Question Webelos to Boy Scout

[Locust Fork Leader]

I would never push these boys through. They are working one the requirements as they can. I have a small group and a good group who really works to get things done. Most of my boys have already completed 10 of the 20 pins in the Webelos book. Also to slow them down some we have been working to earn 2 belt loop a month. I'm thinking that my boys will be really at the soonest to cross over this time next year but we might even get to stretch that until May. I'll just have to see where it goes. I'm certainly not going to hold them back if they can do the work. I hate to see boys staying in a den and doing nothing.

[dsteele]

I don't want to restart an old much-worn debate, but I have to take exception to the statement:

"Having the world's youngest eagle is a goal/bragging right for a parent - it does not serve the child's best interest. I have never seen a good young eagle."

 

This is no reflection on the poster. I take exception only with the part of "I have never seen a good young eagle." I've seen several good young eagles.

 

I used to see one when I looked in the mirror. The face has changed somewhat since then, but the Scout Oath and Law the guy in the mirror was taught, learned and lives have not.

 

Don't worry . . . you didn't offend me, but I couldn't let that one stand without comment.

 

Besides, this thread is about Webelos to Boy Scout. So I'll throw my opinion into the mix:

 

I think that as long as a boy meets the joining requirements to join a troop and has the desire to do so, he should be allowed.

 

Don't worry about how soon this may make it possible for him to reach high ranks in the troop. That's up to him. Some boys, regardless of when they enter the troop will not be excited by advancement and simply won't advance much. Others will go at it like a duck to water and there's nothing you can do to stop them.

 

Once they enter the troop, age is not an issue in terms of advancement. Either they meet the requirements or they do not.

 

Unc.

[anarchist]

DANGER! DANGER!, Will Robinson, DANGER!

 

HAVE NOT SEEN ANYTHING IN THIS THREAD ABOUT THE TROOP THESE YOUNG SUPER-SCOUTS (SUPER SCOUT PARENTS?) (no offence meant) are looking to cross over to...???

 

Just as age, maturity, peer advancements and skill readiness are important factors perhaps more important is this simple consideration...will the troop be ready for your young scout? MOST IF NOT ALL troops plan their year and their activities to embrace the new scout patrols at a certain time in their "Scout Year".

 

If your boys crossover on their "own schedule" they may not have a NEW SCOUT PATROL to move into...Our Troop (for instance) plans on crossovers from February to March, as most Packs in our district seem to follow this kind of program schedule...In the last two years we have had boys "show-up" in MAY (their Pack only meets 'part-time' and advancement follows suit) and in almost all cases the transition (only two months difference) has been more difficult and in EVERY case Summer Camp has been a big problem. There is a lot to be said about joining as a group, with your 'buds'...rather than being the newest and the youngest and being 'shoe horned' into a group of older boys with higher skills. The New Scout Patrol system is meant to ease Cubs into BOY SCOUTING and jump start them towards first Class.

 

There is plenty of time to get to be a boys scout and earn an Eagle...and Uncleguinea aside, REALLY YOUNG EAGLES are generally not well respected unless they are exceptional young men. And this is not an age 'thing' so much as an experience 'thing'. (I recently heard two of our seventeen year old Eagles talking with one of our newly minted 18 year old ASM/Eagles about a 14 year old 'soon to be Eagle'..."yeah, he did finished the requirements but would you want to take him on a trek?")

PLEASE, Think really hard about an early cross over...For my money I'd finish the Webelos II program, Have fun with it don't be in such a hurry, let them grow up a bit more. Over the last 12 years, I have seen more young "go getters' become "burn outs" than I care to think about and most of them were "doing it" for their dads!

good luck, slow down, and have fun, they grow up way too soon!

[Torveaux]

OmegaEagle, et al,

 

Since one of the requirements for AOL is being an active member of one's Den for 6 months following the end of 4th grade, it would stand to reason that for the vast majority of schools, the earliest one could crossover is November/December (May-June +6 months).

