THOSE parents

[Scoutfish]

Not sure how many of you ever saw this

,but it's a real answering machine recording from Australia.

 

Thing is, you see the same issues in BSA too.

 

My experience with it is in Cub Scouts, but I imagine it can be worse in Boy scouts.

 

Parents who do not bother to help out, work with or participate in the program...or at the very least, take time to even see what it's really about.

 

 

 

These parents do not lift a finger to help, yet blame all their childs woes on the leadership, members , and other scouts in the pack/troop/crew !

 

So, while you cannot leave a message like the one above ( or can you? ) , what would you say?

 

WE tell parents that we love your kids, but we are NOT baby sitters! If all you are going to do, and if the total sum of your participation is going to be dropping your kid off....then find another pack!

 

 

So what is your "message" ?

[moosetracker]

Those who just drop of and don't care, don't know what you do with them.

 

Those who care enough to complain about what is not being done to their satisfaction, I like turning it around on them and thanking them for noticing the units need and volunteering to help us out in it.. (Unless of course the person is a known pain in the a** who you don't want helping out, or the program is running perfectly, it's just not to the parents liking because junior has to do some form of work in order to advance.)

 

If pain in a**.. Just grin & bite tongue.

If parent doesn't understand program, I still try to involve them by suggesting they join the committee so they can have a voice and learn the reasoning behind certain policies, and suggest some training courses so they can learn the program. Then hope they take you up on it so they can become productive.. Otherwise these guys soon will fall into category #1..

[shortridge]

Actually, the "answering machine message" is fake. (See http://www.snopes.com/humor/iftrue/palisades.asp.)

 

But I think we have all encountered parents like that.

 

The question is, how do we help them realize that being involved in their child's life is the best thing they can ever do for them?

[qwazse]

As MT mentions, some non-participants may be doing you a favor by staying out of your way.

Others, you have to pour the sugar on when they even lift the slightest finger. ("Thank you for [x], it meant a lot!") They may catch on.

The one's who do go all out: make them your best cup of coffee. Or, if they aren't reward-taking type, have the boys on the PLC sign a thank-you note at the end of the year.

[Rockford8070]

I know when I do our recruiting presentation I always bill Cub Scouts as a family organization and that it's the parents that are spending the time to help their child learn things like citizenship and the like.

 

When recruiting for committees I do the same. I tell them that this is their chance to get involved. This is their chance to show their kids that they want to be involved in their life and make sure they have a great time in scouting. I also tell them that if it's just the same old leaders at the committee meetings you will get the same old ideas. Committees are a great way for parents of cubs to get involved. I have even been known to say that signing up for a committee is a way to show your kids you love them. That last is said with a wink and a grin, but it gets results.

[DeanRx]

I hate to say it, but I don't even waste time or energy on 'those' types of parents anymore. I ask, I state the needs and I respond to those that volunteer. If someone complains, I ask them if they would like to chair the committee or plan the event for next year, if they say they'd want to be involved, then I listen, get and e-mail address and cell # and hold them to their commitment to help... otherwise they are just **** ing to **** and I give little consideration to what they have to say.

 

My motto, either get involved or don't complain. I'm not mean about it, unless we are in the middle of a pack event and a parent wants to question why or how we are doing things. We already had the committee and planning meeting for the event. ALL parents are invited to come and provide input / help out. The time to question is not in the middle of an acivity for 40 kids - its at the planning phase, or provide feedback AFTER an event and OFFER to help make it better. Otherwise, they're just wasting your time.

[DeanRx]

P.S. Don't bother trying to say anything or guilt them into the idea that spending time with their son (other than dropping them off at the meeting) is the most important part of their child's life. If they don't understand this concept by the time their child is in 1st grade, then there is very little you can do to promote it. Use you time and energy elsewhere.