First Camp Out With the New Troop

[Eagle94-A1]

We missed the backpacking trip back in November due to a family trip, and December they didn't camp due to scheduling. We were able to do a service project one weekend, and a museum visit the next weekend. So we have been busy.But this weekend was the first camping trip and it was awesome. SM is a cooking MBC, and that was the primary emphasis. having fun was the second. I developed some bad habits in my old troop because I had a hard time just sitting in my chair, drinking coffee, and staying out of the Scouts' way. Everyone had a good time.

But what made it awesome is that my boys were looking forward to it. They got their gear out of the attic and started packing on their own. Usually I have to get on their case to get their gear and start packing. Youngest did a great job too. He's so ready to cross over, he wants to quit Cub Scouts now instead of waiting until next month.

[sst3rd]

Eagle94-A1,

I'm very happy that your sons had a great time. Yes on the cooking, but even more yes on the fun. I know you enjoyed yourself as well. You deserve it. I know it's hard to let the old troop go, but you did your best, and that's all any of us can do.

Many trails to go.

Take care,

sst3rd

[WAKWIB]

It sounds like the new troop is going to be a great fit for you and your sons!  I like the campsite cooking emphasis, which appears to be something your troop does well.

That was a big thing I got out of Scouting as a kid, and my sons enjoyed that part a whole lot too.

[Monkeytamer]

I've been impressed with how much thought you put into this move.  Thank you for sharing the anguish of weighing pros and cons with the rest of us.  I know it wasn't easy on either part and hope that the weeks of soul searching are going to pay off for you and your boys.   

[Eagle94-A1]

Thanks everyone.

 

[qwazse]

@Eagle94-A1, if this keeps up, you won't have any more posts to us screaming for advice on how to fix stupid.

[Eagle94-A1]

8 hours ago, qwazse said:

@Eagle94-A1, if this keeps up, you won't have any more posts to us screaming for advice on how to fix stupid.

Don't be to sure about that.  The stupid continues. 😣

 

My old troop asked me to help with First Aid MB since A) I am a FA MBC and B ) I had, stressing the HAD, access to CPR mannequins and training AEDs. One of the Scouts of the troublemaking parents didn't show up when I did have access to the mannequins and missed out. Now momma is ticked off that her son doesn't have First Aid MB like everyone else and wants to know how her son can get it and how everyone else got theirs. Long story short, she starts going off on me and the adults still in the troop on Facebook. One of the other parents ended up letting the cat out the bag that she and her husband were one of the reasons why I left.

Now my friends and I are getting texts from her about if it was true or not. They are not responding to her. I told her I will contact her tomorrow as I am slammed at work. Will begin my missive tonite. 😁

[malraux]

17 minutes ago, Eagle94-A1 said:

One of the other parents ended up letting the cat out the bag that she and her husband were one of the reasons why I left.

Now my friends and I are getting texts from her about if it was true or not. They are not responding to her. I told her I will contact her tomorrow as I am slammed at work. Will begin my missive tonite. 😁

"Yes" is hardly a missive.

[ianwilkins]

32 minutes ago, Eagle94-A1 said:

Will begin my missive tonite. 😁

Secretly, you actually love the drama don't you?

[Eagle94-A1]

I say missive because she asked for the full reason why I left. So I am going to tell her how she, her husband, and their friends have affected the Scout, Scouters, my sons, myself, and my wife. I am going to state how 5 years of work, 5 years of the troop going through its ups, downs, and ups again, have all been negated by their interference and drama. The troop, despite it's problems, had been slowly making progress and growing. Because of them, a Webelos den we had been trying to recruit went elsewhere. 1/2 the families are so tired of their drama, they are contemplating leaving. And these are not new families. Some have been in the troop 5 and 6 years.

 

As for drama, I know that is joking. But in all seriousness it is killing me.

[Jameson76]

On 1/20/2019 at 10:05 PM, Eagle94-A1 said:

 SM is a cooking MBC, and that was the primary emphasis. having fun was the second......and staying out of the Scouts' way....... Everyone had a good time......But what made it awesome is that my boys were looking forward to it. 

That is really the key, Boy Scouts having fun, enjoying the experience, and the youth looking forward to the next thing.  You want to have a successful troop, make sure the CUSTOMERS (your Boy Scouts) are the main focus of what the unit does.  If you can meet their needs, make sure the Boy Scouts have time to be (sometimes) stupid younger people, and be in charge of their own experience, then you will be successful

The main aims of scouting are character development, citizenship training, and personal fitness; these matter very little if you do not have actual scouts in attendance to grow towards those aims

 

[Eagledad]

25 minutes ago, Eagle94-A1 said:

As for drama, I know that is joking. But in all seriousness it is killing me.

We fully understand your pain the last few years.

The difference between explaining the situation logically, or emotional, is the same difference as being scout-like, or not. 

Email might be a good segway into the discussion because it provides you the time to be pragmatic with your thoughts. 

Barry

Edited January 23, 2019 by Eagledad

[qwazse]

E94, NO! Just no!

This is not about her. (Well it is, but that's between her and the Almighty.)

Just talk up what your boys are getting in the new troop (i.e. the promise of scouting) that wasn't being delivered in the old one.

And tell her that if she wants to roll out the red carpet for the next leader, she'll work on delivering that promise to all the scouts in her troop.

[Eagle94-A1]

14 hours ago, qwazse said:

E94, NO! Just no!

 I hear ya.

Writing the letter was closure for me It got things off my chest, and made me realize that transferring was the best decision, and I should have made it sooner, when I first realized things were going to get worse. And yes I am having second thoughts on sending it to her. Not because I am worried about relations with her, but because I don't think she will even read through the entire thing. It is rather long at 4.5 pages.

I did share it with the Scouters remaining in the troop. When I posted it to them, I wanted to make sure I got facts straight. I also wanted to let them know that in trying to work with these families instead of nipping problems as soon as they arose, WE (emphasis)  failed our Scouts. Even though I pushed, prodded, discussed, etc the situation, when I realized no improvement would happen, I should have taken care of my sons and left.

The SM has posted on a FB page about how the parents wanting to go camping. He left out some details, l;Ike the constant interfering, threatening to leave early on campouts, and the numerous meetings we have had to work with them. Troop has already lost 1/3 of their Scouts due to aging out, moving out of the area, transfers, and disinterest by the older Scouts. 1/2 the families are threatening to leave if they do not reinstate family camping, ( and that policy was the reason given why the Webelos did not join the troop in December). And the other half od the families are tired of the drama, and are considering leaving if they go back to family camping.

 

[malraux]

At this point it is very much not your problem, and I agree that at this point your best response is to ignore the old troop (or at least its problems) is the best answer. But I still don't understand the goal of the parents to family camp in the troop structure. If they want to go camping on only their terms, just go camp.