Is it too soon?

[msnowman]

Our Pack has no Web II's and 2 Web I's. How soon is too soon for getting the Webelos visiting the Troop? They have a Den Chief who is itching to invite 'his boys' to a Troop meeting and even has a couple of their meetings in mind (when the Troop is doing things the Webelos would enjoy, instead of being bored). He has already talked to his SM who is ready for them to visit anytime. My take is that it is never too early to start building a relationship with the Troop.

 

The Pack and Troop (under the old SM) didn't have a great relationship (they weren't real welcoming of Webelos, didn't want to bother with being Den Chief, etc). The new SM has invited the Webelos I's to come camping with them, etc....anything to forge strong ties.

 

Thanks

YiS

Michelle

[kenk]

I agree with you, but don't try to turn the Webelos program into Boy Scouts ... follow the Webelos program and follow the age-appropriate guidelines for safety.

[ScoutNut]

If they start now they will have plenty of time to vist all of the local Troops & then be able to concentrate on the ones they are really interested in next year.

[Lisabob]

If you think that the troop meeting(s) will be fun and age-appropriate for your boys then I'd say go for it. But keep the main focus on your own den meetings and activities this year. You don't want them to see your own den and pack meetings as just marking time until they can be "real" scouts or anything like that. Another thing you might think about is working with the troop (through the den chief) to help gradually step up the level of participation your boys have when they attend troop activities. Maybe at first they're primarily guests/observers but by the middle of 5th grade they're a lot more hands on.

 

Lisa

[msnowman]

Fortunately eating (and cooking outdoors) is age appropriate...and fits in with the activity pin we are working on ATM (Outdoorsman), so there is the natural fit there. The other one our DC has in mind is one of their First Aid meetings which are planned for the same month I had penciled in Readyman, so again, the fit is there. These two are spread out over many months (one in October, the other tentative for April), which I feel is good as it keeps the focus on being Webelos and having fun doing the stuff Webelos can do that the younger boys can't. We already have lots of Webelos stuff planned (Webeloree, Spooktacular, Aqua-nuts, etc) and there is more coming. They are also already looking forward to going back to Summer Resident Camp again.

 

Now that we have nearly a full serving of Cub Scouts (our Pack has Tigers, Wolves, Bears and Web I's for the first time in 3 years) the Webelos are ready to enjoy being the big guys in the Pack.

 

Thanks for the advice

 

Michelle

[jr56]

Sounds like you have the potential for a great Pack/Troop relationship. This will increase the odds that your Weblos will want to continue on in scouting. Good luck, and consider yourself fortunate.