Cub scout vs girl scout

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My experience is with Girl Scouts, but I'm close with people active in Cub Scouts. For us, the answer came down to wanting our daughter in a female led and oriented program; she's got two dads, and it was important to us that she get exposure to female spaces and groups.

In terms of the program, Cub Scouts is a lot more standardized. You know what you're getting with Cub Scouts more than Girl Scouts. Girl Scouts has a lot more variance by troop. Some troops are great, some aren't, and they come and go. Cub Scout packs last indefinitely and there's generally a lot more continuity and less reinventing the wheel, which is some I'm jealous of as a Girl Scout parent. You also know that Cub Scouts will be outdoors if that matters to you. Girl Scouts can be, and often are, but you can also have troops that are based on other kinds of activities and don't camp much at all. The flexibility can be good or bad depending on what you're looking for.

At the upper levels, I also like the BSA badges better, in terms of their focus on mastery and accomplishment, which is kind of downplayed in favor of a "let's try it" approach in Girl Scouts. The flipside of that, in lower levels, I think the Girl Scout badge approach is great. When you're young, just trying something is great. When you're in middle school or above, actually getting competence by repeatedly doing something or gaining real mastery makes more sense as a goal.

Overall, we've had a good experience with Girl Scouts, though. Our daughter has made friends, she's tried lots of things, she's gained confidence, and has some fantastic adult women as role models. If I were in charge of Girl Scouts, there's changes I'd make, but we're happy.

Interesting I hadn't thought about this - my K DD is doing cub scouts (her choice, plus there wasn't a K girl scout troop) and 8 year old DS does cub scouts. We are a two mom family - I hadn't thought too much about the benefits for them of having more adult male role models.

We've been happy with cub scouts, though I'm sure we would have been happy with girl scouts too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow! I didn’t realize the “GS/CS War” was a thing!

We chose GS because we wanted DD to feel a sense of community with her female classmates, and to be led by women. We liked that it was women-led with the girl’s input. I felt more “female empowerment” with these things in mind than the, what we found to be, false sense of “female empowerment” from being a girl doing “boy things” that men organized.

"Boy things"? Lmao.

Is it not called BOY Scouts?

It is in fact not called BOY Scouts anymore. Just Scouting America

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP here and as a matter of fact, my 7th grade Girl Scouts have been white water rafting (my HS Boy Scout has not). My Girl Scout camps 2 nights at a time since 4th grade with her troop, and without a parent. My son’s first time doing that with Boy Scouts was 6th grade Klondike which was also his first time camping without parents requires. Both of my kids kayak and canoe with their respective girl/Boy Scout troop. Both have camped overnight for a week at summer camp. Neither has camped for a week with their troop. My son’s very large and active BSA troop does 100% park and pitch camping. If you want to do any “serious outdoor” activities like survival skills and backpacking camping, it’s through an adjunct trip, not through the troop. Girl Scouts has the same type of adjunct adventures. Both, of course, are at an age appropriate level…the idea that Kindergarten cub scouts are outside, braving the elements and learning survival skills training while Kindergarten Daisys are sitting inside at a table coloring is silly.

There are different troops that all do different things. We have two in our town and one is very serious outdoor and one is car camping with lots of leadership. If you have visit the different groups to find what you want.

I have kids in both. Scouts program is amazing. I am still newer to Girl Scouts, but so far it feels very babyish compared to Boy Scouts. I am glad my daughter is in girls scouts and it is a great way to make friends and try new things. Boy Scouts is more serious - in a good way - pride in uniform, more independence with right training.

The both serve different purposes. Girls scouts troop is formed young and harder to join later (one things I don’t like)z Boy Scouts you can come and try it out - try different groups - you are always welcome.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've had/have kids in both, and I would add one thing about the older ages.

While "Eagle Scout" is held up as some vaunted accomplishment, the requirements have really been watered down, at least in my son's troop.

I have been to numerous Eagle Scout ceremonies now where boys have completed projects that would have barely qualified for a Silver Award in GS, let alone a Gold Award. When my daughter did a Gold Award, she had to present her idea by sophmore year, and it needed to be something that achieved lasting change.

I don't know if it's parental pressure, or scrambling to retain scouts after the sex abuse coverups, but I'm disappointed in the low standards for the older boys and frustrated that I'll have to push my son to do better than a "shoe drive" at his HS.

I have heard this. My son’s troop is very strict. Boys must follow through and there are no favors. He must demonstrate all required skills for advancement and further state when he is ready (nobody is going to as him to do something or ask if he is ready - he has to request time to demonstrate skills). I’ve seen kids asked to try BOR at a later date for improper uniform. Very strict on merit badges as well.

[Anonymous]

My DD is 8 and a cub scout because all her friends are there. I like our den and pack and volunteer as a mom too. Shes done several camping trips (with adults) and hikes. She really enjoyed the pinewood derby and making her car. Our pack and den do not do any selling of anything. We have also done park trash cleanup, and collecting non perishables for food pantries in addition to regular meetings and learning some survival skills.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've had/have kids in both, and I would add one thing about the older ages.

While "Eagle Scout" is held up as some vaunted accomplishment, the requirements have really been watered down, at least in my son's troop.

