Age limits on Merit Badges?

[Pack212Scouter]

Our troop currently limits age on some merit badges, ie. for Citizenship you must be at least 14. Do any other troops do this? And is this considered adding to a requirement?

[John-in-KC]

Our Scout Reservation limits Lakefront MBs because of their popularity. There just is not the capacity. I am not thrilled with the reason you describe for a minimum age. Now, with that, the only remedy I see is for families to vote with their sons' feet

[ntrog8r]

I have heard of it. Though I understand the intent, there is no authority to place age limits on MBs. Scouting is not about limiting opportunities but expanding them. The SM has the chance to influence Scouts on MB choices based on ability, interest, advancement, etc.

 

To those who will say younger Scouts can't meet the requirements - well, the problem is they often do. If a particular Scout can't, that needs to be handled appropriately for that Scout, not all Scouts. And no, I'm not defending myself, my son completed his Eagle nine days before his 18th birthday.

[Eagle92]

Never heard of a troop limiting who can take a MB due to age. Now once upon a time BSA did limit it to specific ranks though.

 

As for camps limiting MBs, heard that and it's usually the popular ones. Problem is, when you get a young motivated scout, the MBs he needs may be the restricted ones and he isn't old enough to take them sooooo...he skips out on Summer Camp and works CSDC as a DC instead b/c his DL and 1/2 the den is registered for CSDC

[Lisabob]

Some troops around here do that. It is sort of "in house" rather than "official" because they don't actually have the authority to do it.

 

Most of the time, it applies only to Eagle-Required badges, except at some summer camp situations as John describes. It is usually an attempt to avoid having 12 year old Eagle scouts, and people who do it claim that the boys don't have the maturity yet to truly benefit from the badges in question, at earlier ages. I don't know if that's true - I've been a counselor for 2 of the citizenship badges and I think some 11-12 year olds get it just fine, although the nature of the conversation is different with a 16-17 year old. The ones who really aren't mature enough tend to progress very slowly on the badge (at least, they did with me as their counselor).

 

For what it's worth, I also think Cit. in Community is the toughest of the three citizenships for a young person to grasp. Lots of little detail in that badge, and the boys are probably least exposed to local gov't and local politics, even though it is in their own community. They can all at least tell you something factual about Congress and they've probably heard a few global news stories, even if they don't understand them. Ask them how their mayor is elected (or who the mayor is) and expect blank stares in return.

 

But if it is really about maturity (and not just putting in road blocks to Eagle) then maybe there ought to be MORE age limits imposed. You seldom hear about troops trying to age-limit, say, Nuclear Science, or Motor Boating, or Law. Just saying.

[dg98adams]

To answer your question.

 

No, our Troop does not put age restrictions (or any other restriction) on Merit Badges...

 

I chair the Council Merit Badge Trail drive, so I know I have Scouts of all ages in the Citizen badge courses....although in the normal course of things, I have observed the average age of the Citizen merit badges to be ~13.

 

And yes, that would be adding to the requirements, which is not BSA policy.

(This message has been edited by dg98adams)

[Jeffrey H]

Putting age limits on merit badges is not BSA policy and it does add to the requirements. However, it is common for Troops to make some in-house rules about when they will allow their scouts to begin work on certain merit badges.

 

My Troop does not put a minimum age on any merit badge, but we discourage work on Eagle required merit badges before the rank of First Class. We make exceptions for Swimming and First Aid Merit Badges since these complement the swimming and first aid requirements for trail to first class. We also make exceptions for Eagle-required merit badges that can be earned at Summer Camp. The common reason for our policy is to make sure they are focused on their trail to first class requirements and not distracted by working on too many merit badges that do not help them advance. As you know, a boy can theoretically have 20 merit badges and still be a Tenderfoot.

 

 

[srisom]

There are no age limits on merit badges. Actually, as soon as a boy is a member of a troop, he can work on a merit badge. Therefore, he could technically be a Scout and have all 124 merit badges.

 

I agree that it is best for them to work on the rank advancement, but it doesn't hurt to get them to work on some merit badges along the way so that the work is not all bunched together later. If they are earning the merit badges as well as rank, they feel like they have accomplished more.

 

Used to be no working on merit badges until they were First Class. Never was sure why it was changed. With the push to be First Class within a year, it really wouldn't be a problem to have it that way again.

[Knot Head]

Our troop does not have any age limts. Then again I can't recall anyone making eagle at age 14 or less so I guess it's never been an issue.

