Adults taking more offsite breaks during summer camp?

[DadScouts]

Nailed it!

 

How many times have we heard folks in this forum talk about "get a cup of coffee and sit back"? Do you head out to Sbux on your camp outs to get that coffee? Or are you sitting around the camp fire being "available" for your Scouts? You can still have a boy led troop effectively using the Patrol Method and still be around camp for your boys.

 

We tell all of our adults (all trained Scouters, not just parents) that their job is to 1) circulate and be seen, this provides support and encouragement and also let's the boys know you are there if needed, 2) get trained, 3) relax and chat with others to exchange ideas, 4) problem solve or support when needed, 5) enjoy themselves but remember their role.

Sounds spot on.  Typically we have 5 Scouters & 55 Scouts.  1 at campsite basically all the time, 1 with new scout program, & 1 wandering around camp checking things out; typically 2-3 on Mon & Fri.  The rest?  Hammock time, Walmart run for ice or supplies, maybe someone has a work conf call for a couple of hours one morning.  No one leaves camp for a meal but often the person running errands will make a pit stop somewhere and bring treats back for the Scouters or the whole Troop.  Often Scouters don't sit around campsite but explore the camp, chat with staff, and take training or help out staff for fun activities like belaying on the rock wall (after taking training).  Rare exception is the dad/Scouter who happens to just be checking up on the same activities & MBs his son is taking.  Those dads are spoken to quickly and given a cease order.  

[fred johnson]

I guess the question is what is the role of adults as summer camp?   

 

Hugely agree.  IMHO, more than the requested number of adults at camp actually hurt the program.  Adults keep trying to find a purpose.  To interject.  To provide their opinion.  To help.  The best summer camps we've had is where we had the camp minimum adults there.  Sometimes we had to switch off.  But generally, the bare minimum adults was the best.  

 

Way too often we see way too many adults and adults that are not in-sync with the scoutmaster and the rest of the program.  THINK !   How many times do we see committee members regularly interacting with scouts?  It should be scoutmaster.  If he needs help or isn't there, it should be the main ASM.  That's it.  You don't need one for advancement.  One for fire.  One for quartermaster.  One for aquatics.  One for auditing scout activities.  That's make work and it adds stress for the scouts and takes away their independence.

 

Adults go to town, golf, eat-out, etc because they don't have a real role.  Politely suggest they stay home or get them a different camp site.  

[MattR]

@@SSScout points out a reality for some council camps that are just plain broke. They don't have money to get great camp staff. Many years ago I went to a camp and the cook quit Monday afternoon. So a bunch of adults cooked the rest of the week. I have yet to see a pioneering MB counselor that can teach all the splices to all the scouts all at one time, they need help.

 

There are also camps that have huge endowments and get phenomenal staff. In those situations I get to wander around, take pictures, go for bike rides, or fish. 

 

As for the troop, I can see too many adults, or just one that doesn't get it, get in the way. At the same time scouts can start getting cranky on Thursday and a bit of wisdom at just the right point in time can help the leadership learn things more smoothly.

[DuctTape]

I recall my first time going to summer camp as a Scouter. I looked at the schedule and realized there was nothing for me to do as the boys were all at their activities. I called my dad and asked him what he used to do when we were all at our activities. He said, "I went fishing."

 

I packed my rod&reel.

[NJCubScouter]

SSScout and fred johnson, I agree.  I once questioned the number of adults we had going to summer camp when compared with the number of Scouts.  Part of it was financial since our "troop tradition" is that any adults who are not freebies from the camp are paid for by the troop.  But part of it also was that the ratio of adults to Scouts just seemed way too high and what are all those people going to do all week, anyway?  (I wasn't going.)  The other committee members looked at me like I was the Grinch Who Stole Christmas.

[Scoutmaster Teddy]

I have left camp during the day. Sometimes because of an emergency at work (I'm a Sys Admin) and a couple times to take care of family business. We do make sure an adult is available all times. I visit the first year Scouts in the morning at their "Brownsea Island" adventure. Some afternoons I will put on my pack and hike the perimeter of the camp.

When I retire in 18 months I'll just take naps at camp and eat ice cream.

[Stosh]

In all my years of attending many summer camps, I have never had all the scouters off-site at one time.  As far as "being there", we have always had one scouter "on-duty" available at a moment's notice.  However, at the same time we have had other scouters, off fishing, going to town for treats, exploring the far corners of the camp, out in the middle of the lake sailing, etc. 

 

If a boy breaks a leg, the camp medical will be there (usually 2) Camp director, emergency medical people to transport and a scouter from the troop.  That should be enough people there to handle the situation. A few extra camp staff to guide in the emergency vehicle if needed.  After the first scouter arrives on the scene, everyone else from the troop is pretty much a looky-loo.

[Col. Flagg]

Many camps require troops to keep their adult-to-Scout ratio at all times.

[Eagledad]

If adult leaders want to be part of the boy run program, they will find justifications to be part of the boy run program.

 

Barry

[fred johnson]

If adult leaders want to be part of the boy run program, they will find justifications to be part of the boy run program.

 

Barry

 

Sadly, I'll agree.  I'd just like to remove the word "leaders" as too often adults that just show up feel as leaders for the youth.  But then again, sometimes even the SMs don't get it.  

[Torchwood]

If you have so many adults attending summer camp that you can maintain the required staffing levels while a group is out golfing, maybe you need to limit the number of adults that attend camp in the first place. When the Scouts in our Troop are out doing their thing, I am wandering around to check on the quality of the MB classes, taking photos of them to post on the website and Facebook, making notes for the SM conferences that I always have with each Scout during the week, or actually relaxing with a book in my comfy camp chair- but I am always in camp and available if needed. 

[desertrat77]

We should also keep in mind the scouts' perspective on the matter.

 

Most scouts understand that an adult may need to go to town to take of business.  Or perhaps once during the week just because.   But when the word gets out that the adults are regularly going off-site to eat and amuse themselves, it will impact morale and the scouts' image of the scouters in question.  

 

It's not a matter of adults over-supervising.  There is much to be said for adult scouters who consistently eat the same chow, walk the same trails, endure the heat and bugs and otherwise experience summer camp the same as the scouts.

 

Credibility.

Edited May 3, 2017 by desertrat77

[Eagledad]

If you have so many adults attending summer camp that you can maintain the required staffing levels while a group is out golfing, maybe you need to limit the number of adults that attend camp in the first place.

 

Maybe, but I prefer different strokes for different folks. Typically 95% of our scouts goto to summer camp, which includes scouts 14 and older. Camps never questioned us when we reserved a separate camp for the adults. We may not agree on the subject of adults at camp, but our scouts enjoy the way we camp.

 

Barry

[Stosh]

In our summer camp setup there are three areas of congregating.  The boys have their area, the adults have their area and a third dining fly is located in no-man's land for any communication that needs to be passed between the two groups.  That area is always close to the site flag pole so we can have am and pm flags as a troop.

 

I carry a cell phone as does my second.  If the camp needs to get in touch with me, it's by cell phone.  If I need to get in touch with my second, it's by cell phone.  If my second is a smoker, then he's going to be out of camp on a regular basis.  And if someone gets bent out of shape about that, remember, the camp requires 2 adults.  If the smoker doesn't go, no one goes.  End of discussion.

 

Sorry, but sometimes one has to pay the Devil to make it work for the boys.

[Back Pack]

Why go to camp to spend time OUT of camp.

 

It makes as much sense as paying for a hotel room but sleeping in your car in the parking lot.