Too Eager and Too New?

[nolesrule]

As others pointed out, it's not necessarily the youth that get burned out. It's usually the parents, and you need their buy-in for Webelos overnights.

[sherminator505]

First of all, Scoutfish, I love your enthusiasm. If we had more leaders like you in Scouting, I'm sure we'd have a much stronger program overall.

 

Second, I would recommend caution. A campout every month is an admirable goal, but burnout could be a concern. My suggestion is to start out with the idea of having frequent outings, but be careful not to outrun your support.

 

As for the WB21 invitation, consider it an honor. It is an indication that someone has noticed your work in Scouting and expects that you will stick around a while.

[ScoutNut]

Councils regularly advertise their Wood Badge Courses to all registered leaders. There is no need for any type of "invitation". The more the merrier.

 

And, the more registering for the course, the better the chance that the course will not get canceled because of low enrollment.

 

 

[Eagledad]

Well Im pretty excited to watch your program. I think your scouts are going to have a great time.

 

A few thoughts:

 

The largest group of new scouts we lost had camped every month as Webelos. They knew their Boy Scouts stuff better than our 2nd year scouts and just got bored.

 

Most Troops are prepared to deal with new scouts who have very little if any outdoor experience. Yes, we would like them to have some camping experience, but they certainly dont need to be expert boy scouts.

 

After doing it a few years, I found that three campouts a year was plenty for our Webs: We did one overnighter at the beginning and end of the school year, and summer camp. The Overnight campouts were our Pack campfire Pack meetings that ended with roasting marshmallows and making smores. Any family could campout if they wanted, but it was an official campout for the Webelos.

 

I took my Webelos outdoors at least once a month and they loved it. Depending on the activity badges we were working on that month dictated where we went. We went to a local high school track for the athletic badges, rode bicycles downtown for I think Readyman and went to both the lake and local parks for other activities. Even did a couple service projects at the parks. Boys love the outdoors and it makes the meetings easier.

 

Every den leader has their limits, but I had 16 in my last group and liked it very much. I had two parents each plan and run an activity badge at every meeting. So we had lots to keep us busy, but since the parents did the planning of the activity badges, I didnt get burned out as a den leader. I was also an ASM at the time.

 

My Webelos ran every Pack opening and closing ceremony with one of the other dens, a different den each time. We had a routine where the den would come in an hour before the pack meeting so the Webelos could train them on how to carry the flag. The Webelos would do the commands. The Webelos also help the Cubmaster set up the meeting hall for the pack meeting during that hour. They performed two skits at each pack meeting that they chose and practiced. I did all this to get them the experience of standing and performing in front of groups, and also set themselves to serve as the trainers for the rest of the pack. In retrospect, these are small task, but they are huge confidence builders for joining the Troop next year, and they projected a maturity that the younger cubs could look forward.

 

From my experience as a Scoutmaster, I wanted new scouts who werent afraid of the new program and doing things like I mentioned gave them that courage if not cockiness to jump into a boy run program. We are used to teaching scouts how to camp and do scout skills, that is easy. What is hard to easing them into the sudden change of an adult program run by parents into a program that requires self discpline and is run by boys.

 

I dont need to wish you luck Scoutfish because you already have the passion to make your program a success, I just request that you let us know how it goes because its fun reading these kinds of post.

 

I love this scouting stuff.

 

Barry

 

[bnelon44]

My advice is to take Webelos training and the Webelos Outdoor Leader Skills training or the Outdoor New Leader Skills Training, whichever your district offers. You are going to be a Webelos leader, not a Scoutmaster. Embrace that role. Webelos is an outstanding program for boys your son's age. Utilize it to the fullest and your son and your Den will will love it!

 

When you guys are ready for Boy Scouting (in about 2 years), go to Scoutmaster Specific training. There is plenty of time.

 

 

[rdclements]

What an interesting spread of opinions offered in this thread. Success is dependent on management (leadership) of your specific situation.

It's possible to get the Webelos so advanced that they end up bored, but this would be one of the better problems to have. I think it really depends on how much time you and your scouts have to maintain that operational tempo.

 

And now, it's time for a story...

I was UC for a pack with a Webelos den that did exactly what you are proposing. They had about 12 Scouts, with 8-10 making it on any given outing. Their pattern was to do a den meeting early in the month to plan the trip that they took later in the month. Each monthly campout was to an easy, inexpensive place - usually a council camp. They did nearly all of their advancement work in the field. The key was that their den leaders took things slowly and let the group gain confidence through incremental learning. The stuck to Webelos-level activities and didn't try to do MB or Boy Scout advancement.

 

The den all crossed over to the same troop. A few guys dropped out for the usual reasons, but most quickly earned advancement and became strong troop leaders. They also sought out the den chief and troop guide roles, and some became engaged in OA leadership.

 

Fish - this approach won't work for every situation, but having seen this model succeed in at least one case, I know it can work well. Thank you for your service.

 

-R

[Oak Tree]

I'm with rdclements. One of my sons camped a lot as a Webelos. The year before and after him camped very little. His cohort of Boy Scouts is by far the most active of the three groups. Can you burn out? Sure - if you look at it as a burden. If you look at it as a chance to get out and have fun and relax and accomplish a few things, you can have a great time.

