What was the "old" Girl Scouts like?

[In The Great White North]

 

MollyAnn, but how do you purchase the old tryits?  Are you ordering them online somewhere official?

 

Not MollyAnn, but there are tons of old GS patches of every vintage and level on ebay.  The trick is finding enough alike for your troop.

 

They also have them at the Council Store (while supplies last) but you have to call or go personally, not order online.

[tabinfl]

Ugh, now I don't even want to sign dd up for Girl Scouts. She wants all the outdoorsy stuff that I remember doing in the '90s. I know our local troop isn't outdoorsy :( Are there any alternatives that are more outdoorsy? I don't mind going it alone if I have to.

This was disappointing to me too, and here comes my rant about the GS organization...

 

I would LOVE to have an outdoorsy troop, but what's stopping me right now are all of the safety rules and procedures. I understand that there need to be safety guidelines, and that the things I remember doing as a kid could never happen in a large organization today, but right now the logistics of geting my troop out for even an overnight at a GS camp property is so complicated that I'm not even sure I can figure out the procedures correctly, and I spent much of my career figuring out complex business procedures. Then I have to wait for the next "outdoor leadership" training, an OVERNIGHT class, and hope it fits my schedule). After that I can decipher the sleeping arrangement requirements, and see which cabins will fit our troop, and hope that particular grouping is available sometime in the spring. I've already taken 6 training classes, just to be able to start the troop, do a field trip, and partcipate in the fall fundraiser (which we need because we have $0 right now as a new troop and several low-income girls from the community waitlist, so I am hesitant to start asking for more money from parents).

 

We took a nature "hike" with our troop, just a walk on a 1-mile loop of well-kept paths at a local park within sight of a major roadway, and I had to haul along a backpack with a first-aid kit, a stack of permission slips & health forms, and extra water. These all had to be on my person the whole time. Fortunately they changed the process so I didn't have to get council approval for the "trip," but it was still excessive IMO. I also had to tell one of the moms she couldn't walk with us because she hadn't received her blue card yet (of course, I couldn't stop her from walking in a public park at the same time we were ;) ).

 

Everything we do, right down to using scissors for arts & crafts, has to be looked up in a thick binder to make sure we are following all of the safety rules. This stuff is a much bigger problem for me than any of the journeys, the extra badge sets, or any of the program materials. On top of that, the age-level restrictions allow no leeway for girls with past experience or higher levels of ability. I don't understand how a troop can have a sleepover or pool party under these rules, unless thoise things are done outside of the official troop activities, just among friends (I feel like I'm at a disadvantage here, having taken girls I don't know from the waitlist, so the moms don't know me from Adam)? Of course I can't get official answers to this, and the local council/community won't put me in touch with any other Daisy/Brownie leaders for guidance & support, so I'm just making my way along on my own the best I can. Between this and the overblown leader guides for the journeys (and almost no leader guidance for badges, etc.), I can see why so many younger level troops do nothing but arts & crafts.

[In The Great White North]

They are certainly the queens of required courses!

 

The Cookie Sales and Fall Sales classes are annual requirements. And when your girls move to Brownies, you have to do another class. And when they give up on the Journeys and come up with a new program, they will have another course.  And the Outdoor class requirements are Council specific, so don't move or you have to start over.  And if you ever hear of the canoeing course, take it, because you will never, ever have the chance again.  And have 2 or 3 of your moms take it with you.

 

 

[MollyAnn]

2_girls_Mommy: I call around to all the councils and service centers and see what they have available. We have ordered from all over the country. When I can't find enough badges I find a new badge that is kind of like the old one, do the old requirements but give the new badge. When that doesn't work, like when my girls earned their Horse badge, design one on https://www.gsmakeyourown.com They cost twice as much plus shipping but it get the girls their badges. We also have been looking around for someone with an embroidery machine that would be willing copy the original badges for a reasonable price.

 

MelissaMathers: Since you are willing to go it alone to give your daughter the outdoorsy GS program she wants, I really urge you to become a leader. Find older books, the 1963-1969 books are excellent. Try online used books stores. Being the leader makes sure that you are able to pursue the program you want.

 

Tabinfl: What council are you in? I have never heard of a blue card. Most of us register the parents and call it good. It sounds like whoever did your training went a little overboard. Most things are common sense, honestly don't worry about checking your safety binder unless you are going on a trip. Whoever told you to look up scissor safety in that book was ridiculous and is not in ANY training I have ever done. Just make sure you have your ratio. A good meeting would be to have the girls put together their own first aid kit and make them carry it where ever you go and make them carry their own extra water. Permission slips could have been left in the car and contact info put into your phone.

Have you been in touch with your Service Unit Manager? Do you go to your Service Unit meetings? This is where you are going to meet the other leaders and ask questions. All leaders love to jump in with suggestions. If you haven't been given this info, you need to call council and demand it.

Also- past leader books have really good information.

[ThatHomeschoolDad]

GS is like HS. You can join a troop like you can join a co-op, each with it's flavor, rules, etc. You can also do everhthing solo, joining other girls as the activities dictate. DD hikes the App Trail with one group, camps with another, and is raising $ for a Pax & Paris trip with a third. She's made friends through various workshops and events.

 

It can be done well, and it can be wonderful.

