Enrolling in more than one troop

[TiaScout]

I'm interested in hearing how other leaders work the situation where a girl belongs to two troops. I've heard of a couple situations like that -- though all but one, I think, were enrollments in a BSA Venture Crew while continuing with a GSUSA troop. Anyone?

 

Tia in Alexandria, VA

[Nike]

I don't see any problem with a girl being in a GS troop and a Venturing Crew. They are two different organizations. She will just have to choose which activities she attends if a conflict occurs. No one would say anything about her being involved with a sport or other activity. Now, she probably shouldn't be registered in two separate troops within the same council.

 

With the new pathways plan, it looks like GSUSA is trying to ensure that girls can participate in GS in many different ways without having to do the weekly troop meeting first and foremost. In fact, I think older girls (6th grade and up) should be able to participate in both a "standard" troop and an activity group/troop (equestrian troop, math&science troop, dance troop, etc.)

 

It should all be up to the girl and her parents. As for leaders, just go with it and support the girls' needs, wants, and desires as best you can. For a dual enrollee, you do have to let her and her parents know that the troop schedule doesn't revolve around her personal schedule.

[TiaScout]

I've got one daughter in the two-troops situation now. In the past, I had heard of a couple other scouts doing it. Not knowing their reasons, it left me a bit puzzled, but hey, different strokes, you know? Then several events led us down a similar path. It's working fine this year, my younger daughter's first Junior year.

 

One troop meets 1st and 3rd Wednesdays; the other, 2nd and 4th Wednesdays. They do different sorts of things. The troop I co-lead in a different town offers camping, officer roles, and the structure to get badgework and signs done. The second troop, nearer our home, is much more low-key, but gives my daughter some extra, indoor activities with nice girls. I invited the latter to come meet at the same place and time as my older daughter's Cadette/Senior troop, to give them some support and multi-level opportunities. So, my daughter's essentially been their permanent guest member this year.

 

No conflicts so far. The other leader and I communicate well. We're keeping it straight by having our shared girl enrolled in her original troop as her "main" troop, whose numbers and crest she wears, and whose cookies she sells -- mainly because Cookie Moms and I couldn't figure out a non-crazy-making way to divide that activity up. She contributes to her secondary troop financially via dues, cookie booths and a family donation to make up for the cookies she could/would have sold on her own. Earned awards are presented via her primary troop, except for participation patches that relate to the second troop, plus an extra badge or two she's doing on her own. Her records are kept with her main troop.

 

Anyway, next year should be interesting, as we shuffle around leaders. I'm leaving leadership of my daughter's primary Junior troop in the capable hands of my current co-leader and other moms, so I can start leading the troop where my younger daughter's been visiting. The other leader, who's been on her own for some time, is happy at the prospect of being a troop mom for a change. Anyway, that will mean more activities and camping for them, so more chances for schedule conflicts. But since my daughter is so attached to her old troop, socially, I've decided to give her the choice about staying. Luckily, we have good friends in both troops and can work out rides and such. And, not having meetings every single week makes it feasible.

 

Seems to me that dual troops with BSA would be ever so much harder, with the record-keeping and advancement.

 

Deary me, this post got way too long. Sorry 'bout that.

 

But I am interested in other other folks' experiences with the multiple troop thing. My own kid might not be the only one, come next year.

 

Because all our troops meet in multi-level settings with affiliated homeschool troops, I admit there are weeks when it gets a bit confusing. A recent patch order was divided among five troops to save shipping, but not sanity. Different colored lids on the plastic bins, yup.

 

Tia