The role of Parents is to be supportive of the Troop's efforts and to provide the atmosphere their sons need to learn and excel.

Encourage Participation

A successful Scouting experience requires your son’s active participation. Before each camping trip, the Patrols plan meals, share chores, and participate in activities such as campfire skits. On the trips, the Patrols execute those plans. A boy can gain the benefits of the program only if he plays an active roll in his Patrol. An active role implies regular attendance at meetings and weekend activities. Help your son to be active. Encourage him to keep dates open for Troop activities. A Scout that is assuming a leadership position must make an even greater commitment. But with so many other distractions in modern day life, Parents are expected to give their sons an occasional helpful push.

Stay Informed

The Troop frequently gives Scouts important information to their Parents. This is not a seamless process, so we supplement it with electronic mail that we expect the Parents to read. Still, the best way for Parents to keep up, and thereby be able to help their sons, is to come in at the start of the Troop Meetings for the opening announcements and to look over the bulletin boards. Parents are also expected to be aware of the Troop calendar.

Conduct

Parents are expected to read their son’s Boy Scout Handbook and understand the purpose and methods of Scouting. They should be familiar with the Scout Laws and Troop conduct guidelines and require their son to follow them. Parents should also set a good example through their own conduct.

All Troop members are also expected to follow safety requirements and avoid endangering themselves and others.

Meetings

Parents are expected to help their sons get to meetings and activities on time and in the proper uniform. It is the Parent’s responsibility to provide a complete uniform for the Scout, including the proper placement of all patches.

Parents should not leave their sons at an activity without the presence of an Adult Leader. Likewise, the Adult Leaders will not leave at the conclusion of an activity until all boys are picked up by their parent or guardian.

Parents are expected to pick their sons up promptly at the completion of a meeting or activity. We make every effort to complete meetings on time and return from outings within the specified time window. Promptness in picking up your son allows the volunteer leaders to get home to their families.

Parents should also be prepared, upon notification, to pick up their sons at an activity location if the Adult Troop Leader determines that the Scout must be sent home.

Outings

Parents are also responsible for transporting their sons to campouts. Carpools will be coordinated by the Leader in charge of the outing wherever possible; however, the ultimate responsibility will lie with the Parents. All carpool drivers must carry liability insurance of at least $50,000 (each person), $100,000 (each accident) and $50,000 (property damage). All riders must wear seat belts while traveling as required by California law.

Parents and Adult Leaders must provide updated information about their vehicle(s) and associated insurance to the Troop annually. All drivers who take Scouts in their vehicle must be 21 years of age or older, on all Troop outings, no exceptions.

Summer Camp

The Troop attends a Summer Camp each year. Depending upon the camp location, the cost can be several hundred dollars per Scout, which includes meals. This expense can be offset by the Scout’s participation in fund raising events throughout the year. Summer Camp is not only a great deal of fun; it offers the Scout a chance to earn merit badges and to complete certain other requirements for Advancement in rank. It is very beneficial for Scouts to attend, particularly in the first year. It is not unusual for first-year boys to come away with their Tenderfoot badge, a good deal of the Second Class requirements, and a jump start on First Class, all within one week. Summer Camp is important and Parents should encourage their son’s attendance.

Medicines

The Adult Leaders need to be made aware of any medicine or drugs that a Scout is taking on any trip. In many cases, the Leaders handle the medicine themselves. As a minimum, medicine should be brought to the attention of the Leaders so they at least know what it looks like and know that a boy is taking it. This can be very important in the event of a medical emergency. All medications should be placed in a Zip Loc bag with written instructions.

Advancement

Parents are expected encourage their sons to work on his Advancement. A Scout who doesn't advance is very likely to become bored and to drop out of Scouting. Praise his efforts, share in the joy of his accomplishments, encourage more, and don't do the work for him.

Parents should familiarize themselves with our administrative procedures for Advancement and helping boys to cope. If the system is confusing or causing a Scout difficulty, Parents should direct his efforts or step in and contact the Troop. The Scoutmaster and Assistant Scoutmasters are willing to discuss problems at any time.

Courts of Honor

Parents should assist their sons with schedule conflicts in order for them to attend Court of Honor Meetings. Parents are also asked to attend Courts of Honor with their sons. It is important to our Scouts that their families share their accomplishments with them. Even if your son is not being recognized, it is important that our "Scouting family" is present for the ones that are being honored.

Dues

Parents are expected to ensure that their sons are current with their dues. Timely payment of dues is important to our operation. When a boy has funds in his account the dues will be automatically withdrawn by the Treasurer. It is the philosophy of the Boy Scouts and this Troop that a boy should pay his own way as much as possible. so we offer several fundraising opportunities throughout the year to enable him. Whether the Parents want to support fundraising efforts or subsidize their son’s participation with direct contributions is a personal choice, but they must ensure that dues are paid on time.

Personal Commitment

Parent participation is essential to the successful operation of an active Troop. Parents must participate actively as uniformed Leaders or as Committee Members if they want their son to succeed in Scouting. Troop records show that most Scouts whose Parents are not involved as Leaders or on the Committee do poorly in Scouting. Troop 88 hopes at least one Parent from every family to be actively involved with the Troop.

Parents are also asked to help as Merit Badge Counselors, Committee Members and participating in Boards of Review. Help is always needed in those areas, on camp-outs, and to provide transportation. Consider investing this extra time in your son.

One final point to stress is the importance of parental participation in the Scouting program. As a Parent, being there to support, encourage, motivate, listen and participate will enrich your son's Scou