Boys, Kids, Scouts, what do you use?

[SWScouter]

Saturday I attended my council's University of Scouting. One of the sessions I attended was training youth leaders. The two presenters did a great job and I found it very worthwhile.

 

One of the presenters was a very cabable and eloquent young man of 19 years named Patrick Murphy. Many of you probably have heard of him since last year he was the National Chief of the OA, the highest youth leadership position in the BSA. The perspectives he offered as a scouter that just transitioned from scout were very interesting and revealing to me.

 

One of them was to call the scouts youth. Don't call them boys or kids, call them youth. He said that the scouts, no matter the program, will find it more respectful and feel better about themselves and about their adult leaders. Interesting stuff.

 

SWScouter

[Eamonn]

I use different terms in different settings.

Youths or youth members is great when I'm talking about all of the Scouting programs.

I admit I have to think twice when people refer to Cub Scouts as Scouts, maybe because back home Scouts were Scouts and Cub Scouts were Cub Scouts.

If I'm talking with a Scout I might find myself calling him a Lad, a Scout, a boy or a kid. When I'm talking with a female Sea Scout (I don't know any female Venturers.) I use, Lass, Girl, Scout or Kid.

Very often if I'm making a presentation to non Scouting types, I very often refer to our youth members as "Our Kids."

I don't think kids like being called kids, but somehow "Youth Members" comes off sounding a little uncaring and sterile.

Eamonn.

[EagleInKY]

I may use "Youth" when speaking in a 3rd party context, I see it as a more formal, cold, uncaring term. I usually use the term "guys", "fellows" or "scouts" more than anything else.

[gwd-scouter]

I also use guys or scouts.

[resqman]

I call the members scouts when in 3rd person. When dealing with them directly, I always use the term Gentlemen. I try to treat them with respect and as if they know the correct way to handle themselves.

 

By calling them gentlemen, I have set the expectation that they should behave like gentlemen.

[Crew21_Adv]

SWS..

Greetings!

 

What do I use?

 

Like everyone else, I like to earn respect and show respect. But can we I state my reply a little differently though? I work hard to prevent myself from saying kids and boys. It is more like preventing the temptation to use slang language, and call them kids.

 

I try to picture them calling me, Hey Dude vice Hey Mr Crew21. I do try hard to call them Scouts, Venturers, Young Men, Gentlemen, Ladies, etc. etc.

 

But we are all human.

 

Even less than my ocassional foul language.. (which I probably just lost a corner off my toten chip and simultaneously practicing first aid on my finger) I do call the youth I work with, "kids, boys, gals, and etc.", but I work to keep those references as the exception, rather the norm.

 

 

Venture On!

Crew21 Adv

[CA_Scouter]

'Scouts' and 'Gentlemen' - I never call them 'boys', and I explain to them why I use those terms... I have certain expectations of them as Scouts, and expect them to behave as gentlemen at all times.

 

'Young Men' is also a term that I'll use from time to time...

 

[Eagledad]

Sounds like an impressive young man and I guess we adults must be doing a really good job if those are the kinds of suggestions youth wants adults to hear. However, that was not the kind of suggestions I heard from older Scouts at JLTC.

 

I'm not sure what I called the scouts, but I know my heart was to treat them with same respect as I did adults. Scouts can tell when you're patronizing no matter what words you use.

 

My philosophy about scouts feeling good about themselves was for them to earn that feeling with a job well done and by serving those around them, not from anything an adult said.

 

Have a great day.

 

Barry

 

[Lynda J]

At meetings I call my boys "gentlemen" when I want their attention. At activities I call them by their name. If they have ask me a question I say

"Sir". It is a form of respect. The same I expect them to show me. And 90% of the time they will answer me as "mam". But when I am talking about them they will always be "MY BOYS".

[Kahuna]

Among boys, I generally use the term "guys." With a mixed group, "guys and ladies," with smile indicating I'm not being phony or stilted.

 

In my Scout troops, for me to refer to them as "Scout or Scouts," other than in a ceremony or something really formal would be the equivalent of your mother using all three of your names to call you.

 

You will find a number "youth" members who feel being called "youth" is phoney and patronizing.

[Pint]

Usualy 'Lads' although i will have to change that when we go Co-ed for real.

(At the moment we are technicly co-ed, but theres no girls in the Scout troop or Cub pack at the moment)

[OldGreyEagle]

In the Crew they refer to the group as "guys", male and female alike, they are all "guys" The adults try to use youths as much as we can, but at times "what do you guys want to do" slips out without nary a discouraging word from the young ladies who would take stern umbrage with the slightest perceived sexist remarks

[Trevorum]

IMO, use of the term "youth", while accurate, is mildly demeaning, emphasizing their inexperience. I call them "guys" or "fellows", or formally, "Scouts".

[orennoah]

As their Scoutmaster, I call them "Scouts" when talking about them and "gentlemen" when talking to them.

 

- Oren

[CalicoPenn]

I always tried to follow the example my former Scoutmaster set:

 

When addressing the troop when it was time to get to work or an important announcement needed to be made, it was Gentlemen.

 

When addressing the troop at during an activity (such as a hike when it was time to take a rest, etc.) it was Guys.

 

When it was a court of honor or other event with parents, community members, etc, participating it was Scouts (as in Will the following Scouts please come forward).

 

When speaking with an individual Scout it was Sir, Lad, Young Lad, and often Mr. (insert last name). If it was a disciplinary issue, the Scout would be taken aside and addressed calmly by first name.

 

My favorite, though, was when it was time for us Scouts to settle down for the night - he was a bit of a linguistic history buff, so would pull out a common word with a now arcane meaning - girls, as in "OK Girls, time to settle down". Originally, girls was a Middle English term designating a youth of either sex - of course now, its only used to designate youth of the female sex.

 

I still run into my former Scoutmaster in town every once in a while, and though I'm now about the same age as he was when he was my Scoutmaster, he still greets me with "Hello There Young Lad"

 

CalicoPenn