Troop Meeting Visits

[briantshore]

I am a bear leader now, but I am already looking over the horizon to Webelos next year. I have a 2 part question. I understand that you should visit a boyscout meeting. Do you wait till they are Webelos II?

My second ? is do you make a unplaned visit. My thoughts are is that a troop can put on a whiz bang meeting when you let them know you are comming in advance. But how are there meetings when they do not expect you till the last miniute? Does this sound to sneeky? I also plan on visiting both troops that are in my town.

[bbng]

Webelos do not have to wait until their second year to visit a troop meeting. It's a good idea to introduce them to at least one troop, preferably more if able, so that they can see Scouting in action.

 

The troop my son is in has an open door policy. Anyone is welcome to drop by for a meeting at any time. There are drawbacks to this: a meeting may move to a different location (so just showing up means a meeting would be missed), some meetings may actually be COHs (not a bad thing, but not a meeting either), and not knowing ahead means the troop may not have an activity planned that the visiting Webelos could easily participate in. All that to say, the one thing that IMO is most important here is to avoid frustrating the Webelos. Not all troops are this open, so out of courtesy I'd suggest making a call to find out if it's ok to just drop by or if a planned visit is better.

 

Good luck, and have fun. Webelos is an especially fun time for the boys and leaders alike. Oh, and don't overlook joint activities: troop-den hike, district camporees (Webelos usually may visit but may not always camp over), and other district/council events where the Webelos can meet and interact with the Scouts.

[EagleInKY]

Usually most dens wait until they are Webelos II. But there is nothing wrong with an early visit. I would love the opportunity to start promoting Boy Scouts to Webelos earlier.

 

As for scheduling or "popping in", I believe it is common courtesy to schedule the visit. Popping in may give you a different perspective of the troop, but it may unfairly penalize them in the boy's minds. Simply put, there are some meetings where a visit just doesn't fit as well. For example, if they visited the week we had troop and patrol elections, they might get pretty bored. Even though it is an important part of the troop's function, and the Boy Scouts realize it's a big deal, it would seem pretty dull to a bunch of Webelos. Especially if they "popped in" on a different troop the previous week and caught them while they were practicing fire building or axe safety!

 

If you want to pop in, why don't you just do it yourself? That way, you can get an idea on how the troop is run without the risk of impacting the boys negatively. While you are there you can talk with the SM and SPL about scheduling a future visit.

 

One reason I like scheduling the meeting is so I can prepare some handouts for the parents. I like to promote scouting to its fullest and I usually grab 15 minutes of their time to promote Boy Scouts and explain about how the troop works and how meetings are run. Otherwise, they may think this boy-run troop is a little chaotic at times.

[Mike F]

I agree with the others - let them know when you're coming the first time. yes - this means you'll probably spend more time getting their "sales pitch," than observing scouts in action, but that's OK. If they look interesting, ask if you can come back again to just observe or participate as events allow.

 

I didn't do this with my first son and wish I had. The sales pitch was slick - we didn't visit again - joined - and within months, my son wanted to drop out. Fortunately I was able to convince my son to go check out some other troops and we found a good fit for him.

 

When I started visiting with my next son, we visited a troop that didn't have a sales pitch at all. They just placed him in a patrol for the evening and he did everything they did. They made him feel like part of the gang from Day 1 and he insisted on starting to attend all meetings before officially crossing over. The bad news was this was a different troop than #1 son, but the dual troop days are over after 4 years. (At least they met on different nights!)

 

By all means - check them out completely! Visit lots. Visit campouts - even if you only drive out for the day. Observe the boys and adults in action.

 

Another benefit to starting as WebI - it helps the boys see some of the stuff they have to look forward to before they get burned out of scouts. I can practically guarantee that early interaction will increase your cross-over rate into Boy Scouts.

 

Enjoy the ride!

 

-mike

[Lisabob]

Brian, my advice is to go early and often. Don't make this a one shot deal because how can you really get to know a troop in one meeting?

 

I would encourage you to schedule any large-group (den) visits. But you could also ask the SM how s/he feels about having just a couple of boys drop in unannounced to a regular troop meeting and assuming that's ok, let the parents know that they can do so any time. You're right that they may see the troop in a different light if they do this, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

 

In my experience most troops have a semi-open door policy. It would be difficult for them to accomodate a large group with no prior notice and there are occasional troop meetings where any visitors would be bored (like on troop election night or something). So asking in advance if there are any dates to avoid and keeping those unannounced visits small seems reasonable to me. Beyond that, any troop that won't allow drop in visits would cause me to wonder why not, and that's probably not a good thing.

 

Lisa'bob

 

 

[EagleInKY]

Just one more comment on pop-ins. Sometimes we're not meeting at our regular time or place. For example:

- At least twice a year we go up to the YMCA to swim.

- Before Klondike we may be at someone's house to work on sled repair/construction.

- A couple of times a year we may meet at the trailor to give it a good cleaning and take inventory.

- We've rescheduled to fit a CPR instructor's schedule, to avoid Vacation Bible School at our sponsor and to avoid a major school activity.

 

It's just another thing I thought of. I'd hate to have you show up only to find a locked door and an empty building.

[fgoodwin]

Definitely start early -- don't wait until the boys are 5th graders. They need to start getting a "feel" for the different troops so they can make an informed choice by the time they crossover.

 

Also, starting in 4th grade gives the boys several chances to go camping with different troops. Ideally, a Webelos den (4th grade or 5th grade) will camp on its own at least once a month, but many WDLs find it hard to do that, so try to tag along on a few troop campouts.

