RememberSchiff Posted January 7, 2016 Author Share Posted January 7, 2016 Plenty of bonding just not in scouting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stosh Posted January 7, 2016 Share Posted January 7, 2016 Plenty of bonding just not in scouting. This is great as it should be between parent and child. But if the child is to learn maturity through leadership developement, it isn't in the parent's best interest to try and do it themselves. It kinda runs contrary to the dynamics of current parenting norms. Years past seem to find parents often obsessing about getting their children grow'd up and outa da house ASAP. That doesn't seem to be a high priority nowadays. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perdidochas Posted January 7, 2016 Share Posted January 7, 2016 Plenty of bonding just not in scouting. I agree, and that is why I thought the parents were being kind of selfish and unreasonable. I bond plenty with my boys outside of Scouting. As a Scout leader, when I interact with them, I do so, not as their parent, but as their Assistant Scoutmaster. Yes, I took that position partly to help them (as do the majority of leader/parents), but I make it a point that my main focus is the Troop and the Scouts, not my sons. I have been a MBC for my boys--in MBs that I'm well qualified for, and that I'm the sole MBC in the troop for (Environmental Science and Cooking, as well as most of the nature related badges). To do that, I conduct classes to benefit more than just my sons. To only counsel my sons in those badges would be selfish. I have counseled those same badges since then without my boys being involved. I will continue to do so. I personally feel it would be selfish for me to only counsel my sons in the non-Eagle required badges I counsel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stosh Posted January 7, 2016 Share Posted January 7, 2016 I'm a MBC in a number of MB's and my son hasn't been in scouting for over 20 years. Even when he was, he never signed up for a MB I was teaching. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krampus Posted January 7, 2016 Share Posted January 7, 2016 @@RememberSchiff, are any of the issues around the parent not wanting to go through the process due to not being able to "hover" or control their kid's advancement? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RememberSchiff Posted January 7, 2016 Author Share Posted January 7, 2016 @@RememberSchiff, are any of the issues around the parent not wanting to go through the process due to not being able to "hover" or control their kid's advancement I'm not sure I understand your question. They are not advancement pushers or helicopter parents. They are experienced and skillful in their respective professions and hobbies. Would they mind if their son worked on Woodworking/Gardening/whatever from someone else? No, but there is no doubt these parents would do a better job as they had in Cub Scouts and so this topic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perdidochas Posted January 7, 2016 Share Posted January 7, 2016 I'm not sure I understand your question. They are not advancement pushers or helicopter parents. They are experienced and skillful in their respective professions and hobbies. Would they mind if their son worked on Woodworking/Gardening/whatever from someone else? No, but there is no doubt these parents would do a better job as they had in Cub Scouts and so this topic. Why don't they also want to help other Scouts with those? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwazse Posted January 7, 2016 Share Posted January 7, 2016 I would not "encourage" parents rather just inform them and their scouts. Leave it to the scout, if he is interested, to ask his parent to mentor a badge. Dad could we do Woodworking MB together? At the least, I think it will provide an easy, i.e. in their comfort zone, personal and tangible Me and My Dad/Mom memory from Boy Scouts. Maybe more will come from it. My $0.01 I'm beginning to think 'schiff's 1 cent is worth more than face value. I could see an SM minute (maybe father's or mother's day, maybe at a CoH). Talk about the old days when some adults were allowed to work rank advancement and some dads would earn, say, Bird Study with their son. Then offer a challenge "Boys, have you ever asked your folks if they had a favorite MB they wanted to do with you? Maybe even if they didn't want to be the counselor, they would like to go through the reqs with you and maybe see if the counselor has something cool to teach you both? How about going down that list of badges with your folks tonight and see if there's one that may suit the both of you? Report back to me next week." With all of the discipline we need to exact on adults these days to keep the youth in charge of the program, this would be a nice reminder to parents that their role is no less diminished. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stosh Posted January 7, 2016 Share Posted January 7, 2016 The only MB I taught to others who were not scouts was Orienteering to a group of older women who were into kayaking. They had heard about the MB, went to the Scout Office, picked up enough MB booklets for everyone and then asked me to teach it. Needless to say my wife was one of the gals and let the cat out of the bag that I could teach it. The Mrs. and I had our bonding moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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