Issue 633 – March 17, 2020

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Hi Andy,

We have a troop of some one hundred Scouts, all active and involved, and we’re still growing modestly every year. But this year, we gained twenty new Scouts all at once! They crossed over from two different packs and so creating three new-Scout patrols was pretty easy. We’re a Scout-led troop and these new patrols integrated just fine, with some Troop Guides to help out their newly-elected Patrol Leaders (as you might imagine, we have no shortage of leadership-trained Scouts).

This coming weekend, we have a short campout coming up. Along with our other patrols, our three new-Scout patrols will be attending, too. Our Senior Patrol Leader is in charge and he’s backed up by his assistants as well as, of course, all Patrol Leaders. Our Scoutmaster and his assistants will be there, of course, but they stay in the background. They’re there as a “safety net” if needed, but they’re not “in charge” of anything. As I said, that’s our SPL’s job.

So anyway, here’s my question… Several of the new Scouts’ fathers want to go on the campout with their sons. Our Scoutmaster doesn’t want this, even if those fathers camped separately. He feels that, as former “Cub family campers,” these dads are going to want to interfere with how the patrols do their camping, which is always with our youth leaders in charge. His Assistant Scoutmasters—all of whom are former Cub Scout parents—agree with this.

As a member of the troop committee, I understand that we almost always take a back seat to our Scoutmaster when it comes to the actual management of the troop, and we’ve never had and difficulties doing things this way. But several of us, myself included, think there needs to be some leeway on parent attendance at campouts. My own thinking is that, while I’m completely behind our Scout-led, patrol-based troop, I also think that the “education” of new Scout parents in what it means for their sons to be in a troop that—unlike a Cub pack—isn’t run by adults. As I’ve seen you put it, “This isn’t ‘Webelos III’”!

Several of us in the committee don’t think parents should be outright “banned” from coming along as observers, especially on their sons’ first Scout campout. Besides—let’s face reality—it’s ultimately the men who are Scoutmaster and assistants right now who are going to have their sons age out over the next few years. To several of us, it seems that these new dads should be welcomed with open arms and not held at arms-length, because they’re the future of the troop’s support system! If they’re actually saying they’d like to come along, we should be cheering them on!

There’s another factor to consider. Without getting overly “official” about this, it’s BSA policy that parents can be present at any Scout event and cannot be prevented from observing, if this is of interest to them.

So let’s welcome these potential new-parent volunteers who want to join the campout, and use that time to educate them on how the Scouts themselves run the weekend, the values of The Patrol Method, not doing anything for a Scout that he or she can do themselves, and other Scouting “basics.” The idea that parents should be banned or at least strongly discouraged, or by invitation only just doesn’t help the long-term health of the troop!

So there, I’ve said it. If you think we’re making a mistake in pursuing this course of “open” events, please let me know. (Lots of us read your columns, so we’ll all get the message, I promise!) Thanks! (Testy Committee Member, Concilio de Puerto Rico/Puerto Rico Council)

You’re absolutely right—The BSA has always been and remains an open, transparent movement. It’s a national policy that no parent or guardian can be refused if he or she wants to be present at a Scouting event his or her son or daughter is attending. (This even includes boards of review and Order of the Arrow events, although in these instances parents are guardians are cautioned, with full explanations.) Consequently, this troop—no matter how well-intentioned—doesn’t have the authority to refuse parents from attending their Scout’s first camping trip with his new troop.

I couldn’t agree more: Invite these new parents to come along! This is a wonderful beginning to bonding opportunities between the troop’s present and future volunteers!

To accomplish this successfully and in the best interests of the Scouts, simply establish some ground rules in a specially-scheduled parent orientation session.

First, all adults except the Scoutmaster and one Assistant Scoutmaster will camp separately from the Scouts—literally out of sight and out of ear-shot. All of their activities, including cooking and eating, will be carried out separately from the Scouts. Instructions in Scout skills like campsite selection, pitching tents, cooking, clean-up, etc. will only be done Scout-to-Scout, with the Scoutmaster and ASM looking on to assure BSA safety standards are met.

Second, it needs to be made very clear that this isn’t a “family camping opportunity” (if families want to “go camping,” they should be encouraged to do so on weekend the troop isn’t camping). Parents will not try to “show” their sons “how to do things right”—this is the responsibility of their Patrol Leaders, Scout Instructors, and Troop Guides, who will coach the newly elected Patrol Leaders while the Senior Patrol Leader runs the whole camp-out, with no direct interference by the Scoutmaster, ASM, or any other adult.

Establish these ground rules, use the “parent campsite” as an opportunity to bond and have some fun while you’re at it, enjoy some good meals and fellowship, and you’ll have accomplished a lot!

These points established, when it comes to the Saturday night troop campfire, parents should definitely be invited to attend and enjoy. (Ground rule: They sit in the back and don’t interfere with the Scouts’ skits and run-ons, and they sing along with the Scouts.) This way, the only time and adult voice will be heard is when the Scoutmaster closes the event with a brief “Scoutmaster’s Minute.”

Follow these guidelines and you’ll be on your way to having a wonderful, fun, and productive weekend!
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Hi Andy,

I just read your column (No. 632—2/10/20) and couldn’t believe how absolutely simple a solution you gave to “discipline” problems! You said, “Just point to the Scout Oath and Law”—of course! I wish I’d had that advice when I first started as Scoutmaster… It would have saved me plenty of grief! (Joe Sefcik, Connecticut Rivers Council)

Well how about that! Although that’s not the first time in the past 19 years that that that viewpoint has come up, I’m glad last week hit paydirt for you!

Since you brought it up, you’ve given me an opportunity to mention a little wrinkle about using the Oath and Law as the standard for assessing behavior that’s also sometimes overlooked. Here it is…

Since the Scout Law states that “A Scout is…” followed by the twelve points, we sometimes set the yardstick at absolute perfection. Such as, “Charlotte, you know by now that ‘a Scout is obedient’ and you didn’t follow orders one hundred percent.” Oops! Nobody said Charlotte had to be perfect! Let’s look at a vital connection between the Oath and the Law. The Scout Oath begins, “On my honor, I will do my best…to obey the Scout Law,” and then the Law says, “…trustworthy, loyal, and so on.” That do my best part is critical, because everyone—you, me, and all others including Scouts—can really never do more than what our personal best might happen to be. So let’s agree that we’ll do our best to not “ding” a Scout for being a tad less than perfect. Keep in mind that a whole lot of Scouters present and past have defined Scouting as “a place where a young person can mess up and it’s not the end of the world as we know it.” Maybe that says it all.

Happy Scouting!
Andy

Have a question? Facing a dilemma? Wondering where to find a BSA policy or guideline? Write to askandybsa@yahoo.com. Please include your name and council. (If you’d prefer to be anonymous, if published, let me know and that’s what we’ll do.)

Although these columns are copyrighted, any reader has my permission to quote or reproduce any columns or column parts so long as you attribute authorship: “Ask Andy” by Andy McCommish.

[No. 633 – 3/17/2020 – Copyright © Andy McCommish 2020]