Question about Boy Scouts & camping trips?

Question

I've been heavily involved with my son in Scouts since he was 6; I'm a trained leader, have served on committee, raised money, worked my tail off, volunteered for EVERYTHING. Now he's a BOY SCOUT & I went on one campout in August - I also have an 8 year old daughter, who has served as "mascot" from the time she was 2. The mother of one of the scouts approached me & say she doesnt' want me or my daughter to go on anymore camping trips; now that they are BOY SCOUTS it's not supposed to be girls involved. Her reasoning "if my son wants to step behind a tree to take a leak, he doesn't want to have to worry about where your daughter is". (her words) I don't think that's a sufficient excuse; I supervise & help, I contribute $ & food, time & energy. My daughter stays with me, not the Scouts. She doesn't interfere or get in their stuff. So am I wrong for being upset? This woman has never gone on a camping trip, she does nothing. Do I let one woman interfere or should I back down & stay home?

All of the places we've gone have been public - none of them could step behind a tree to "take a leak" anyhow. & I'm not concerned about my daughters' safety; I would NEVER place her in a situation where she could be compromised in any way, she stays with me at all times. There've been times where if I didnt' go along the adult/camper ratio wouldn't have been met & the trip would've been cancelled.

Oh, & I've been asked to attend the trips, I was "invited" - I didn't just go along for the grins & giggles. At my age, sleeping on the ground loses quite a bit of its appeal & is not the high light of the trip!

Answer 1

Did you forget all about me Pumpkin? After you walked out on my my whole life flipped upside down...I figured you would be busy but here you are asking questions and yet I have't heard anything from you. Why Pumpkin? You know how much trouble I've gotten into lately. You left me hanging at a very difficult time. I'm heartbroken.

Answer 2

In the end it is up to the Scoutmaster to decide if your daughter goes on these trips. Remember that Boyscouts is just that, for boys. It is meant as a place where boys can spend time together and learn skills. The important thing is making sure that everyone else is OK with it. Your daughter is the right age to begin a Girl Scouts program, but remember you only have 24 hours in a day. One of the things I really liked about Boy Scouts is that some weekends I went and hung out with friends in the woods, and my family was doing their own thing.

If they continue to be interested in scouting you should look in to the Venture program when they are both 14. It is a co-ed program that is part of the Boy Scouts of America. All activities are done with both boys and girls. It is slightly different from Boy Scouts as there are no Merrit Badges and it is leadership is done by the kids not the adults. If they still like camping together when they are older, then Venturing may be the right program.

Answer 3

I was in Boy Scouts as a kid, and I have been a Scoutmaster in the past. I have never seen a mother accompany the boy scouts on campouts after the have cleared Webelos. However, I know that there are (some) female merit badge counselors at some of the camps here in Colorado.

What it really comes down to is this: are you a leader in the troop? If so, then you have every right to be at the camp outs. If not, then by all means continue to support your son and his troop, but let the Scoutmasters handle the campouts.