https://youtu.be/hh-hyGpeNEA
Is it wrong to offer rewards for desired behavior? Maybe it is, but this bribery trick worked out well in our unit to get the scouts to wear their uniform.
Transcript:
One of the methods of scouting is the uniform. The uniform makes the Scout troop visible as a force for good and creates a positive youth image in the community. Scouting is an action program, and wearing the uniform is an action that shows each Scout’s commitment to the aims and purposes of Scouting.
The uniform can be a bear. Older boys can sometimes rebel against the uniform. Thinking back to my youngest son’s time in scouting and I recall he was one of the ones that would keep his uniform shirt in a tight ball, putting it on as he entered our meeting, because he would refuse to be seen in the uniform.
At the start of this year we has a few of those scouts who would not wear the uniform. No amount of cajoling could get them to wear them to meetings. The current scoutmaster would shake his head and be frustrated with this, as when the younger scouts would see this they would begin to think the same way, and before you know it, there would be a meeting full of ripped jeans and band tshirts.
The uniform is important, it shows a certain amount of respect and commitment to the program that we would like to instill in the program – but it is not a requirement of the program.
One of the things you learn about emotional intelligence is that you can only control your own actions, you can influence others within your direct span of control, and outside of that span, you can’t even influence people.
So, with that in mind, we began offering rewards specific to scouts in uniforms. We began to bribe them.
While I can’t specifically bribe you, as you watch my ScoutmasterDave videos, I will say that clicking that subscribe button encourages me to keep making these videos for you! So please do it not. I’ll wait.
Now on with the story. The first week we did this the scoutmaster bought full size Hershey bars. Anyone in full uniform got a chocolate. Six boys did not get a treat that week, but they got the message real quick.
At the end of the meeting, we let them know this might happen again. We didn’t offer any bribe the next week, but guess what, a few more of the boys found where their uniforms were hidden.
The next week I brought in ring dings. Now we were down to 2 that did not get the tasty treat that week. A few weeks later I brought in marshmallow peeps. Guess what? Everyone got themselves a peep.
No arguments, no excuses, but now they all wear their uniform for the cost of some chocolate and confections.
Take what you like and leave the rest, and as we say in Woodbadge, feedback is a gift, leave yours below in the comments, with the hope we can all learn together.
I’m Scoutmaster Dave, and this was an exploration of bribery in scouting.
