Welcome to Boy Scouts: An open letter to new parents

2/29/2008 (Yes it was leap day)

“Monday was Conner’s first Boy Scout Meeting and it was fun for him and hard on me. I felt pretty useless. Well it was only day one.I am just not ready for Conner to grow up and not want me around him as much anymore. I love spending time with and him that seems to not be point of Boy Scouts. It is just going to take some time to get used to it.”

This was my journal entry from five years ago as my son crossed over from Webelos to Boy Scouts.

Now is the season of crossovers as Scouts around the country leave the world of Cub Scouts and join the exciting and very different world of Boy Scouts. I was the Webelos Den Leader and very active with my son. I was also used to being the guy in charge and the person at the center of attention. Suddenly I found myself mostly wandering around the hall wondering what the heck I was to do now.

Thankfully, the adults of the Troop took some time to bring me in the fold and explain the world of the boy led Troop. They explained that now was the time to sit back, watch my son grow (from afar) and take some time to find my own niche in the Troop.

I admit it was hard at first but it did not take long to find myself very busy. Meanwhile, my son was off with his New Scout Patrol learning how to be independent and how to be a leader. Yes I did not see him much during campouts this first year. I did see the change in him as his confidence grew knowing he could learn and do great things without his dad hovering over him.

My separation pain truly helped him learn many wonderful lessons he would have never learned with me right at his side.

Since this time, I have seen many moms and dads with that same look and that same frustration that I felt those first few months. Some made the transition well and let the program be the program. They saw their sons grow and learn through the Patrol method and they found their own niche to help on the Troop committee, on campouts and in many other ways.

I have also seen parents that just could not make the transition. They failed to get plugged in and failed to let go. This almost always led to hard feelings, misunderstandings and Scouts either leaving Scouting or joining a Troop with “more parent involvement.”

If you are crossing with your Scout to a real boy led Troop do not fear! There is a place for you to plug in and get busy. Let the program work and your investment will reap rewards in the life of your son that you will see for many years to come.

If you are a veteran adult with parents joining you, take a moment to remember how you felt in those early days and get to know your new folks. They may not express it overtly but chances are that they are far more nervous than the kid about being a new Scout. Your friendly hello and happy advice will make them feel at home and perhaps just might save a future leader from leaving.

Welcome to Boy Scouts! You are in for many years of great fun!

Wrapping up Woodbadge

My time as a Troop Guide for Woodbadge Course 1017 officially came to a close a couple of weeks ago. In some ways it seems like eons ago since the actual course and in some ways it seems just like yesterday. I am proud to have had the great privilege to be the Troop Guide for the Owl Patrol and to have seen them grow together as a team during the course. Next, I saw the Owls put their learning into practice through the implementation of their goals (Tickets).


In my non- Scouting life I am a Human Resource Development manager (training) for Sprint. I therefore speak from many years of training experience when I say that Woodbadge is a leadership development course on par or better than any course you will find in corporate America. I wish that during my tenure as a leadership trainer I would have had at my disposal courses that teach theory(weekend one), practice application(weekend two) and then had the participants show effective use of the training out in the real world(Tickets) with accountability for successful completion. Scouters get all of this and more with Woodbadge.

I wonder if any other non-profit organization has as great and effective training as does the Boy Scouts of America. We are fortunate indeed.

It is my hope that the Owls and others of SR 1017 will take the many lessons from Woodbadge and will continue to apply them in practice to benefit Scouting, their family, and their professional life. I know as a Troop guide, I personally took away experiences that have helped me grow. Truly life is a process of continual learning.

Good Luck Owls and all the participants of SR 1017. Thank you for taking such a commitment for to improve your effectiveness as Scout volunteers and as mentors to the next generation.

Reflections

I spent some time this morning looking over my presentations and preparing for my final weekend of Wood Badge as a Troop Guide. What a wonderful experience overall this has been. Truly we do get more out of teaching than we do from the receiving process.

Wood Badge has refreshed my knowledge and passion around this great program we all have the privilege to give so much of our time. There is so much potential in each of us to make a difference in the lives of the youth and the adults we encounter. I see this difference playing out as selfless and positive most of the time. There are other times when I see it as selfish and negative. And finally, there are times I see it with no impact at all due to passivity and apathy.

Whether you have been to Wood Badge or not, I hope that from time to time you will challenge yourself to deeply review the Aims and Methods of Scouting. Measure yourself and your program by this as well as the Oath and Law. If you do, I know you will leave this time of reflection refocused on why you are here and the positive potential you have to impact generations.

YIS

David

Headed back to Gilwell

Looks like I am going to be a Troop Guide for the Spring 2010 Woodbadge Course. I am excited to be a small part of this first class training program. I enjoyed my experience a couple of years ago as a participant but I have always known that you learn even more by teaching.
The next few months are going to be hard with a lot of sacrifice of time and a lot of effort. My prayers start now that our session and our staff will make a real difference in the lives of those who participate and in turn in the lives of the youth they serve.
Stay tuned here to the Ol' OKCScouter blog and I will keep you up to date on my Journey and I will be seeking the advice of those who have served on staff in the past. It is going to be a lot of fun!
Have you been a Troop Guide on a Woodbadge Staff? Did you enjoy the experience?