What's next in Scouting?

ASM59 · September 6, 2007

Good Day,

So my son turned 17 this year; only 8 months and 2 weeks till his 18th birthday. He has been Life rank for years. Football, chorus, plays, musicals, homework, job and girlfriend(s) have all been competing for his time and have many times won-out over time for Scout meetings and outings. I absolutely refuse to force him to get his Eagle. I do however gently encourage him, as much as seems fit.

Anyway, this post is not about him, but about me. Regardless of whether he gets his Eagle or not, he will age out next May.

What do I do next?

I could stay and continue serving the Scouts of our Troop as an ASM, or I could become a Committee Member. I could also look at serving at the District level, perhaps I could become a UC. After all, I have been pretty critical of our UC in the past and would like to see the job done right; no pressure Or, I could simply fall off the Scouting radar all together.

After nearly 12 years of doing Scout stuff, I just cannot imagine not being involved somewhere.

Any advise / stories / personal experience ???

Thanks,

ASM59

Venividi · September 6, 2007

ASM59,

Suggest that you need to make the call balancing the needs of scouting in your area, your current skills, and what you like to do. From observation of your participation here, I think that you could become a top notch unit commissioner. You know the program, are reasonable, and you know what kind of support you would have liked to have received from a unit commissioner. I hope you give that a try. (I see you are from Illinois - I hope you are in 3 fires council).

ASM59 · September 6, 2007

Venividi,

I'm just to the south of Three Fires Council in Rainbow Council. I have purchased several Boy Scout shirts at a local thrift store in Joliet that have Three Fires Council patches on them... Thanks for the feedback!

Any more feedback from anyone?

Thanks,

ASM59

eagle90 · September 6, 2007

There should only be one criteria - Do what you like doing! If you enjoy working directly with the boys, stay at the unit level. If you prefer working with the adults, go on to a Commissioner or District position. Above all, do not let anyone pressure you into taking a position you do not like. Thats where the burnout and disinterest starts. Good luck to you!

Dale

acco40 · September 6, 2007

Agree with eagle90. I've held Tiger/Den/Webelos leader, Assistant Scoutmaster, Scoutmaster, Unit Commissioner, Trainer, Troop Committee, Pack Committee and District Committee positions. My most fun was working unofficially with a Girl Scout troop (no jokes please).

For myself, I like working with the boys in the 10 - 13 age bracket best so being an Assistant Scoutmaster assigned to a patrol is great but only if one has a good Scoutmaster and Committee Chair that take care of the other "business" properly.

One position I have not held, Cubmaster, I've been told is the best position in Scouting from the work/reward perspective.

allangr1024 · September 6, 2007

I am in a similar situation. My middle son turned 18 this July. In March he decided to come back and get his Eagle. He needed Personal Management MB, Personal Fitness MB, and the project. He did these and got his Eagle packet turned in the day before his birthday. For two years I was on him to get the stuff done. Then I backed off and he made the decision himself. He came right down to the wire, but he got it done. He figured it would help him in college with scholorships and stuff.

For my self, This past March the committee chairman came to me and asked if I would be interested in taking the Scoutmaster job. I have been a scouter for seven years, an ASM in our troop, not real content with the way the previous two SM's handled the program, wanting to do stuff we did in wood badge. In three years our troop has shrunk from fifty scouts to twenty, and now we have about 13 come to troop meetings and 8 on campouts. I took the job knowing that recruiting would be a big emphasis, and I really want to see the patrol method implemented.

I have challenges before me as SM. No doubt about it. But I remember when I first came to the troop with my son. The boys met at the front of the room with the registered adults, and the parents stood at the back talking amoung themselves. I wanted to do the stuff at the front of the room. I told the SM I would like to help, and of course he loaded me down with projects, gave me an ASM patch, and the rest is history. I like the way Baden-Powell said it "He has simply to be a boy-man." I feel that way.

I would councel anyone to do a self examination to see why they like scouting. There are so many levels you can plug yourself in to. And with you son finishing his scouting "career", you can try various positions out to see what suits you.

Of course you always have to remember that it is just one hour per week.

Mrw1 · September 7, 2007

Both my boys earned their Eagles several years ago. The younger one aged out last May and is at this very moment packing his car for tomorrow's trip to college.

I have been a den leader and then on the troop committee for many years now. I spent one week at summer camp as acting SM several years ago. I enjoy working with the boys, but don't want an every week commitment. I am sticking with my committee member/advancement chair position since I am still enjoying it.

When it stops being fun, I will pass it on to someone else.

Yes, someone has to do the district stuff, but it just isn't me.

dan · September 7, 2007

Do not forget about NYLT. Maybe you would like to staff the course?

ASM59 · September 7, 2007

Thanks for the feedback, everyone...

I am curious, I see that allangr... and Mrw1 are working withing Scouting even after their sons have "aged out". Are there others out there that are still working after their sons are gone? In what capacity? Why are you still working, even though your son is gone?

I'm with acco40; I really enjoy working with the 10-13 year olds, especially the first year Scouts - they are so excited and energetic.

