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Three years cannot come soon enough


jsharr

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1 minute ago, jsharr said:

I hate to say this, but every Monday night from 6 to 10 and then all the other hours and meetings and calls and campouts are starting to take a toll on me.  I love Scouting, but this is a big troop and it is wearing me down.

What kind of contract did you sign?!?!?!

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Boys Scouts in Texas? Ain't nothing but steers and queers in Texas!  :lol: 

 

I remember my Dad was the Pack Master/Leader, forget the term for the lead cub scout guy. Pack meetings, parades, decorating floats, den meetings, all that crap I didn't care for. Seemed every week was nothing but extra chores for me and my brother.  Hated it. Pack 333. :D

I always wondered why the 14 yo group and up was called The Webelos.   Pronounced like We blows.  :lol:

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I'm sure when you undertake a responsibility, you like to make sure it is done well.  But can you rely more on assistants or other parents?   If someone volunteers for a particular task, can you let them handle and not be involved.  There would still be a big time commitment, but maybe some of the "extra hours" could be decreased?

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3 hours ago, jsharr said:

three year committment.  About 1.25 years down and 1.75 to go.  My term will end in May of 2023

Change the commitment.  Do it now.

Modify it to what you can do.  True members of the Scouting community will understand.  If it's important enough to someone within the troop they will readily pick up what you can't do.

And it nobody picks up the slack, then obviously what you stop doing isn't important enough for other people to step up and take over.

Which in turn means that nobody is really going to miss what you aren't doing, when you stop doing it.

Which in turn means you're expending tremendous energy on what what matters little or nothing at all to the rest of the troop.

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3 hours ago, Kirby said:

But can you rely more on assistants or other parents?   If someone volunteers for a particular task, can you let them handle and not be involved. 

Yeah..  when I worked... we had several annual goals.  In January of each year, my first task was to find which of my employees would manage and track a particular goal. That became their task.  I was untimely responsible, but most of the work was done by someone else. 

That said...  I'll assume @jsharr is already doing something like that already.    If not.... Jsharr you need to play the 'A scout needs to be helpful' card, to more than a few people. 

I remember all the calls, emails, etc... after hours for years just for one job, without volunteering for an additional 3 year commitment to another.   That would be difficult at best.  (yeah retirement is nice)

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4 hours ago, Kirby said:

I'm sure when you undertake a responsibility, you like to make sure it is done well.  But can you rely more on assistants or other parents?   If someone volunteers for a particular task, can you let them handle and not be involved.  There would still be a big time commitment, but maybe some of the "extra hours" could be decreased?

I am surrounded by an excellent group of adult volunteers who work just as tirelessly as I do, if not more so.  We have 80 boys in the troop.  3 troop meetings and 1 campout per month, plus courts of honor, flag ceremonies, fund raising, etc 

It is like running a company at times.

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1 hour ago, Thaddeus Kosciuszko said:

Change the commitment.  Do it now.

Modify it to what you can do.  True members of the Scouting community will understand.  If it's important enough to someone within the troop they will readily pick up what you can't do.

And it nobody picks up the slack, then obviously what you stop doing isn't important enough for other people to step up and take over.

Which in turn means that nobody is really going to miss what you aren't doing, when you stop doing it.

Which in turn means you're expending tremendous energy on what what matters little or nothing at all to the rest of the troop.

No need to change it.  Just a very busy month.  It is all worth it when you see the boys learning to lead.  It is really an excellent group of young men.  I feel bad for being tired.  There is no leadership gap and I am not doing all the work.  We have a committe chair, 8 asst scoutmasters who each mentor a patrol leader, two adults who organize logistics for campouts, an adult quartermaster who helps the youth quartermasters maintain the troop equipment, a treasurer, an advancment chair and a team who oversee the Eagle scout candidates.  Like I said, this troop is really like a small company.

Tonight I got to mentor a young man who was having problems dealing with a young scout.  Got to talk about team work, division of labor, the value of peer pressure and a performance based reward system.  Pretty cool stuff to get to talk about with a 14 year old young man.  I actually feel energized tonight after the meeting!

