Cub Scouts lasts for too many years

[Fred Johnson]

Got a question I've been ruminating on for a bit. I've heard whispers about a coming "one unit" change.

Does anyone know if this change might include addressing a new Cub Scout challenge?

Before 1982-1983, Cub Souts started in 2nd grade. 1st grade Tiger cubs was step wise added between 1982 and 1993. Now, we have Kindergarden lion cubs. The trouble is that 4th and 5th grade boys don't want to be sitting anywhere near Kindergarten and 1st grade boys at pack meetings.

Is there an effort to split Webelos more into their own entity or to get them to participate more with the troop than with the pack? Is there something to address the maturity difference?

[kwildman]

I havent heard anything about splitting out webelos. alot of the depends on how the packs run and their leaders.

One thing is that 4/5th graders should 1 or 2 events with boy scouts each year. I wouldnt do anymore than that because just like the 4/5th graders dont want to be around kindergartners...I can assure you that 16/17/18 year old scouts dont want to be around 9 and 10 year olds.

[ronin718]

I havent heard anything about splitting out webelos. alot of the depends on how the packs run and their leaders.

One thing is that 4/5th graders should 1 or 2 events with boy scouts each year. I wouldnt do anymore than that because just like the 4/5th graders dont want to be around kindergartners...I can assure you that 16/17/18 year old scouts dont want to be around 9 and 10 year olds.

Heck, 16-18 y/o Scouts don't want to be around 12-14 y/o Scouts. They'll tolerate the 14 y/o, but that's only if he can keep up.

[Billiken]

I've always believed that a five-year Cub Scout program results in fewer Boy Scouts (and leaders).
Call it "burn out" or "we've already done that".

When Cub Scouting was a three year program (Wolf, Bear, WEBELOS) there was what I call a greater "anticipation factor or allure" of the Boy Scouting program.

My troop's last two Eagle Scouts (one just finished his 7th palm) were not Cub Scouts.
I did not let my son partcipate in Tigers (he's now 18...an Eagle Scout with 3 palms).

However, National and councils really care only about two things....funding and membership/numbers (which drives funding).

[kwildman]

I agree w/ the above. Scary as hell to think they want a Lions program for kindergarten age scouts.

[Fred Johnson]

We have Lion Cubs now. Cute, but too young. What's amazing is that I see new boy scouts (10/11 years old) socializing all the time with 15/16 year old scouts. It usually takes about six months and then they are mixing fine. But K(5 years old) to 5th(10 years old) is five years but twice as old. 5th grade (10 years old) to 10th grade (15 years old) is also five years but only 50% older.

From what I'm seeing so far, I'd like to see either

- Go back to starting Cub Scouts at 2nd grade
or
- Break Webelos off into their own program