Preparing Webelos and parents for a Troop visit

My 2 first year Webelos will be getting their Webelos rank at B&G in March (WOOHOO guys!), so I'm looking ahead to having them visit a Troop meeting and intend to start them with our brother Troop. One is very shy and doesn't do well w/ larger groups (ie 5 or 6 strangers), the other is just a very young 9...he's still quite immature, but time will help that.

So, (getting to my point) before we do a Troop visit I was thinking of asking the SM and SPL to come in and meet with the boys and their adults. I thought it would be easier if the Boy Scout representatives came to us, instead of us going to them for the first time. This way the SPL & SM could talk to everybody and answer any questions without taking their time away from their own meeting later that afternoon. We have a Den Chief (Nephew has been their DC for 2 years), but I think its important for everybody to meet the SPL and SM as well.

Thoughts? Criticisms? Other suggestions? (You can't criticize if you can't offer an IYHO, better idea.)

YiS

Michelle

So, Michelle, what's wrong with paying more than one visit to the troop? The 1st one can be an information gathering and the next is to observe and partake in the activities? If you want to do information only sesson with your den or other dens, then why not ask other troops within the proximity of your pack to partake as well? This way you can have a "Troops Night!" Remember, your Webelos are shopping for themselves and not as a den!

When Webelos come to visit our troop, an ASM or our SM takes the parent aside to talk to them about the troop and about scouting. Our SPL or his designee takes the boys aside first to talk to them about our troop and scouting and then leads them to join the activities. What the boys really like is when that older scout sits down on the floor with them and become part of their den! I usually advise them to visit more than once; however, if they do it as a den, the troop would appreciate the heads-up so that they can make provision to handle the den. One or two at a time unexpectedly doesn't bother the plan.

1Hour

The thought behind bringing the SM & SPL to us instead of us going to them is the comfort level of my 2 Webelos. I don't want my painfully shy one to get so overwhelmed that he wants to quit (and yes, we have been thru that twice already). He nearly choked when I said one of the things we would be doing this spring is visiting the Troop. I like your idea of having a Troop Night, but right now I'd have to do that in two seperate meetings to take his feelings into account.

I have already let the families know that they can visit any of the area Troops they want and that I would get them the name/number of the person to contact when they are ready to visit.

Thanks for the insight, I greatly appreciate you taking the time to answer me. I will be adding your suggestions to the things I take in to account when I make the final decision.

YiS

Michelle

I like the idea of having the SPL and SM visit you first. Make sure to give the SPL a head's up regarding your very shy scout. It might also help to have something "hands on" that they can do together as a sort of ice breaker (here's a great opportunity for your den chief to be observed in action by his SPL too).

A couple of other thoughts: if the troop is larger and it has an established program for new scout crossovers, they might also have a specific person or couple of people in mind to be troop guides (on the scout side) and ASM for new scouts (on the adult side). In that case it would be helpful for your scouts to get to know these people and become comfortable with them too - not just the SPL and SM. Most troops I know though, don't plan a whole year ahead for these positions so this might be something to keep in the back of your mind for next fall.

With regard to troop activities, there's no reason why your boys couldn't join just a patrol activity or two first, if the patrols ever do anything independent of the whole troop.

How does this scout handle situations like the first day of school where he will be exposed to a whole bunch of new people? Must be very stressful for him! But maybe he and his family have developed some strategies for unavoidable situations like that, which can be adapted to scouting situations too. Along those lines, joining the troop is going to be a big step. It is nice that you are working toward preparing him for that already.

Thanks for the reply Lisabob. Fortunatly the SPL was a DC last year (not for this group though) and still helps the Pack w/ things (ie PWD, B&G, etc) because his GMother is part of the Pack, so he knows Shy Scout.

The Troop is small - 1 patrol of 5 boys, plus SPL, so there is no specific person for new scouts at this time, but they are plenty active. And I know, you would think that knowing 2 out of 6 boys would be good...but its the other 4 boys plus the unknown adults plus the unknown situation that I believe is Shy Scouts worry spot.

He is homeschooled, so he doesn't encounter the number of strangers that a child in school would. His parents (newly divorced) are both at a loss for how to help him thru his shyness, so they look to me for help there. I was a shy child and a shy adult (until I became CM) and crowds still bother me some, so I understand what he is going thru. That's why I am trying to prep him ahead of time and trying to find ways to relieve some of the fear.

YiS

Michelle

Our Webelos Den just did there first visit. I called the SM and let him know we were coming. Because I also have a district job I got to know the Troops well. I let the boys and parents know that when the Troop meeting started us parents were going to be brought into another classroom for an intro and the boys would be separated from us into the Patrol rooms with two adults in each room. One parent and son grumbled about it but showed up anyway.

The boys had a great time. 4 of them have selected that Troop, but I'm still making them visit one other.

My point is go for it anyway and have it be a "life lesson" for the shy cub. Even if the SM and SPL come over it won't help when "shy boy" sees big crowd. Have the other boys in the den stick very close to him. It won't help him if SPL or SM keeps him at there side. The Patrol method is about growing in the Troop. I've discovered that 99% of the boys in any Troop will go out of there way to help the newer kids.

When our Sr. Webelos get close to crossing over, they do 2 visits to a Troop. The first one is to meet with the Scoutmaster (AOL requirement) and the parents meet with the Troop Committee to introduce them to the Troop and Boy Scout rules and differences. The second one is for the Webelos to interact with the Boy Scouts.

Let your boys go to the Troop meetings, instead of having the Boy Scouts/Leadership come to them. It does 2 things: it throws them into the "deep end of the pool" right away and it shows them that they are no longer going to be Cubs-they will be Boy Scout and treated as such. However, I would wait until the Fall before you take them; let them mature a little bit more first.

Good to see you are looking that far ahead, though. Good Luck!