Too Soon To Bridge?

[CubsRgr8]

A parent sent me (and every leader in my pack) this email earlier today.

 

Dear Leaders:

I would like to express my opinion of bridging the cub scouts in February.

I realize this is standard procedure in the BSA organization, but I now feel (my son) has a foot in each part, and our family doesn't really have time for that. Knowing how I feel, it makes me wonder if Pack (XYZ) will lose the participation of the Webelos at a time of the year when we need them, basically during the Food for Scouting event. By bridging the boys in February, our Pack has basically said good-bye to them. Why would the Pack want to do that before the end of the school year? Why would I want my child to make this change before the end of his last year in Cub Scouts? I may be feeling strongly about this because losing a significant number of our active cub scouts makes me nervous for the Food for Scouting activity, however, I am not personally in favor of this change.

 

I really don't think the issue for this parent is S4Food. This is the first year my new pack is going with a February bridging, which I enthusiastically support, based on my older son's experience last year. As a newbie to the pack, I'm looking for succint words of wisdom to reassure this parent that it's to her son's benefit to bridge over now instead of at the end of the school year. Hope to hear from folks tonight.

 

[evmori]

When a Webelos crosses over , they no longer have an active part in the Pack. They are for all intent a Boy Scout. They have gone as far as they can in Cubs.

 

I would let this parent know this. It sound more like the parent is involved in the Pack & feels too much pressure to be involved in both. That doesn't need to happen. The parent can continue with the Pack until the summer & the son can move along in Boy Scouts. In the summer, the parent can then move (if he/she wants) to Boy Scouts.

 

Unless you are crossing over your entire Pack to Boy Scouts, I don't see the concern with SFF unless this parent is in charge & wants BIG numbers to make them look good. If that's the case then this parent needs the SFF program explained.

 

Ed Mori

Scoutmaster

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[frankj]

An advantage of bridging during Feb-March time period is that it puts the boys in with the Troop in time for them to complete some advancement before summer. In our area, summer camp plans reservations are being made at this time and if they don't bridge until June, there is a possibility they will get left out of the summer camp activities. I would try and explain this to the parent. Good luck.

[Chippewa29]

When Scouts cross over in February/March, they have a much better chance of sticking with the program. When we've had kids cross over in May/June, they say they can't come to the meetings or campouts until the end of June because of baseball. Then, they have family vacations in July and August. By the time school starts back up in September, they have missed a lot of great Scouting time and lost interest.

 

The BSA shifted the crossover from May to February so the new Scouts would be able to get several campouts underneath their belts before heading up to summer camp for a week.

[shemgren]

In addition to the reasons stated by the esteemed forum members, by allowing the Webelos to cross in February - March, they have the opportunity to participate in the Troop's spring fundraiser to help off set the cost of Summer Camp. The Webelos Scouts who cross then have a strong chance of still being in the troop a year latter when it is time to bring the next group.

 

[ASM1]

shemgren said it best! I have found in BSA that there are reasons for everything that have been thought out in every posible concern to the success of the program. Summer camp is priority for a new scout, and early bridging to participate in fundraising is the key to success. As a Scoutmaster of a brand new troop, only 3 months old, we do not yet have Den Chiefs out in packs to receive bridgers. You lucky guys, I can't wait until nest year!!! I wish you great success, and tell this parent to also make the bridge and get involved in Boy Scouts. Time marches on and our children grow up. Nothing we can do about that except to enjoy their growth and participate in their lives.

 

ASM1

[sctmom]

All of the above is good, especially about summer camp.

 

The letter says:

Why would I want my child to make this change before the end of his last year in Cub Scouts?

 

February/March IS the end of the last year of Cub Scouts.

 

[mk9750]

Ditto to all. Although I've heard various numbers, there is a direct correlation between 1st year summer camp attendence and a boy's continuation in the program. Late crossings do two negetive things: They allow little time for a boy to be shown how to camp, and they don't allow the troop to undo the attitude that scouting is a nine month of the year program. In addition to Chipewa29's comments about sports and vacation, we find far too many families (not necesarily boys) saying "OK, we're crossed. See you in September" (hey they should make a song...). Cross as soon as these three things are in line: Arrow of Light earned, the pack can schedule the ceremony, and the chosen Troop can accomodate you. IMHO, it's better for the boy(s) involved.

 

Mark

[sctmom]

One other thing, take a look at those 2nd year Webelos at Pack meetings. That look and attitude of "I'm too cool for this. This is SOOOO childish."

 

They mumble out a den yell. They have to be drug into games. They have fun sometimes, but won't admit it. They are ready to move on.

 

[eagle90]

I too enthusiastically encourage the February crossover. In our case,it gives the new scouts 5 opportunities to camp with the troop before Summer Camp. This helps alleviate the homesickness problem, and also acclimates the boy to "Scout camping" instead of camping out of the car with mom and dad. It also gives the new scout (and parents) to get to know the leaders and vice versa.