 

Between the pack and den camping trips, they probably camped about 16 times in 20 months. It so very, very much depends on the leaders. Scoutfish, do you have another dad or two who are ready to go all-in with you? I'd suggest not planning out the whole thing - just go on a couple of trips and see how it goes.

[bilgerat]

Scoutfish,

 

Lots of great comments in this chain!

 

My son just crossed over last year, so we now have a full year in Boy Scouting, as well as the 5 in Cubs.

 

I look back at our Webelos years and ask myself... "What would I do differently"...

 

I think I'd have done a lot more "Saturday" day activities and fewer "Tuesday Night" meetings. Our Webelos really enjoyed the team building and leadership challenges (e.g., give them a spool of string, a piece of aluminum foil, and a hair brush and ask them to figure a way to cross the "canyon" without touching the ground - kind of exercises). They also liked building "real" stuff. They loved games. I often found myself on Tuesday night having a V-8 moment - realizing what a great outdoor game or activity we could have done.

I think I'd have done more of those kinds of activities, plus had them make "useful camp gear" - Especially in Webeleos I.

 

Like others, for Webelos I - I'd probably have a campout or two in the Fall and same in the Spring. Also, for what it's worth, Boy Scouts don't do "family camping" - take these last couple of Cub years to allow your families to enjoy that time with their sons in Scouting. It goes WAY too fast!

 

In Webelos II - I'd recommend start setting up your troop visitations in the Spring/summer at the end of the Webelos I year if you can - get 3-4 different Troops - if available - each with a connection to a Scout in your Den. In our area, most Troops want to wait until August to plan much of anything. That's understandable, but unfortunate, in that it seems like they all want you to visit the week in November!!!

 

I would plan to do at least 1 campout AND one Troop meeting with each Troop you've selected. If you do that, it will probably fill most of your Webelos II year and give your Webelos a great picture of Boy Scouting.

 

Oh - and BTW - we REALLY stressed communication with our families. I did a weekly email to the Den, keeping them posted on upcoming events, Den Needs, "great jobs", etc. With families as busy as they are, I found the more I could give them a good "head's up" well in advance, the more they would be able to make Scouts a priority - and most really do want to make Scouting an important part of their son's life (mine did, anyway).

 

I think your positive enthusiasm will be a big factor in their continuing in Scouting after Webelos.

 

Hope that helps!

[bpaul]

Wow. Congratulations on your enthusiastic view of your adventures as a WDL.

 

There are a lot of great comments in this forum about when to camp, how often, etc., as well as lots of great ideas for day trips. With the number of boys you have, you will have the boy who loves camping, some that are still trying to figure things out, and then you have those darn parents , who really control when and if their son gets to go and how often.

 

My son "grew up" in a Pack (and WD) that did not do tent camping. So I took my son to the 3-4 times a year "Cub-n-Ones" sponsored by our Council and my son loved it. Would I have gone more often? That is iffy. I am a single parent and if I couldn't go, then my son couldn't go. I know things are a little different for the Webelos, but remember, some parents aren't ready to let go, necessarily.

 

Something else you might need to consider - camping gear. Are the parents willing to shell out for camping gear so their son can go just a couple of times (remember, they are looking at the $$ spent with the possibility that their son will drop out to try something different)? Consider coordinating with a local troop to borrow their tents, lanterns, cooking equipment, etc. so that all the parents have to provide is a sleeping bag (if those can't be borrowed either). There are always work arounds, but get the parents involved at the beginning and get them to help with the planning, that way you know how far to go!!!

 

Take the boys camping a couple of times to "prepare" them for when they go camping with a troop for the AOL requirement. Keep the activities fun! Search out something unusual - our pack would go to the Houston Space Center and overnight there or sleep on board an aircraft carrier... How exciting is that for a young boy?

 

Now that my son is in BS, he loves to go camping and we go almost every month.

 

We had a pack borrow one of our Troop's chuck boxes so that they could get that BS camping experience before coming out on the "real" BS caming trip.

 

Feed them in small doses, the boys will love it, as well as the parents and neither will get burned out.

 

Most importantly, get the training, repeat the training (with different trainers, if possible) and keep the enthusiasm. Build relationships (Roundtable is a great tool for this) with the Scout troops in your locale so that the boys (and parents) know what their options are (not every troop is suited for every boy, nor is every boy suited for every troop).

 

Best of luck!!!

[Jeffrey H]

I enjoyed the camping I did with my Webelos Den. We averaged about 3 to 4 campouts a year including a family Pack campout. That was plenty as we also mixed it up with "day" trips. Also, don't forget about "Webelos Summer Camp" if your council offers one. Our council offers a 3-night summer camp for Webelos at a resident council camp. Parents do not have to accompany their sons on campouts at the Webelos level, but you must have 2-deep leadership. Even with that policy, I strongly recommend that you invite and encourage parents to come along. After all, Webelos are still Cub Scouts, not Boy Scouts.