 

I would heartily echo some of the sentiments of others about slowing down a bit. If the Cub Scout activites are too easy for your boy, perhaps you and he are not taking full advantage. Since the requirements are signed off by the parents, perhaps you could challenge your obviously gifted son to go the extra mile on each accomplishment. There are also some real concerns about how well an early crossover will be truly accepted by the Troop, especially if he is young. (I know everyone will claim that their boys would never disrespect a Troopmate, but the reality is that most boys will given a situation that rubs them wrong.)

 

There are also a host of additional badges/awards that can be earned as a Cub Scout. The Academics and Sports program could take quite awhile to complete. LOL. As the member of a Pack Community, I think it is a shame that you are only interested in advancing your boy out of Cub Scouts without regard to the other boys in his Pack. When the Webelos advance early, it takes valuable leadership from the Pack as well. I am not seeing how that is in keeping with the Leadership and Citizenship we are trying to instill in our boys. The Merit Badge booklets are available for sale, if he is so bored with Cubbing, maybe he could do some extra work and share his experiences with his den.

 

My son is young for his class as he was skipped past 1st grade. Given his academic gifts, many aspects of Scouting have come easy for him. I see no reason at this point to expect that he will not have most of the AOL requirements done by the time he finishes 4th grade. (He would only be 9) Even if he were older, I think it would be wrong to push him ahead. I guess what I am saying is that I understand your situation as I will be facing it next year.

 

If you are looking for some of the camping opportunities, get trained and take your Pack on some overnighters.

 

 

[OmegaEagle]

I hear you, and I do understand your perspective.

 

Obviously, you're talking about a pack in which the Webelos do provide leadership and are expected to do so. That's not this pack, though there are lots of other good qualities.

 

My son has earned a bunch of beltloops and pins as well as optional awards, even some that many leaders don't know exist, i.e. the Donor Awareness Patch.

 

I am TDC-trained and I've trained in several categories. I do go on campouts. We even went w/the troop on a ski trip recently. The couple of cubs who went even earned their loop and pin while there!

 

There is a real connection between the ACTIVE Webelos IIs and the ACTIVE Webelos Is. There would be a connection that way. And, there are two Webelos Is who are buds who would move up at the same time.

 

I've discussed it and reviewed it w/my Key Three now so I'm certain that this specific situation would be healthy and helpful, especially because I'm willing to help w/the pack and the troop.

 

 

[Torveaux]

I think you may have missed the point. He cannot earn the AOL until he has been done with 4th grade for 6 months. That means November (if school is out in May) or December (if June.) That is only a month or two earlier than regular cross-over (February).

 

If he has not earned the AOL, he would not be eligible to crossover until he completed 5th grade OR turned 11.

 

I guess at the end of the day, it does not really matter that you want him to go early or that others may agree with you. To be eligible to register as a Boy Scout, one of those three requirements must be met. I guess if you want to go in Nov/Dec rather than waiting until Feb, that is his (your) option, but I think that to do so would be self-serving. The other boys could use his example, whether leadership is formal or not. To bail out on the Pack does not seem to fit the ideals of Scouting in general. "The boy helps the Pack go."

 

 

[anarchist]

 

Excuse me!????!

Has anyone asked the troop??? Even if the boy(s) was truely ready for the AoL in NOVEMBER is the troop ready for the boy???

Our New Scout Patrol (NSP) system and our troop calendar simply does not anticipate NSPs until March...we are still working on the last crop of NSPs and have not selected the next group of guides...

 

and the Webelos who showed up on the 'door step' would not fit in with the existing NSPs who are 'now' roughly 70% second class and 20 % first class...and running there own show (shakily perhaps) but still operating as a 'less-guided' patrol with PLs of their own and quite a bit of camping under their belts.

 

It seems you are in quite the hurry, but is it right for all and does the troop have the flexibility to accomodate you? I know ours wouldn't...