Parents Weekend

CadetProgramGuy · August 16, 2007, 12:54:46 AM

Hi All!!

We are considering having a parents weekend, inviting all the parents to come to the WTA, bring a friend, ect...

What activities would you propose we have for the parents?

Stonewall · August 16, 2007, 01:04:45 AM

What's WTA?

CadetProgramGuy · August 16, 2007, 01:11:38 AM

Its an Iowa thing.....Weekend Training Activity. Kinda like drill weekend for ther guard....

Stonewall · August 16, 2007, 01:16:56 AM

Lots of folks disagree with me, but I keep parents as far away from their cadets as possible. The most involvement I allowed was open house nights, graduations and the annual holiday party.

My reasoning is that parents are with their kids a whole bunch more than we are and most of the kids enjoy the 2 hours a week and random weekend away from their parents to do their own thing. I'vd seen cadets' personalities and attitudes change the minute their parents are around. And often times it isn't for the better.

My $.02 cent opinion says keep the parents away and invite them to half of a regular meeting when their kid is being promoted, graduating t-flight or you've got a squadron open house. Let the cadets keep the weekends for themselves.

CadetProgramGuy · August 16, 2007, 01:27:26 AM

While I respecgt your opinion, the problem here in Iowa is this:

The vast majority of the Wing training is done at the WTA, and parents are reluctant to send cadets 3-4 hours (extreme edges of the wing) to a centralized training.

We are trying to bolster parent support by inviting them to a WTA to see for themselves that this training is seirous training, and hopefully we can gather their support. We also want the parents to see exactly what their hard earned money is going towards. It is my hope to treat these parents just like our current members, and show them what the Wing gives back in time money and effort.

Stonewall · August 16, 2007, 01:37:04 AM

Hope it works for you.

I've found success doing it one way while others found equal success doing it another way. I considered my time in Indian Guides where the motto was "father and son, pals forever" to be the coddling phase of my belonging to a youth program while CAP was my time to be a part of something solely on my own, without parental involvement.

flyguy06 · August 16, 2007, 02:14:37 AM

Quote from: Stonewall on August 16, 2007, 01:16:56 AM
Lots of folks disagree with me, but I keep parents as far away from their cadets as possible. The most involvement I allowed was open house nights, graduations and the annual holiday party.

My reasoning is that parents are with their kids a whole bunch more than we are and most of the kids enjoy the 2 hours a week and random weekend away from their parents to do their own thing. I'vd seen cadets' personalities and attitudes change the minute their parents are around. And often times it isn't for the better.

My $.02 cent opinion says keep the parents away and invite them to half of a regular meeting when their kid is being promoted, graduating t-flight or you've got a squadron open house. Let the cadets keep the weekends for themselves.

Why are you callling "cadets" kids? I NEVER call cadets kids or children. "kids" dont go out and look for lost airplanes. "kids" dont train in advanced first aid or flying airplanes. Mature "cadets" do these things.

Al Sayre · August 16, 2007, 02:16:13 AM

Hook them up with their cadet and an Lper & have a timed target hunt. Set up a sbort compass course and have their cadet navigate them through it. Have an aerospace quiz bowl, Cadets vs parents...

Stonewall · August 16, 2007, 02:18:42 AM

Quote from: flyguy06 on August 16, 2007, 02:14:37 AM
Quote from: Stonewall on August 16, 2007, 01:16:56 AM
Lots of folks disagree with me, but I keep parents as far away from their cadets as possible. The most involvement I allowed was open house nights, graduations and the annual holiday party.

My reasoning is that parents are with their kids a whole bunch more than we are and most of the kids enjoy the 2 hours a week and random weekend away from their parents to do their own thing. I'vd seen cadets' personalities and attitudes change the minute their parents are around. And often times it isn't for the better.

My $.02 cent opinion says keep the parents away and invite them to half of a regular meeting when their kid is being promoted, graduating t-flight or you've got a squadron open house. Let the cadets keep the weekends for themselves.

Why are you callling "cadets" kids? I NEVER call cadets kids or children. "kids" dont go out and look for lost airplanes. "kids" dont train in advanced first aid or flying airplanes. Mature "cadets" do these things.

Take a chill pill dude. That's probably first time I've ever refered to cadets as kids. Gimmie a break, I'm stuck in a bed and on some heavy duty pain meds due to a compression fracture on L1. Sheeesh...