[Quixote]

Our pack went to a March crossover last year and it worked out a lot better than having them cross a the end of the school year. Yes, the pack loses some kids, but that's the way the Webelos program is designed - they are SUPPOSED to cross over early, not at the end of the school year.

 

The boys get to be scouts and some maybe even tenderfoot before they go to summer camp and they know the older boys better and have a better experience IMO.

[acco40]

This is a common feeling from parents of Cub Scouters. Cub Scouts always ran from September to Augut (hopefully) or from September to June at least. Now, in the last year you are telling me it ends in mid-February? Why my son will miss the pinewood derby. The other boys crossover in June. Why? Why?? Why???

 

From a pure cub perspective, good question. From a Boy Scout perspective, as previously stated, the boys need time to accclimate themselves to the troop and camping by the time summer camp (a full week of camping!) rolls around. Many can't handle it with a February crossover, some can handle it with a crossover only a few weeks before.

 

Up here in Michigan, the peril with a February crossover is that the new boy Scout may experience a very cold first camping trip in March (or sometimes late February). The first trip leaves a lasting impression. That is why we try to tent camp in January (brrr!) but cabin camp in March. We want the new boys to get a good first impression of Boy Scouts.

 

To the parents of boys who are not continuing into Boy Scouts, the ending of Webelos II in February/March can seem dumb. Explain the purpose of AOL (prepare for Boy Scouts) and maybe with proper communication the reasons will sink in.

 

Good luck.

 

(This message has been edited by acco40)

[SR540Beaver]

sctmom,

 

Amen! At our last pack meeting, the Webelos II's were responsible for the flag ceremony. They sat at the back table and whispered to each other thru the whole meeting. They were oblivious to what was going on. When the meeting was over and they were to do the flag retreat, the Cubmaster had to call them three times before they figured out what was going on and came forward. They see the pack as childish and want to move on to a troop.

 

My son is a Webelos 1 and "I'M" the one who can't wait for him to move on to the Boy Scouts!!! He has always been mature for his age and has always gotten along with and enjoyed the company of kids a little older than him. Some of our Webelos 1's act like Tigers and I'd just as soon him not be around them. He could be learning so much more and getting more out of the program if we didn't spend most of our meetings with the scout sign up or making the boys stay out of the fire during campouts. I know part of that is just being a kid, but too much is too much.

 

I'm all in favor of the early bridge to get a boy in a troop and some skills under his belt before they hit it hard and heavy.

[NJCubScouter]

First of all, I am assuming here that this boy is in the fifth grade. If so, sometime in February through April is the time to crossover. I am not sure if this is "official" anywhere, but it is the right answer.

 

This is a subject of great interest to me, because my son is 11 years old (since October), is a Citizen badge and a couple other requirements away from Arrow of Light, and is the only Webelos 2 in the pack. (The Webelos den this year is a combined den, though with about 15 Webelos 1's (I know, they should have had 2 dens) and my son. The other boys in my son's year drifted away gradually over the years, and I feel compelled to say that it was mostly during the time I was not their den leader.)

 

As a result of my son's unique situation, the choice of crossover date was left to me. For whatever reason, my pack has traditionally done crossover in May or June. From reading various forums (including this one) it became clear to me that this was too late, mostly for the reason that has been stated above several times -- you want to get the boy "going" in the troop prior to summer camp. Also for whatever reason, the person doing the scheduling for our pack decided that the Blue and Gold dinner is going to be March 21. I decided that that was the logical date. My son gets one more Pinewood Derby (in early February), and the next thing after that is Blue and Gold.

 

With regard to this parent who does not want her son to cross over before the end of the year: Has she visited a troop with her son, and discussed the program with the Scoutmaster? Quite probably the Scoutmaster would explain to her the timing of the crossover, in terms of the program. That might work better than "because that's how it's done."

 

I also have to say that if my son were ten and a half, as some boys are when they are about to cross over, I might feel differently. I might have concerns about whether he was "ready." However, because of the random chance of when my son was born, he will be 11 years and 5 months old when he crosses over. That seems like moving-along-time to me. Theoretically, there could be one or more boys in the troop who are only 12 days older than my son, but will have been in for a full year when he crosses over. So this is what is right for my son. It might not be ideal for all. But a parent has to get their mind geared to the fact that the boy is now old enough to be a Boy Scout, so the parent and boy might as well conform to how the Boy Scout program works.

 

Put another way, Scouting does a pretty good job of deciding what kinds of activities and programs are age-appropriate. Unless a boy has a particular problem with maturity, or whatever, by the spring of fifth grade, the Webelos program really is not the age-appropriate program anymore.(This message has been edited by NJCubScouter)

[CubsRgr8]

Thanks for all the feedback. I've replied to the parent and expect I'll be continuing the discussion Tuesday night at the Pack Meeting. NJ, it's a little off the original topic, but perhaps you could share the steps you have taken (or are taking) to choose a troop for your son.