The rudeness of some people
- Thread starter User
- Start date
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"Thanks for your interest, but the troop has been restarted on a volunteer-led limited trial basis and no further applicants are being accepted at this time. If and when the situation changes we will publish the news more widely "
In software projects the more succint answer is "we're taking patches", but the equivalent here is "are you offering to help?" and it sounds like she may not be the kind of person you'd want helping
In software projects the more succint answer is "we're taking patches", but the equivalent here is "are you offering to help?" and it sounds like she may not be the kind of person you'd want helping
PaulSB
Squire
- Location
- Chorley, Lancashire
When the kids were younger I volunteered at the local youth club. It was heavily oversubscribed with a long waiting list. Eventually it was split on age groups and open 6.00pm to 10.00pm on Fridays. A big commitment.
The two basic rules on membership were clearly stated, priority was given to children whose parents volunteered and both child and parent had to sign a form committing to club rules, in particular the one relating to behaviour standards.
Sounds a bit heavy but it worked, and still does, very well.
The two basic rules on membership were clearly stated, priority was given to children whose parents volunteered and both child and parent had to sign a form committing to club rules, in particular the one relating to behaviour standards.
Sounds a bit heavy but it worked, and still does, very well.
asterix
Comrade Member
- Location
- Limoges or York
Write back suggesting she starts her own branch. Of Hitler Youth.
Haitch
Flim Flormally
- Location
- Netherlands
Sounds like poor communication to me. Should you not have first informed all parents of the situation and your plans before selecting 12 members? Then the mother would not have had to rely on second-hand, probably incomplete and incorrect information (gossip). A polite response (copied to other parents) outlining the difficulties might be enough to unruffle some feathers.
Sh4rkyBloke
Jaffa Cake monster
- Location
- Manchester, UK
Dear Mrs F*ckwit,
Yes, we have started a clandestine group under the pretence that it is part of the Scouting organisation. In actual fact it is me and a group of talented young individuals who will be roaming the streets clad in black and stealing cars parked on pavements, and shooting drivers on the phone whilst driving.
As your Son is woefully inadequate with a rifle and couldn't smash a car window with his head when asked during the testing procedure, he did not make the grade and is not allowed to be part of our little group.
I'm sorry he is a letdown to you and your family, but hey, at least he can stay at home and keep you company while we take your badly parked BMW apart.
Your sincerely,
Mr Maggot.
Yes, we have started a clandestine group under the pretence that it is part of the Scouting organisation. In actual fact it is me and a group of talented young individuals who will be roaming the streets clad in black and stealing cars parked on pavements, and shooting drivers on the phone whilst driving.
As your Son is woefully inadequate with a rifle and couldn't smash a car window with his head when asked during the testing procedure, he did not make the grade and is not allowed to be part of our little group.
I'm sorry he is a letdown to you and your family, but hey, at least he can stay at home and keep you company while we take your badly parked BMW apart.
Your sincerely,
Mr Maggot.
ELL
Über Member
- Location
- Outside your window looking in
[QUOTE 1259913"]
I made it clear, we would start with 12 boys, and build it up as our confidence grew. .
[/quote]
Sounds to me like he made the situation clear. If parents don't want to take notice of this they are in no place to complain after. Also if he is volunteering I see it that he has the right to choose who the 12 kids are and who he tells about starting up again and when he tells them. If it was me I would choose my own kids (if I had any) their friends and the best of the bunch from before. This will make volunteering more of a joy and set the standards for other kids coming in. Also should make it easier to find a full time leader to take over a good well behaved group and take more kids on as and when they want.
Arch
Married to Night Train
- Location
- Salford, UK
But to whom? If this woman heard about it from another parent, then either she has a lousy memory, or it was not made clear to her. If User76 made it clear to Scout authorities, and then selected 12 lads, or they selected 12 for him, then how is this woman to know? I agree, her manner is not good, but she can't be expected to just know stuff if there was no communication that she received.
If it's been announced widely to the relevant community, and she just hasn't listened or read about it, then that's her lookout.
Good on you for volunteering.
I suggest you reply saying that "numbers are limited due to a lack of adult help. Please contact the district commisioner for details of Scout groups in the area who may be able to offer your child a place."
One of the reasons there is a national shortage of Scout places is parents with her atttitude.
As other have said I would get a Parent behaviour charter drawn up and make everyone sign it.
Good luck with it, I hope some more people follow your lead and step in to help.
I suggest you reply saying that "numbers are limited due to a lack of adult help. Please contact the district commisioner for details of Scout groups in the area who may be able to offer your child a place."
One of the reasons there is a national shortage of Scout places is parents with her atttitude.
As other have said I would get a Parent behaviour charter drawn up and make everyone sign it.
Good luck with it, I hope some more people follow your lead and step in to help.
