Girl Scout camp--do I have a chance?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD got into Lake Fairfax on our 2nd try and I didn't volunteer.

FWIW, she loved it, but the lack of before/after care was tough for us. I would think Girl Scouts would be a bit more supportive of women in the workplace and have it for at least some of their day camps.

Why don't you set up your own aftercare? The kids and mom volunteers shouldn't be in the woods for 10 hours a day in the summer to help some people with childcare. It is a CAMP and a cheap one at that. Geez!

Oh gee--what a good idea! I'll just tell my boss I'm bringing a bunch of girls to work with me for a few hours.

I'm not saying the volunteers need to be out like that. But I would pay double if the hours were more accommodating. I just find the lack of consideration in supporting working women to be in conflict with the mission of Girl Scouts.

No one gets paid to work at the camp. They all VOLUNTEER their time. They are outside ALL DAY LONG. I do it every year and by 6-7hrs, I am drained. I go home, shower myself and my 2 girls, check for ticks, clean out/wash our gear, make dinner, make lunches for the next day and go to bed. That is our life for 2 weeks so we can offer kids a ridiculously cheap fun day-camp experience. They do a sleepover one night too so to expect anyone of those teen or mom/dad volunteers to stay a minute later to accommodate a working mom is the most selfish thing I have ever heard of. Do you know many of them have jobs and use vacation time to volunteer??

If you want 10hr camps, you need to look elsewhere or look at Girl Scout sleep-away camps.
Otherwise, hire a teen with a car that can help you out. Ask one of the teen counselors to watch your daughter for those 2hrs and pay her well. Find a SAHM neighbor and swap taking care of kids with you watching their kids on the weekends sometimes. There are so many things you could do besides complain to make it work.

Totally missing the point.

+1 No one said it needed to be volunteers staffing the after care.

Not the PP but you are both idiots. Girls Scouts only have volunteers. They don't pay people to watch other kids because some parents are too lazy to set up their own childcare. Like the PP said, it is a day camp all outside in the woods. There is no where to do aftercare or refrigeration for food/drinks that late in the day. Thunderstorms come in the afternoon. It isn't a 10 hour day indoor childcare setting. I wouldn't even want my young kid outside for 10hrs straight. They need downtime. It is a day camp people.

Nice coddling.

Somehow, the YMCA has figured out how to have before and after care outside, in the exact same park, no less. I know this for a fact, since I send my children there and they do just fine.

And Girl Scouts has employees. Lots of them.

Then go sign up for YMCA camps and stop complaining here. They have employees they pay for their childcare programs. Girl Scouts have ZERO paid employees at day camp. ZERO. The paid employees work in the main center in DC, the stores and field operators for each association. Please stop whining and getting off topic. You know so little.

[Anonymous]

Why is the GS camp all-volunteer? It seems odd that stores would merit paid employees, but dealing with KIDS would be voluntary. The lack of aftercare would be a huge problem for many families. So only families with a parent able to volunteer or pickup early can participate? That seems completely out of touch with reality (where are single parents in all of this?). And I disagree with the recommendations from a PP - ask a SAHM to watch my kids? Seriously? I know only one mom who's SAH, and she's got a life and responsibilities - I wouldn't try to impose that way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD got into Lake Fairfax on our 2nd try and I didn't volunteer.

FWIW, she loved it, but the lack of before/after care was tough for us. I would think Girl Scouts would be a bit more supportive of women in the workplace and have it for at least some of their day camps.

Why don't you set up your own aftercare? The kids and mom volunteers shouldn't be in the woods for 10 hours a day in the summer to help some people with childcare. It is a CAMP and a cheap one at that. Geez!

Oh gee--what a good idea! I'll just tell my boss I'm bringing a bunch of girls to work with me for a few hours.

I'm not saying the volunteers need to be out like that. But I would pay double if the hours were more accommodating. I just find the lack of consideration in supporting working women to be in conflict with the mission of Girl Scouts.

No one gets paid to work at the camp. They all VOLUNTEER their time. They are outside ALL DAY LONG. I do it every year and by 6-7hrs, I am drained. I go home, shower myself and my 2 girls, check for ticks, clean out/wash our gear, make dinner, make lunches for the next day and go to bed. That is our life for 2 weeks so we can offer kids a ridiculously cheap fun day-camp experience. They do a sleepover one night too so to expect anyone of those teen or mom/dad volunteers to stay a minute later to accommodate a working mom is the most selfish thing I have ever heard of. Do you know many of them have jobs and use vacation time to volunteer??

If you want 10hr camps, you need to look elsewhere or look at Girl Scout sleep-away camps.
Otherwise, hire a teen with a car that can help you out. Ask one of the teen counselors to watch your daughter for those 2hrs and pay her well. Find a SAHM neighbor and swap taking care of kids with you watching their kids on the weekends sometimes. There are so many things you could do besides complain to make it work.

Totally missing the point.

+1 No one said it needed to be volunteers staffing the after care.

Not the PP but you are both idiots. Girls Scouts only have volunteers. They don't pay people to watch other kids because some parents are too lazy to set up their own childcare. Like the PP said, it is a day camp all outside in the woods. There is no where to do aftercare or refrigeration for food/drinks that late in the day. Thunderstorms come in the afternoon. It isn't a 10 hour day indoor childcare setting. I wouldn't even want my young kid outside for 10hrs straight. They need downtime. It is a day camp people.

