Go Ahead and Ask

When a new Scout joins our Troop, we go out of our way to make it clear how Boy Scouts will be different from Cub Scouts. I think we sometimes throw the baby out with the bath water to some extent. In our effort to make it perfectly clear that Boy Scouts is boy run, we give the parents the permission to but out all together. Please don't! It's a tricky thing for us leaders to learn to balance on the fine line of letting them do for themselves (read: develop a sense of independence) and helping when needed. We learn, through both BSA Training and experience how to master this. There is a very effective model called E.D.G.E., which we teach to our youth leaders and adult leaders alike. E=explain, D=demonstrate, G=guide, E=enable.

As parents, we can EXPLAIN the importance of being on time to meetings (and demonstrate this by leaving home in plenty of time) and EXPLAIN that it is important to remember to bring home any information that you need.
You can DEMONSTRATE your support of Scouting by coming to an occasional Committee meeting or campout. Scouts with involved parents are most likely to stay with the program and even reach Eagle.
You can GUIDE them (especially for the first few years) by asking them if they have remembered to bring their handbooks to meetings and by making sure they get weekly calls.
Most important, you can ENABLE them by supplying them with proper uniform and equipment, by helping them prioritize their busy lives to include campouts. ENABLE in this case, means supply with the tools they need to be successful, whether that be gear or encouragement.