Troop Meetings on Sundays

[fred8033]

Gotta admit, I think Sunday night meetings would work great. And very appropriate for a Sunday. Just think about drying out tents or cleaning up the trailer or other meaningful activities.

[packsaddle]

Sunday afternoon has long been the traditional meeting time for this unit. I've heard stories that it was on a Monday night, long before I was involved.

The upside is that it doesn't conflict with many 'organized' activities like soccer.

The downside is that there are often weekend family trips which impact attendance.

That said, I think parents, some of them, are glad to have a couple hours of peace on a Sunday afternoon. And the boys enjoy a couple of hours of boy stuff. Overall it has worked fairly well.(This message has been edited by packsaddle)

[Second Class]

Is the CO a church?

I'd think that would be a non starter for many. It cuts down on the number of meetings per year, too. I'd expect that you don't meet on weekend you camp.

[Twocubdad]

Most of our pack's dens meet Sunday afternoons. They meet in the Scout House, which is adjacent to the main church building, so there's no conflict.

 

My younger son's den eventually started meeting on Friday nights. That was terrific. Once we convinced the parents "date night" is a joke and they really hadn't been on a date in years, it worked great. Being a non-school night took all the pressure off. If the boys were playing and having fun, meetings could go two hours. The parents were relaxed and let the boys enjoy themselves.

[frankpalazzi]

Sunday nights worked fine for us when the majority of the troop were High School athletes (Football, basketball, etc.) No games or practices on Sunday nights! Of course, we did not meet on weekends we were camping. That all changed a few years later when they aged out, and we went to Tuesday nights.

[rkfrance]

We've been having Pack and Troop meetings on Sundays for years. Best night of the week for everyone's availability.

[qwazse]

I can see a lot of kids (i.e. mine) scrambling to get homework done Sunday PM.

 

Otherwise, great plan.

[SeattlePioneer]

What time do you schedule the meetings?

[shortridge]

"I'd think that would be a non starter for many. It cuts down on the number of meetings per year, too. I'd expect that you don't meet on weekend you camp."

 

Why would it be a problem to have fewer meetings?

[Eagle732]

About a year after becoming SM I proposed to the committee to change meeting night to Sundays, same time, 7 to 8:30. My reasoning was to avoid conflicts with after school activities, homework and sports. Several parents objected so the committee decided to make the change on a trail basis for 6 months. During that trial we saw attendance at meeting increase by about 20% on average. After the 6 months the committee decided to stay with Sunday meetings and we've been doing it ever since.

 

A few points about Sunday meetings:

Meeting time is 7 to 8:30. Most familiess are home from weekend activities by then. Boys have had all weekend to finish any homework.

 

We don't meet on a camping trip weekend although announcements and some brief meeting type activities are done after returning from the trip.

 

Cleaning up and setting up tents to dry is all done upon returning from camp. The troop owns the building so there's no problem with leaving things out to dry all week.

 

We don't have meetings during Sunday holidays such as Easter or Labor Day or Memorial Day weekends. This and other holidays that might fall on Sunday cut into our total number of meetings a year. We average about 38 meetings a year since we meet all summer.

 

Our CO is a Lions Club.

 

 

[SeattlePioneer]

There are too many troop meetings if you have meetings every week anyway.

 

Missing a meeting because you've been on a weekend campout seems like a good reason for dispensing with a meeting.

[shortridge]

*agrees with Seattle*

 

*falls to ground, stunned*

[perdidochas]

My church (and CO) has it's middle and high school youth groups meeting on Sunday night. I think Sunday night would be a horrible night.

[Eagle92]

One of the troops I was involved with met on Monday nights, and it was not problem whatsoever with the unit, or the CO. We met at the Scout hut across the street from the church. Only challenge was the parking lot was emptying form the evening service when we were arriving for our meeting. But it was a minor nuisance.

[emb021]

Let me piggyback off what Eagle723 said, based on my own experiences with groups and meetings.

 

In my experience, most scout troops meet on a weekday night (Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday) every week, with one camping trip per month (which could be a district/council event).

 

Sunday nights do have some of the advantages you mention.

 

When I organized a VOA in one council, we went with a 7-8 time slot, at a public location (an inexpensive restaurant), for many of the reasons you stated: everyone would be back in town, wouldn't interfere with any weekday crew meeting, etc etc. By and large it worked, and I didn't get too many complaints from the youth and leaders (most agreed with my thinking).

 

When I started organizing a VOA in another council, we started with a Sunday around 2pm or so, and I proposed the same 7-8 time slot. NO ONE liked it. Felt it was cutting into 'family time' etc etc. (please note that VOAs would meet ONCE a month, not WEEKLY). So we went with a 3pm time, and frankly get LOUSY attendance. Go figure.

 

A slightly different perspective. I advice a co-ed fraternity, and MANY of our chapters have gone to Sunday meetings, either mid afternoon or early evening. This works well as if someone goes home for the weekend, they are usually back by Sunday to be ready for school on Monday, most aren't working on Sunday, etc.