For Adults - Parents, Let Them Struggle
| Category: | For Adults |
|---|---|
| Props: | A Scout backpack (optional) |
| Notes: | For new-family orientation, the first parent meeting of the year, or a parent briefing before a first campout. Explains why the program lets young people struggle and lead. Pairs with for-adults-the-patience-of-youth-led for adult leaders. Part of a series for adult audiences - see the other minutes in this category. |
Welcome, parents. I want to tell you something now so it doesn't surprise you later.
Your child is going to struggle in this program. They're going to forget their rain jacket and be wet for a while. They're going to help cook a meal that doesn't turn out great. They're going to have a patrol leader who's twelve years old and still learning how to lead. Sometimes they'll come home tired, frustrated, and a little bit dirty.
And we're going to let that happen. On purpose.
(Hold up the backpack, if you have one.) Here's an example. The night before a campout, it's very tempting to pack your child's backpack for them. You'll do it faster, and you'll do it right. Please don't. Give them the gear list and let them pack it. If they forget something, they'll be uncomfortable for a little while, safely, and they'll never forget it again.
Scouting is one of the few places left where young people get to make real decisions, try things that are hard, and fail in small, safe ways, with adults nearby to keep them safe but not to fix everything. That's how confidence is built. Not by being told they're capable, but by finding out for themselves.
Safety is never negotiable. If something isn't safe, we step in, every time. But short of that, we're going to let them lead, and stumble, and figure it out.
It's hard to watch sometimes. Trust the process. A year from now, you won't believe what they can do.