . And I swear if I diodn't know better, they had a "See how much sand you can get on your body" contest.

 

This Last Saturday ( 2 days ago) we went bowling. 6 boys showed up. I was dissapointed as I announce, make calls and send out e-mails as wellas post on our pack website and facebook site.

 

Granted, 4 or 5 parents called and said they were going camping one last time before school started

 

( AWESOME EXCUSED REASON as far as I am concerned) some were signing up for football, abd basket all , some were going to soccer camps, etc..

 

I understand, and I ain't about to get into an argument about what a priority should be ( lest you lose the scout completely) - but I still thought more boys would show up.

 

[Engineer61]

Personally, the wife and I are both glad that our Troop goes mostly dormant for the summer. (One week of Camp and a couple of planning meetings.) Even then my wife (the AC) is swamped with Scout paperwork all summer long...it would be far worse if the Troop were active.

 

Given the load from School/Work/Scouts/Band/Baseball, those 6 weeks in the summer are the only change we as a family get to unload and recharge.

[OwntheNight]

Afterward, one CM comes up to me and says "you don't understand -- after the end of our 'Cub Scout Year', *I* want a break."

That's the exact reason I let my ACM and the CC plan the summer activities this year.

After taking over as CM in February, it was non stop for me all the way through June. Between Program planning and execution, spring recruiting, and the calendar full of meetings, while still performing District CM duties at Day Camp and then Summer Camp with the Troop. I was spent, and ready for a break. I knew I wouldn't have been able to put on a good summer program for the boys. My ACM offered to plan them with help from the CC.

We ended up with mostly fun events for the boys and the familes to get together. We did a geocache event,went to a minor league baseball game, walked in the 4th of July parade with the Troop, and then we had a movie night at our CO. Cooked Hamburgers and Hot Dogs, hooked the Wii up and the boys got to play it on one of the gym walls, and then a double feature. We averaged around 13-15 boys per event, out of a pack of 22, those were good numbers for us. But it was nice to be able to attend just as a parent and not have to wear the CM hat all the time. For us, it was an excuse to get all the parents together as well and enjoy each other's company. There were also a couple of unofficial events as well, with the boys getting together for birthday parties and swimming parties.

 

[Eagle92]

A few things to help the CM who needs a break.

 

1) let every den organize one summertime activity. That's what my pack did this summer and it worked out fairly well. Esp. since the CC's family did a 3 month trip out west camping at various national parks.

 

2)piggybackon district and council activities,ie day camp and resident camp.

 

As far as low attendance, I wouldn't worry. As long as you keep the events fun, they will come.

[Jeffrey H]

We had a good turnout for our Cub Day Camp (about 50%) in June and then we averaged about 25% attendance for the remaining summer events. It happens...attendance is nominal for our summer events due to conflicts with church camps, family vacations, etc. Attendance is also affected by the lack of interest in the type of event or the cost of the event as we cannot please or accomodate everyone.

 

As a Cubmaster, I enjoy our summer break from regular Den and Pack Meetings. Our parents enjoy the break as well. It's a change in routine and it gives me a rest and re-charge for the upcoming program year.

 

If you are a Cubmaster in your Pack and feeling tired and need a rest, keep in mind that you don't have to attend every summer event or any summer event. All you need is a responsible adult leader at the event and you're are good to go. Our summer events are family affairs and there is always a parent/guardian with each Cub for every event so adult supervision is never an issue for us.