[pitterpatter]

Our district has a lot of wonderful activities that we will be taking advantage of...visits to the symphony (can't wait for "Peter and the Wolf"), science museums/activities, sport activities, nature-related activities, craft parties...there's even one where the girls can pretend to be doctors and get a real lab coat and stethoscope (they learn health-related stuff). The girls can also sign up for horse riding at one of the Girl Scout camps. Our district even has it own special badges to earn (back of vest, but still cool). So, even if it ends up that we'll be going it alone one day, DD will still be able to interact with other Girl Scouts on the district level at least twice a month.

 

 

GS is like HS. You can join a troop like you can join a co-op, each with it's flavor, rules, etc. You can also do everhthing solo, joining other girls as the activities dictate. DD hikes the App Trail with one group, camps with another, and is raising $ for a Pax & Paris trip with a third. She's made friends through various workshops and events.

It can be done well, and it can be wonderful.

 

[pitterpatter]

Where do you wear the old patches...front or back?

 

 

Not MollyAnn, but there are tons of old GS patches of every vintage and level on ebay.  The trick is finding enough alike for your troop.

 

They also have them at the Council Store (while supplies last) but you have to call or go personally, not order online.

 

[In The Great White North]

Technically, they should go on the back because you're not supposed to mix uniforms.  I asked specifically and was told you couldn't put them on the new uniforms at all.  I've noticed, however, that no one ever inspect GS uniforms and you could put whatever you want anywhere and they have no way of inforcing any of it. 

[In The Great White North]

 

Our district has a lot of wonderful activities that we will be taking advantage of...visits to the symphony (can't wait for "Peter and the Wolf"), science museums/activities, sport activities, nature-related activities, craft parties

 

A lot of these places actually have a Scout discount, so you can set up your own troop trip even when the Couuncil isn't doing any.

[ThatHomeschoolDad]

Our district even has it own special badges to earn (back of vest, but still cool). So, even if it ends up that we'll be going it alone one day, DD will still be able to interact with other Girl Scouts on the district level at least twice a month.

 

DD's council went all out on a humongous five-section patch for the 100th anniversary.  Pretty nifty.

 

I'd also recommend the GS HQ in NYC as a good trip.  Excellent GS museum there, plus one-on-one sessions about silver/gold awards, and a product focus group.  You can get special patches from the president and the CEO ("Eagle One"), plus patches that international visitors have left -- DD scored one from Girl Guides Australia. All back-of-the-vest stuff, but very unique.

 

I'm thinking I may have to start sewing some on the inside of the vest soon, as there is little real estate left on back, and I'm contemplating a zip-in lining of some sort to hide the stitching.  The vest has to be double it's original weight already.

 

Our council just set up a program to earn two UK Girl Guide badges, which sounds interesting.  I think those might be considered front of the vest.

[In The Great White North]

 

I'm thinking I may have to start sewing some on the inside of the vest soon, as there is little real estate left on back,

 

Recommend getting a large (even if your dd is still small) as it lasts the rest of their GS career and this is always a problem.  I don't know any girls who wanted to start a new larger vest without their old patches and I don't know any girls who want to cut them all off and resew them on a larger vest.

 

BTW, the GS should be doing the sewing!

[tabinfl]

Tabinfl: What council are you in? I have never heard of a blue card. Most of us register the parents and call it good. It sounds like whoever did your training went a little overboard. Most things are common sense, honestly don't worry about checking your safety binder unless you are going on a trip. Whoever told you to look up scissor safety in that book was ridiculous and is not in ANY training I have ever done. Just make sure you have your ratio. A good meeting would be to have the girls put together their own first aid kit and make them carry it where ever you go and make them carry their own extra water. Permission slips could have been left in the car and contact info put into your phone.

Have you been in touch with your Service Unit Manager? Do you go to your Service Unit meetings? This is where you are going to meet the other leaders and ask questions. All leaders love to jump in with suggestions. If you haven't been given this info, you need to call council and demand it.

Also- past leader books have really good information.

 

I am in touch with both my community leaders and the staff at the council office. I have been told repeatedly, in no uncertain terms, that I have to follow the written procedures. For trips outside of the meeting location, this includes carrying the paperwork on my person. I was told in two separate trainings & my leader orientation that I had to consult the "Safety Activity Checkpoints" for EVERYTHING we do. I found it a really sad statement of priorities that I was given paper copies of that & the "Volunteer Essentials" book (which are both available electronically), but no program books, leader guides, mentoring, or financial assistance to get a new troop off the ground.

 

This is my frustration, it seems out of hand, but all I get is "check the book" answers when I ask for clarification. Should I put my neck on the block for ignoring those instructions if someone gets hurt? I can't get in touch with any other local leaders either, the leader meetings are a joke for networking as everyone is busy with paperwork and other business before the meeting, then they take off immediately afterwards. I've asked several times to be put in touch with other leaders at my level so that I could get some practical advice from people with the experience I need, but I haven't gotten anything. The 2 people who do ALL of the community-level jobs are co-leaders of a troop with older girls. I can't even get anyone to give me realistic ideas for SWAPS that Daisies can make themselves & have fun doing it. Yes, there are tons on Pinterest, but none tell me whether a 6 year-old will be crying by the end of 50-100 of them (or whether her mom will have to do all the work for her). That's the kind of help I'm looking for, and all I get is how to follow the rules better.

 

ETA: I would rather not specify my local council, but our safety guidelines seem to be identical, or nearly so, to most of the others online. Like this one, for Arts & Crafts:

http://www.hngirlscouts.org/content_documents/Arts_Crafts_Safety_Activity_Checkpoints_2010.pdf

Yes, 3+ pages I'm supposed to read & follow before doing arts & crafts with my troop. There's one for playgrounds, too.

