How to discern whether parent's or boy's responsibility

[WAKWIB]

It seems that yet again, I've instigated opening a can of worms.  There will now be discussions with higher up leadership to see if the boy scout troops can combine, so that ours can go camping on a monthly basis.  

 

I, honestly do not know why our troop does not camp very often.  I do know that the one campout they had was a maybe until the night before, on account of the need for leadership.  Our cub and 11 year old boy scout programs are combined with a neighboring church's program, in order to have enough boys and leaders.  When that began, our most recent former scout master (he moved out of state) had been the cub master and had stated that it would also be good to combine the regular scout troop with another troop as well.  I was the one to instigate the partnership with the 8-11 program.  I hope I'm not known as a meddler or being a tattle tale.  

 

Camping for all the boys in my son's troop would be awesome.  I know my son isn't the only one that desires to go camping or earn eagle. 

Don't feel like the "bad guy" in all this. Raising this issue appears to be generating (hopefully) a response that will benefit the boys in your community by giving them a more genuine Scouting experience. That's a very good thing!!

[Stosh]

Since when has "opening a can of worms" deterred anyone on this forum?  

 

Yeah, we get a bit testy along the way, but for the most part, the forum stays quite civil as compared to many of the other ones I have been on.  And the "bit testy" part is nothing more than the passion we all share for Scouting, it's a good thing.

[5yearscouter]

christineka The worst thing that will happen is that they will know that you are a pushy parent, and well sometimes pushy parents are needed to get a troop to do better by all the boys.  the good thing is that you did some research and talked to some 'experts' before pushing things, to be sure you understood how things should be first.  They can't say that you are asking them to do something that isn't scouting--camping is an integral part, and when it's virtually non-existent in a troop, that's a problem. I bet you'd take them camping if you could, but with the LDS restrictions on women they need adult males to get involved to make it happen and obviously they are lacking in the troop.  If you can't get two adults to camp, then the boys will miss out and that sucks for the boys.  A temporary joining of two units to ensure a better program is not a bad idea at all, as long as one unit doesn't get PO'ed about doing all the hard work for the other unit completely.  Hope it works out!

[Eagledad]

I took it that the can of worms was her church leadership.

 

Barry

[NJCubScouter]

I took it that the can of worms was her church leadership.

Yes, Christine seems to have provoked the troop leadership (or higher) to realize that they are not providing a sufficient outdoor program for the Scouts, and to discuss a solution. It does not necessarily have to mean troops merging. Troops can go on joint camping trips, our troop has done a few of those. Either way, it's a solution to the problem. I hope it works out.