{"id":2585,"date":"2020-03-17T17:56:37","date_gmt":"2020-03-17T21:56:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/?p=2585"},"modified":"2020-03-17T18:42:05","modified_gmt":"2020-03-17T22:42:05","slug":"issue-633-march-17-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/2020\/03\/issue-633-march-17-2020\/","title":{"rendered":"Issue 633 \u2013 March 17, 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"

________________________________________
\nHi Andy,<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

We have a troop of some one hundred Scouts, all active and involved, and we\u2019re 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\u2019re 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).<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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\u2019s 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\u2019re there as a \u201csafety net\u201d if needed, but they\u2019re not \u201cin charge\u201d of anything. As I said, that\u2019s our SPL\u2019s job.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

So anyway, here\u2019s my question\u2026 Several of the new Scouts\u2019 fathers want to go on the campout with their sons. Our Scoutmaster doesn\u2019t want this, even if those fathers camped separately. He feels that, as former \u201cCub family campers,\u201d 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\u2014all of whom are former Cub Scout parents\u2014agree with this.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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\u2019ve 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\u2019m completely behind our Scout-led, patrol-based troop, I also think that the \u201ceducation\u201d of new Scout parents in what it means for their sons to be in a troop that\u2014unlike a Cub pack\u2014isn\u2019t run by adults. As I\u2019ve seen you put it, \u201cThis isn\u2019t \u2018Webelos III\u2019\u201d!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Several of us in the committee don\u2019t think parents should be outright \u201cbanned\u201d from coming along as observers, especially on their sons\u2019 first Scout campout. Besides\u2014let\u2019s face reality\u2014it\u2019s 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\u2019re the future of the troop\u2019s support system! If they\u2019re actually saying they\u2019d like to come along, we should be cheering them on!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

There\u2019s another factor to consider. Without getting overly \u201cofficial\u201d about this, it\u2019s BSA policy that parents can be present at any Scout event and cannot be prevented from observing, if this is of interest to them.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

So let\u2019s 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 \u201cbasics.\u201d The idea that parents should be banned or at least strongly discouraged, or by invitation only just doesn\u2019t help the long-term health of the troop!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

So there, I\u2019ve said it. If you think we\u2019re making a mistake in pursuing this course of \u201copen\u201d events, please let me know. (Lots of us read your columns, so we\u2019ll all get the message, I promise!) Thanks! (Testy Committee Member, Concilio de Puerto Rico\/Puerto Rico Council)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

You\u2019re absolutely right\u2014The BSA has always been and remains an open, transparent movement. It\u2019s 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\u2014no matter how well-intentioned\u2014doesn’t have the authority to refuse parents from attending their Scout\u2019s first camping trip with his new troop.<\/span><\/p>\n

I couldn\u2019t 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!<\/span><\/p>\n

To accomplish this successfully and in the best interests of the Scouts, simply establish some ground rules in a specially-scheduled parent orientation session.<\/span><\/p>\n

First, all adults except the Scoutmaster and one Assistant Scoutmaster will camp separately from the Scouts\u2014literally 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.<\/span><\/p>\n

Second, it needs to be made very clear that this isn\u2019t 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”\u2014this 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.<\/span><\/p>\n

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!<\/span><\/p>\n

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.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Follow these guidelines and you’ll be on your way to having a wonderful, fun, and productive weekend!<\/span>
\n==========<\/span>
\nHi Andy,<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

I just read your column (No. 632\u20142\/10\/20) and couldn\u2019t believe how absolutely simple a solution you gave to \u201cdiscipline\u201d problems! You said, \u201cJust point to the Scout Oath and Law\u201d\u2014of course! I wish I\u2019d had that advice when I first started as Scoutmaster\u2026 It would have saved me plenty of grief! (Joe Sefcik, Connecticut Rivers Council)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Well how about that! Although that\u2019s not the first time in the past 19 years that that that viewpoint has come up, I\u2019m glad last week hit paydirt for you!<\/span><\/p>\n

Since you brought it up, you\u2019ve given me an opportunity to mention a little wrinkle about using the Oath and Law as the standard for assessing behavior that\u2019s also sometimes overlooked. Here it is\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

Since the Scout Law states that \u201cA Scout is\u2026\u201d followed by the twelve points, we sometimes set the yardstick at absolute perfection. Such as, \u201cCharlotte, you know by now that \u2018a Scout is obedient\u2019 and you didn\u2019t follow orders one hundred percent.\u201d Oops! Nobody said Charlotte had to be perfect<\/em>! Let\u2019s look at a vital connection between the Oath and the Law. The Scout Oath begins, \u201cOn my honor, I will do my best<\/em><\/strong>\u2026to obey the Scout Law,\u201d and then the Law says, \u201c\u2026trustworthy, loyal, and so on.\u201d That do my best<\/em> part is critical, because everyone\u2014you, me, and all others including Scouts\u2014can really never do more than what our personal best<\/em> might happen to be. So let\u2019s agree that we\u2019ll do our best<\/em> to not \u201cding\u201d 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 \u201ca place where a young person can mess up and it\u2019s not the end of the world as we know it<\/em>.\u201d Maybe that says it all.<\/span><\/p>\n

Happy Scouting!<\/strong><\/em><\/span>
\nAndy<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

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\u2019d prefer to be anonymous, if published, let me know and that\u2019s what we\u2019ll do.)<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

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: \u201cAsk Andy\u201d by Andy McCommish.<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

[No. 633 \u2013 3\/17\/2020 \u2013 Copyright \u00a9 Andy McCommish 2020]<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

________________________________________ Hi Andy, We have a troop of some one hundred Scouts, all active and involved, and we\u2019re 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\u2019re a Scout-led troop and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2585","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2585","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2585"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2585\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2589,"href":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2585\/revisions\/2589"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2585"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2585"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/netcommissioner.com\/askandy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2585"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}