OPKs

[SnuggleBuggles]

The phrase used by my friends for Other People's Kids. Ugh, just came from ds1's Cub Scout meeting and had my fill of OPKs. The most annoying part is their parents are there and their parents are just as badly behaved! It's a requirement that parents stay (every single week) but, goodness gracious, I think that is a bad idea. I think that having parents sign up to come 1-2 times/ month to help run activities would be fine. As it was tonight, I helped run activities and the 6 other moms sat there and loudly talked (as always). Now, why did those other 6 moms need to be there? By 7pm I don't want to deal with OPKs.

Beth

[ladysoapmaker]

Oh my! Is this the tiger den or the entire pack that the parents are there for?

All the packs that we've dealt with if they had a requirement of parents being there it was for the Tiger Den or the full pack meetings. I know with the tigers it was to help their kid with some of the activities. I love our current pack, they just require us to stay at Pack meetings. I know a lot of our parents do stay but they do help out.

I wish you the best of luck and I hope it gets better.

Jen

[SnuggleBuggles]

Webelos. I could understand being there for little ones.

Beth

[ladysoapmaker]

Webelos? As you said I would understand with tigers but Webelos...

They are suppose to be working on transitioning to Boy Scouts so they are suppose to be working independently with guidence from the den leader and a helper. I think having mom or dad there especially if they are not helping would be more of a distraction.

I am so sorry that you have to deal with this. The nice thing is if your son is in Webelos 1 and you can get you son to accelerate his working on badges by the time he's done with 4th grade he can transition over to a boy scout troop so you don't have to deal with it. (several of our webelos last year did that as their families were pcs'ing and they didn't want to have to finish webelos with a new pack).

Jen

[g-mama]

My oldest ds did Cub Scouts in 3rd grade for half a year and we dropped out. Dealing with OPKs each week (yes, we had to stay, too) was a PITA and both me and my ds had had enough. The 3rd grade boys in this group were so badly behaved...it was a nightmare. Even my ds, who is full of energy and spunk, was annoyed by their complete disregard for rules, respect and politeness. The leader couldn't keep the boys under control and things were always badly disorganized and ill-planned. Each group is run very differently, but this one was a BAD fit.

[mommylamb]

I totally thought you were having problems with ovulation predictor kits...

[♥ms.pacman♥]

I totally thought you were having problems with ovulation predictor kits...

:yeahthat: LOL this is exactly what i thought too when i saw the subject line!!

[Melanie]

I was thinking ovulation predictor kits too! LOL.

It sounds to me that it's not just OPKs that are the problem, but OPKParents, too.

[BabyBearsMom]

OPK = Ovulation Predictor Kits to me. I was a little confused at first, :ROTFLMAO:

[SnuggleBuggles]

OPK = Ovulation Predictor Kits to me. I was a little confused at first, :ROTFLMAO:
I had some vague memory that it stood for something baby related but couldn't remember. :)

Beth

[SnuggleBuggles]

My oldest ds did Cub Scouts in 3rd grade for half a year and we dropped out. Dealing with OPKs each week (yes, we had to stay, too) was a PITA and both me and my ds had had enough. The 3rd grade boys in this group were so badly behaved...it was a nightmare. Even my ds, who is full of energy and spunk, was annoyed by their complete disregard for rules, respect and politeness. The leader couldn't keep the boys under control and things were always badly disorganized and ill-planned. Each group is run very differently, but this one was a BAD fit.

Exactly! We are going to observe another local group in a few weeks. That leader understood my "fit" concerns and is happy to let us see if their group is better. Problem is ds1 does not want to switch! He think it is just fine. I never knew how well behaved ds1 was until we were in Scouts! I don't know how he can stand those OPKs. Dh and I don't take ds1 to like 90% of the Scout events because of the OPKs. The straw that just pushed me over was last year when a veteran came and the kids interrupted and were badly behaved for him! It was so not what I thought Scouts was supposed to be about.

Beth

[egoldber]

As an assistant Girl Scout leader, I can say that it is MUCH harder to keep the girls in the troop on task and engaged when their parents are there. It is easier when it is just the scout leaders. I know that I find it difficult to "discipline" or re-direct the girls knowing that their parents are right there, especially if I am friends with the parents.

[SnuggleBuggles]

As an assistant Girl Scout leader, I can say that it is MUCH harder to keep the girls in the troop on task and engaged when their parents are there. It is easier when it is just the scout leaders. I know that I find it difficult to "discipline" or re-direct the girls knowing that their parents are right there, especially if I am friends with the parents.

At least last night the parents were out of ear shot and chatting so they didn't notice me "scolding" their kids. I guess that's one good things for those parents...

The leader has been doing this for years and is so set in her ways otherwise I would suggest a rotating schedule of parent volunteers. I think that'd be great!

Beth

[almostamom]

100% agreement here! We have 7 boys in our Tiger Den. I knew them all before we joined. I have taught every last one of them, and I know what their behavior is like at school. I couldn't believe the moms chit chatting away while their kids were being obnoxious. My son was certainly not perfect, but you can bet our eyes met and he got "the look" to straighten up any time he tried to join in the antics with the other boys. I'm hosting our next meeting at our house. The den leader will be gone and he's asked me to lead it. Should be fun.