So Far This Week....

[Its Me]

 

I have had one mom insult a scout and basically say he was good for nothing. Completely missing my suggestion to (after 3 hours) have another scout replace her son at the cash box during a rummage sale. I had another mom yell from the back of the room for her boy and my SPL to speak up, not once but twice. She would have done it a third time unless I had told her I had it covered. And now I got a mom emailing on her own suggestions for a troop motto.

 

I don't want to lecture these women but they seem to be missing my more subtle approach.

 

 

 

 

[evmori]

Well, tell 'em to sign up or talk to the hand!

[Beavah]

Yah, got a bit confused whether this is a troop or a pack, ItsMe? Why wouldn't the SPL be managin' who was at the cash box?

 

I'm not a big fan of subtle when it comes to poor adult behavior.

 

Here's some options:

 

* Teach the older boys how to confront adults appropriately. Nothin' like da SPL coming over and saying "I'm sorry, Mrs. Jones, we don't say things like that here." Or "As a friendly reminder, it's just as impolite to shout at a speaker here as it would be anywhere else." Or "Thanks for the motto suggestion, Mrs. Jones, but I'm sending it back because this is only open to scouts. If you want, you can suggest it to your son."

 

* Use pointed humor.

 

* Firmly contradict them with your actions, but not your words. Go replace the boy at the cash box yourself, call the "good for nothing" up for a fun responsibility or an impromptu recognition, etc.

 

* Send a MC who is not subtle over to deal with 'em, eh? Sometimes, folks treat others da way they expect to be treated. If they aren't subtle themselves, they probably don't "get" subtle either.

 

Beavah

 

[scoutldr]

Why are moms attending troop meetings? Just in hover mode? If they insist on "observing" (you can't prevent them), it needs to be made clear that they have NOTHING to say, unless it's to the SM.

[Its Me]

 

Its a troop meeting and it's in one big hall. Some parents (moms mostly) hang around and wait out the meeting.

 

Attempts to shoe away the moms have failed. The troop is new having formed only in October of last year so we don't have much of a cultural institution to draw upon. If we had a culture of adults staying away it would work. But we don't so then we need to use words like new policy and enforcement. I believe I do need to have a parents meeting to discuss this matter.

 

It was the mother of the SPL yelling at him to speak up. I cringed and finally told her to go somewhere else. Later on in the evening she was clean-up from a pioneering project we did. I grabbed her by the hand and pulled her away.

 

These are well meaning moms but they can't back off. Their little project child could go a stray and fail at something (oh the horror).

 

 

[Eamonn]

Back home we call a rummage sale a Jumble Sale.

The Scouts did enjoy collecting the stuff. But parents did a far better job of sorting and pricing the Jumble.

This at times led to some confusion as to who was in charge.

"A Scout is Brave" But taking on Mothers at a sale? Wow that takes guts!!

Maybe establishing clear guide lines of who is in charge (The Troop Committee? The Youth Leaders? -I'm more in favor of the committee.)

I never heard of a Troop motto.

But if there is going to be one? I think it should come from the Scouts.

Maybe having a youth only competition to who comes up with the best one might help put a stop to the e-mails.

Training Parents how we do things the way we do is a tough task. Finding the few who do get it and pushing them to lead the others works best.

Your role is with the youth.

Sometimes calling someone to one side and in a firm way explaining to them what is what is the for best.

Better yet if the Troop Committee person does it.

Yes I know I'm passing the buck!!

Ea.

[Eagledad]

>>The troop is new having formed only in October of last year so we don't have much of a cultural institution to draw upon.