jaffolder Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 How do you deal with a SM that says "now I remember why I hate riding with Scouts" before we even got on the bikes for a ride? The only thing the scouts were doing was making sure they had everything tight and filling water bottles. He also asked one scout "hey ______ is this your crap?" Why couldn't he just say is this your stuff? I've had a few run-ins with him about merit badge requirements and other issues. He thinks he is the king of the troop and everybody else has to bow to him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basementdweller Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 Sounds like he could use a weekend off. Been there done that..... One of the adults should have gave him the day off......Put an arm around his shoulder, slipped him $20 and said take the wife out for a nice dinner, da troop will get along today with out you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaffolder Posted October 3, 2012 Author Share Posted October 3, 2012 It's gotten to the point I've thought about pulling my son out of that troop and moving to another one. We have probably 5 within 5 miles of each other. The only reason I haven't yet is he is friends with a lot of the kids in the troop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeattlePioneer Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 Sounds like it might be a case of Scoutmaster burn out. Does your troop have other people helping out, or is he likely to be feeling trapped in the job with no one to turn to, lean on or take over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deaf Scouter Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 Or a Case that he doesn't even realize what he is saying or sounding like. I'd kind say under my breath... Hmmm, I thought I 'Scouter' was courteous. Or Scouters practice what they preach in the Scout Law.. courteous. Make it innocent, reflection where the Scouter (SM) hears it but not the scouts. For those that don't know Scouters are adult leaders. One that been around for a long time would know this term. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaffolder Posted October 3, 2012 Author Share Posted October 3, 2012 We have probably 1 ASM for every scout in the troop. It was just this camporee 2 leaders took some scouts hiking and it was left to him and I to take the others biking. Unfortunately it was the same weekend as the Cub Family Camp so the ASM that likes to bike was with his son at that camp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaffolder Posted October 3, 2012 Author Share Posted October 3, 2012 We have probably 1 ASM for every scout in the troop. It was just this camporee 2 leaders took some scouts hiking and it was left to him and I to take the others biking. Unfortunately it was the same weekend as the Cub Family Camp so the ASM that likes to bike was with his son at that camp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle732 Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 Lots of ASMs doesn't equal lots of help. Sounds like burn out. Happens, especially when the SM ends up doing the CC job too. Maybe he needs some help, ever consider signing up? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basementdweller Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 Have a troop in our district just like that.... They have a roster of 110 and 60 active. They have an ASM corp of 26 adults and on many outings the adults out number the youth. Despite those numbers the SM is the man and runs a one man show, don't know if it by choice or the other ASM's are busy man scouting. The ASM's hang together in what I will call an adult man scout Troop, why a troop instead of Patrol because there is 20 of them on a campout. folder, go see if the grass is greener at the other troops, there is no harm in it. But why don't you step up and help out the current SM, Get Trained and become his right hand man. Someone he can count on to over see meetings, day events and other outings so he can have some personal time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stosh Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 Ever consider using the Patrol Method and having the boys pick up the heavy lifting in the troop? Any troop of 60 active boys will either have a huge cadre of ASM's and a burned out SM, or they will start getting the boys involved in the function of the troop rather than just stand-by participants. This is a case of shooting oneself in the foot and then suffering the consequences of their own making. If this situation is painful, try something else. Anything else! It's got to be better than what is going on presently. What is described here is what happens over and over again in troops throughout the country. No one adult, no matter how well supported, can handle huge numbers of boys. Highly paid professional teachers will all tell you 15-20 is a heavy load. SM's no matter how well trained, just aren't going to pull it off for very long. Burnout is inevitable in this situation. Your best leaders are your boys! Use them as they are supposed to be used, let them lead. Stosh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basementdweller Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 deaf....I am guessing you have never burned out. You go thru the motions, the joy you once found in it is gone. Most times you don't even realize it is happening. So you can spout a boy scout leader is always courteous and respectful, I say bull pucky because they are humans. We have no idea what the SM's circumstance is....He could be having health, family, personal or financial issues.... We have no way of knowing from a parents post Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desertrat77 Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 I concur, the dude is burned out. I've been there myself, at work and scouting. Also concur, the on-the-spot scouting homilies about the scout law won't help. In fact, they will back fire. A open mind and ear, over a cup of coffee, is the first step. No judgment, just listening. If he can be convinced to take a hiatus, good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGreyEagle Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 is it possible the scout he asked " Hey______ is this your crap" and he relate that way, perhaps the scout uses that word often and the scoutmaster was trying to make a point to youth on how it sounds? Perhaps when he articulated his comment on "hating" it was to goose the boys along who could/shoul have done what they were doing earlier and faster? What sort of run ine have you had with his? What were the issues? Not saying you are wrong and the guy is blameless, just would like more information Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beavah Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 Yah, what desertrat and Basement said, eh? Lots of good folks eventually hit da point where Scouting is no longer a service, it's an obligation. An imposition. I've got 26 part-time ASMs who will drive, I've been dealin' with Mrs. Jones' complaints, da fact that da equipment guy didn't get the stuff we need again, Mr. Fred's wanting to talk about his son's grades, two Eagle projects and three Scoutmaster conferences this week, but if I personally don't go on da bike thing this weekend it's going to fail because da only other guy to do it is off with da Cub Scouts. Trust me, da man doesn't think he's king of the troop and everybody else has to bow to him. He thinks he's the guy holdin' everything together and dealing with da dozens of things that nobody else sees, or anticipates, or steps up to help with. Odds are he's right. What do yeh do? Well, first yeh realize that unlike other folks, when he was needed to make an outing run he showed up. He didn't wait to be asked, he viewed it as his obligation. Yeh look past da temporary frustration he's feelin' and yeh recognize that love begins by showin' up. Then yeh get a friend or two of his at some other time to have da conversation with him about burnout and needin' to take some time off. That's hard, eh? Yeh need da right folks. Yeh might need to buy he and his wife a plane ticket. And yeh step up yourself. Beavah Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sentinel947 Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 Support him. If you are not trained yet, then please do so! There are so many behind the scenes things Scoutmasters have to do, and you never realize it until you ask "Hey _____________ can I help with something?" How long has this Scoutmaster been Scoutmaster? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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