Thanks,

ASM59

mtm25653 · September 7, 2007

I still in cub scouts, though my youngest is 16.

Our troops' SM has sons 25 (ASM in troop) and 21. The COR's sons are 26 and 27. The recent past CC's son is 22 (he is also district training chair). The popcorn/fundraising person's son is 27. Current CC expects to stay active in troop when youngest leaves (16 and 19). Current registration is something like 40 boys and 50 adults - maybe half the adults have boys in the troop, the rest have stayed on to help after their boys have grown.

ScoutNut · September 7, 2007

My husband and I have always been active with our Cub Pack. I am in my 10th year as the Tiger Den Leader. Our son was a Den Chief for his entire Boy Scout career. "His" boys are now in the Troop and also serving as Den Chiefs with the Pack. When my son turned 18, in Feb '07, he registered with the Pack as an Asst Den Leader. Husband is Asst CM and we also do popcorn, advancement, and BALOO. We staff Cub Day Camp & Cub Summer Camp and are on District Cub training staff.

There are quite a few folks we know who are still working with BSA even though their sons have aged out some time back. Some of the aged out sons get pulled into it to!

What can I say - It is a great program. It keeps us busy and we love it!

infoscouter · September 7, 2007

My youngest just turned 18. While we have flirted with placing him in a special needs unit, we haven't done so yet. So, I haven't had a kid in the program for 7 years. But I'm still here. I'm a Pack Trainer and the Cub Roundtable commissioner, and on the shooting sports committee, and . . .well, you get the idea.

My parents *raised* me to do this. Our family ethos was to give back to the community. My dad still volunteers at least one day a week. In fact, at 79 he started a non-profit organization.

I started out in Girl Scouting, and then had three boys! I have found my niche and I intend to stay firmly anchored in it.

If you still have a passion for what Scouting can do for young people, please consider staying around and helping us move into the next century.

Eagledad · September 7, 2007

Have you not been called yet? When I was SM, I got a call just about every week asking me to head up this or help run that, but my response was always "check back when I give up SM". I fully planned to help with our troop with our new SM, but he wanted me to sit back a little to give him time to grow. I was getting calls the night I handed over my SM badge and I never skipped a beat. I must say that working with NYLT was very rewarding. Staffing Wood Badge has its rewards as well. You can make a really big difference teaching adults everything you learned.

I love this scouting stuff.

Barry

Eamonn · September 8, 2007

While OJ only turned 19 this past July, I really haven''t played an active role in his "Scouting Career" since he crossed over from the pack.

He was on the Ship''s charter for a while but his heart was never really in it. In part due to him being so active in the OA.

I spent about ten years serving on the District, Council and Area level.

As District Commissioner and District Chairman most of the people I worked along side were people I selected or played a part in having selected. Most were about my age, but many had married young and their son''s were older than OJ, some only had girls!!

The guys on the Area Committee were all a lot older than me and many were very successful business men. (Read wealthy!!)

While I wouldn''t dare to judge others!! In my opinion -For what it''s worth!!

The people who work the hardest in Scouting are Den Leaders!!

Followed by people who serve at the Troop level.

Some Commissioners do go above and beyond, while some can never be found.

The people who served on the District Committee had specific jobs, some only needed to be around for a few months each year, while others were needed to serve year round.

Attending meetings just to attend is a waste of time!!

Many of the people who served on the Council Executive Board, seemed to have no knowledge of Scouting and only turned out for meetings every now and then. I think this was due to the Board being way too big and this was so in the hope that they would support the Council finances.

The guys on the Area Committee, did know their stuff and many served as active members of Council Executive Boards. The meetings were held quarterly. I was unhappy that the meetings always seemed to be so far from home, but the truth is that many of the members traveled twice as far as I did.

There are a number of ways of serving the BSA after your son is no longer active.

I was glad when my term as District Chair. Was over (We have a 3 year term limit.)

I enjoyed being District Commissioner, but still have a hard time eating chicken, which seemed to be on the menu for every B&G banquet!!

I really enjoyed being the Council Training Chair. I held that position when all the then new training''s came along.

Wood Badge Staff is a lot of fun, but does eat up a lot of time.

The big danger is that if you are not careful you end up attending meetings nearly every night of the week and spending a lot of time out of the house.

At one time Her Who Must Be Obeyed kept track and I was out Scouting 22 days in a month.

Whatever you do, be very careful that you don''t end up over doing it!!

Some people find that doing one thing and doing it well works best for them and for the Scouts.

We had one female leader who did a great job with Day Camp, that''s all she did for about six years.

HWMBO has been the chair for the Council Volunteer Recognition Dinner for a very long time (She missed last year.) That''s all she does and it seems that everyone is happy with what she does.

You need to think about how much time you want to spend?

Talk with your wife and try and have a meeting of the minds.

At times when HWMBO was upset with me she would throw "They are not even your kids!" At me and it hurt!!

Do you want to work in a program area? Or maybe help with finances or some sort of administrative post?

Do what makes you happy!!

There is lots of opportunities.

Ea.

Eamonn · September 8, 2007