Just wanted to ask if anybody has done scouting with their kids. My son did cub scouts last year. They have a well organized pack where the older boys/parents are available to advise the younger dens.

Sadly, the Girl scouts aren't that way at all. It feels like each grade is on its own to figure out if/how they will have a troop. It sucks that the GS can't try to be as successful as the boyscouts. I remember feeling that way as a kid--that the boys got all the cool stuff to do while we just did crafts and makeup----and I am seeing that still as an adult.

OK, this is turning into a rant. Sorry....I really just wanted to see if any of you have done girl scouts (Brownies) with your daughters and what the experience was like.

Right now nobody is even willing to lead a troop and the council's attitude is like "so what". Seems like they don't even care about giving girls a good experience. Sad, sad, sad.

So what happens if I give in and start a troop? will I regret it? Will anyone support it? Right now there are about 8 girls interested in being Brownies. I'm sure that once someone steps up more parents will just want to drop their kids off. UGH!!!! Is 4H any better?

Thanks for listening,

Andi
g/b/g 8yr olds
in 2nd grade

Unfortunately, someone has to step up and volunteer. It's not that Council doesn't care, but they can't force anyone and can't do it for them. The Cub Scouts seem like they have it all together because of the Pack system - and it sounds like you're lucky to also get a good group of adults because it could go either way! The key is adult involvement, something many parents don't want to do. Bottom line with either group is that Council is there for support only. Parent volunteers are the heart of both organizations and they are what makes it happen.

I stepped up as a Brownie leader 3 years ago because no one else would. I really didn't want to, but I haven't regretted it. It's really up to you. As a leader, you guide the girls to decide what THEY want to do - if it's crafts and makeup they want then that's what you do. You decide how many more girls to take or if you just want to stick with 8. You also tell the other parents what you need in the way of help and if they won't help there won't be a troop. You can decide to start out telling them if you don't help, your daughter can't join (I firmly believe that everyone can do SOMETHING!! Doesn't have to be at the meetings, there is lots to do). You do need to be firm from the start so you don't end up doing it all. In GS the focus is on "girl led" and you let them make the troop what they want (within reason of course, my Brownies would have just run amok the entire time if I let them)!

Support - Council has people to support you, but your Service Unit (local area) will probably be the best source. Go to the leader meetings and other SU events. I didn't want to add an extra monthly meeting at first but now I wouldn't miss it.

I am a leader trainer in my area, and if you decide to become a leader and have any questions please feel free to ask. I can point you to resources and planning tips and all sorts of things. It's been a really special thing for me to do with my daughter and watch her grow - the other girls are a bonus. I wouldn't trade it for anything!

Kari S.

Mom to BBB 21, 18, 14
BBG 9/25/01

>Right now there are about 8
>girls interested in being Brownies. I'm sure that once
>someone steps up more parents will just want to drop their
>kids off. UGH!!!!

Don't take them!!! If you aren't offering free babysitting / planning / leading, SAY SO! Don't accept children whose parents aren't willing to pitch in! I would make a list of the things you need, and each parent has to take on something if they want their kid to participate. Snack Mom, Craft Mom, Song Mom, Game Mom, Camping Mom, Cookie Mom, an assistant for each of the above, etc. Many hands make light work!

BGG born 4/25/05 at 31w1d




New baby girl born 9/19/06

I have been a scout leader for 4 years. Daisy/brownie. Last year I did 2 level troops. We met at the same day...tues: Daisy :5:30-6:30 Brownies 6:30-7:30.
THAT was a little more then I should have taken on, but then again my co leaders were crazy control freaks.

I think if you have a good support system then it can be fun.
I TOTALLY agree with you about the BS vs. GS.
I am breaking free from my old co leaders chain this year and starting a FRESH NEW Daisy troop.

I put my oldest in a different troop this year and let go of my 2nd troop. I told them I am a very involved parent and they are very happy about that. They do not need me to do the leader thing, but the helpful things are needed (chaperon's etc..) This troop is active. They are working on bronze awards and DOING stuff, not just girly crafts.

This year I stuck with daisys for my 2 youngers (the other daisy troops are led by crazy people).
I wanted to quit.

I plan to do more hands on stuff with the girls. We are going toward a science theme. So I will need a lot of parent involvement but yet not all at 1 time.

You should go ahead and try it. Give yourself 1 scouting year (not even a full 12 months!).
Have a parent meeting right off and say....if you all do not step up then we have no troop.
simple as that.
Have someone be your treasurer.
Someone be your "PaperWork" person.
Have a list of parents who sign up maybe in rotation to be at the meetings to help.

GS has 2 many rules now so nobody wants to step up. If my girls were not LOVING it I would have stopped a LONG time ago.

This year I have my 9 year old daughter, junior
2 of my 6 year old triplets are 2nd year daisy
AND
my 6 year old son is starting Boy scouts.
since I run my own troop (I got 2 other ladies to be my co leaders!!) I have planned my meetings on the same days as my son at the same church.

Council stinks over here btw. I try to play by the rules and never go to council unless I HAVE to, sad it is that way but I have found NO support over there since my "Divorce" with my other troop (who is WHACKED and NOT doing the GS things, being manipulative and liars, that is for another post, lol).

Basically you make your troop what YOU want it to be. I know, I KNOW GIRL LED but YOU are the leader. You can help them chose the paths you are willing to go on. If you want to be a crafty troop that does not travel then let them know that right up front. If you want to be an active troop traveling and doing stuff then go for it. That is what my 9 year old troop said. WE ARE ACTIVE, we go places we do things on weekend, we do things in the summer... I am LOVING IT.
Me..I am letting my daisy parents know that we will NOT be traveling 2 much. I just DO NOT like it with 5-6 year olds.
We will camp and have fun just not a ton of outtings. More troop meetings kind of things.

sorry for the novel.