Even when I talk to parents I call their offspring "cadet". I think I know what cadets are and the difference between kids and cadets...

floridacyclist · August 16, 2007, 03:10:51 AM

No matter how much fuss we make about cadets being smaller adults, sometimes you just have to admit that they're still kids..especially when referring to them in the same sentence as parents

Slim · August 16, 2007, 05:30:17 AM

At encampment graduation, with a couple hundred of them sitting in front of me, I like to refer to them and "Your children, our cadets".

LtCol White · August 16, 2007, 04:12:29 PM

Quote from: CadetProgramGuy on August 16, 2007, 12:54:46 AM
Hi All!!

We are considering having a parents weekend, inviting all the parents to come to the WTA, bring a friend, ect...

What activities would you propose we have for the parents?

I think its a good idea. It gives the cadets a chance to show off their knowledge in front of the families as well as making the parents more comfortable with what you do with them at the WTA's. I would make it a demo program where you show exactly what they do and have the cadets put on various demonstrations. Let parents join in on line searches, DF sorties, etc...

LtCol White · August 16, 2007, 04:13:30 PM

Quote from: flyguy06 on August 16, 2007, 02:14:37 AM
Quote from: Stonewall on August 16, 2007, 01:16:56 AM
Lots of folks disagree with me, but I keep parents as far away from their cadets as possible. The most involvement I allowed was open house nights, graduations and the annual holiday party.

My reasoning is that parents are with their kids a whole bunch more than we are and most of the kids enjoy the 2 hours a week and random weekend away from their parents to do their own thing. I'vd seen cadets' personalities and attitudes change the minute their parents are around. And often times it isn't for the better.

My $.02 cent opinion says keep the parents away and invite them to half of a regular meeting when their kid is being promoted, graduating t-flight or you've got a squadron open house. Let the cadets keep the weekends for themselves.

Why are you callling "cadets" kids? I NEVER call cadets kids or children. "kids" dont go out and look for lost airplanes. "kids" dont train in advanced first aid or flying airplanes. Mature "cadets" do these things.

Lighten up Francis

O-Rex · August 16, 2007, 06:14:23 PM

Activites for parents are now an IG inspection item for units below wing (check the SUI Guide)

Serve punch & cookies, and bring out your best and brightest seniors.

ZigZag911 · August 16, 2007, 06:56:57 PM

Give the parents a little 'hands on' (let them choose from a couple of things).

I'd definitely have an DF hunt of some sort, maybe offer a 'drill class' for those who'd like to learn a little....we used to do "Simon Says" with trainee cadets to keep it interesting, could be fun... Use some wing t-shirts or hats (if you have such a thing) as prizes

By all means give them time with the Chief!

Consider getting some bumper stickers to give out, along the lines many schools do: "Proud Parent of an Iowa Wing CAP Cadet!"

Major Carrales · August 17, 2007, 09:18:26 PM

We want to hold an "Astronomy Night" where one of our well versed CAP Officers will present some info, stargaze and give the parents a chance to hand out with CAP for a while.

JAFO78 · August 20, 2007, 10:28:26 PM

Since many have to travel some distance, why not have a casual night and a BBQ. Everyone could sit around a talk "war stories" about CAP, and have a bone fire if it is in late Sept or Oct.

What about this idea?.........

CadetProgramGuy · August 20, 2007, 10:43:58 PM

Quote from: RobG on August 20, 2007, 10:28:26 PM
Since many have to travel some distance, why not have a casual night and a BBQ. Everyone could sit around a talk "war stories" about CAP, and have a bone fire if it is in late Sept or Oct.

What about this idea?.........

All ideas are great ideas...I will let you all know what I decide to do. I think we are looking at December.

Skyray · August 20, 2007, 10:51:04 PM

Quote from: CadetProgramGuy on August 20, 2007, 10:43:58 PM
Quote from: RobG on August 20, 2007, 10:28:26 PM
Since many have to travel some distance, why not have a casual night and a BBQ. Everyone could sit around a talk "war stories" about CAP, and have a bone fire if it is in late Sept or Oct.

What about this idea?.........

All ideas are great ideas...I will let you all know what I decide to do. I think we are looking at December.

You should try for August 27, when the Mars hoax will be at its full splendor for your astronomy night.

Eclipse · August 21, 2007, 03:20:18 AM

How do / will you get around the myriad liability and CPPT issues with having non-members participating in a CAP activity?

Non-members would not be allowed to participate in this manner, why would parent get a pass? There may also be OPSEC issues in this regard as well.

A BBQ is a lot different than a DF hunt. What if someone gets hurt?