Crossing Early

[Basementdweller]

So has the lad earned his arrow of light?

 

I have had 9 year olds ready to join boy scouting and some 15 year olds who have not......

 

 

So to ask a bunch of random folks on the internet, who do not know your son or the troop he hopes to join is a really bad idea.

 

 

We do not know your situation or your son........So we cannot provide relevant advice.

 

 

I would like to add, if your going to try and cross him over in the fall, why? The big push to cross over before the end of the cub program year, June, is so the boys can get used to Boy Scouting before they head off to summer camp with the Troop in June or July typically

[moosetracker]

 

My son went on to scouts with only AOL, age wise he was too young and grade wise too young.. He was an age where his birthday was like 2 days into the cut-off and we could put him in school, or wait a year.. We put him in school, then since he wasn't mature enough he repeated 2nd grade but stayed with his original den which put him a grade lower then his den members.. So he crossed at normal crossover ceremony, but was age/grade wise too young...

 

Didn't work too well for him, but that doesn't mean it will not for you.. He still had a maturity issue.. The first troop he was in had ISSUES.. So he was bullied, by adult leaders and scouts... We found a different troop for him..

 

Just keep tabs on him.. Don't be helicopter parents and swoop in and fix everything, but if you see a major issue where he will drop out due to him not fitting in because he was moved to young.. You can always come to this forum and have a sounding wall on ideas on how to corrected it without stepping on toes (either your sons or the troop adult leaders).

[Sqyire21]

I find I will be in this situation next year as well. My son entered school too early, and age wise, he'll be ready for Scouts next year.

 

My thought for the Scoutmaster: What does he do for newly recruited boys in the fall? Normally, ever Troop gets a few new Scouts in Aug/Sep. All you're doing is bringing in a youth who already knows a few things.

 

When I was a Cub, I crossed over and took the summer off...then entered my troop in fall. I had all year to work on rank and woodcraft before summer camp. By the time I went to summer camp (about 8 months later) I was almost First Class (used to take a full year) and I was able to enjoy many more activities over the Cubs who waited.

 

Bottom line: Only you know your son, and if you think he's ready...and he's eligible to join.. I find it hard to believe the Scoutmaster can deny his enrollment.