Dear all,
 
This discussion has come around before, and as before, I will say that the
generation of parents of the kids clubs hope to attract is severely
stressed-out, and there are so many things crying out for their attention.
After all, it is the parents who will play drivers for these kids to go to
meetings. To attend a meeting, a kid will have to be taken by a parent.
Let's consider a few things:
 
1. More families have both parents in the workforce than before
2. Working hours are increasing, instead of decreasing, especially in the
educated section of the community clubs hope to attract members from
3. More people are travelling longer distances to get to work
4. As a parent society dictates that you have to 1. attend school functions
during the daytime, 2. put all your spare time into school-related
activities, 3. after school, take your kids to as many organised activities
as you can fit in before going to MacDonald's (let's face it, you couldn't
possibly have time to do the cooking as well)
 
If you don't comply with 1-3 then you won't have enough money to enjoy the
lifestyle your parents always have, if you don't comply with 4, then you're
being made to feel guilty that your kids are missing out on vital parts of
their education.
 
Basically, if you're in this stage of your life, you have much more
pressing (I am not saying important) things to worry about than attending
shell club meetings. I attend such meetings because I like to and I am
keen, but I find it enormously frustrating that I cannot attend
excursions. My children are simply too young to walk around on a rock
platform. All that would happen is that I'd get stuck in the nearby
playground, and the closest I'd get to collecting shells is watching the
others do it! Sometimes I feel I should just give up for a few years. Most
people do.
 
Whilst I strongly support people teaching kids about the value of nature in
museums or more formalised, such as at school, I don't think that it will
be very effective in attracting new members to your local shell club.
Because young kids depend on their parent's approval and time to attend
such functions. And many parents of young children are caught in the above
catch 22. Most simply do not have the time, energy or both.
 
In trying to attract local members, I believe shell clubs should target the
40 - 50 age group. These people have slightly older and more independent
children, children, I might add here, too, that are old enough to start
thinking about a hobby, although they will very quickly forget it when they
reach puberty. If the parents are interested and start doing things with a
club, many children will follow, even if only out of curiosity. The 40 - 50
age group also have an increasing amount of free time to spend, plus their
work experience, which may benefit the club, and the resources to support
that experience.
 
A society of which I am a member (not a shell club) has about 400 local
members. About 100 turn up at local meetings. At 35, I am one of the
youngest. But, they also regularly get new members. All are in this 40 - 50
age group. Many take their children to shows. There is nothing more
pleasing than to look at the enchanted face of a 10 year old girl at an
orchid show (or a shell show).
 
By all means, target the children, but remember it's their *parents* who
took them to these meetings in the first place. Target the parents, and you
will get the children. After all, by the time they get to the end of high
school, most kids have figured out that computer games are boring.
 
I'll get off my soap box now
 
Patty
WWW: http://www.capricornica.com
 
Capricornica Publications               on-line natural history bookshop
P.O. Box 345
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