 

Finally, encourage the troops in your area to provide your den with a den chief. Boy Scouts who are FC and above can use DC as a "position of responsibility". The POR requirement to get from FC to Star is only four months, so be sure to ask early, otherwise you won't have a lot of time to use your DC before your den graduates, you hit summertime activities, etc.

[funscout]

Brian, in addition to troop meeting visits, you and your son will be welcome to attend Camporee and Klondike Derby next year. This year, my son was the only one from our den who went to both and he came back to the den meetings all excited and talking them up for next year, when they are 5th graders.

 

Since you and I are in the same community, I can tell you that this past Fall somebody at Council decided to NOT let 4th graders attend Camporee. My son was very upset, because his older brother had attended as a 4th grader 3 years before. I wasn't going to push the issue, but I did call to ask why the change in policy. It's a good thing I called, because I was told that one person made the decision and no one else agreed with it, so they told me to go ahead and take my son. Our troop was happy to have him along.

 

4th Graders are also welcome in our district at Klondike Derby. They do not compete, but they (and a parent) walk with a Boy Scout Patrol and get to participate in most everything the Boy Scouts do. I'd highly recommend taking your son next year, so he'll have an idea of what he'll be doing as a 5th grader, when he does get to compete against other Webelos 2 dens.

 

I hadn't planned on taking my den of 12 boys to visit a Boy Scout meeting this year, because the parents are still trying to get used to the idea of Webelos. I was afraid I would just end up confusing them! My son, of course has already been to some meetings since he has an older brother in the troop.

 

With my older son, it didn't occur to me to try out both troops in town. We just visited the troop that our Pack feeds into because we knew many boys and leaders in that one, but only knew a couple boys in the other one. I'm definitely going to plan visits to both troops with my current Webelos, so they'll have a choice. Also, it will be nice to see how other troops run things.

[funscout]

I just thought of something else. After you make your first troop visit, you could look at their schedule, so you'll know if a night you have in mind for a "pop-in" visit would be a good night to show up. I guess I've already done a few unplanned visits, myself. My younger son and I have stayed and hung around a few times when I chatted long enough with a leader that it didn't make sense for me to drive home only to turn right around and come back.

[fgoodwin]

You might also ask the troops you visit to put you on their email distribution list, so you'll know about upcoming campouts, special troop meetings (e.g., COHs, etc.).

 

I agree that requesting permission rather than popping-in unannounced is the courteous thing to do.

[Oak Tree]

I have nothing against someone visiting early and often, but I wouldn't do it myself. It just seems like it would be a time-consuming set of activities, and really, beyond about three troops, I'm not sure how much more effective things will be. And it seems like two years of "waiting to be a Boy Scout" is a long time.

 

But we have a pack/troop partnership, so most of our boys don't look around much anyway. Your situation could be vastly different.

 

Oak Tree

[Hubert01]

Hello,

I am a Jr. Ast. Scoutmaster for Troop 129. I like it when Webeloes come to my troop. I also like it when they make a time to come to my meeting. I do understand what you mean about kissn up to them or by catering to them. Another troop did that and we almost lost a few boys to them because that troop did all this special things just for them. While when that came to my troop we helped that get another part of their rank by folding the flag. We also did some trust falls, thats a good one to do. But overall makeing arrangements is always better, you can usually tell when a troop is catering to the boys.

J.Habbershaw

[funscout]

Brian,

 

I think that if you do a "pop-in" visit, you should do it without your son, unless you know for sure what is on the agenda. I just heard that a Web. 2 "popped in" to our troop's meeting last week and he was so bored that he doesn't want to join, now. It's too bad his Dad brought him on that night, because it was troop election night, and the patrols were busy with that. I wasn't at the meeting, so I don't know if they had something for this boy to do, but he's going to miss out on a fun troop just because of a poorly planned visit.

 

Also, please remember that BOYS are leading the troop, and they are the ones who have to suddenly figure out something for the surprise Webelos to do.

 

I agree with Oak Tree that two years is a long time to wait to be a Boy Scout. That's another reason why I'm not recommending that my Web. 1 scouts make a visit this year. They've got enough on their plate right now just trying to do all the Webelos activities. That's not to say you shouldn't visit on your own, though.

 

As suggested in another thread, Cub Scouting is more than just preparing a boy to become a Boy Scout, so think about how much you want to push the Boy Scout stuff with your son when he still has 2 years to wait.

 

I know our troop doesn't put on a "special" meeting when they know Webelos are visiting. They just include them in what ever has already been planned. If a troop puts on an extra special meeting just to get boys to join, then they will end up with a high drop out rate soon after crossover.

 

This reminds me of sorority rush. I know some girls (quiet, conservative Christians) who dropped out on Pledge Night, because the nice "tea party" atmosphere that they encountered during Rush Week was suddenly changed into a wild party atmosphere on Pledge Night.

 

I hope troops don't do a "bait and switch" with Webelos!

 

 

[Hubert01]

In my opinion, the best troop to go to is the one who helps out the most. In my troop, we interact with the pack to show the boys that we are willing to help them. They also think that it is cool to have an older kid as a friend, that will help them decide what troop to start going to.

[funscout]

I found out more info. about the Web. 2 who was bored at the Troop Elections meeting and now doesn't want to join. His Dad was upset that Jr. will not be able to go on the High Adventure trip this summer. I guess they are going to look for a troop that allows brand new scouts (at only 10 or 11 years old!) to go on High Adventure trips.

 

Also, this same scout has worked on Boy scout requirements ahead of time and Dad expects them to count when he joins as a Boy Scout. I imagine he wasn't happy to hear that you have to be a registered Boy Scout to get signed off for Boy Scout requirements. It's too bad Dad is pushing the son so hard when he hasn't even started Boy Scouts yet! I wonder how long the kid will last in scouts?!