SM conference with SM who won't be the boy's SM?

[christineka]

AOL ceremony is set of the second Tuesday of December. The 3 boys only need a scoutmaster's conference. Trouble is, we don't know who will be their scoutmaster. This is LDS scouting, where normally each congregation has their own unit, moving the boys from cub scouts to 11 year old boy scouts, and "regular" boy scouts. Our congregation does not have 11 year old scouts, so the boys will go elsewhere. We have visited the two congregations that meet in our building, but now there is a merger in place between our congregation and one that meets at the next closest building. The merger is happening, however, because they don't have many boys either. Apparently, they don't even have 11 year old scouts- same as our congregation. They do have an 11 year old boy, who will soon be 12 and a 10 year old, who will soon be 11, but they just send him to the "regular" by scout troop. (I don't know why we can't do that, too.) I have inquired of the bishop as to who will be the boys' scoutmaster, so they can have their conferences. He doesn't know. He wants to know- can the boys have their conferences with the scoutmaster of our congregation, even though we know he will not be their scoutmaster, until they are at least 12? ("Regular" boy scouts may merge too.)

[Kristian]

Any scoutmaster should be fine.

[qwazse]

Meeting the SM of the troop they might join in a year or so sounds like a good idea.

[moosetracker]

 

I'm guessing that when you had only one 11 year old scout then a solo scout was too small to have an 11yo program.. Your 3 boys alone are large enough to start up a new program. If you have another from somewhere else you'll have 4.. So who ever does the picking will probably voluntold someone soon. From what I understand it can't be a women, so I guess it won't be you although you have worked yourself out of a job.

 

 

I agree with Kristian any SM will do.. That must be a change since my son went through, for AOL everything for tenderfoot scout had to be learned or done except the SM conference. If, now this is part of the requirement then the SM conference is always done when the scout has yet to join a troop, so any SM will do.

[christineka]

Thanks! I guess they just have to have a sm conference after they join the troop to earn scout? Now we have till Jan 3rd to sort out which troop the boys will join. We do have 3 webelos now, but they will not move up to 11 year old scouts at the same time. The go Jan 3rd, Feb 27th, and July 18th. I had already arranged with another leader to take my youngest boy in, when he became a lone webelos, but we should merge by then and not have to worry about him being lonely.

[qwazse]

Thanks! I guess they just have to have a sm conference after they join the troop to earn scout? Now we have till Jan 3rd to sort out which troop the boys will join. We do have 3 webelos now, but they will not move up to 11 year old scouts at the same time. The go Jan 3rd, Feb 27th, and July 18th. I had already arranged with another leader to take my youngest boy in, when he became a lone webelos, but we should merge by then and not have to worry about him being lonely.

Scout (a.k.a. joining rank) SM conferences are little more than a handshake and "how ya doin?" But every SM approaches them differently.

Even if he had one with a boy before AoL, he might want to another once the boy crosses over anyway.

 

So don't think of it as repeating the requirement. Think of it as getting each boy comfortable with introducing himself to different scouters. Many of us think that is the most significant part of the program. That the advancement program exists is to encourage young men to increase their level of adult association.

[Tampa Turtle]

Agree any SM will do and it can be useful for the boy to get excited about scouting, It seems like fun for the SM most times (the younger ones seem so earnest and impressed) and for the scout (to be treated with respect), Usually it is a little chit chat, how's school, what do you like, etc.