Patrol outings and brothers in other patrols

[Scouter4321]

Preface: I know that patrol outings CAN be held without an adult present, however, at this moment in time, our troop is just beginning to have boys plan patrol outings and so, for now, we have two adults going along, hanging out at the fringes.

 

My question: How does your troop handle it when an adult leader chaperoning an outing for one of his/her son's patrols has another son in a different patrol. Do you allow the other son to go?

 

I think that this is a reasonable thing, if it is the son of the parent who is going. That whole question could be solved by putting brothers in the same patrol, however, that seems to be discouraged in most Troops.

 

What about "friends" who are in another patrol. Do you ever allow them to attend a patrol outing of another patrol? I think that doing that could end up creating hurt feelings. I.E. Beaver patrol goes on Patrol Outing, Beaver Patrol Member invites his friend from Badger Patrol. Other Badgers may want to go, but are not invited.

 

I think that an outing should be either a Troop outing where all are invited or a patrol outing where ONLY the patrol members should go. But with that exception about brothers (only if the parent is the one chaperoning).

 

What happens in your troop?

 

Scouter1234

 

[nldscout]

We discouraged any other youth from attending, strongly discouraged. This would include brothers or friends in other patrols.

 

 

[FScouter]

It would seem logical that "patrol" activities are for "patrol" members. Adding kids from other patrols erodes patrol identity.

 

If the parent cannot attend without bringing the rest of the family, get a parent that can leave other family members home.

[Scouter4321]

Yeah, currently, there is no patrol identity. The only thing the Troop does as a patrol currently is for a short period right after the opening, they get together to take attendance and dues as patrols. The patrol leaders DO call the boys to give them info about meeting changes, but that is about the extent of the patrol method right now. No inter-patrol competitions, no patrol planning for troop events, no patrol leaders council.

 

A few of the newer committee members would like to see more boy-led things take place. So, with their guidance, the patrol outings are just starting to take place. I guess these are birth pains. The parent who has volunteered is the only other parent who has volunteered to go as the second adult. The parent would like to not have to go on outings without both sons.

 

Scouter4321(This message has been edited by Scouter4321)

[Kudu]

I'm with nldscout and FScouter. It doesn't take many exceptions of convenience to erode Patrol identity.

 

That whole question could be solved by putting brothers in the same patrol, however, that seems to be discouraged in most Troops.

 

Who exactly is "putting" brothers in different Patrols, and who exactly is "discouraging" one "policy" or another? You say that you have "two adults going along, hanging out at the fringes" of Patrol outings, which suggests that you are letting the Patrol Method do its thing. If adults are deciding which Scouts go in which Patrols, then you should consider letting go in that area as well.

 

Since you also mention that you have Patrols with "'friends' who are in another Patrol," perhaps the thing to do is work through the PLC to allow the Patrols to reform themselves around friendships.

 

The best Patrols are groups of friends that like to hang out together when they are not in a Scouting situation. If brothers have common friends then they should tend to end up in the same Patrol.

 

This helps with peer-recruiting too. One of our Patrols has doubled to a total of 12 in the last year.

 

Kudu

 

 

 

[Kudu]

Yeah, currently, there is no patrol identity. The only thing the Troop does as a patrol currently is for a short period right after the opening, they get together to take attendance and dues as patrols.

 

Try a Troop campout contest where the Patrols compete to set up the Patrol campsite most hidden from the others.

 

The further they are from each other, the more independent they will need to be, and the more valuable a good Patrol Quartermaster becomes.

 

This is also a good opportunity for friends and brothers to decide in which Patrol they want to be.

 

Kudu

 

[hendrickms24]

Why are the Patrols not cooking there own food during the campouts?

Patrol identity will come about just having the scouts doing all the cooking,

cleaning and sleeping together as a patrol.

 

Mark Maranto