new 2nd year Webelos

[Pack2]

I'm looking for some help and/or opinions here. I'm the Den Leader for a den of 2nd Year Webelos. We had our Roundup last night and it looks like we have a new Scout to join us. He is totally new, not a transfer or previously in Scouting. Here's my problem, how do I gracefully inform him and his parents that he is not likely to get his AOL badge and possibly not his Webelos badge. We are well past doing those activities required for the Webelos badge. I suppose he could work with his parents but that's not totally inline with Webelos ideology.

 

I d

[Twocubdad]

I have one boy in that situation this year and two last year. There is no reason a boy can't join Scouting as a Webelos II.

 

The thing to do is to lay all the options out for the Scout and his parents and let them decide the route to take. But first, double check the boy's birthday to make sure he will be old enough to cross over to the troop with his buddies if he does not earn the AOL.

 

What I tell boys and their parents in this situation is that they have basically two options. One, if they are really organized and work hard, it is possible to earn the AoL by cross over. Make sure the Scout knows that he will need to complete a lot of the requirements on his own as the returning Scouts have completed much of this work last year. It would help if you have the year's program planned out and can tell the boy what will be covered with the den.

 

One of our two new boys from last year did this. He (and I'm sure his parents) made a notebook with a section for each activity pin he needed and worked through the requirements. It also took a commitment from his WDL to meet with him weekends to sign off on the requirements at he completed them.

 

The second option is not to worry about completing the AoL, but to look at the coming six months as an opportunity to gear up for Boy Scouts. He can still learn much of the AoL material he will need as a Boy Scout. Emphasize that he still gets to participate in all the activities and the come cross over time, he will be a full-fledged Boys Scout just like everyone else.

 

Send the boy and his parents home with a Webelos book and let them decide what is best for them.

[sm41]

I agree with the Last post.

 

Let the parents and the scout decide what they want to do.

 

If they decide to jump in a

[EagleBeaver]

I'm a WDL II also and have challenged the scouts in our den to recruit 2 more boys to join us - our Join Scouting is tomorrow night.

Any time is a good time for a boy to start scouting. 5th grade gives him time to become friends with the den members and learn about Boy Scouts. The main goal of Webelos is transitioning Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts.

 

As far as getting his Webelos badge goes it doesn't seem to me that should be a stretch - that's just the Fitness, Citi

[EagleBeaver]

As far as getting his Webelos badge goes it doesn't seem to me that should be a stretch - that's just the Fitness, Citizen, and one other activity badge. I expect you'll be doing one activity badge so he just needs to do the two on his own. Learning the other requirements such as leading a flag ceremony, know the Webelos badge and uniform, Boy Scout joining requirements, ... - those are all great opportunities for the scouts that have completed them to review and help

[EagleBeaver]

to review and help a fellow scout. And, those going for Arrow of Light will need to know all that in more depth anyway.

There's at least 4 months until your cross-over so completing 8 activity badges is 2 per month - I bet a committed scout can do that with support from his den.

 

I might inform him that he has a great opportunity to push himself to the AoL goal if he wants that, but its not a requirement.

 

Paul

 

[CubsRgr8]

ALWAYS tell a scout what he CAN do.

 

NEVER tell a scout what he CAN'T do.

 

The same information will be communicated, but the first appoach is much better. It challenges a scout to set his own goal and encourages him to achieve it. This boy may only be in your den for a few months, and he may never join a troop, but you will determine for him whether or not scouting exerts a positive influence on his life. You can do it - go for it!