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1 hour ago, jsharr said:

 It is all worth it when you see the boys learning to lead. 

I actually feel energized tonight after the meeting!

There  you have it....  your million dollar bonus for running the company.   

Your positive impact and leadership will be remembered by all, most likely for all of their lives.  

I'd say...  great job...   :party:

Now get some rest you need it

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6 hours ago, Mr Beanz said:

Boys Scouts in Texas? Ain't nothing but steers and queers in Texas!  :lol: 

 

I remember my Dad was the Pack Master/Leader, forget the term for the lead cub scout guy. Pack meetings, parades, decorating floats, den meetings, all that crap I didn't care for. Seemed every week was nothing but extra chores for me and my brother.  Hated it. Pack 333. :D

I always wondered why the 14 yo group and up was called The Webelos.   Pronounced like We blows.  :lol:

TMI

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10 hours ago, jsharr said:

We have a committe chair, 8 asst scoutmasters who each mentor a patrol leader, two adults who organize logistics for campouts, an adult quartermaster who helps the youth quartermasters maintain the troop equipment, a treasurer, an advancment chair and a team who oversee the Eagle scout candidates.

How about an Executive Assistant Scout Master?  If you were to implement that position to take the strain off your current position, future Scout Masters will thank you for doing it.  And it might make it easier for others to fill our roll.

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11 minutes ago, Kzoo said:

How about an Executive Assistant Scout Master?  If you were to implement that position to take the strain off your current position, future Scout Masters will thank you for doing it.  And it might make it easier for others to fill our roll.

I am glad you asked.  What do your Monday evenings look like through, oh say May of 2023?

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2 minutes ago, jsharr said:

I am glad you asked.  What do your Monday evenings look like through, oh say May of 2023?

I'm busy emotionally supporting my friend from Richardson.  It's really hard work doing that deep thought emotional support stuff remotely.  Most people don't understand that.

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6 hours ago, maddmaxx said:

Wishing that time would pass quickly is something you will eventually stop doing. Modifying how that time passes is more constructive.

 

3 hours ago, Rattlecan said:

Yeah, the time passes too quickly on its own without wishing it away.

Maxx is spot on.  Time is infinitely precious, and rushing to get through it (time) is best rarely (never) done.  TK might be right about adjusting the commitment to what you can do - that still helps the troop but also takes into account your time and its limitations and other commitments.  Not easy to do as the urge to meet the commitment & goals you set with good intentions might not make sense anymore to you, your family, or the troop. 

There is always MORE folks want, need, request. Sometimes realizing it isn't something you can shoulder yourself makes you feel bad, but life will go on - good, bad, or indifferent - even if you step away or greatly reduce your efforts.

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Every Monday evening until May of 2027 I will stand at attention in front of Ole Glory with a 3 fingered salute in support of your effort.  I will repeat - "On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law. To help other people at all times, to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight.”

 

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1 minute ago, Kzoo said:

Every Monday evening until May of 2027 I will stand at attention in front of Ole Glory with a 3 fingered salute in support of your effort.  I will repeat - "On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law. To help other people at all times, to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight.”

 

We do flags at 7:05 CST.  Present colors, pledge, dismiss color guard, Scout Oath, Law and Outdoor Code in that order.

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3 minutes ago, jsharr said:

We do flags at 7:05 CST.  Present colors, pledge, dismiss color guard, Scout Oath, Law and Outdoor Code in that order.

8:05 REAL TIME.  Got it.  You can count on me.  I wonder if I can find my old neckerchief and slide.  Pfffft I haven see that in close to 55 years.  I'll fake it with an old bandana and ponytailer.

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5 minutes ago, Kzoo said:

8:05 REAL TIME.  Got it.  You can count on me.  I wonder if I can find my old neckerchief and slide.  Pfffft I haven see that in close to 55 years.  I'll fake it with an old bandana and ponytailer.

I will gladly send you a troop 1001 neckerchief and slide.

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