[In The Great White North]

 

Yes, there are tons on Pinterest, but none tell me whether a 6 year-old will be crying by the end of 50-100 of them (or whether her mom will have to do all the work for her).

 

A Daisy will be crying after making 50-100 of ANYTHING.  Why do you want that many?  You do realize if your dd has 50-100 to trade away, she will come home with 50-100 others?

 

 

This is my frustration, it seems out of hand, but all I get is "check the book" answers when I ask for clarification. Should I put my neck on the block for ignoring those instructions if someone gets hurt?

 

No.  Definitely no.  Follow SafetyWise to the letter. (Do they still call it that?)  That is YOUR insurance that the insurance will cover you.

 

Find online communities and forums to answer your questions.  There aren't enough troops of your level or one above you to mentor you.  Go online.

 

Here's a couple examples (not endorsing any specific forums - I just did a google search):

 

http://forums.bellaonline.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=postlist&Board=324

 

http://www.scouter.com/forum/girl-scouting

 

http://www.justmommies.com/forums/groups/224-girl-scout-leaders.html

 

 

[pitterpatter]

Oh, now that's cool!

 

What I'm loving about Girl Scouts is that is seems as though it can serve as an extension of home education. For example, DD needs to learn about safety and world hunger/poverty...stuff like that, but I'm too involved in our normal day-to-day routine to remember to cover these things. Focusing on helping her earn the Safety Award or Global Action Award (which now goes on the front of the vest) helps me teach her those things. In the animal Journey, she'll learn/review some geography and animals...I like that. As far as I can tell, our local troop doesn't do most of the extras, so we may as well do them as home.

 

 

DD's council went all out on a humongous five-section patch for the 100th anniversary.  Pretty nifty.

 

I'd also recommend the GS HQ in NYC as a good trip.  Excellent GS museum there, plus one-on-one sessions about silver/gold awards, and a product focus group.  You can get special patches from the president and the CEO ("Eagle One"), plus patches that international visitors have left -- DD scored one from Girl Guides Australia. All back-of-the-vest stuff, but very unique.

 

I'm thinking I may have to start sewing some on the inside of the vest soon, as there is little real estate left on back, and I'm contemplating a zip-in lining of some sort to hide the stitching.  The vest has to be double it's original weight already.

 

Our council just set up a program to earn two UK Girl Guide badges, which sounds interesting.  I think those might be considered front of the vest.

 

[pitterpatter]

I tried looking for GS forums just yesterday. I found these as well, but they are mostly inactive. (Don't know about the last one...you have to join to read.) Surely, there is a hopping forum out there somewhere.

 

 

A Daisy will be crying after making 50-100 of ANYTHING.  Why do you want that many?  You do realize if your dd has 50-100 to trade away, she will come home with 50-100 others?

 

 

No.  Definitely no.  Follow SafetyWise to the letter. (Do they still call it that?)  That is YOUR insurance that the insurance will cover you.

 

Find online communities and forums to answer your questions.  There aren't enough troops of your level or one above you to mentor you.  Go online.

 

Here's a couple examples (not endorsing any specific forums - I just did a google search):

 

http://forums.bellaonline.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=postlist&Board=324

 

http://www.scouter.com/forum/girl-scouting

 

http://www.justmommies.com/forums/groups/224-girl-scout-leaders.html

 

[pitterpatter]

Here's this message board...

 

http://gsleaders.org/

[pitterpatter]

Central Indiana seems to have a bunch.

 

http://store.girlscoutsindiana.org/store/department/22/Retiring-Awards-%26-Resources/

 

I just searched "retired girl scout try-its."

 

 

Not MollyAnn, but there are tons of old GS patches of every vintage and level on ebay.  The trick is finding enough alike for your troop.

 

They also have them at the Council Store (while supplies last) but you have to call or go personally, not order online.

 

[tabinfl]

A Daisy will be crying after making 50-100 of ANYTHING.  Why do you want that many?  You do realize if your dd has 50-100 to trade away, she will come home with 50-100 others?

I know that, and I have two daughters so I will have 200 of them at home afterwards. I am all about not sending home cr@p that serves no purpose. When we do a craft, it will be useful or skill-building or donated to someone who can use it. I'm still waffling over printing certificates for our investiture ceremony, and leaning towards no (we are giving all of the girls patches).

 

Our community leaders are organizing an event where they want every girl to swap with every other girl. I've questioned the quantity twice and gotten the same answers: this is how the event is organized, the younger girls can just make simple swaps, and if they'd started making them when the event was first announced (before our first meeting was even held), we'd be done by now. Ugh.

 

Thank you for the leader forum suggestions. I'd found a yahoo group about journeys, but hadn't seen any others. This will be a great help!

 

I know our troop can be something positive in these girls' lives. I know I can plan activities that instill the values of hte GS Law and the skills (like financial literacy) that will help them be the strong, confident women I want my daughters to be. I know we can have a lot of fun along the way -- my Daisies were falling down laughing at our last meeting acting out one of the petal stories (but I still made sure they understood the point). I just need some help translating it all into age-appropriate goals & activities (plus working with a large-ish group -- 12 Daisies & 6 Brownies). We are fortunate to have a great bunch of parents, all are pitching in to help wherever they can, but the overall planning is still on me.

 

I am frustrated by the nonsense and bureaucracy that gets in the way of accomplishing these things, from the dozens of phone calls it took to get the girls in my troop properly registered, to this swaps thing that started out as a fun extra and has turned into something I'm dreading, to trying to figure out how I'm going to accomplish the logistics for the camping trip that is the one thing that the girls want to do most of all.