I have been to numerous Eagle Scout ceremonies now where boys have completed projects that would have barely qualified for a Silver Award in GS, let alone a Gold Award. When my daughter did a Gold Award, she had to present her idea by sophmore year, and it needed to be something that achieved lasting change.

I don't know if it's parental pressure, or scrambling to retain scouts after the sex abuse coverups, but I'm disappointed in the low standards for the older boys and frustrated that I'll have to push my son to do better than a "shoe drive" at his HS.

I have heard this. My son’s troop is very strict. Boys must follow through and there are no favors. He must demonstrate all required skills for advancement and further state when he is ready (nobody is going to as him to do something or ask if he is ready - he has to request time to demonstrate skills). I’ve seen kids asked to try BOR at a later date for improper uniform. Very strict on merit badges as well.

I’m a MB counselor and there is a lot of pressure to water down requirements. A lot of the scouts are doing MB at rheee online MB mills now. And there are so many requirements for each, many of which are sort of autocratic or homework-like, that there’s a real temptation to just condense or water down. I struggle with pushing back on the boys. Thedo a lot of the badges at Goshen and I think they sign off for basically every body. There are things I really like about the BSA program but I’m sort of on the fence about the MBs overall.

[Anonymous]

Are fathers allowed to participate in Girl Scouts? Former girl scouts who join my daughter’s Scouting America troop for girls share that fathers are generally not involved.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are fathers allowed to participate in Girl Scouts? Former girl scouts who join my daughter’s Scouting America troop for girls share that fathers are generally not involved.

Yes but at least one of the troop leaders has to be a woman.

[Anonymous]

What is the typical situation in Girl Scout troops with regard to father participation?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are fathers allowed to participate in Girl Scouts? Former girl scouts who join my daughter’s Scouting America troop for girls share that fathers are generally not involved.

Correct. Girl Scouts is meant to be strictly women- and girl- run. Scouting America girls troops have moms and dads involved, though there are strict ratios and at least one woman must always be present. I prefer the latter model. DH earned Eagle and is now helping DD as she works toward it. It's a wonderful thing for them to share. He focuses on advancement and I do more of the general volunteering and camping stuff. In terms of parent volunteers it's roughly 2 to 1 (F-M) for most activities in our troop. The Scoutmasters have been women, at least so far.

But I can also understand why some would prefer an all-female model.

[Anonymous]

My DD is also heading toward Eagle and has had a terrific experience since starting in Cub Scouts. Former girl scouts who join her all-girl Scouting America troop (usually around age 11) share stories about their fathers being discouraged from attending things. I’m not against female-exclusive clubs, but this is a legitimate factor to consider.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are fathers allowed to participate in Girl Scouts? Former girl scouts who join my daughter’s Scouting America troop for girls share that fathers are generally not involved.

Correct. Girl Scouts is meant to be strictly women- and girl- run. Scouting America girls troops have moms and dads involved, though there are strict ratios and at least one woman must always be present. I prefer the latter model. DH earned Eagle and is now helping DD as she works toward it. It's a wonderful thing for them to share. He focuses on advancement and I do more of the general volunteering and camping stuff. In terms of parent volunteers it's roughly 2 to 1 (F-M) for most activities in our troop. The Scoutmasters have been women, at least so far.

But I can also understand why some would prefer an all-female model.

This isn't true at least in the local council. Girl Scouts requires one troop leader to be a woman (there have to be at least two). For events and travel, you need certain minimum number of adults, and at least one of those has to be a woman. There's also rules about men sharing sleeping space with scouts who aren't their daughters, but beyond that men are more than welcome. Our troop has always had one of our leaders be a man, we have men on campouts, etc. Our core group of troop volunteers (leaders, cookie parent, certified people for campouts) is probably 50/50.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are fathers allowed to participate in Girl Scouts? Former girl scouts who join my daughter’s Scouting America troop for girls share that fathers are generally not involved.

Correct. Girl Scouts is meant to be strictly women- and girl- run. Scouting America girls troops have moms and dads involved, though there are strict ratios and at least one woman must always be present. I prefer the latter model. DH earned Eagle and is now helping DD as she works toward it. It's a wonderful thing for them to share. He focuses on advancement and I do more of the general volunteering and camping stuff. In terms of parent volunteers it's roughly 2 to 1 (F-M) for most activities in our troop. The Scoutmasters have been women, at least so far.

But I can also understand why some would prefer an all-female model.

This isn't true at least in the local council. Girl Scouts requires one troop leader to be a woman (there have to be at least two). For events and travel, you need certain minimum number of adults, and at least one of those has to be a woman. There's also rules about men sharing sleeping space with scouts who aren't their daughters, but beyond that men are more than welcome. Our troop has always had one of our leaders be a man, we have men on campouts, etc. Our core group of troop volunteers (leaders, cookie parent, certified people for campouts) is probably 50/50.

Interesting! Dads are not involved in our troop, but nice to know they can be. Some troops (like ours) take the women leadership model very seriously.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is the typical situation in Girl Scout troops with regard to father participation?

We had dads who volunteer for scouts.

[Anonymous]

I'm actually a BSA den leader and have done lions (K). My daughter LOVES it. Please know you can do both BSA & GS. They aren't exclusive. She has several tight besties from her den (girls). Some of the areas will have very inclusive packs - join their first meetings this fall to see if it's a fit.