Webelos divide

[K1986]

I am the leader of both Webelos 1 and 2 dens in our pack. This is my fourth year after having worked my way up the ranks from Tiger with my oldest. Now my younger boy is a Webelos 1 and the oldest is a year into Boy Scouts. I do the meetings with both age levels together, staggering the acheivements so neither group ever has to do the same thing twice except Outdoorsman, Readyman, Citizen and Fitness, which has never been an issue as I do the activities a little different each time.

 

Here is my problem,

 

My Webelos den is very small right now. I crossed a large group (seven boys) over last year and have a large group coming up next year (9 boys) But at the moment I have 2 Webelos second years and 1 Webelos first year. The divide and my question is between my two Webelos second year boys. One has been with me since Wolf Scouts, he has completed the 18 months of the Webelos program as of Blue and Gold at the end of February when I traditionally cross kids over after arrow of light. He is ready, very mature and prepared. He has met all his requirements including age and activities. Worst of all, but to be expected he is getting bored with the cub scene. The second boy started back in September and won't be age or requirement ready until April, minimum, because of his age, but I don't see it being until June that he has finished the requirements.

 

My question. Though I am sure they will both cross over, I don't want to chance having the first boy leave because he is bored by making him wait until April or longer. He is a good sport, I have him leading activities and he is really trying to stay involved but he is anxious to get over to the Troop where his friends went last spring. Is there a rule saying they have to cross over together? Would it be rude to the second boy and his family to see the other boy in the same grade go first?

 

I've never had this issue before, thankfully my groups have always been on the same path but this second boy started so much later, it is hard to catch him up. What does everyone think? I can I cross them separately or keep them together?

 

Thanks!

[Sqyire21]

I think a lot of this issue will be in how you present the situation. Bottom line however: Has Boy A completed the Arrow of Light requirements? Has Boy B? These are written and required for the program.

 

Now...can more be done for the boy who isn't done? Perhaps....but if he isn't done with the program requirements, I think you've answered your own question. For the boy who is done... tell him congrats and wish him well as he transitions.

 

PS: We had 1 boy move in Dec, while the rest are waiting until Blue & Gold.. and it's possible one or two will be finishing requirments in May/June.

[Basementdweller]

Bottom line is the Bear den leader becomes the First year webelos den leader. You stay with your boys till they join boy scouts.

[AKdenldr]

I would not hold the first boy back, since it is not what he wants. I would discard the notion that the bridging for either boys needs to take place at the B&G in Feb. Or that they need to bridge at the same time.

 

We had a combined den like yours due to a den colapse. We had 5 old WebII boys bridge in Feb and then another set of faster tracked young WebI boys be awarded their AOL at a pack picnic and 'received' at their troop in May.

 

Talk to the troop. If they want to take first boy now let him bridge now. However, if they want to take him in a class of cross overs from other packs, can he visit and participate for now and cross over at cross over time? Then talk to boy's family and let them have input.

 

With regards to your late joiner and your web I, 2 scouts is not much of a den. Can you join in the current Bear den's activities with some pull outs for webelos activities? Bear den might be done with achievements for their bear badge right about now and on to belt loop and electives. After all in May your Web I will be joining that big batch of Bear boys.

 

Best of luck

-- AK

[ScoutNut]

You never withhold an award from a boy who has completed the requirements. He should receive his award at the next Pack meeting after the requirements are completed.

 

You should never hold a boy back in Cub Scouts when he has met all of the requirements for, and is ready to, transition to Boy Scouts.

 

It should never be assumed, expected, encouraged, or required, that all boys cross to the same Boy Scout Troop. Or that they all cross at the same time.

 

Hold a grand Crossover Ceremony in February for your Webelos that is ready.

 

Hold another grand Crossover Ceremony in April/May/June, or whenever the other Webelos is ready, and has met all of the requirements.

[ntrog8r]

The point is to prepare your Cubs to move into Boy Scouts so if one young man is ready don't hold him back. He should be encouraged and congratulated! The other two Webelos will continue to work together and will cross over when they are ready - which will again not be together.

[Stosh]

When I was doing my Wood Badge ticket, I went back into Cub Scouts, picked up WB den leader position and worked the boys through to Boy Scouts. I had so much fun doing it, I decided to do it again, but when I went back to the pack the second time, they didn't have any Webelos II boys. So I took the Webelos I boys for two years.

 

Well, it was my policy to meet weekly with the boys and so we progressed quickly through all the achievement pins and by the time they got to Webelos II normal starting time, they all had Arrow of Light. Everyone was in a tizzy as to what the boys were going to be doing to stay in the program for another year. So, we did the pins all over again, but at a much more advanced level. As long as we weren't doing it for advancement, we didn't have to stick with doing just what the requirement said and got to do some stuff on a deeper, more fun level. For the communications pin, they made Meyer's flags and send messages and learned Morse Code "just for fun". They also got to make plans, menus, design outings, go camping, made walking sticks and wood-burned their names on them with a magnifying glass, etc. with no burden of having to meet requirements and basically just sat back and had a blast.

 

Once the boys turned 10 1/2 years old they were allowed, if they wanted to, go into Boy Scouts. They were all having so much fun in Webelos they chose to stick with Cubbing until all the boys were 10 1/2 years old and then crossed over together. Of course the Derby and regattas were a strong draw to keep them in the Cub program for the duration. The second summer we were together, we put together a "camporee" for the Webelos boys that had all kinds of competitions they they were going to have for real some day in Boy Scouts. They learned knots, fire starting, first aid, etc. so that when they got to their first real camporee they were all ready fired up for the fun. Of course their menus for meals didn't have any "traditions" to contend with and so they ate like kings. Of course, the event was "high adventure" for the boys and they packed up everything into canoes and padded out to an island where they set up camp, dug latrines, and built a fire pit to start out. The paddle amounted to about 5 minutes on the water, but to them it was a trip of a lifetime.

 

The scoutmaster of the troop they finally crossed over into was concerned that they would be bored with the T-FC advancement requirements the first year because they had already been doing most of those requirements already in Webelos. They sat down the first week they were in Boy Scouts and did all but the second half of physical fitness for Tenderfoot. A month later they had Tenderfoot and most of 2nd Class done. But they flew through T-FC in about 6 months, stayed interested in Boy Scouts and 5 of the 6 boys Eagled. The only one that didn't, moved from the area. He may have gotten his Eagle as well.

 

Sometimes the assumptions of adults over compensate for the reality experienced by the boys. They had a great time. They met every week instead of the normal Cub den sporadic meetings, stayed interested and did well in Boy Scouts. Never underestimate the boys, and never impose a bunch of "rules" on them that take away the fun they are anticipating.

 

Stosh