[pitterpatter]

Just had a thought...maybe you could have your DD wear a sash over her vest. Hah!

 

 

I'm thinking I may have to start sewing some on the inside of the vest soon, as there is little real estate left on back, and I'm contemplating a zip-in lining of some sort to hide the stitching.  The vest has to be double it's original weight already.

 

[OneStepAtATime]

It really, really depends on what troupe you were in.  My first troop, in mid 70's, all I recall is some lady trying to teach me how to sit with my ankles crossed so I could be a lady.  Bored to death and not getting the point, I wondered what my mother had gotten me into.  My next troupe we did lots of outdoors stuff, fun art activities and they encouraged us to go to girl scout camp in the summer.  It was more fun.  I vaguely remember earning the patches, but it just wasn't emphasized, for good or bad.

[Library Momma]

Our troop has tote bags that they carry their books and supplies to meeting in.  The extra fun patches are sewn on the bag.

 

We've only done swaps twice but the troop was given a sister troop to swap with so we never had to make more than 20 of anything.

 

 

[ThatHomeschoolDad]

Just had a thought...maybe you could have your DD wear a sash over her vest. Hah!

 

 

DW reports seeing something similar at an event -- more like a sash that was cut and draped like a yoke over the back.  I'm stickin' with my liner idea for now.

[MollyAnn]

Tabin- that link led to the same Safety Check Points link on my councils website. I have to admit that I am not familiar with it, I usually go to my Safety Wise book I was given 8 years ago when I first became a leader and it is not nearly as "thorough"

I read through the Arts and Crafts, three pages is ridiculous but most of it is common sense and then it is reiterating all policies.

The more you read through them, you will see most say very similar things.

 

Your biggest problem is your "community leaders". I know the exact situation you are in, I have seen it. You unfortunately have control freaks, who want the title but not the responsibility, in charge.

You can and should switch to a different community. Don't call, go up to your council. Talk to your membership manager and tell them you want a different community. She will give you the run around, tell you that it's not possible or a good idea, but it is possible. Here it is called Service Units, I am the manager of mine and I have had troops join my service unit from others because they did not feel they were getting what they need.

 

That SWAP event your community leaders are putting on sounds like a fiasco. There is no way each and every girl is going to be able to swap with each other. Creating that many SWAPS is going to be overwhelming for your girls and it isn't going to be fun. I personally would probably skip the event.

[Seeking Squirrels]

Ugh, now I don't even want to sign dd up for Girl Scouts. She wants all the outdoorsy stuff that I remember doing in the '90s. I know our local troop isn't outdoorsy :( Are there any alternatives that are more outdoorsy? I don't mind going it alone if I have to.

You could look into Frontier Girls and see if it's what you're wanting. Our local hs co op is starting up a troop so I've been checking out the site the last few weeks and so far I like it a lot.

[MollyAnn]

I have looked at Frontier Girls. If I was just starting out with DD I think I would be tempted to start a Frontier Girls troop. It says right on their front page they started because of the Journeys.

DD is on her 9th year of GS so there'd is no changing at this point. For an older girl there are so many opportunities with GS that the other programs don't have. Gold Award is a big one closely followed by Destinations.

 

There was a comment above about where my girls put their "old" badges. Everything my girls earn goes on the front.

[MomtoCandJ]

It looks like being a frontier girl would be great for dd, there are so many badges and a family membership wouldn't be too expensive either.

[duckens]

We like FG and are independent (not a troop).

[2_girls_mommy]

MollyAnn, I was wondering about her SU too.  Ours meets once a month and puts on all kinds of activities for our SU, separate from the council.  The SU receives $ from cookie sales for its budget just like the troops.  Ours meets faithfully.  Her council should have put her in touch w/them when she is asking for connection w/other leaders.  OP< I would keep contacting your council to find yours and when they meet...

[umsami]

I was a GS before there were even Daisies. :)

 

DD is in her second year of Daisy Scouts.  She has completely loved it.  They are merged with a Brownie troop, so do a lot together.  We meet twice per month.  Usually we plan a craft like activity that may or may not coordinate with the petals.  Pinterest is awesome for that.  Biggest highlight for her was selling cookies and then the trip they took with their cookie money to a GS event at the Universal hotel in Orlando.  

 

Brownies is where they start more traditional "badge" earning.

 

She's the only girl among three boys, so she really loves the whole "sister" aspect of GSs.  

[Jennifer3141]

I disagree.

 

"Sustainable" has been a requirement for Bronze/Silver/Gold Award projects for some time and is a problem.  Essentially, a girl cannot complete a service project.  It has to continue AFTER she is gone.  IOW, she has to make up a project FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO DO.  (Who is going to empty those trash cans for the next 20 years?  Not her!)  This has led to organizations being unwilling to sponsor Gold Projects (yes, they have to be sponsored by an outside, nonprofit organization.)

 

That this requirement has worked its way down to Journeys is an inhibiter to "girl accomplishment" of any service project.

 

 

 

Ok. Now I disagree with you. :laugh:

 

As a leader, I like the sustainability idea (which is actually not a requirement of the Bronze). It's not as well known but the BS Eagle project is also supposed to be something the boy/man checks on throughout his life too.

 

This is supposed to be something that sticks with the girl throughout her life. Don't you have anything like that?

 

For my Juniors, it's animals.

 

This is why the award has got to be GIRL focused. It must be their passions, not ours.

