Did they come that way ? Or did you embarrass yourself until they bought into...

[Gunny2862]

The Songs, the Skits, actually doing the Patrol Yells?

 

I could swear(under my breath)(but haven''t), the same kids who know all of the lyrics to, get this, Ozzy Osbourne and Metallica songs and sing them all the way from the meeting point to the point where you start walking again - WILL NOT do their Patrol yell unless under duress.

 

They have no idea that the idea of the skits and songs is to provide a safe place to make fun of yourself. And that it is fun! Partially because everyone gets their turn in the barrel.

 

Yes, they have been exposed to the material, songs, skits etc.

 

So, two part question folks.

Did your kids come that way? and/or, How did you get them to participate, to buy in?

[acco40]

Does your adult patrol have a yell? Do they do skits? Are they even a patrol? What is good for the goose is good for the gander.

[Gunny2862]

acco,

My current adult patrol(not established but I am going to propose it to the ASM this Monday) tends to myself, a faithful ASM, and depending on the number of boys on an outing one or two "I can''t believe I got suckered into driving parents" who rotate through.

 

Yes I would love to do an adult patrol, the Troop has never had one before.

 

(Deleted rant).... a Scout is courteous.

 

I am also aware that there are those who are vehemently against Scouter patrols but I''m not sure how boys see a "functioning" patrol when there has never really been a Scout patrol like that in their Scouting lifetime(I feel the rant coming out)(stop it, slap SM''s hand)(redirect)

 

But given that you are hinting at one answer, did they see the Scouter patrol and pick it up or did your kids just come by it naturally?

[Beavah]

Patrol Yells.... yeh gotta give ''em a reason to yell. Can''t have patrol yells until you have real patrol competition, otherwise it''s just fake. When yeh have real patrol competition, cheering is natural, and it takes very little for kids to start yellin''. Perhaps just da slightest nudge.

 

Songs... seems like yeh put your finger on it, Gunny. Whose songs are they singin''? The adults'' songs? Or their own?

 

Close as I can figure from watchin'', adults start belting out some of their old camp favorites assuming that''s what kids these days will like. To kids, that''s the equivalent of trying to get them to do a waltz at a rock concert.

 

If they''re singin'' Metallica and Weird Al and the theme songs from SpongeBob and the Sopranos, then we adults should be singin'' Metallica and Weird Al and bellowin'' SpongeBob Squarepants right along with them, while doing our best Tony Soprano act. Kumbaya or some other old 1970s camp favorite ain''t goin'' to do it for ''em.

 

Same deal with skits.

 

Close as I can tell, on average the adult-typical scouting songs and skits are about 3 years too immature for the age bracket of Scouting kids, and not part of current kid culture. It''s usually an adult-run thing.

 

Beavah

 

[hot_foot_eagle]

On patrol yells: Most patrol yells are, IMO, too long. Demonstrate the proper use off hooah (oo-rah in your case?)and I think they''re more likely to come around.

[Stosh]

I teach my boys that the patrol ID, flag and yell are just as important of a Tfoot requirement as the Buddy System.

 

When the troop is to gather for any reason, the APL''s grab up their flag, move to a clear spot and begin their yell and wave their flag. Each flag and yell identifies to the patrol members where they are to gather to form up the patrol to fall in with the troop/set up camp/gather for an activity/whatever else patrols do.

 

It has a functional purpose if used correctly can facilitate a lot of wandering around looking for patrol members when something has to be organized.

 

Once the boys realize it''s importance and purpose and quit looking at it as a joke, they use it just like a troop bugler uses his bugle calls for the troop.

 

If a troop as 5-8 patrols and need to form up for the opening flag ceremony, I would think a system of patrol yells/flags would facilitate that process quite a bit.

 

Stosh

[Aquila]

>>If they''''re singin'''' Metallica and Weird Al and the theme songs from SpongeBob and the Sopranos, then we adults should be singin'''' Metallica and Weird Al and bellowin'''' SpongeBob Squarepants right along with them

[mtm25653]

OUr troop sings Scout Vespers at the end of every meeting (and have for at least the past 15 years) - I think that makes the idea of singing more acceptable. They sing all sorts of songs at campouts and my 16yo son says they do skits even more often.

