Getting indoor parents enthused about outdoor program

[swilliams]

1 hour ago, David CO said:

I think we can see the problem right here on this thread. Instead of keeping the focus on the question of how to get "indoor parents" to be supportive of the outdoor program, most of the posts have been about converting the "indoor parents" into "outdoorsy" parents.

The true believers in scouting will not leave these poor people alone. Is it any wonder why the "indoor parents" avoid the unit altogether?

My posts are guilty of going off-track.  In my post about hosting the camping and backpacking meetings for adults, though, we're not trying to force the parents to become outdoorsy.  We're trying to give them the option to see what it entails, in a way that's specifically geared for someone without much experience.  It's up to them if they choose to do it, and I did express doubts about how many parents would show up.  For some people, you can talk and explain and show pictures all you want, but they'll never really 'get' it without experiencing it.  For others, it will be enough for them to see the results of what the outdoor program has done for their scouts.

My boys started in scouting because my grandpa, dad and brothers were all scouts.  To be honest, there were times in Cub Scouts that I wondered what the big deal was.  Now that my older boy is in Boy Scouts, in a Troop that is not only very active and very service-oriented, but that camps every month and does a host of other outdoor activities, and after camping with them a couple times, I 'get' it.  The first time I camped with them it wasn't because I really wanted to.  It was because my boy is so very introverted that I was worried about how he was going to interact (or not) with a group of boys he didn't really know.  I've camped with them a second time now, and plan on going whenever they're short of drivers or adults.  There's nothing like seeing in person the way the Patrol Method functions when these boys are setting up camp, cooking, cleaning, planning hikes, etc. 

I'm more than willing to trade two miserable nights' sleep and latrines for these boys to be able to do what they do, after seeing how important it is.  Others aren't ever going to do this.  I doubt they're going to avoid the unit over it, though it might be worth asking whether they feel like they're being unduly pressured.

[Chadamus]

@David CO You're absolutely right that some will never be swayed. It not for them as much as those that are "on the fence." Sometimes a gentle nudge is all that is needed.

Edited February 18, 2018 by Chadamus

[MattR]

I think there are different levels of outdoorsy. We have some parents that like the outdoors (skiing, biking) but have not camped much and it wasn't too hard to get them involved. Maybe outdoorsy is not the right word. Maybe sweaty is closer