 

Journeys... I went to a good training this summer about them and I understand them more now. I disagree with the focus GSA nationally seems to be bent on (targeting urban areas while almost entirely ignoring rural areas where "old school" Scouting reigns) but I get now how Journeys can be twisted and teaked to fit a troop.

 

We are a GSA and a BSA family and community. So I get to see the operations of both organizations. I love how GSA is more passionate about diversity. I love the lack of religious requirement because then there's no fighting about whose got the right god. I have watched more than one BSA troop get torn apart by religious nonsense. Catholics verses Baptists! To war! With 7 year olds... :glare:

 

And I get GSA's point about how life is not all about the badge. I get in theory why GS should be a, "journey" not a patch. There are times I've wondered when BSA is going to introduce a poo patch because there's very little you can do in BSA without getting a darn patch... However, that patch is important too. Nationally, I think GSA swings too much from one extreme to the other.

 

But I think GSA is more easily tailorable to your specific community. The reality is there are urban folks who will never build a campfire in their lives and have zero desire to do so. It's not our reality but it is the reality of some girls. So folks in rural areas may want a more, "traditional" or BSA-like GSA troop. Tailor the journeys to do that.

 

Some of the Journeys seem like nonsense until you get to the meat behind them. We live in a world where a automotive body shop thought it would be an acceptable sales practice to advertise their business with a picture of a woman tied up and naked on the side of their truck. I laughed when I saw a new Acura ad in a woman's magazine last weekend. It was two pages. One page of the ad was just a red haired, half dressed woman flinging her hair around. The other page was just the tail lights of the darn car. I looked at the ad and couldn't figure out what was being sold to me for quite awhile.

 

The media probably does more damage to girls and women than boys. We probably all should be looking at that and figure out what we are going to do about that. Now would I rather teach a group of girls about making fire starters from dryer lint than look at how our media has made rape darn near socially acceptable? Abso-freaking-lutely. However, I need to look at my Daisies and think about that dark alley they may need to walk through one night in 20 years to get to their college class. And although watching her build a campfire in 2 minutes with a tampon and some dryer lint is a cool skill, I might start a process that teaches her to be safe in that situation and to question a society that makes her unsafe in that situation. And then maybe she will be the Daisy that changes that society.

[pitterpatter]

I like this post a lot. There are some (more likely many) of us country girls who don't care much about starting campfires either. I was a tomboy growing up (still am in many ways) and was definitely interested in outdoor survival, but I was also interested in many, many other things as well. As an adult, I can see that the campfire skills are not the truly important ones. More than anything, I think girls need to build confidence, become mentally strong and develop leadership skills. They need to learn dedication and develop a good work ethic. It's still a man's world out there. Girls/women need to not only learn to survive in it, but to excel it in. To me, Girl Scouts is about building girl power. Stick with it long enough and I think it does just that. Can Girl Scouts make everyone happy...no. But, that's part of life...that's part of the surviving and excelling. Staying committed even when things aren't exactly what we want or like (or easy) is a good skill to learn.

 

There aren't many all-girl opportunities out there, so I'm glad DD has the opportunity to be a part of Girl Scouts even if it requires a lot of effort on my part.

 

 

Ok. Now I disagree with you. :laugh:

 

As a leader, I like the sustainability idea (which is actually not a requirement of the Bronze). It's not as well known but the BS Eagle project is also supposed to be something the boy/man checks on throughout his life too.

 

This is supposed to be something that sticks with the girl throughout her life. Don't you have anything like that?

 

For my Juniors, it's animals.

 

This is why the award has got to be GIRL focused. It must be their passions, not ours.

 

Journeys... I went to a good training this summer about them and I understand them more now. I disagree with the focus GSA nationally seems to be bent on (targeting urban areas while almost entirely ignoring rural areas where "old school" Scouting reigns) but I get now how Journeys can be twisted and teaked to fit a troop.

 

We are a GSA and a BSA family and community. So I get to see the operations of both organizations. I love how GSA is more passionate about diversity. I love the lack of religious requirement because then there's no fighting about whose got the right god. I have watching more than one BSA troop get torn apart by religious nonsense. Catholics verses Baptists! To war! With 7 year olds... :glare:

 

And I get GSA's point about how life is not all about the badge. I get in theory why GS should be a, "journey" not a patch. There are times I've wondered when BSA is going to introduce a poo patch because there's very little you can do in BSA without getting a darn patch... However, that patch is important too. Nationally, I think GSA swings too much from one extreme to the other.

 

But I think GSA is more easily tailorable to your specific community. The reality is there are urban folks who will never build a campfire in their lives and have zero desire to do so. It's not our reality but it is the reality of some girls. So folks in rural areas may want a more, "traditional" or BSA-like GSA troop. Tailor the journeys to do that.

 

Some of the Jouneys seem like nonsense until you get to the meat behind them. We live in a world where a automotive body shop thought it would be an acceptable sales practice to advertise their business with a picture of a woman tied up and naked on the side of their truck. I laughed when I saw a new Acura ad in a woman's magazine last weekend. It was two pages. One page of the ad was just a red haired, half dressed woman flinging her hair around. The other page was just the tail lights of the darn car. I looked at the ad and couldn't figure out what was being sold to me for quite awhile.

 

The media probably does more damage to girls and women than boys. We probably all should be looking at that and figure out what we are going to do about that. Now would I rather teach a group of girls about making fire starters from dryer lint than look at how our media has made rape darn near socially acceptable? Abso-freaking-lutely. However, I need to look at my Daisies and think about that dark alley they may need to walk through one night in 20 years to get to their college class. And although watching her build a campfire in 2 minutes with a tampon and some dryer lint is a cool skill, I might start a process that teaches her to be safe in that situation and to question a society that makes her unsafe in that situation. And then maybe she will be the Daisy that changes that society.

