I am starting a puppet team and we need a contract for the parents and the  kids to be comitted. any suggestions, or examples. 

Welcome to Puppets and stuff............... There are several members with church ministries and others that have worked with church ministries in the past. They will be along shortly to offer some advice. Meanwhile make yourself at home and if you have other questions Please ask!

Billy D.

Howdy.  Glad your here!  http://www.onewaystreet.com/product/130/puppet_director  This is one resource for different forms for a puppet team.  Also, you might want to visit www.kidology.org.  Search the forum.  There are lots of free resources.  I know somewhere on their site is a commitment form for children's ministry which also can be applied to a puppet team.  Please let me know if you have any specific questions about puppet ministry.  I'd be happy to help.  There are several teams on here also that I'm sure will be coming by soon to lend a hand. 

Julie

I wouldn't personally want my team to sign a contract. I would however be very clear with what's expected up front and then have straight forward conversations if something arrizes where people can't make it or want to drop out. Hold your team accountable but be flexible with them as well.

We have what we call an application, for the parents and students to fill out and sign.  It's adapted from the Kidologist's book.  If you'd like to see it email me angelred4kids at yahoo dot com and I will send it to you, it's in Word.

One reason we have this application is because I regularly have kids see what we do, think it looks cool or fun and want to join. I give them the application and they see how much time/work and end up not joining.  I don't want anyone that isn't committed.  I mean we're flexible but it IS a commitment.  It's worked for me for several years now.

We used to have an agreement form which the parents and the kids signed just to show what we expected and when our performances would be and the festival we would be attending etc. This year we decided not to and I don't know if it was coincidence or not be we have had the worst year ever when it comes to absences of puppeteers. We had to pull our team out of a competition because during the two months we were preparing we only had one rehearsal where all the puppeteers were actually present! It has been VERY frustrating from a directors point of view. It is not always the kids fault - I think we need a contract for the parents! I understand that kids are busy but we feel the same as PuppetSpace, being on the team is a commitment and it should be viewed as such. Sports teams don't tell their athletes just to practice at home and show up for the games, bands and choirs don't just show up at the concert after a month of just practicing alone at home. I think my husband and I are going to do agreement forms again next year. I would be interested in how other teams handle absences etc. I am looking for advice as well!!

LJ - I can relate. When we had a young team (something we have done twice and ended up disbanding both times) we had the same problems.  Parents just do not see the importance of practices. 
Our main team has always been teens and adults, which works well for us.

Our team is always 7th grade and older, but it did not seem to matter this year. We have one more practice and then our last performance next Wednesday - perhaps over the summer we will think of how to handle things.

We allow 6th graders to join, I find that they're the most committed because they don't have as many extra curricular activities yet.  I only have 1 or 2 in that age anyway.  It's those pesky Juniors and Seniors with their bands, sports, proms etc that get in the way. LOL

It's those pesky Juniors and Seniors with their bands, sports, proms etc that get in the way. LOL

Isn't that the truth! And don't forget to add Speech contest! Speech is partly what makes them such good puppeteers but it also gets in the way of practice!!!
What to do!! Yes, we get them when they are young and they all seem to love it but they want to be able to do it all as they get older!