Twp Cub Scouts Pack 220

Inactive Cub Scouts tend to have uninvolved parents. It’s important to get parents excited about the program.

Pack meetings and den meetings run more smoothly with more parental involvement BSA does not stand for Baby Sitters of America Leaders can get overwhelmed without help from

parents, which leads to burnout and loss of leaders Leaders can be put at risk if injuries occur and a parent

is not in attendance Parents who participate get more enjoyment out of the

program, too

Many parents attend Cub Scout meetings ready to be involved. Leaders need to find out why they want to participate, and tie that reason to our invitation.

LOVE Parents get involved with their son's Cub Scout program to show him how much they love him.

CHILDHOOD MEMORIES Many parents want their children to have the same Scouting experiences they had as children.

AIMS AND IDEALS Parents want their children to become good citizens with strong moral values, and to be

physically and mentally fit. Scouting helps them to achieve these ideals. STRENGTHEN THE FAMILY

Cub Scouting is structured so that even parents who are super stressed and busy can take advantage of the scouting program to build strong bonds with their children.

RESPECT OF FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS Many parents want to be invited to help. They should feel that they were selected, not recruited.

BE A ROLE MODEL Most parents want to be role models for their children, and volunteering in Scouting is a great

way for a boy to see his parents doing something important for themselves and others. COMMUNITY SERVICE

Many parents want to be more involved in making their communities better.

Stop carrying the ball for everything! It’s normal for a pack to have a few dedicated leaders

who seem to do everything, but eventually they will burn out without help

Give parents a list of specific jobs that need to be done and ask every parent to find ONE that they will do. Some packs have sign-ups in the beginning of the season

and encourage all parents to sign up for at least one job Some packs have parent interest surveys and reach out

to parents directly based on their interests Trust that someone else can do the job right, too!

Require that parents/guardians attend all pack and den meetings/ events/ activities Family is the basis of cub scouting Provides opportunities for parent/child interaction not

possible in other academic and extracurricular activities Helps parents get to know each other and creates lasting

friendships among parents Encourage parents to volunteer

Builds leadership and parenting skills Committees for various events/activities Training opportunities Signups for various duties throughout the year

Plan events and activities that are family friendly!!

Family Camping Day trips (museums, zoos, fire stations) Picnics and pool parties Recreational activities – snow tubing, hiking Athletic events (archery, obstacle courses) New and Exciting opportunities – digging for

fossils, astronomy shows, historical tours Community service

Announcements about upcoming events New Parent Orientation

Open House / Recruitment Night Lion / Tiger Orientation All Parents

Photo Slideshows of past events Training opportunities Friends of Scouting presentations Pinewood Derby Tips Camping Prep Volunteer Opportunities / Committees

Require parents to attend den meetings Have at least 2 den leaders:

One to work with the scouts One to talking with the parents, asking questions and doing

the business of Scouting. This is a time to build relationships with the adult members of the boys’ families.

Enlist parental assistance with meeting plans, set up, clean up, snack duty, etc.

Encourage parents to work on activities with their sons at the meeting and at home

Ask parents to represent the den at committee meetings Parents who are able to contribute their ideas are more likely

to volunteer

Leadership positions Let parents know about upcoming vacancies Have parents “shadow” current leaders to learn jobs

Den representative at Committee Meetings Have parents rotate responsibility each month Can either attend with or in place of den leader

Shopping Assistant Assign someone to pick up supplies for meetings/events

Event Coordinator Assign someone to plan an activity or event

Treasury Assistant Assign someone to assist in collecting payments

Pack Website and Facebook Page Helpful for recruitment purposes

Scoutbook Use to communicate with parents about upcoming events,

meetings, due dates, etc. Parents can see their sons’ rank progress

Flyers / Newsletters Promotes excitement about upcoming events

Parent Orientation Manual Explains parents’ roles and responsibilities

Presentations Useful for keeping parents interested and involved

Sometimes Pack Leaders do everything right, engage the parents, obtain volunteers, and then the responsible parent doesn’t follow through and complete the assigned task.

Option 1: Have a backup plan. Leaders can step in and take over if a job isn’t being completed. Downside – parents may continue to drop the ball because there are no

repercussions. (Negative reinforcement.)

Option 2: Let the ball drop. It only takes once canceled outing to get their attention. If the parents see you are serious about it, they may be more likely to step in and help next time around. Downside – scouts suffer because the event is cancelled.

Option 2: Status updates. Leaders can check in with parents to see if tasks are being completed, if help is needed, etc. Downside –parents could become annoyed and feel they aren’t being

trusted, but if handled correctly, this is usually the best option.

If you create a fun and well-organized program, parents will be more likely to WANT to participate with their children. Most parents have a ton of competing priorities, but

they also love their kids and want them to get the best out whatever they do.

If you have a great program of education mixed with adventure, parents will be more likely to take an interest in the program and want to participate.

Remember, the most important job for us as leaders is to get other parents involved in Cub Scouting, too

Questions?