 

[MollyAnn]

MollyAnn, I was wondering about her SU too. Ours meets once a month and puts on all kinds of activities for our SU, separate from the council. The SU receives $ from cookie sales for its budget just like the troops. Ours meets faithfully. Her council should have put her in touch w/them when she is asking for connection w/other leaders. OP< I would keep contacting your council to find yours and when they meet...

It sounds like they are meeting, but being poorly run. Like I said above, I am SU Manger and we put on two large recruitments in September. I have 9 new leaders, I am doing one on one orientations, helping plan and attending the parent meetings, setting them up with mentors in the SU, and helping them plan first meetings. It sounds like she is getting no help, no support, and being directed to a redundant dumbed down Safety book for all questions. This is how we lose leaders and don't retain girls.

 

Our entire program being created based on focus groups of non Girl Scout inner city girls doesn't help either.

[twoxcell]

I have been thinking lately that my oldest dd would really enjoy something like Girl Scouts but I'm not really comfortable with GS in general. I don't think we really have any alternatives around here. :( 

[shawthorne44]

I think, though, that the central Girl Scout idea of getting girls to DO things for themselves will help with that.  Having the activities be something both fun and outside their comfort zone will help more.  I haven't started a campfire since scouts, but I think knowing how has helped me become competent in other areas.  The danger is in being a passive Damsel in Distress. 

[Jennifer3141]

I like this post a lot. There are some (more likely many) of us country girls who don't care much about starting campfires either. I was a tomboy growing up (still am in many ways) and was definitely interested in outdoor survival, but I was also interested in many, many other things as well.

 

 

 

Thank you for your thoughts too!!

 

And MollyAnn, I'm a SU secretary and I'm in the process of working with our membership person to get the very local non-functioning SU in my county up and running. SU's seem to be entirely dependent upon the quality of volunteers they get and whether or not they get enough. We're lucky in that we have a very dynamic treasurer and a good SUD but we have a couple of SU people who aren't so great. Finding good, stable, hard working volunteers is step one to building any of it!!

[ravinlunachick]

tabinfl, I share your frustrations about the multiple sessions required for Leader training. Ideally, there should be two sessions, imnsho: one for all the basics including first aid/CPR, and another for sleep-in/sleep-out planning trips stuff. Do those and BAM, you're good to go! I don't understand why they make it take so long to know you're covered no matter what you decide as a Leader to do with your troop.

 

That said, I think you're sweating the SWAPs too much. I've done them with Daisies and Brownies, kids who have serious fine motor issues and girls who are super crafty Martha Stewart types. The key  is to either make a small number of really neat looking but multi-step items, or do a large number of simple ones assembly line style. It's ridiculous to expect each girl to make 50-100. If 100 girls will be at the event, and you have 10 girls going, each one only needs to make 10 SWAPs. Plus, the girls need to be carrying anything they want to trade. In our council, at least, any pinned SWAPs are off-limits for the asking (but girls may choose on their own to trade them). The ones they want to trade are supposed to be loose. My troop uses ziploc bags or a baseball cap to carry trades in; we pin the keepers when they're done trading. Even at a large event, the girls were done (out of SWAPs and/or bored) within about 20 minutes or so. It should be fun. One of my dd's favorite SWAPs is about the most uncomplicated thing you can possibly imagine. It's a yellow sponge, cut into a triangle shape (think cheesehead), and it's from a troop in Wisconsin. A Scout my dd traded with had been to the Rock the Mall event last summer, and she had some from all over the US.

 

I agree with those who said the nature of the troop can vary tremendously, depending on your Leader and girls. Some troops here are content to just make crafts and go to Build-A-Bear. Others go camping and learn knife skills and knot-tying, and all the other "old" GS stuff. I just took my Juniors on their very first tent camping trip. They did all the work, from planning and shopping for meals to setting up tents, cooking food, and washing dishes. My own dd was the only one who'd ever participated in setting up a tent or gathering wood for a fire before. They LOVED it, and have been begging to go again. So we will. I taught them how to use a compass and read a topographic map, and they will be in charge of planning our troop wide hike next month. My youngest dd is now a Daisy, and her troop just learned how to check a car's oil level and tire pressure. They also sing songs, draw pictures, and make art out of trash.  :laugh: Her Leader also runs an older troop of Cadettes who hate the touchy-feely Journeys, so she took a Boy Scout Handbook, matched up activities to the GS Journey patches and badges, and that's what they do. Whatever works for the girls in the troop is what is best.

 

 

eta: I've gotten tons of great SWAP ideas here: http://www.makingfriends.com/swaps.htm . I've never ordered their kits, so I can't speak for that, but you'll find no shortage of ideas there.

[MollyAnn]

Thank you for your thoughts too!!

 

And MollyAnn, I'm a SU secretary and I'm in the process of working with our membership person to get the very local non-functioning SU in my county up and running. SU's seem to be entirely dependent upon the quality of volunteers they get and whether or not they get enough. We're lucky in that we have a very dynamic treasurer and a good SUD but we have a couple of SU people who aren't so great. Finding good, stable, hard working volunteers is step one to building any of it!!

I completely agree.

[unsinkable]

Brownies never had hundreds of Try-its.

 

Try-its started in 1986 with 15.

