Starting meetings on time

[sctmom]

This is a question for people at the pack and troop level. When you say a meeting starts at 7:00 p.m. do you actually start at 7:00 or is the first 10 minutes the "gathering time"? Do people show up before the start time or AT the start time?

[OldGreyEagle]

We strive to have the opening ceremony/posting of the colors at 7:00 or as close as we can. People arriving late are held at the door until after the Pledge, Oath and Law. Most get there before 7(This message has been edited by OldGreyEagle)

[eagle90]

Our meetings are supposed to start at 7:00 PM. We do use the first ten minutes as a gathering time and for collecting campout money, returning dried tents, etc., and our flag ceremony starts promptly at 7:10 PM.

We also strive to close our meetings promptly at 8:30 PM.

 

[Bob White]

A good program element to use is a pre-opening activity. Somehting fun and handson that will give people who come a few minutes early an extra treat and keep them in the meeting room for when it is time to begin. the other key is to always start on time no matter what. If you regularly start 10 minutes latethe families who are always 10 minutes late will still not show up on time. instead they will be 20 minutes late.

 

Let people know that the meeting starts and ends on time. Then stick to it.

 

Bob White

[rlculver415]

Our troop is usually good about starting on time. What really bugs me is the well-intentioned people who are letting the late-comers in during the opening ceremonies. I find it distracting, and think it detracts from the ceremony. I have often wished that they'd be made to wait until the end.

[Lippoeowl]

We always make a point to start and end on time. Responsibility rests with the SPL who understands the reasons. As Scoutmaster I always get to the meeting 30 minutes early. SPL and ASPL arrive 30 minutes early, most of the time. Service patrol arrives 15 minutes early. Late arrivals generally get the idea after several meetings that 7 o'clock means 7 o'clock. We do not repeat announcements for late arrivals. They get information from their patrol. Pre-opening activity works well.

 

L-Owl

[sctmom]

I'm one of those people who show up 10 minutes EARLY. Hate to get to the movies after they have dimmed the lights.

 

It seems to be a pattern where I live to show up right at the start. I have a Cub Scout den and if only 1 boy is there at starting time, sure is hard to start the meeting. What really irks me is that the same parents who show up late want to make SURE we end on time! They will loudly announce "it's 8:00, we're outta here". I'm trying to get the Cubs into the habit of a closing (the living circle) but the parents left before I could do that!

 

I'm trying to work on these younger boys to BE ON TIME. I told them that that means they need to have homework done, eat supper, clean up and be dressed before their parents tell them. That if we start on time we can do more fun stuff. Also, it is rude to the ones who did show up on time to have to wait or to be interrupted. Rude to me because I have gotten there as the leader and prepared to be ready to go at 7:00. I could have just stayed at home 10 more minutes if we are going to start late.

 

With the group of parents I had before, I threaten to show up 30 minutes late one night or not at all just to say how they reacted. But I pulled myself up above that behavior.

 

Let me step down off the soapbox now.

 

[LauraMO]

Our Pack Cub Master assumed the position last January. I was immediately impressed on how he 1) started the meeting on time, 2) made it fun instead of constantly shouting "Signs Up!" to get the boys' attention, and 3) ending the meeting promptly at 8. My Pack Meeting "Excedrin Headaches" are a thing of the past!

 

Lately we've had games at the beginning of the Pack Meeting. The boys who show up early get to practice which cuts out some of the horseplaying. The games begin at 7 and end about 10 mins. later. So far this extra fun has been a big hit & I hope the games entice more families to show up early / on time.

 

For my den meetings, I try to have a busy activity where the boys will earn credit towards a belt loop, pin, badge or patch. I stop the busy activity at 7:10 & begin the den meeting. My families have figured out by now that if they show up on time, the boys will earn more credits & have more fun. I routinely feel the pressure of my parents wanting to leave at 8 & I try to have everything wrapped up by that time. It's hard & despite using the Den Meeting Planning form to jot down my entire agenda, I will invariably forget to do a few things for whatever reason.