Nice coddling.

Somehow, the YMCA has figured out how to have before and after care outside, in the exact same park, no less. I know this for a fact, since I send my children there and they do just fine.

And Girl Scouts has employees. Lots of them.

Then go sign up for YMCA camps and stop complaining here. They have employees they pay for their childcare programs. Girl Scouts have ZERO paid employees at day camp. ZERO. The paid employees work in the main center in DC, the stores and field operators for each association. Please stop whining and getting off topic. You know so little.

As a troop leader, cookie mom, and someone who is employed in a related field--trust me--I'm the most knowledgeable one here.

[Anonymous]

Well since the OP was asking about lottery and how many kids get in, these camps must be popular. Sounds like they wouldn't care about the complaints of aftercare as more people would be registering their kids in the lottery as a way to get rid of them for discounted "childcare." If the camp works and is popular, seems like the complainers need to have another plan and move on. Stick to the topic

[Anonymous]

It sounds like this camp isn't open and welcoming to all scouts. What an unfortunate message to send young girls.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like this camp isn't open and welcoming to all scouts. What an unfortunate message to send young girls.

They can only do what they can do. As it is there aren't enough slots for the girls who want to participate at all. That is why they have a lottery system. The GS are extremely generous running so many camps at a low cost and even assisting with financial aid and transportation in some circumstances. The volunteers work hard to make this all happen, too.

To complain that the GS aren't going far enough to accommodate everyone's reality and to say they are doing a disservice to young girls because of it is uncalled for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like this camp isn't open and welcoming to all scouts. What an unfortunate message to send young girls.

They can only do what they can do. As it is there aren't enough slots for the girls who want to participate at all. That is why they have a lottery system. The GS are extremely generous running so many camps at a low cost and even assisting with financial aid and transportation in some circumstances. The volunteers work hard to make this all happen, too.

To complain that the GS aren't going far enough to accommodate everyone's reality and to say they are doing a disservice to young girls because of it is uncalled for.

But it's true.

[Anonymous]

If the GS can't help support working moms then who will? I was a GS throughout school and loved their empowering women message. I guess I didn't realize it was only empowering women to be SAHMs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If the GS can't help support working moms then who will? I was a GS throughout school and loved their empowering women message. I guess I didn't realize it was only empowering women to be SAHMs.

Dear lord, get over yourself. I hope your kids aren't as whiny as you. Stop hijacking the OP's thread. We get it; you hate working, hate SAHM's, and hate the Girl Scouts for not making their SAHM volunteers work longer days for free to accommodate your work schedule with a ridiculously cheap "childcare" camp for your kids. Move on and complain to Girl Scouts and let the OP have her thread back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If the GS can't help support working moms then who will? I was a GS throughout school and loved their empowering women message. I guess I didn't realize it was only empowering women to be SAHMs.

Dear lord, get over yourself. I hope your kids aren't as whiny as you. Stop hijacking the OP's thread. We get it; you hate working, hate SAHM's, and hate the Girl Scouts for not making their SAHM volunteers work longer days for free to accommodate your work schedule with a ridiculously cheap "childcare" camp for your kids. Move on and complain to Girl Scouts and let the OP have her thread back.

Angry much?

There are multiple people here making this point. I'd happily pay far more in order for my daughter to be able to participate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If the GS can't help support working moms then who will? I was a GS throughout school and loved their empowering women message. I guess I didn't realize it was only empowering women to be SAHMs.

Dear lord, get over yourself. I hope your kids aren't as whiny as you. Stop hijacking the OP's thread. We get it; you hate working, hate SAHM's, and hate the Girl Scouts for not making their SAHM volunteers work longer days for free to accommodate your work schedule with a ridiculously cheap "childcare" camp for your kids. Move on and complain to Girl Scouts and let the OP have her thread back.

Angry much?

There are multiple people here making this point. I'd happily pay far more in order for my daughter to be able to participate.

But then you are excluding kids with families that do not make a lot of money. So your point about including all girls really means "including my kid"

And no offense, but it is obvious you are making all the posts and hijacking the thread. Have you called Girl Scouts to complain yet or just complaining on an anonymous thread not even meant for your complaint?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If the GS can't help support working moms then who will? I was a GS throughout school and loved their empowering women message. I guess I didn't realize it was only empowering women to be SAHMs.

Dear lord, get over yourself. I hope your kids aren't as whiny as you. Stop hijacking the OP's thread. We get it; you hate working, hate SAHM's, and hate the Girl Scouts for not making their SAHM volunteers work longer days for free to accommodate your work schedule with a ridiculously cheap "childcare" camp for your kids. Move on and complain to Girl Scouts and let the OP have her thread back.

Angry much?

There are multiple people here making this point. I'd happily pay far more in order for my daughter to be able to participate.

But then you are excluding kids with families that do not make a lot of money. So your point about including all girls really means "including my kid"

And no offense, but it is obvious you are making all the posts and hijacking the thread. Have you called Girl Scouts to complain yet or just complaining on an anonymous thread not even meant for your complaint?

No seriously, I'm not the only one saying this. At least 2 other posts were not from me.

And like I said--I would pay extra for extra service. Feel free to keep it cheap for all those who would only go 9-4.