 

I think the program ended with 60.

[tabinfl]

I want to add a big THANK YOU to go along with all my whining & complaining. I'm sorry that I derailed the thread a bit, but I have gotten some great ideas & encouragement from the suggestions posted here, plus a boost to my mood which I really needed today. I'm not about to give up on this, but at times I do feel like I'm in way over my head (plus having some of the same feelings about homeschooling in general, health issues, and our business... perfect storm of anxiety over here)!

 

We did have a wonderful, (& simple! :D ) Investiture ceremony the other night. I thought my heart would burst seeing "my" girls standing up there so happy & proud, and their famlies all snapping photos in front of our Brownie pond & Daisy flower (each Daisy had a petal with a part of the Law to read before adding it to the flower & getting her pins).

 

I am so grateful to those of you here willing to share your experience. My girls thank you too, even if they don't know it yet. ;)

[pitterpatter]

That's wonderful!

 

I really think GS is going to be one of those it-is-what-you-make-it kind of things. Even though I'm not a troop leader, I feel like I'm going to have to pick up a lot of slack to make GS what I want for DD.

 

I presented my virtual Journey group last night. It went over pretty well, I think.

 

 

I want to add a big THANK YOU to go along with all my whining & complaining. I'm sorry that I derailed the thread a bit, but I have gotten some great ideas & encouragement from the suggestions posted here, plus a boost to my mood which I really needed today. I'm not about to give up on this, but at times I do feel like I'm in way over my head (plus having some of the same feelings about homeschooling in general, health issues, and our business... perfect storm of anxiety over here)!

We did have a wonderful, (& simple! :D ) Investiture ceremony the other night. I thought my heart would burst seeing "my" girls standing up there so happy & proud, and their famlies all snapping photos in front of our Brownie pond & Daisy flower (each Daisy had a petal with a part of the Law to read before adding it to the flower & getting her pins).

I am so grateful to those of you here willing to share your experience. My girls thank you too, even if they don't know it yet. ;)
image.jpg

 

[Jennifer3141]

I really dislike the misinformation in this thread sometimes. It is very CLEARLY stated that the Bronze award is not based upon sustainability. The girls are supposed to reflect upon how the project *could* keep going. They very clearly do not have to keep it going. You can easily confirm this on the GSA website.

 

You do the Bronze in a small group. You can do Silver alone or with a group. And you do Gold alone.

[Jennifer3141]

Double post. :)

[Jennifer3141]

Ugh, now I don't even want to sign dd up for Girl Scouts. She wants all the outdoorsy stuff that I remember doing in the '90s. I know our local troop isn't outdoorsy :( Are there any alternatives that are more outdoorsy? I don't mind going it alone if I have to.

 

 

Your daughter is a Pathways kid! Unless you want to start your own troop. ;)

 

We left a local-ish city troop to start a more outdoorsy troop in our hometown. I'm starting with 20ish girls!

 

Pathways means your DD would be an independent scout who may just be into camping and events and travel - not a troop membership. However, you could ask your SU to find you a troop with a more outdoorsy flavor and possibly join them on their outings.

 

GS is definitely a, "what you make of it" activity. But so are all of them. Some soccer teams are a blast. Some are a nightmare. Some Cub Scout packs are boring. Some are thrilling. We've seen people post here that love or hate their local 4-H groups. If you're in a troop that leaves you feeling, "Meh," go find another or start your own.

 

Nationally, GSA has issues. Absolutely. It's not a great fit for everyone politically or religiously. The lack of nationwide leader training drives me NUTS. There's no cohesion for us leaders across the board. That's nuts. However, BSA going to almost all online training alone drives me bonkers too. It drives me nuts that you can be a den leader and NEVER sit down with a BSA employee at any point in time. 4 online modules and you're done! That's STUPID!!!!

 

IMO, the dumest thing these organizations have done is seemingly pull back from decent contact with each and every leader/volunteer. It's really easy to wander off if you have only ever eyeballed other leaders once, if that. And once the leader is gone... unless that leader leaves happily - the pack or troop collapses, leaving kids and their parents frustrated and angry.

 

 

[Occasionally]

 

 

Pathways means your DD would be an independent scout who may just be into camping and events and travel - not a troop membership. However, you could ask your SU to find you a troop with a more outdoorsy flavor and possibly join them on their outings.

 

GS is definitely a, "what you make of it" activity. But so are all of them. Some soccer teams are a blast. Some are a nightmare. Some Cub Scout packs are boring. Some are thrilling. We've seen people post here that love or hate their local 4-H groups. If you're in a troop that leaves you feeling, "Meh," go find another or start your own.

 

 

I don't want to derail the thread, but HOW do you do these things? My DD wants to join GS, and I am getting a brick wall there. Yesterday I talked to a woman at GS who told me there are no placements. None?? She suggested I start a troop and I am seriously not up for that right now. Even getting that answer took half a dozen phone calls and repeated messages. If I hadn't called, I would have heard nothing.

 

The organization is entirely opaque, and I can't find info about troops anywhere. Does anyone have any suggestions for me? (Pretty please? My DD will be so disappointed if it doesn't work out.)

[In The Great White North]

 

I really dislike the misinformation in this thread sometimes. It is very CLEARLY stated that the Bronze award is not based upon sustainability. The girls are supposed to reflect upon how the project *could* keep going. They very clearly do not have to keep it going. You can easily confirm this on the GSA website.

 

You do the Bronze in a small group. You can do Silver alone or with a group. And you do Gold alone.

