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by **lifescoutforlife** » Fri Sep 01, 2006 5:44 am

What are some of your feelings on starting kids this young?

by **evmori** » Fri Sep 01, 2006 6:32 am

Too young.

by **Billiken** » Fri Sep 01, 2006 7:37 am

In the following thread we discussed the fact that many Scouters feel that the current 5-year Cub program is too long and results in fewer Boy Scouts:

http://www.meritbadge.net/phpbb/viewtop ... hlight=cub

Therefore, I disagree with starting younger kids (a 6-year program).
(Heck, I think we should abolish the Tiger program.)

by **wagionvigil** » Fri Sep 01, 2006 7:56 am

Abolish the Tiger program and they cannot cross into a troop until the start of their 5th grade year.

by **Chief J** » Fri Sep 01, 2006 9:08 am

Too young.

Chief J

by **Lynda J** » Fri Sep 01, 2006 9:13 am

Way too young. One thing that is aproblem as I see it right now is that so many Cub Dens end up being "Craft Classes" The younger you start them the more that will happen.

by **momma_bee** » Fri Sep 01, 2006 9:51 am

And then, when the crafts end and work outside the den meetings begin (Bears or Webs, depending on the DL) boys start getting disappointed because they have to work instead of play at meetings.

Leaders are burnt out too, because they don't know what to do.

I see dens with a new leader every year, and a potiential loss of continuity in leadership with Lions.

by **wagionvigil** » Fri Sep 01, 2006 9:58 am

Here is what will happen they will put it in place. Then they will raise holy #$% because there are noboys crossing over into Boy Scouts

by **Nuts4Scouts** » Fri Sep 01, 2006 9:59 am

Hey, Don't pick on those Tigers!! Tigers are G-R-R-R-E-A-T!

K-kids are to young. Not enough reading ability, attention span or coordination.

We have a lot of sibs in our Pack & the difference I see in them between K & when I get them as Tigers is significant.

If the Pack is run correctly, with lots of family involvement, K-kids are already getting to participate in Pack meetings, outings & family campouts. That should be enough to get them reved up to join as Tigers.

by **Lynda J** » Fri Sep 01, 2006 10:27 am

Training is still the key with Cub Leaders. Our Pow Wow is in November and there will be over 30 different courses they can take. I will be teaching Naturalist for Web Leaders. Currently they have almost all the activity pens covered. Lots of great ideas to swap with each other.

One thing that I love about taking most trainings over is that you are with a different group of people and they all bring something fresh to the table

by **pipestone1991** » Sat Sep 02, 2006 2:03 pm

Can the Loins, keep the Tigers.

by **vpalango** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 1:17 pm

As stated in some previous posts....

1) To Young
2) Will add to the burn-out rate of parent volunteers.

Those of us here, are mostly BSA Lifers, but when you're talking about the cub program, you have alot of adults who do not stick forever. There is value in both groups (I'm not putting the group that is in it with thier kids, and never return).

So that's actually my larger objection than the issue of age. This will only put more stress on an already stressed pool of volunteers to run the program. That's what I'm not for.

YIS,

by **pipestone1991** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 8:25 pm

Also, cross 'em over in Febuary or March so they can be at tenderfoot or 2nd class by summer camp, which they should go to.

by **wagionvigil** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 8:29 pm

NO NO NO. wait until the next school year and give them all year to advance.

by **Mrw** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 9:01 pm

wagionvigil wrote:NO NO NO. wait until the next school year and give them all year to advance.

My 20 and 17 year olds tell me that waiting until the start of the next school year to start in scouts is too long and you will lose them. They said that summer camp is too big of a hook to get them involved to have them miss it.

I really have to agree as the ones we lose first are the ones who DON"T go to summer camp that first summer.

by **WeeWillie** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 12:43 am

I don't think I would have lasted another year as a Cub Leader, and I only did Bear, Webelos-I & Webelos-II. Parents get burned out too and I suspect many look forward to their sons saying. "I don't want to go into Scouts."

When I discuss Bridging at my Troop's Webelos Open House I recommend Bridging in late March after Pinewood Derby. It gives the Webelos their last Hurah and time to get a camping trip or two with their new troop. Earlier and you have too many 10.5 year olds and later they don't go to Summer Camp because their parents are reluctant to turn them over to strangers for a whole week. Also, I focus on having fun, not rank advancement.

by **ICanCanoeCanU** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 5:31 am

Too young - too much.

We also have cross overs in March/April timeframe and it's worked out just great. The new scout get a few campouts in before summer camp.

by **pipestone1991** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 4:40 pm

wagionvigil wrote:NO NO NO. wait until the next school year and give them all year to advance.

YES YES YES summer camp is a huge opportunity!

by **WeeWillie** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 1:40 am

By the way, Lions once was the rank between Bear and Webelo.

by **joe@324** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 4:10 pm

Way to young to start. We are having problems in cubs just getting tigers thier bobcat badge I don't want to imagine how hard this would be

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