YES mandatory includes you dammit

[Mental_Mouse]

Don't be nervous, don't be flustered, don't be scared, be prepared!

Fix that horn! Beep Repaired!

[dalesys]

Fix that horn! Beep Repaired!

And remember the poster of the pregnant Girl Scout...

[Trixie]

My sister had a dance school and it she would always send out explicit instructions on what the parents needed to do before any competition and recital. I'm sure you can see where this is going. Wrong color shoes, no tights, no where near ready to perform, barely on time. And it was always the same ones. After a few years and a few kids of doing it, ya think they'd get it.

[Librarybabe]

Thanks for the earworm!

[Mental_Mouse]

And remember the poster of the pregnant Girl Scout...

I have not seen that, and am not quite nervy enough to Google for it.

[LadyofArc]

I've had people bring their kids wearing cute little dresses and no change of clothes (exactly what is it you expect to be doing at a horseback riding camp?). I've seen people get the start day wrong or even the freaking month wrong (what do you mean that happened last month?). I've seen parents who have hyperactive kids lie through their teeth about them being calm and easily corralled (we have a test that the parents can do and if the kid can't pass then it's probably a bad bad idea to sign them up for this kind of camp). I've had parents try to tell us their very clearly under the age limit kid is really 10yrs old and why should we have to see proof (uh legal reasons maybe?).

I used to deal with this regularly when I did holiday care programs (it was less of a problem during term time as the kids had school uniforms, which for most public schools was at least a polo shirt and shorts in summer and trackpants and a sweatshirt in winter). Bare minimum rule was that shoulders had to be covered, nothing offensive on your clothing, they had to actually be dressed appropriately for their age and closed-in shoes were a must. Over the course of my time working in holiday care, I encountered the following:

- Many, MANY girls turning up in tank tops or camisoles (one of the schools had some spare uniform shirts used as art smocks, those girls got stuck wearing them over the top). The worst offenders were the 5-8 year olds oddly enough.
- Children turning up wearing open-toed sandals or flip-flops.
- Girls turning up in flip-flops and getting upset because they were "pretty shoes" and not "flip-flops."
- More than one child turning up in stuff that they cannot get messy in.
- More than one child turning up without a hat during the holiday care program (as long as it wasn't a baseball cap and actually stayed on their head, we didn't mind what hat it was)
- Children turning up without sweatshirts if it was cold.
- Children turning up in inappropriate gear for excursions that dictated specific clothing. (Common cases were where kids would be getting active and would turn up in "pretty clothing")

My mom helped me achieve this when I was in elementary school. If I forgot a book report at home, my mom would not be able to drive to school to drop it off. She was working! Yeah I was little, but learning to remember stuff is part of growing up. All the way though high school my classmates would "forget" about projects until the last minute then demand their parents help them out. My mom nipped that right in the bud because I knew she would say tough luck. Of course, if I made an effort when there was time she'd be more than happy to help.

It's so obnoxious when parents can't manage to get the requirements for their kids activities, but expect everyone to make exceptions for them. Just teaching their kids the same habits.

A number of schools nowadays are actually telling parents "If your child forgets something, do not rush to drop it off. Your child will be fine, they need to learn from their mistakes" nowadays. It's quite refreshing actually.

[Naaman]

Thanks for the earworm!

Maybe some Tom Lehrer will help

[AccountingDrone]

When I glanced at this title again I was struck with the thought... If they can't deal with the term mandatory, what do they do if there's an evacuation? "Oops, I thought that was for the other people, please come save me my house is flooding!"

Having lived in Tidewater Virginia through several hurricane evacuations, pretty much. WTF people, with 5 days warning you come cruising into the truck rental place looking for a truck to haul your crap out of the evacuation area? Not to mention how many people wanted to shelter in place in an all glass high rise on the shore..........

[dalesys]

... Not to mention how many people wanted to shelter in place in an all glass high rise on the shore..........

Patty Larkin - "Helen"
..."The ones movin' in they're all from away
And they raise the rent and the price that I pay
And they look down their nose at what I gotta say"

..."Who'd think to put a house on a point?
They're selling off land that's nothing but rocks and spray
And I say, I say it serves 'em all right
(they better tie it all down)"

[Rosco the Iroc]

Having lived in Tidewater Virginia through several hurricane evacuations, pretty much. WTF people, with 5 days warning you come cruising into the truck rental place looking for a truck to haul your crap out of the evacuation area? Not to mention how many people wanted to shelter in place in an all glass high rise on the shore..........

Been there, not done that. I check the maps I was in a cat 5 area. Still had the oh crap PLAN B of bugging out to PA. What was fucked up is I retired moved to PA and said "at least I don't have to worry about hurricanes anymore!
Mother Nature-
I got "super" storm Sandy. I was like what's our plan B now? go to VA Beach?
Saw people either panic or do nothing. I tried to warn them..

[Kit-Ginevra]

Oh your wet and sucking?

I'll take interesting pick up lines for $200 please Alex... 😇

[Mental_Mouse]

Been there, not done that. I check the maps I was in a cat 5 area. Still had the oh crap PLAN B of bugging out to PA. What was fucked up is I retired moved to PA and said "at least I don't have to worry about hurricanes anymore!
Mother Nature-
I got "super" storm Sandy. I was like what's our plan B now? go to VA Beach?
Saw people either panic or do nothing. I tried to warn them..

I moved from NY to VA; hurricanes aren't so much anymore, but instead we get these weird little "microbursts" that will demolish stuff (mostly trees and power lines) over just a couple or few square miles, optionally drenching the vicinity.

[Rosco the Iroc]

I was MGR at AZ autoparts and saw our truck would get there right before the storm, So I overrode the computer restock order and got a shit ton of batterys, flashights, all the gas cans I could get - about a 1/2 pallet, small motor additives, bar and chain oil. The store MGR kind of freaked. We ran on generator for 3 days and after we hug out the "yes I assure you we are open" sheet we sold out of that stuff in just over a day and the other stores were begging for our stock. We were the only store that made money those days. He never questioned me after that.

[excuse me??]

When I was a scout, we had a SM that had to be replaced (problems at home). New SM & new assistant SM seem to have military backgrounds.. things ran better and we had more fun

[Rosco the Iroc]

When I was a scout, we had a SM that had to be replaced (problems at home). New SM & new assistant SM seem to have military backgrounds.. things ran better and we had more fun

The SM was late to Court of honor last month and forgot stuff and had to go home to get it. We had one kid up for "scout" so I did ask and quick did SM conf so we could give it to him that day.

Now a month later he tries to throw me under the bus with the Rev. and committee that I shouldn't of done that and he mad I went around his helmet. Did he say shit that day?/month/this month? OR the 4 hours AFTER the COH we were BSing?

I just sent off a bridge nuking email to the org detailing this and I fucking quit thanks for wasting a year of our lives. The Sr patrol leader said he's going If I go and so is his dad.
So the troop is losing 2 of 8 Scouts and 3 parents who were ASM and committee.
I'm so over Scouts for most part. There's ton more but thats later.