 

You have obviously not run into people at Council who think they get to reinterpret the rules!  You've been very fortunate.

[Arcadia]

I was a Girl Guide in Singapore from '85-'88 and then a member of the Trefoil Guild. So my experience would be different from most of you.

 

World Association of Girl Guides & Girl Scouts is celebrating 2^nd annual International Day of the Girl.

 

"WAGGGS will be recognising and joining in with the celebrations our member organisations are holding around the world. These include: 

• Canadian Girl Guides are making video submissions of their girls favourite musician role model
• Australian girl guides, together with other female NGO’s, is raising awareness about girls and young women leadership in wider society
• Venezuela Girl Guides’ representatives will speak during the intervals at a fashion show for girls about girls and young women's rights
• Girl Guides of Madagascar will be at an event which will raise public awareness on the reproductive health of adolescents in which they will distribute sanitary napkins for girls in disadvantaged neighborhoods. There will be also cultural events on the theme "girls take the leadâ€
• A Girl Scout USA is taking over the UN Women Twitter account
• In Europe Region there will be European Week of Action for Girls at European Parliament, where representatives from Belgian Girl guides will take place."

[Mrs Mungo]

I really dislike the misinformation in this thread sometimes. It is very CLEARLY stated that the Bronze award is not based upon sustainability. The girls are supposed to reflect upon how the project *could* keep going. They very clearly do not have to keep it going. You can easily confirm this on the GSA website.

 

You do the Bronze in a small group. You can do Silver alone or with a group. And you do Gold alone.

 

I don't think this is true. All of the girls I have known who have done a Gold project (my kids are teens and all involved in scouting) have done something similar to an Eagle or Stars and Stripes project where they build a team that contributes. In fact, building a team is one of the steps on the Girls Scout website:

http://www.girlscouts.org/program/highest_awards/gold_award.asp

 

Or did you mean that they plan lead it alone?

 

"It's not as well known but the BS Eagle project is also supposed to be something the boy/man checks on throughout his life too."

 

No, it's not. Not all Eagle projects involve nailing together pieces of green treated wood. Many projects would NOT be able to be "checked up on" years down the road.

Well...and to add to that, most of the kids I know who have achieved Gold, Eagle, etc have been military kids. They don't continue to live in the same place, so it's not something achievable.

[ThatHomeschoolDad]

• A Girl Scout USA is taking over the UN Women Twitter account

 

Sounds subversive....in a good way!

 

Somehow I missed that today was the day.

[My3girls]

Wow, lots of negative comments. I don't have time to address everything, but I just wanted to say as a leader that Girl Scouts still do crafts, learn skills, and go camping. At least, my troop does. We still earn badges, too. I lead a multy level troop of Brownies, Juniors, and Cadettes. All our girls have sisters so we just let them join us instead of having to join a different troop. We've already been camping this year where we canoed, practiced archery, and built a raft from cardboard, duct-tape, and a trash bag which we raced against other troops. (We won!). We're currently learning about the Native Americans that lived in our area and are going to a Native American Festival next month. We have made and played games that they would have made and played, heard some of their stories, and are making a dish for refreshments at the next meeting and corn husk dolls. We'll start a journey after that where we'll learn all about the media and how it influences us. We will be touring CNN, making our own animated movie, and other things. We, also, have another camping trip planned where we'll be learning to purify water, make a fire, cook on a fire, go hiking, and practice some more archery. My Girlie Scouts, as I call them, love it from 7 years old up to 12. I think it's all what you make it. If you want to sit there and read the book then hand out the badges then yeah it's Boring. If you want to concentrate on the touchy-feely, fund raising, and such then you miss the opportunity to get out and do stuff. To the OP, go for it! You'll probably inspire the girls and change some minds. Girl Scout leaders are all volunteers, and while I admire them for caring enough to volunteer, they are not all the best leaders. We need people like you to step up make it fun!

[pitterpatter]

Thanks for the kind words! For some reason, I am beyond excited about DD being in Girl Scouts. I'm thrilled that it presents opportunities that were previous inaccessible to her. While I don't want to be the troop leader, I'm up for helping in ways that I can.

 

 

Wow, lots of negative comments. I don't have time to address everything, but I just wanted to say as a leader that Girl Scouts still do crafts, learn skills, and go camping. At least, my troop does. We still earn badges, too. I lead a multy level troop of Brownies, Juniors, and Cadettes. All our girls have sisters so we just let them join us instead of having to join a different troop. We've already been camping this year where we canoed, practiced archery, and built a raft from cardboard, duct-tape, and a trash bag which we raced against other troops. (We won!). We're currently learning about the Native Americans that lived in our area and are going to a Native American Festival next month. We have made and played games that they would have made and played, heard some of their stories, and are making a dish for refreshments at the next meeting and corn husk dolls. We'll start a journey after that where we'll learn all about the media and how it influences us. We will be touring CNN, making our own animated movie, and other things. We, also, have another camping trip planned where we'll be learning to purify water, make a fire, cook on a fire, go hiking, and practice some more archery. My Girlie Scouts, as I call them, love it from 7 years old up to 12. I think it's all what you make it. If you want to sit there and read the book then hand out the badges then yeah it's Boring. If you want to concentrate on the touchy-feely, fund raising, and such then you miss the opportunity to get out and do stuff. To the OP, go for it! You'll probably inspire the girls and change some minds. Girl Scout leaders are all volunteers, and while I admire them for caring enough to volunteer, they are not all the best leaders. We need people like you to step up make it fun!