PBancroft
Senior Member
- Location
- Winchester
Firestorm
Veteran
- Location
- Southend on Sea
How did this woman get your email address ?
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
I too have taken the reins of a Beaver group - 24 of 6-8 years olds - 50% of whome are a nightmare..........
I volunteered to help about 3 years ago as the leaders were really struggling (parent helper) - 2 full time leaders, stuff in their own lives etc.etc, meant we needed a minimum of 2 - ideally 3. I got involved, but both leaders have had to stand down due to commitments, so I said I'd carry on running it (still not a fully fledged leader - no training etc)....
As part of this I sent letters out to every parent asking for help - no help, no Beavers..... we got 2 parents who could do most weeks and another who would help out if needed - at that age, you just need extra pair's of eyes as little Jim and John start to kick the crap out of each other in the corner as a game is going on.....
I'm getting polite but blunt with new parents now - get folk saying their child has been on the list for months - I explain we are at capacity (24 is the maximum pack size and not 'really recommended' at that age....) and that we have that many on the waiting list that we could start a second pack if we had volunteers.
So, when any one explains, tell them you've got enough kids at the moment, but they are welcome to help out, then we can boost the pack size....
The main thing is, the kids have fun - that's number one, so if you haven't got enough help, you can't keep an eye on them.
Most weeks we have two or three adults, and two 15/16 year old Explorer Scouts - you need it with that many lads.....
I go home with a splitting head, and a sore throat each week - it's that LOUD.
As it stands, I had to close Beavers last week as I had a hospital appointment, and it's likely I'll have to close it for a month when I get my shoulder fixed in Spring - the othr 'parents' don't want the responsibility.
As a group we are very 'inclusive' and have one lad in Cubs (who has recently left Beavers) and a new Beaver with learning difficulties - both similar problems, and need a helper with them.
Despite it being seen as a 'baby sitting service', you do get a lot out of it, and you hope you can make a bit of a difference to the kids.
I volunteered to help about 3 years ago as the leaders were really struggling (parent helper) - 2 full time leaders, stuff in their own lives etc.etc, meant we needed a minimum of 2 - ideally 3. I got involved, but both leaders have had to stand down due to commitments, so I said I'd carry on running it (still not a fully fledged leader - no training etc)....
As part of this I sent letters out to every parent asking for help - no help, no Beavers..... we got 2 parents who could do most weeks and another who would help out if needed - at that age, you just need extra pair's of eyes as little Jim and John start to kick the crap out of each other in the corner as a game is going on.....
I'm getting polite but blunt with new parents now - get folk saying their child has been on the list for months - I explain we are at capacity (24 is the maximum pack size and not 'really recommended' at that age....) and that we have that many on the waiting list that we could start a second pack if we had volunteers.
So, when any one explains, tell them you've got enough kids at the moment, but they are welcome to help out, then we can boost the pack size....
The main thing is, the kids have fun - that's number one, so if you haven't got enough help, you can't keep an eye on them.
Most weeks we have two or three adults, and two 15/16 year old Explorer Scouts - you need it with that many lads.....
I go home with a splitting head, and a sore throat each week - it's that LOUD.
As it stands, I had to close Beavers last week as I had a hospital appointment, and it's likely I'll have to close it for a month when I get my shoulder fixed in Spring - the othr 'parents' don't want the responsibility.
As a group we are very 'inclusive' and have one lad in Cubs (who has recently left Beavers) and a new Beaver with learning difficulties - both similar problems, and need a helper with them.
Despite it being seen as a 'baby sitting service', you do get a lot out of it, and you hope you can make a bit of a difference to the kids.
Firestorm
Veteran
- Location
- Southend on Sea
My Athletic club had similar issues, two nights a weeks dozens of kids would be dropped off for a couple of hours , yet no one would be willing to help, the kids who were mainly there because their parents thought it would be good for them, and they got to pop down the pub, kept mucking about, disrupting the group and spoiling it for the kids who actually wanted to train. It got resolved once it started to affect the Adults training (one kid wandered in front of the Mens sprint group in full flow)
+1. Mrs KH helped out with Beavers for the last three years and the problems are never ending, ranging from a Beaver leader who spent most of her time trying to become a cub leader and so wasn't really interested, same Beaver leader bringing her 'mate' along fully kitted out in uniform even though she had never helped before (later found the two of them had started living together and had kicked her hubbie out), Beaver leader refusing to have a police check (warning bells should be ringing now), parents who want little Johnnie's place to be advanced in the queue 'cos his friend goes to this pack', parents who drop off their kids earlier and earlier and pick them up later and later, parents who leave it until Xmas to pay subs due in September and then pay in 1p and 2p coins out of a bottle, parents who openly criticise you in the playground because their little darling didn't get in ahead of someone else, etc. Nightmare.
