Earning all 20 Webelos pins - caution

[Loping Okie]

As a Webelos II Den leader nearing the end we have worked on them all. Several of the boys last year got their 20 and my boys all wanted to go for it. (2 or the 5 will make it) I dont know that the boys have burned out but I can tell you the Den Leader has. Cant help but think we would have had more fun with less pressure to get them all done. It also required quite a bit of work at home on many of the badges in addition to weekly Den meetings. I thing the offer to help those who what to take the initiate is the right path. In retrospect I wish we would have worked only on the AoL required and fun ones and did some other things like spend more time camping with Troops.

[captainron14]

This obsession with earning all of the Webelos pins is a bit misplaced. Who really wants this? Is it the boys or the parents? Or is it a overzealous leader who feels that they are not a success if all the boys do not earn them all?

All to often things like this are all about a parent or leader who is living through their kids.

 

The real goal (relating to advancement) is the Arrow of Light. It's the only Cub Award that you can carry forward out of Cubs into Scouting and beyond (Knot).

Besides, less that a year later most boys will not care at all and have moved on to Boy Scouts (we hope!)I have never heard of a Boy Scout Brag to his fellow Scouts about earning all the pins. I have heard them talking about who earned their AOL.

 

If this is something that the boys really want to do and there is no pressure, go for it.

But if this will affect the future of that boy in Scouting negatively, then forget it.

Let the boys have fun, don't burn them out.

[dswan64015]

As a W2DL we were able to cover all of our necessary pins for the Webelos badge during our 1st year of Webelos. All of our scouts attended camp prior to 1st year of Webelos, this awarded them a jump start on their activity pins. We then in turned asked their 4th grade teachers to look at the remaining pins needed to see what would be covered specifically in the school year and we marked that off of any and all activity pins/belt loops that applied. That left us with the remaining for the year to work with. Having done those items, we were able to cover the remining in just one year. For the boys who showed up to every meeting and did all of the projects and participated in the service project, they earned their Webelos badge, and after camp this year, the Super Achiever award.

 

Not all of my Webelos did this, only 2. However, all of them earned their Webelos badge the first year, which is what my goal was, so we could work with the Troop the 2nd year and focus on the Arrow of Light. We had fun meetings throughout the year, did great projects and kept on course. Not every boy was able to make it to every meeting. For those who did not, we will use the 2nd year to play catch up for them as well. We lost a few boys this year due to parental lack of involvement. If the parents are not dedicated and get tired of bringing the boys, you can't keep the boys in. It is hard to fight the parents. If anyone has figured out a way to motivate the parents let me know. Scouting is a commitment and often parents are not in it for the long haul. I come from a long line of Eagle Scouts, so I grew up know what kind of commitment it would take. It is not always convient or easy, but if your son has fun and passion, it is important to but your thoughts or feelings about Scouting to the side, and embrace his. Scouting is a great program that really can help young men. I can't wait for my youngest to start this year. We will be leaders once again, and enjoy the process all over again. We will of course be active as our oldest crosses over into the Troop next year.

[IM_Kathy]

I will say my den had a great advantage in that cross over for our pack/troop was at the end of the school year when the other levels changed levels so my scouts had 2 full years to work on their webelos pins. During the summer months we worked on the outdoorsy pins and during the school year we worked on the others - we only had 1 make up day and that was because it was for an AOL required pin that a boy was sick and missed.

 

I had a small den with just 4 boys - 2 boys earned all 20 and the other 2 earned a few more than required. 3 went on into boy scouts (2 of them that did all 20 and 1 other) the other boy had medical and behavioral issues that the parents felt boy scouts would not be a good setting for him. Of those 3 one is now a star, one is a 1st class, and the other is a 2nd class only needing a clear day/night campout to finish 1st class work (I swear every campout he attends is cloudy and when we meet for meetings doesn't work for that either)

 

to me the focus shouldn't be on "earning all 20" but rather "exposing/offering all 20" sure not all the boys will be interested in earning forester (for example), but it's something that some may enjoy and may offer a glance at something to a boy that could eventually lead to a career.

 

I've also heard a few leaders that say my scouts aren't going to do _______ because I don't know anything about it... use your resourses wisely. Check with your BSA troop in your area and see who does a similar merit badge that could teach it... check with your local parks and rec or county conservation board and see what they offer. I still don't know all my trees, but we had a great facility that taught the boys forester 1 year and naturalist the next year - we returned the favor by working at their earth day clean up... and I still don't know a rock from a rock but we attended a geology class put on by a local county program that was also completely free - the boys had a blast.

[eghiglie]

I recall this from WDL days, the two Dens I had were very different. The boys from the 1st Den set a goal to earn all 20, basically one a month. Of the five boys, two made it. All went to a Troop. Of the two that made all 20 they are still scouts, of the three that didn't only 1 is still there.

 

The 2nd den (two years later) started as 5th graders, there goal was to get AoL in 8 months. They all made it with about 10 pins each, all five went to a troop. Four are still scouts.

 

 

[WestCoastScouter]

I think that it is important to remember that boys don't partisipate in scouting to get awards. Boys partisipate in scouting to have fun and to grow into young men.... and we reward them for doing that.