Re: Arrow of Light post
John and Bernadette Curry (bernadettejohn@SPRYNET.COM)
Wed, 3 Feb 1999 09:55:54 -0500
To put a different twist on things...my son is a Bear who is "a grade ahead"
of his age. With a mid-November birthday he "should" be in second -grade but
is in a third-grade at the magnet school. When he gets to be Webelos II it
becomes an issue doesn't it? I have in my mind that the youth needs to
finish 5th grade, earn the AOL, OR turn 10 1/2 to enter a troop (in some
posts I'm seeing 11 years to enter a Troop).
But if he doesn't earn the AOL what happens? How might we handle it? - our
Pack traditionally crosses in March so the Webelos can attend Spring
Camporee as Boy Scouts and get a head start on Scouting before summer
camping.
His Den Leader is less than inspiring or organized. He is extremely
disappointed about meeting so infrequently. As a family we do a lot of
independent work to keep him interested in Scouting - which is both good
and bad. He's been with one of the boys in the den since Tigers, and he was
the only boy in the Wolf den when we first started the Pack - until we did
some very active recruiting. Last year the 4 Wolves were very tight but with
the addition of 3 new boys to the den this year (all 6 of the others attend
the parish school) he is "left out" at the meetings. He has been the first
to earn his Bobcat, his Wolf and his Bear so if his Den Leader doesn't
completely turn him off, he should do well as a Webelos too. (Learning to
work independently should serve him well when it comes to Webelos work.)
When he gets into a Troop, the advancements are individual, not age-related
or grade-related, so his age and (OK I'll don a flame-resistant suit and say
it) maturity will find its own level.
Then it doesn't become an issue until he nears completion of High School.
Does he have until he turns 18, or until he graduates High School?
As a Cub Scouter I don't have any Boy Scout literature at hand (or a Webelos
book - I've been waiting for the new one). I'd like to know how to approach
telling him the rules. He'll need time to get used to the idea of not
advancing with his "peers" - even if he chooses a different Troop (very
likely). And he'll need to plan his approach to Webelos (how long he has to
"finish the 20" and earn the AOL) no matter which time frame is the
"answer".
The Pack also has a boy (a current Tiger) who was held back so is a year
behind in school. The answer will effect him also.
Thanks
YIS
Bernadette Curry
Pack 995
ODD NCAC
Springfield VA
Bernadettejohn@sprynet.com
