I am a Webelos Leader (starting second year). I also have a son who crossed over March of 2004 to Boy Scouts. He is just shy of first class now.

 

Our pack did not have a Troop associated with it. Boys from our pack join one of two troops in the town. This year, their is an effort being made to start a Troop with the same CO as the pack. A scoutmaster has been recruited and the ball is rolling.

 

As the Webelos II leader, I'm thinking that I will be expected to move the Webelos in my den right over to the new troop (though I know boys can join whatever troop they choose to).

 

I am conflicted. Since I have one son already in a troop, I'd like both my sons in the same troop. However, our family has been having some issues with the current troop (mainly it is scoutmaster/committee-run and not boy-led). So, I am not totally adverse to having my younger son join the new troop. In fact, I'd love to be involved in the ground-floor decisions that may help it become a truly boy-led troop.

 

My concern is for my older son. If he decides to go to the new troop with his brother in March of next year, he will likely be the only 7th grader in the troop with a group of just crossed over 5th graders. Has anyone ever had this situation where their son was the oldest with no real peers? Would you steer clear of a situation like this? Has anyone had success recruiting older boys into a brand new troop? I'm thinking that it would be quite hard.

 

I might mention that my son has no real friends in his current troop, so that is not really an issue.

 

CubScoutJo

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, I have. We started a new troop and two of the nine original boys were in this situation. They've done real well and for the most part fit right in with the guys. Certainly there are times when the age difference is more obvious than others. Also, many many moons ago, about a year after I became a boy scout, my father helped start a new troop. My older brother was 4 years older than the next scout. Obviously, he served as SPL for the first couple of years as the troop formed.

 

That brings me to the point that your older son may like. This is a great opportunity for him to be a leader to these younger boys. Depending on his personality, it may be a great opportunity for him.

I agree- it sounds like he is in a nearly perfect place to be a PL or SPL to get things rolling.

 

I guess I'd just ask him. I often find that I am creating problems where none may really exist- your son may have no qualms whatsoever about being the senior kid at first.

Ditto to what EIKY'mon and madkins say. I would definitely speak with the folks involved in the start-up to understand where that scoutmaster is coming from and headed to.