Visited a new troop

[sctmom]

After whining and complaining on this board, someone who knew we were in the same district contacted me privately. Just so happens we had briefly met at some training a couple of months ago. Once I knew where his troop meets, I knew it was withing driving range of my house.

 

My son and I visited this week. After about 5 minutes, my son went into "brain lock" or "meltdown". Not sure what happened, I think it was the uniform inspection. He and I haven't talked about it since then. We will this weekend.

 

Anyway, I liked what I saw. The SM and I talked for about an hour on the phone last week. He knows the troops we have tried to attend. This is pretty new troop with a lot of young scouts. Mainly 11 and 12 year olds. A good sized group of ASM's with experience in BSA. They are working toward boy led.

 

A couple of the boys did some first aid demonstration. They did a great job. I don't want they want me to tell about the knot tying skills ::::rolling my eyes:::: Let's just say I told them I would bring my Cub Scouts to teach them knots next time -- LOL.

 

The adults treated the boys with respect while maintaining authority. I was told all patrol areas are treated with the same respect -- adults do not enter a patrol area without asking first. The adults seemed to be willing to cut up with the boys in an approriate way. There is no big rush to get all the Eagle badges. They boys are really having to learn their scout skills not just getting stuff checked off because they are in the room. It was mentioned a couple of times to the boys that they have to start taking more ownership of running the meetings.

 

The uniform inspection -- the boys formed a semicircle. One of the ASM's went from boy to boy quietly pointing out areas of "improvement". This was not to embarrass anyone. I could barely hear what he was saying and I wasn't sitting that far away. Even the boys who were not in uniform were not ridiculed or made to do push ups or anything else.

My son was not in uniform. They had him line up but just said "it's your first meeting, you didn't know, no problem" and went on to the next boy. I think that is when he nutted up. By the end of the meeting, he was starting to loosen up. I refused to leave the meeting and he is too scared of the dark to leave the building. Ha!

 

Once he saw how much fun they were having with a knot tying contest, he acted a bit interested. He also perked up hearing about some of the upcoming campouts and how the patrols don't camp all together with the adults. Adults close enough for safety but far enough for feeling independent.

 

We will see what happens. At least I have hope there are some good troops in the area.

The bad thing is there is this big bookstore next door to the church and well, my car just automatically turns into the parking lot......boy these meetings are going to get expensive. {grin}

 

[OldGreyEagle]

So maybe they have a big illustrated book on how to tie knots?

 

Glad to see you are working at it, he is lucky to have such a committed mother.(This message has been edited by OldGreyEagle)

[Compass]

Very good, sctmom. I am truly thankful for you and your son's sake that you may have found a good troop for him.

 

We, too, have been looking and praying for another troop. It looks like we have the opportunity to start one. Maybe November is going to be a good month for all of us.

[ASM1]

EXCELLENT! Sounds like a good troop except for one thing. An ASM does not conduct uniform inspections, the SPL does.

 

ASM1

[red feather]

Excellent, good luck and call on us if you need anything.

 

YIS

[sctmom]

ASM1, The SPL was not there. Also, from what I understood, the SPL, like all the other scouts, have never seen a uniform inspection. The boys who were in other troops before this did not learn a lot about boy-led.

 

I thing I had to laugh at was when finally one of the adults pointed out "guys, you DON'T have to ask me if you need to go to the restroom. Get up and go!" They are so "well trained" at school to ask permission before doing anything.

 

[CubsRgr8]

Great news! It's been said before, but it's worth repeating, your son is lucky to have you! I hope this works out for your son. Good Luck!

[yarrow]

Congrats, Sctmom, sounds like you found a winner. Good luck.

[sctmom]

Found out my son's problem about the troop. When the SM introduced us to one of the ASM's, the ASM said "What pack are you from?", implying my son is a Webelos. My son was very upset that the man would "judge" him by his size and think he was a Cub Scout. I am trying to explain that they are not used to Boy Scouts visiting and it is the time of year for Webelos to make troop visits.

 

I know it stung him hard. He is very small, about the size of a 3rd grader. Not only that, he isn't but a couple of months older than most 5th graders, so he could easily still be a Webelos. But logic doesn't matter when your feelings are hurt about something important like this.

 

I think after a few days he may be willing to visit again. Sure hope so.

 

[KoreaScouter]

ASM1:

 

One of your comments got my attention. You said ASMs don't conduct uniform inspections, the SPL does it. Is that your troop policy, or do you have something from BSA that drives it? I don't see anything about uniform inspections in the JL handbook duties for the SPL; is it in the new SPL handbook? My SM handbook says the uniform inspections (recommends 2 per year) are conducted by the unit commish and an "inspection team".

 

We do monthly inspections, first meeting of the month, always conducted by ASMs; I lay one against each patrol. Using a checklist, it only takes about 10 minutes total. We do monthly inspections to help our patrols meet B-P patrol award criteria...

 

If an SPL does it for a large troop, that could take an inordinate amount of time...how large is your troop and how often do you conduct inspections?

 

Feedback, please; I want to make sure I'm doing this right.

 

KS

[firstpusk]

We also have the SPL conduct the inspections. I don't think you go wrong following B.P.

 

Never do anything a boy can do.

Lt. General Robert Baden-Powell (B.P.),

Founder of the World Scout Movement, Chief Scout of the World

 

[ozemu]

Good news sctmom. I've been wondering how you were getting on.

 

I also do Cadets (you know - junior soldiers - ROTC maybe?). One young bloke is tiny. Looks to be many years too young and in his dad's uniform. He can hardly keep up and always looses the step because his legs just aren't long enough. I wish we could issue a smaller uniform but they don't come any smaller! No lesson or moral in this - just thought that there is someone in a worse position than your son here and that might help him take stock of things.

 

Oh yeah, this IS on the verge of irrelevant but as a boy I remember a dwarf in the Troop. He had more guts and drive than a whole patrol put together - I suppose size and looks counts for little when your heart is huge.

[sctmom]

I hope to play on my son's attitude of "I'll show them". Since we know there is another uniform inspection this week, I'm going to try to convince him to put on his uniform and go show them how it's done. He even has the uniform pants and likes to wear them.

 

I'm trying not to just say "get over it" even though he needs to "get over it". When I was kid I had short hair (back when boys had long hair) and wore pants/jeans a lot. I can't tell you how many times before puberty I was called a boy, which was very upsetting. Both adults and kids did this to me. So, I know he is hurting inside and this is very important to males, but no one can make him grow taller overnight. Chances are he will never be anywhere near 6 feet tall.

 

Yet, once again I'm not giving up and will keep pushing and prodding to make him go back a few times.