Rude parents/children during ceremonies??

[ALCubmom]

Once a month as I am sure all other packs we have a pack meeting. Each den with leaders get on stage and get awarded their awards. However, we have parents that can not stop talking to one another. And we have parents that can not keep siblings under control, running around and causing so much noise. What are some things some of you have done to stop this. We want to implement something in the beginning months of scouting so the parents/children can stay quite. We have passed at papers with "rules" on it and one of the rules was to stay quite while others are on the stage. I guess that was not good enough. Thanks everyone

[Jackdaws]

Sadly this happens during our pack meetings. It has gotten a little better with us. Being that you have actually handed out a paper saying what the rules are and they still will not follow them, then either you or the Cub Master might have to get up and stop the ceremony and warn the parents about the noise level and ask for some respect for the boys so they can enjoy their moment. Maybe remind them that #11 of the Cub Scout 12 core values is about respect.

 

 

Hope this helps,

Susan

[Stosh]

With kids that age, it's impossible to keep any sort of quiet for more than 2 minutes at a time. I would suggest you have one leader stand up front with "sign's up" for the duration of your program. Even then I wouldn't guarantee all bedlam wouldn't break loose eventually. This is not a battle you want to die in the ditch for!

 

I did find one issue that might help. Whenever I would do Blue/Gold banquet presentations, (granted I had a bit more exciting program than awards), I would always talk quietly to the group. The louder I would talk, the louder they would become in the back. Talk quietly and they will all shut up if they wish to hear. Also if those that can't hear, turn around and do the "looks that kill" stare, it does wonders for quieting down crowds.

 

Another solution? Have those that want to hear what's going on sit in the front rows.

 

Stosh

[ALCubmom]

I like the idea about standing up in front with the signs up through the meeting. I think I will mention that. Thank you. Maybe print out the core values and highlight #11 that way they see what they need to be showing their scouts.

 

[Sidney Porter]

The OP implies that this is only an issue during the awards. So the rest of the meeting it is not a problem? It sounds like the difference is when the CM is speaking this is not an issue but when the den leaders speak it is an issue. I would be interested to see what happens if the CM gave the awards one month.

 

[Fehler]

Boys get bored. Mix it up a little. If you want to keep focus during the awards, then you need to make them faster/smoother. Back when we had "themed" Pack Meeting plans, the advancement ceremonies were themed. Think like a Football theme, with the Cubmaster in shoulder pads and helmet, hiking the awards to the receiving cub scout quarterback, or the awards come out of a "Magic Hat" magician get-up.

 

If you have to yell/scream/"signs up" for quiet so many times you have to write it down on the board, you will get boys quietly leaving the Pack.

[Stosh]

I like the idea about standing up in front with the signs up through the meeting. I think I will mention that. Thank you. Maybe print out the core values and highlight #11 that way they see what they need to be showing their scouts.

 

ALCubmom, my apologies. The signs up was supposed to be dripping in sarcasm. No one wants to stand there with their arm in the air for more than a minute at a time. As a matter of fact, I don't ever use sign's up, even when I had Webelos boys. They all knew what it meant, but would always be respectful for me for not using it in the first place. I do think Sidney has the right idea. If the boys are quiet for the CM but not the DL's then maybe the CM should read the names and the DL's hand out the awards to the boys and shake hands. This way the crowd can't dis the DL's.

 

Try a few things differently. Change it up a bit. Boys will pay attention if something new is possibly coming their way. No one wants to be goofing off and miss something their buddies are having fun with.

 

Stosh

[ALCubmom]

Stosh, I really think that would work with my parents tho, mainly if I would be the one to do it. I believe I would only have to do it one time. I seem some other ideas, to where if the boys are quite and the parents are talking to have them turn around and ask their parents to be quite. I agree with having out Cm do it, because they do show him respect and not our DL.

 

[ScoutNut]

If you stand up in front for a full meeting with "quiet sign" up, parents, and youth will just tune it, and you, out. It will not mean anything to them after the first few seconds.

 

If you want to use the "quiet sign", and expect it to actually work, you need to get your point across.

 

Run the meeting as usual. When the noise level goes up - STOP THE PROGRAM - completely. Go in front, and stand with your sign up. Do NOT say, or do, ANYTHING else. (Those on stage being disrespected are free to give their noisy audience the silent "death stare"!). Stay that way until the noise makers notice, and stop. When you have silence, thank them - then give the audience a SHORT lesson on respecting others. Be sure to mention that EVERY Scout would like to be respected when on stage - including THEIRS.

 

If the noise level goes up - stop the program again.

 

Be consistent, and you will not have to do this very much at all.

 

Along with that - if siblings running amok is an ongoing problem, consider a separate sibling zone. Have a room, or even a separate area set aside for the young ones. Staff it with older siblings (Girl Scouts?), and a parent volunteer or two. Have QUIET activities for the little ones to do to keep occupied.

 

 

[ALCubmom]

ScoutNut that is probably true, seems logical in my head but when you say it that way I agree with you.

 

I actually mentioned to the DL that we need to have older siblings to help with the little guys while the ceremony is going on.

 

I will mention all this with the others because I want next year to run smoothly and not have parents complain about the noise. Thank you

 

[Hueymungus]

Give the kids juice boxes spiked with Whiskey. That will calm them down.

[ALCubmom]

Hueymungus, thank you I needed that laugh

[Sidney Porter]

How long is the award ceromony? We were in a pack of 150+ scouts (we probably had 15 dens (we had 5 tiger dens). It took awhile to get through the awards and people did not pay attention. Most people don't care that so and so earned a random belt loop. I argued (and lost) that these awards should be moved to the den level and given out at den meetings. If it was something the scout worked on at home they could even say a little bit about what they liked about it and what they did.

 

Rank advancement would still be handled at the pack level.

 

[Stosh]

When I was award chair for my son's pack (1993) we racked up $800+ worth of awards. There were tables of awards and they were handed out as mentioned above. Well... I WAS BORED TO TEARS! If this is an issue of respect, maybe the program planners need to show a bit of respect to the audience of small boys and their parents.

 

The DL gets up and says, our boys earned # of Readyman, # of Traveler, etc. and after 30 seconds have the audience offer up a round of applause for your boys that stood up in the audience to get recognition. Then move on to the next den. 15 dens? Even 20 minutes (1+ minute per den) would be a LOOONNNNGGG time for such stuff.

 

These people came to celebrate scouting, get to the food, the cake and the program. Awards can be an afterthought, not the focal point of a 2 hour ordeal.

 

Stosh

[frankpalazzi]

I was getting ready to write almost exactly what Scoutnut wrote. Try it---it's worked for us for 43 years!