Family campout issue

[fotoscout]

Sounds like you have a very chauvinistic group of boys.

 

There is a tremendous learning opportunity here!!

 

[Eagledad]

>>There is a tremendous learning opportunity here!!

[fotoscout]

Ok, yes its a rather strong word when referring to kids.

 

But if I understand this correctly, we are talking about a yearly activity, not a monthly outing. I would be concerned about the speed with which the boys threw up this roadblock. Where did their thought process stem from?

 

[Bob58]

Interesting, the proposition was "a family campout", the SPL & ASPL reponse was "We don't want mom's along on our camping trips" and most of the tribal elders around this campfire have followed the boys lead instead of redirecting the conversation. They might not want the Moms (That is what they said.) They might not want the younger siblings. Or they might want to do the planning. Several posters have suggested viable alternatives, I'd consider telling the that the Troop commityee would like them to plan such an activity. (Please don't get me wrong but do the Boys plan & execute everything in every unit except the one in which I hold membership?)

[OutdoorThinker]

I think that it's a great idea to invite the troop's moms along a campout, if only once a year. It'll keep them camping oriented so that when their sons join a coed Venturing Crew, you have some ready, willing and able female chaperones. Although, I am a huge activist for youth leadership, I dont think it would hurt if these guys were advised this one time on this particular issue.

 

 

[mattbib]

Rambling thoughts...

 

I'm in agreement that there really shouldn't be a need for a special family camping trip. If a mother wants to camp, she should do so within the regular troop program. I don't think there should be a weekend dedicated to moms any more than there are weekends focused on dads. Any adult, male or female, attending any activity should do so in support of the program for the boys, not for self gratification or some sense of recognition (not to say that those don't naturally come with participating).

 

That said, if a troop chooses to hold a family event to make non-camping moms and siblings welcome, that's fine, but again no parent should be excluded from any regular activity.

 

As for whether or not boy leaders WANT their moms on a trip, again, not up to them. And if moms do go there's no reason why the boys' program necessarily has to include interaction with any of their parents.

 

[KA6BSA]

I just noticed this thread even though it is a little bit old, and kinda got off track with the emphasis on the "moms" and that brought in the other issues about ladies as troop leaders.

Anyway, our troop has traditionally had one "family outing" every year, not always a campout but something to involve the families who we never see except at pick-up and drop-off time. Sometimes it is planned as an afternoon picnic at a local BSA campsite, with many Scout skill demonstrations by the boys. Then a dinner is usually pot luck but the dessert a special cooking contest in Dutch ovens by the Scouts judged by the mothers who are active on the committee or in the troop. We conclude the evening with a special Court of Honor in some outdoor setting with a campfire and skits and stories (screened for general audiences ahead of time!). We get lots of interest from the new families at this annual activity and use it to successfully recruit new members to the troop committee and sometimes even a parent is willing to become an ASM (and get BSA training) after they see how important the activites are to their boys. Without the "family event" they just have no idea of what goes on. The older Scouts plan a "model campsite" and organize all the boys to set that up and participate demonstrating such things as toten'chip training, identification of plants and nature study, backpacking equipment, etc.

 

This year the SPL had his own idea of "no moms, and no siblings" and persuaded the PLC to not include any family activity on the annual calendar. But the calendar must be presented and approved by him to the troop committee, so when that came up the Scoutmaster worked through those channels to get the event put back on the calendar. The SPL had not understood how important it was for the family event to represent the troop to the parents. After he worked with the committee on the issue he agreed with them and the Scoutmaster to have the family activity put on the calendar. Then he went back to the PLC and explained how it was a larger issue more important than just the emotions of "no moms and no siblings" and got their vote of approval too.(This message has been edited by KA6BSA)

[EagleInKY]

First of all, I would love it if more of our moms would come on a campout. They are a great influence when they come. Unfortunately, it doesn't happen very often. I do know of several troops in the area that have very active scout moms who always camp with them.

 

I think the bigger challenge is with siblings. We don't let siblings come on most campouts. However, we are trying to do one campout a year where siblings are appropriate. This past summer we went to a National Park where we took a cave tour and a boat tour. We invited families to come. We had a few takers, and they had a great time.

 

One important rule - we require siblings to follow the same rules as the boys. So, if you don't allow Gameboys and Walkmans, then you can't let the siblings have them either. That was a hot issue for some of our siblings (my daughter in particular). But I stand firm on that.

[Scoutmaster Ron]

During our family camp everyone is invited, friends, grandparents we plan a game filled day with leaders vs scouts in flag fooball, kayacks in the lake tha the boys made dinner is 3-4 BBQ turkeys and then top the evening with a campfire and final honors ceremony.

[dan]

BBQ turkey?

I guess I have to ask what is BBQ in California?

 

I am thinking of a turkey covered in Bar B Que sauce! Cooked over an open fire.

 

[Fat Old Guy]

"First of all, I would love it if more of our moms would come on a campout. They are a great influence when they come"

 

Most of our Scouts dislike having moms around as do most of the adult men. The Scouts don't like it because the moms can't stop being a mom and run around saying, "Brush your teeth! Go to sleep!" The men don't like it because the womenfolk don't like it when we belch and pass gas after dinner. I don't like it because the moms try to "help" too much and don't understand, "Don't do for a Scout what he can do for himself."

 

 

[OldGreyEagle]

Fog, I was wrong about you, Dante's 6th level, at the very least

[OutdoorThinker]

OGE, recently I was a scholar of Dante's Inferno. I feel that the fifth circle is more appropriate than the sixth circle.

[eisely]

I too had ignored this thread previously. One or two family events in a troop's calendar are highly desirable for a lot of reasons. Having the SPL meet with the committee to hear the adult take on the idea is sound advice.

 

As others have noted, siblings are a bigger concern, particularly if they are very young. Families with younger siblings have to understand that the adult leadership of the troop cannot be responsible for those younger children.

 

It has been many years, make that decades, since I read Dante's Inferno. Now I will have to go look. Maybe Cliff Notes will give me a quick answer.

[EagleInKY]

FOG - If our mom's acted the way you described, I wouldn't want them around either. The ones that come on our campouts are not that way at all. In fact, we tell them and the boys that they are our guests. The moms love having their meals cooked for them! And, for the most part, the boys enjoy doing it (although most would deny it).

 

The only agreement I'll give you is that they do tend to discipline a little more. But frankly, the adult leaders who are normally on the campouts enjoy the break from that task.

 

I like it because it gives them a greater appreciation of what the adult leaders deal with all the time. They then have a better understanding of the methods that we use and why we do the things we do.