To think this is a stupid rule - no calls home on scout camp!

Sensible to ban phones. You can get in touch in an emergency. He can tell you about it when he gets home.

Safeguarding is definitely part of it - social media is a risk, as you say, and children and young people filming one another.

I’d imagine there’s some part of it that’s a safeguarding reason to, especially when it comes to video etc. there’ll still be children who’s parents/guardians don’t want them splashed all over social media and that’s much harder to control when you have loads of kids with phones

This is normal and the rule is reasonable.

Your DS can fill you in on the highlights of his week when he gets home.

You should probably start weaning yourself off the constant interaction as it will be hard to go cold turkey when he heads off to university.

It will be good for both of you actually. Your son needs to develop a sense of separation from you too.

Oh my goodness, that's awful!
We have a tag in DS' coat (because he has epilepsy and sometimes has absence seizures) and in DD coat (because it's expensive, more than all her other school uniform put together!) but it isn't an AirTag (we have Android phones) and we put one in DD case when she and I went on holiday but they wouldn't make a noise.

Agree with this. Kids need to be able to get out and enjoy themselves without distraction, or being tied to their parents.

My son is there but allowed his phone (not that he wants to phone us 😂 and never would). Must be individual scout group rules.

I think the no phones (or at least no smartphones) is ok. I don’t understand how calling home increases homesickness though and sometimes a kid will only say to a parent (if negative) what is actually happening. My kids were on a scout trip. There is an option to go for three or seven days. One wanted to go for three. When we picked up, other DC ran over crying (previously loved cubs and scouts camping, would stay two weeks if could). DC was in a tent with a couple of shitty bullying older kids who were making DC and the others really miserable. I wouldn’t have known if I hadn’t done the early pick up for other DC.

Reminds me of the comic sketch Camp Granada!

Yes we do know parents like you!

They are the ones who think their kids should have phones and to help with the adults who have to manage the fall out from that.

Another real life story - parent called complaining her little darling was in a dangerous location according to the tracker. DH was stood next to child at the time in a perfectly normal safe location.

He's had multiple issues with trackers.

It's 100% about parental anxiety and not the wellbeing of the kid. Frankly I'm sick to the back teeth with this being a growing theme throughout primary.

That's all you've got to say after reading this whole thread of replies to your post?

I had to go up to Poacher to sort out some medical issues with my child.

All the children were off doing their activities, or sitting in their groups chatting, playing, in their tents, playing football, walking around and having a great time. Because they don’t have their phones.

Yes we’ve had the airtagging one. Constantly popped up on leaders phones so it affected navigation (we were doing a city challenge thing) and distracted us. Whatever type it was it set off with a shrill sound walking a room of girls and all leaders middle of night.
For next trip we said please don’t AirTag. If we have an AirTag alert we’ll assume it’s been planted on us (a group of women and girls by unknown 3rd party) and report to police.

You are trusting other people to safeguard your child and make adult decisions in their interests.

Either let them get on with it or stop undermining them.

YABU

100% agree. The only kids that have ever cried at bed time / wanted to go home are the ones who’s parents are on the phone all the time panicking about what’s for tea / what tent little Jimmy is sleeping in.

Your user name suggests he would be best not feeding from your worries

This.

Phones are a safeguarding and socialising problem. No good comes of phoning home. Just let him enjoy himself, and deal with any problems as they arise without escalating it to you. The other kid is in the wrong and it’s these families that causes issues for the leaders.

It was the same when I was going to camps when I was a teen in the early 90s
Stops children feeling home sick
Sounds like the phone calls are more for OPs benefit

I think it's perfectly reasonable and very sensible. Phones can cause huge safeguarding issues. Something is seriously wrong in this world if a young person can't manage without a phone for a week. I would advise not sending your young person if you can't cope with them not having a phone.

I think Sanity just means parents who challenge the systems that have been developed over time by highly trained people to work well with groups like this. Like you did.

No phones is a great rule. Should have extended to day visitors. I’m a guide leader.
It’s a safeguarding issue eg kids can be filming and uploading kids in states of undress or accessing inappropriate content (some parents let children have snap chat underage etc)
Speaking to home can trigger homesickness or cause parent to be worried eg child is upset but has been happy 99% of time mum is then texting leaders constantly and worrying.
Parents can be ridiculous and set children off. I had a mum texting a 10 yr old mummy is sad she misses you then ‘pet’ is sad they miss you!!
Kids would be in phones not interacting or joining in.
It’s hard enough caring for kids without parents involving themselves. Kyle texted me he’s disappointed he’s not in a tent with Jamie can he switch, Brian says he’s lost his sweater can you look for it he’ll be chilly, Darren says it’s pasta for tea on the board he doesn’t like that can you nip to McDonalds for him. These are all roughly based in real scenarios names changed!
We put photos on a group chat. That in itself can be an issue. I was once woken at 3am by a parent wanting to know where her dd was - we’d put a everyone fine off to bed now type photo on (she was in the photo but had ducked behind her friend as she was a teenager and didn’t want to be in with hair a mess)

Phones are a pain on trips like this. Far better to leave them at home.

Also il add, I am a girl guides leader… I’d probably quit if we were forced to start allowing phones. There is enough to do and enough drama without adding to that with all the stuff phones cause that people have mentioned.

Im not saying you are doing this op, but a wise word for any parent who may be complaining about this or anything similar… we are already struggling to recruit enough volunteers for guides and scouts. We are closing units left and right due to no one to run them or help out. We have had to make rotas to try keep the ones we can open for the children’s sake, leaders who run other units are having to be rostered in for extra sessions at other units to keep them afloat.
We are often treated appallingly by parents, we have seen and heard it all. Parents can be down right rude.
Parents want to have these opportunities for their dc and we want it because we love it for the dc and it honestly is such a unique and beneficial experience…but we do it completely for free. We (I) work a stressful day job, have my own young dc, have other commitments, it’s not just the meetings we have to attend, we have to do all the admin and planning and what not in our own time. It’s a big commitment and responsibility. It’s often like having another full time job, but this one is totally unpaid. Im a normal person who has a normal life outside of guides, including all the sane stressors you do, I got involved because I saw the benefits to dc and wanted to help facilitate that. I love it but it’s easy to stop loving it when parents make it impossible or treat volunteers like rubbish. If you want your dc to continue to have these wonderful and fulfilling opportunities it’s important to think on that.

He's 14 wouldn't have wanted to call mummy when I was off with the lads.

And what about the kids with shit parents who don't answer. Or those in care with no one to ring

This is an opportunity to start to learn to be independent in a controlled safe situation