I don't think you will regret it if you start a troop. I'm stuck in Cub Scouts because I only have boys, but I had a fabulous experience with Girl Scouts growing up. Our Girl Scout troop was way better than the Cub Scouts at my school. It always comes down to volunteers. If you are lucky enough to have a good leader, your kids will have a good experience, if not, they'll drop out. It is important to me that my kids and their friends to have a good experience so, I am their Den Leader, amongst other positions in the Pack.

As I get deeper and deeper involved in our Cub Scout Pack, it amazes how much parents complain...and it is usually the un-involved parents that do the most complaining. Like any other organization that is run by volunteers, if you don't like how it is being run, it is time to pitch in, or pull out. Council cannot do anything to help the girls have a good experience if nobody will lead them and it is not their job. It is the parent's job to step up and volunteer. As my kids get older and more and more involoved, it is the same thing over and over again. T-ball, soccer, baseball, scouts, RE.... people have such high expectations for all of the coaches and leaders, but they are all volunteers already doing the best that they can. Those organizations only work really well when all of the parents are involved.

Good luck!

Kelly
Ben, Jack & Drew 05/28/02
Charlie 07/06/06
Aunt to: Liam, Aidan & Connor 03/05/08
www.outnumberedmommy.blogspot.com

I lead a Daisy-then Brownie-then Junior troop for 6 years with between 19 and 22 girls.
It was fabulous getting to know all the girls in my girls' class and great to work with many of the parents. At the same time, I found parts of the GS organization a pain in the arse!

If you decide to do it-
1) get a co-leader. It is nice to have parental help, but you really need someone who is going to be there for the planning, meetings, paperwork etc.
2) Get another parent (remember it doesn't have to be a mom) who will be the cookie parent.
3) Have meetings every other week. Weekly is just too much with busy lives.
4) Remember you are a volunteer. If anyone doesn't like the way you do it, quit!
5) Make sure you get a list of email addresses for easy communication. Maybe even set up a facebook page. You don't want to call all the members for reminders, changes, updates etc.

We kept our dues very low and our expectations even lower. Tho' we did some crafts, more often our meetings worked toward a badge but often took 2 meetings to earn it (esp. as juniors).

Our meetings were right after school so we provided snacks, but again, very simple. Fruit, pretzels, cheese and water to drink.

We must have made the girls happy, as I said, we had between 19-22 girls every year.

My beef with the GS organization is the training. I found it boring, mostly useless and very time consuming. I am a nurse and our post grad training is mostly "read a pamplet, do a post test" I couldn't believe they expected me to give up Saturdays to listen someone tell me how to run a bridging ceremony.

On the other hand, the monthly meetings were very helpful I received info on the many, many offerings from both GS and the comunity. We saw WICKED in Chicago for $8/ticket. We vixited museums, had special tours, learned about different cultures etc. I found hints from other leaders much more beneficial than the training sessions.

Good Luck. It is work but you will never regret the time spent with your daughters and their friends.
I even had one former girl ask me to be her confirmation sponsor because she felt she could always come to me for advice.


Judie and Victor
lucky parents to
Frankie 3/95
Maggie 7/96
Rose 7/96
Elizabeth 7/96

Yeah, if you want a troop, you have to step up and volunteer but as others have said, you can make it what you want and get help from others. Make sure that if you do this, you recruit a cookie mom. I will lead a troop any day as long as I don't have to deal with that headache!

I'm leading a junior toop this year and at this age, I don't want to be doing Mickey Mouse arts and crafts projects. So I'm changing it up and this year, we're meeting twice a month; one regular weekday meeting to plan activities and work on badges, and one substantial weekend activity; camping, hiking, volunteering, etc. So far, I've lined up a winter camping trip, work day at an animal shelter and visiting at a nursing home. The girls and parents have been very receptive to this.

We pretty much ignore council (just turn in our paperwork and keep them off our backs) and do our own thing. I've found it tobe a great experience. Raising a "tween" girl is challenging and I find the core values of the Girl Scout Law, especially making the world a better place and being a sister to every girl scout, great things to teach and put in action. The rest of the council nonsense, you're free to ignore!

Thanks ladies! I finally bit the bullet and e-mailed a friend about having her help by being treasurer (she'd mentioned doing this before). Evidently she got an e-mail a few days ago from a mom who has voluteered to lead the troop. Somehow I didn't get the e-mail even though I was on the same list as she was. So I zipped the leader a note thanking her for volunteering and that I'd help when she needed it.
I don't know the mom who stepped up but her daughter is in class with one of my DDs. Wish us luck on a successful year.

Andi
g/b/g
8 yr olds in 2nd grade

Congrats on dodging the bullet you were willing to bite!

Now, have a great time. Be as involved as you can because for all the things I hated about GS, I love the relationships I was able to make with all the girls. I will always feel that all 22 of my girl scouts are my daughters.


Judie and Victor
lucky parents to
Frankie 3/95
Maggie 7/96
Rose 7/96
Elizabeth 7/96

The saga continues....so the mom that stepped up decided it was too much work to do all the training the council expects.....another mom said she would have a meeting instead....at the mtng. she said the only way she'd do it was if we met on Monday nights (like Monday's not hectic enough getting back into the routine)...only 4 moms showed up for the meeting (half of those e-mailed) Myself and another mom are now on the steering committee evidently and the other 2 moms are both going to training to be co-leaders at least for this year. Won't have an actual meeting for the girls until at least late OCT. We'll have to see what happens then...

Andi
g/b/g
triplets in 2nd grade
hoping to be girl scouts