 

Local merit badge colleges (I don;t l;ike them but we do allow guys to earn badges there) oftem limit badges by age. At summer camp they require you to be 14 for shotgun although they will told me it is more an issue of size to handle the gun that age. A big 13 year old who is mature enough to follow the action will be allowed to take the class unless there is a wait list of 14 year olds.

 

I don't really have stong opinion on this isse. There are pros and cons on both sides. On average your 17 year old will grasp (or at least should grasp) citizenship and environmental science in a way the 12 year old may not be able to. It that's probably true of camping, first aid and communications and many other badges also. Just because a guy takes a badge at 12 or 13 does not mean you can't teach good camping, communications and citizenship as a part of the program all during his scout career.

 

So until the BSA establishes a policy for age I hope our troop will continue to have no restrictions but just use a little old fashioned SPL & SM counseling to pair badges with a scout's level of ability and maturity regardless of his age. We have a just turned 15 year old about to make eagle who is light years ahead of many of our 17 year olds in terms of maturity, insight and leadership. The guy was ASPl at 12 and SPL at age 13 and was one of our best ever. Just a natural. Be a shame to hold a guy like that back with a blanket policy.

[desertrat77]

Pack212, this is the first I've heard of age limits on MBs. I consider this "adding to the requirements."

 

If a scout has the initiative to sign up for a MB, we shouldn't stifle it by saying "sorry you are too young."

 

Scouts will achieve incredible heights if their initiative is encouraged.

 

Age has nothing to do with MB motivation. How many 18 year olds woke up one morning and realized their shot at Eagle had come and gone because they couldn't or wouldn't find the time to do a project, and earn one or two of the Eagle required MBs--usually one of the citizenships, ironically enough.

 

I recommend letting the young scouts pursue those MBs while their interest is still keen. It sure won't increase with age.

[moosetracker]

Our troop didn't limit by age, outside of camp(but SM would advise).. But, they did have something with the Citizenship. Seemed they had (Community first before can work on Nation, before can work on World.)

 

My son came into the troop from a different troop, so already killed that progression rule. He had Nation without the Community.. They were shocked some troop allowed him to do that.. (One of those troop rules that over time, was forgotten it was a troop rule, so everyone assumed it was a BSA rule)..

 

Now camp did put out "recommendations" for each MB.. Certain ones not before a certain rank. Others not before an age. I think 1 or two had a prereq of another MB before taking this MB.. They also listed an MB suggestion list for first year scouts.

 

We did follow their "recommendations" as a troop. We felt they did it so they didn't have someone over their head slowing down the rest of the group to complete the MB.. We felt it was common curtesy to help the camp deliver their program by following the guidelines they suggested.

[nldscout]

I have never heard of a troop doing this. However certain MB's like shooting ones, depending on the state, there may be age limits. In NY you must be 12 yrs old to do Shooting other than a BB Gun.

[Horizon]

We encourage First Aid upon joining, and Swimming soon after that. With those two, the Trail to First Class is much smoother, and the boys can concentrate on the outdoors part. If I had the time, I would add Cooking to the initial three, since it also syncs well with the Trail to First Class.

 

As SM, I will sign any blue card if the Scout comes to me. If the Scout is very young, I will counsel them on the badge and its importance - but still let them take it.

 

We DO have one counselor for Personal Fitness who PREFERS not to teach that to boys before the 7th grade. He likes to run the class in sync with the local Middle School PE programs and Health classes that start in 7th grade in our school district. That limitation is his choice as MB counselor, however.

 

I counsel Personal Management, and I prefer boys who are in Middle School as well - but if a 6th grader came to me and asked, I would happily start with them.

[jr56]

No, my troop does not limit any merit badges as far as age. Always encourage the boys to take whatever Merit Badges they want to take.

[Twocubdad]

No, we don't have age limits, in the way you describe.

 

However, as Scoutmaster, when a young Scout approaches me asking for a blue card to begin a merit badge, I will take that opportunity to guide the Scout toward a badge I feel is appropriate for him. In the case of a brand new, just-crossed-over Scout, I may counsel him to work on Tenderfoot or Second Class requirements instead of merit badges. Generally, a Scout's first MB will be First Aid or at summer camp his first year, Swimming. He may also take a craft MB or one of the basic nature MBs.

 

We often tell boys Scouting is about the journey, not the destination. Sometimes we need to be more specific.