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Question Webelos to Boy Scout


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Fab!

Our pack doesn't seem to have a history for "early" AOL, so what should I consider as I prepare my son for AOL. His den leader is onboard, but I want to be sure we don't face any difficulties in the coming months, especially since the normal pack bridge ceremony is in May.

 

Plus, I need to research this pack/troop advancement and participation record against others. I need to know that my boy will have the structures in place to advance if he does his work. If I decide on a different troop, how does he bridge from a pack associated w/its troop and instead moving to a different troop? What else do I need to consider/do?

 

 

 

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Oh, and does anyone have a Web link to a site that shows how boys can earn their AOL in one year? My Webelos is well on his way, and I don't see a problem at all, but I'd like to see what others have done.

 

Email me privately when you or someone else has posted a response to this query or the previous one, please.

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Since you asked,

 

I would first make sure that the 'early crossover' is what your son wants. You seem anxious to get him into boy scouts, but it should really be about what your son wants. Is he okay with leaving behind his den and his last year of cub scouts? Patience is a virtue with great rewards.

 

If the normal pack bridging ceremony is in May, it sounds like your son will not be ready at that time since you indicated his finishing over the summer. Given that, you would want to discuss with both the DL, CM and SM of the troop he is joining - how they would like to proceed with a crossover ceremony for him. It may turn out that his personalized crossover ceremony will not be as showy as the one that the adults usually plan for a group. Make sure your son recognizes that possibility.

 

As I indicated (and some disagree) most troops take crossover 'dens' in the late winter/spring timeframe. It may be that your son crosses over in September after he has earned the AOL - that should not pose a problem to a troop, but recognize that if the troop has a first year-first class program, your son may be playing a little catch-up to those who crossed over 6 months earlier. Boy scout advancement is individual based so he should not get discouraged by that - he has his own timetable for all advancement.

 

Moving to a different troop than the one affiliated with your pack is typically no problem. You and your son should pay a visit to the troop of choice and arrange some time to talk with the SM. In fact, visit several troops to see which one he likes the best and seems to offer the most and best scouting program.

 

Finally, don't expect "confidence, independence, goal-setting and organizational issues" to be changed overnight. He is still 10 years old. It takes years for these attributes to develop.

 

Good luck.

 

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OmegaEagle, I must echo SemperParatus' concerns. Please do not pull him away from his buddies, this is not a contest. Cub scouts should be FUN, if you rush him thru, it will not be fun. Please trust me on this i've seen it happen. Have you asked your son what he wants? Sounds silly, but a great way to open a line of communication.

 

One of my sons is 16 (the other is 12), i constantly had his back covered, i.e. "do you have what you need for the meeting?, did you do this, did you do that?". Unfortunately, all it did was make him more dependent on me. Almost every time he asks me a question now i ask "what do you think?" or "what would you do?". Most of the time, he didn't have to ask the question at all! Sometimes, we need to step-back in order to instill those independence and confident skills. This is NOT an easy task!

 

If you and your son both choose to go to a troop (other than the one the rest of the den is going to) i would hope that your committee is ALSO inviting that troop to the crossover. If they are not, i would suggest it.

 

I too wish you and your son good luck.

 

Sparkie

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Thanks. That helps. I'll talk w/my son this week. Among the five or six in his den, I'd say two are really his buddies. That could be the key. I know the father of one is eager for something more challenging and interesting, too.

 

Hey, if anyone knows how we should handle our family's completion of the BSA Family Activity Award, please do tell. We're almost done, as a family. There is no pack coordination. We've enjoyed it, and may do it again in 2005.

 

Do we coordinate w/the cubmaster, pack chair and/or council?

Since it isn't a "normal" award, do I/we pay for it?

I don't want others to feel bad about this. My hope is that other families will see what can be done, step up and do it w/their son(s).

 

Thoughts?

 

 

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Regarding the Family Activity Award - turn in a copy of the completion paperwork to your Cubmaster or Pack Advancement Chair and ask them how they would like to proceed. In my experience, the patch is only a couple of bucks and should easily be covered by the pack awards budget. Also, I would think they would prefer to present the award at a pack meeting as a motivator for others.

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Sparkie/Others,

 

Does a cub scout get the same religious knot earned by a boy scout for earning different religious awards?

 

Does a cub scout have to earn all four of a particular religious award to get the knot, or is it okay for him to earn one, say the God and Country, and then get the knot?

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SemperParatus, I thought that knot had to come off until they earned their Ad Altari Dei. I realize the religious knot is exactly the same for cub scouts as for boy scouts, but i thought it had to be removed until the boy scout religious award was earned. Yeeesh, and i'm a religious counselor!

 

Isn't the AOL the only cubscout award that can remain on the uniform?

 

Thanks in advance for the clarification!

 

Sparkie

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sparkie,

That is a common misunderstanding. The religious square knot does transfer to the boy scout uniform. Please read the discussion on the above link. But caution, I am far from being a uniform expert - if the information on the link is incorrect, I am sure one of the more knowledgable forum members will set me straight.(This message has been edited by SemperParatus)

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I know that the religious knot can carry over on the scout uniform from cub scout to boy scout to adult scouter. I earned one (Ad Altari Dei) as a boy scout and I wear the youth religious knot on my adult scouter uniform along w/my Eagle knot. I wasn't a cub scout. I just didn't know whether the knot earned as a cub scout is the same and carries over. It sounds as though it is.

 

And it seems that earning any one religious award gets a kid the knot that he can wear on his uniforms through the years.

 

My understanding is that the Eagle award, AOL award and religious award are the only three that can be worn from cub scout to boy scout to adult scouter.

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I am afraid you are trying to push your children ahead too fast. I am a Webelos 1 leader well on track to have requirements for AOL by summer. They will cross over when they are due in 5th grade. I would in no way want these young boys in boy scouts with high school students who are dating and getting ready to drive.

 

My Webelos visited a Boy Scout Troop meeting and enjoyed it. They have gone on outings with BS. I think your job as a leader is not to push through requirement but to help them grow and mature. There are so many good things to do with the boys from internet safety to sport belt loops and pins.

 

I have a 19 year old boy and a 9 year old boy. It is wonderful experience to have an older boy around (as you would by utilizing a den chief) but you don't want the little one to think he is an equal. Webelos are little boys - they have a long time to mature. 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.

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