 

Do you have anyone who plays guitar/mandolin/banjo/fiddle who can play at the campfire for the scouts to sing along?

 

My sons sing on the trail while backpacking, the millions of folk songs/sea shanties their dad taught them, and they have taught many of them to the other boys in the troop.

 

The SM and a scout wrote a song when they were at PHilmont, and sang it for the troop at the next court of honor.

 

So how do you get the boys to sing? By singing.

[Eamonn]

I really enjoy a good campfire.

Years back Gilwell Park offered a Campfire Leader Programme, which I attended and had a lot of fun at.

Most of the people in our Council know that I''m willing to join in the fun of a Campfire and do a better than fair job of running one.

Not sure if the Scouts pick up on it? But I''ve never had a problem with Scouts wanting to participate.

We also have a lot of fun just singing.

When we are driving I''m happy to let the Scouts plug their i-pods or whatever into the music system (Just spent over $600.00 updating!!) Man you should hear us belt out Bohemian Rhapsody !!

Seems that every year at summer camp one song seems to be "The Song" last year it was Ring Of fire. Not sure how or why.

Have to admit that I never did get into Patrol Yells, in fact I think they are a little silly.

Even at Training''s they tend to come off as being a bit of a joke.

As I have posted before I''m not keen on the idea of Adult Patrols and the idea of a group of adults having a "Patrol Yell" Just seems really silly.

Must be one of my little quirks.

As for the idea of some music being above?? And some being below?? I can see that I''m not going to sing along with Gun runners by 50 Cent. I do however wonder if a song like Chamillionaire''s "Ridin''" is making a statement? Is this the way inner-city African-American see the police?

While many of us might not like the lyrics if we choose to not try and understand them and why they are saying what they say will we ever be able to be as diverse as we want to be or should be?

 

Ea.

 

[local1400]

Are the kids today still listening to Metallica? I saw them live in 1989, at an age when I knew everything. Still can''t get that ringing out of my head. Or maybe it is the thought reader the aliens installed humming away.

[Gunny2862]

Thanks for the input!

 

The troop has several Instrumentalists (Several Electric guitarists , Cellist and I think a Violinist) but no one who feels comfortable unleashing a vocal - of just about anything except classic rock. Or if someone else is talking Yes Metallica, Ozzy, any not current band where the guitar was still out front - these kids actually listen to Tyrannosaurus Rex, one has an "Album" and Turntable.

 

Well, I guess it sounds like if they aren''t naturally inclined to camp songs, patrol yells etc. I''ve just got to do it until it is emulated. Assuming I should be guiding them into it? And yes, competition should help.

 

That is a great idea on the patrol flag; essentially a guidon(in terms I understand). We have only used them in the past at camp and to designate patrol areas on campouts. I bet that''s how they were intended to be used.

 

I''ll take more input if you''ve got it.

 

[highcountry]

Although I wouldn''t go as far to have the troop do Sopranos or metalica or Weird Al songs, our scouts have not been motivated to be involved in many sing alongs as the majority of the songs they hear at large camps and the like are extremely lame, out of date and well below their age group. In the past our troop had no motivation towards songs, yells or skits. Since I built the troop up, we have some that are inclined toward these things, competition with out of state troops and setting some traditions have made these things of interest to others. They are taking a self directed interest in this and it is becoming a project theme to base some patrol meetings around. What I have shown them is that we don''t have to be stuck with lame stuff. I have passed along some examples of the kind of stuff we used to sing in the seventies that I found on Mac Scouter (The Gross songs are a particular favorite) My son plays Guitar so that adds a dimention. They created a troop song at summer camp this year (OK, not great, it was made up in one evening) but they are looking to classic songs to base some well planned troop and patrol songs. While they don''t want to have anything to do with the silly lame stuff, they have found something fun that lies somewhere before Wier Al and Metallica and the adult leaders enjoy participating wqhen the stuff is better and motivates participation. To try and push cub scout level stuff that dates from traditions from the flapper era is going to cause them to continue to dis-like participating.

[Hunt]

One suggestion on yells: I think the patrol is more likely to use the yell if it creates its own, as opposed to inheriting a traditional old yell that may be "lame." This may result in a goofy yell, but it can still contribute to esprit.