Girl Scouts have lost their way
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Anonymous
Don't give up on GS! The activities of any troop are largely dependent on the leader's abilities (both in time and skills). Maybe you will find another mom (or dad) who will be outdoorsy along with you. Or if you can't lead the troop, you could volunteer to be the camp parent. GS has it's problems, but girls are still interested in being scouts. Leaders just need to adapt the official program to their troop and not follow it to the letter. There are some good things about the way cub scouts are set up, but there are also good things about the way GS troops are set up. It can be a negative for GS leaders to not have contact with other leaders (unlike the cub scouts where they have the pack), but the upside is that I have a lot more control over our programming and my girls have a lot more say in what we do (compared to cub scouts). The biggest difference is how the money is controlled. GS leaders typically spend ALL the money on the girls directly -- we don't spend it for catered dinners for families (cub scouts do). My scouts get a lot more activities/programming for the money they earn selling cookies than my Cub Scout gets for his fundraising efforts. I think the structure of GS (keeping decisions at the girl level and keeping money at the girl level) is a HUGE asset compared with how the Cub Scout system works (the decisions are made by the adults two levels removed from the boys and they have more "admin." expenses). If you believe that girls should be challenging themselves with more outdoor skills and activities, then please get involved with a GS troop (either with or without your child). |
Anonymous
| So what is the story (early on in the thread) about financial mismanagement or lack of funds? At the national level? this is all news to me. Sad. |
Anonymous
| Cookie sales was the only focus of my dsughter's troops. Afterwards, the didnt really have any meetings. This is our firt year in Girl Scouts, she's 12 & the entire time I thought it was a joke. Can't believe how they have to push cookies. |
Anonymous
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I agree that the Journey books stink. I've rejected them outright and continue to do the old retired badges.
Can anyone recommend where to find the "Horse Fan" Junior Badge? I would need 12 of them. |
Anonymous
They are nearly impossible to find. I got one this summer for a girl in my troop who is a rider. I highly doubt you will find 12 of them. You'd be better off getting a fun patch (www.snappylogos.com ) or doing a "Make Your Own" if you really want an earned badge. The MYO are expensive from what I've heard (like $4 shipping for each one or something) -- but it would be a real badge if that's important. |
Anonymous
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Keep Camp Crowell for the girls
www.facebook.com/stopindustrialoakton.com |
Anonymous
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Keep Camp Crowell for the girls
www.facebook.com/stopindustrialoakton.com |
Anonymous
His is how I felt as a child, I just did all the Boy Scout projects with my neighbor |
Anonymous
| DD tried Daisies- it was a playdate- no one could say what any of the petals meant. We quit (among many). I hear the brownies is almost the same.. And the 3rd/4th graders have the same blase experience (not a true bonding experience or learning). Boy scouts has a great rep and for what I have heard, truly what I thought GS would be. So, our son will be in boy scouts. It's a shame.. |
Anonymous
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I grew up in Girl Scouts and attended two scout-owned camps each summer. I wanted to give back so served on the board and worked on selecting the Gold Award winners. The problem isn't lack of interest in outdoors activities, it is the LIABILITY problem brought on by the plaintiffs' bar. Over 20 years ago, I saw the changes start when National told locals to yank all the diving boards and slides from the pools at camps. Then, of course, the horses had to go, etc. etc. etc. Then the camps had to go. That's the real reason Scouts has lost the outdoors focus. Blame the trial bar
Boy Scouts have much richer funding, more corporate presidents on its board, corporate contributions and say "fuck it" and pay the higher insurance premiums. |
Anonymous
| ^^ Also, Girl Scouts could significantly reduce the possibility of any alleged molestation charges if G.S. cut back on camping involving overnights. This change is all liability and lawyer-driven. |
Anonymous
| Oh, that's BS, pp. Whenever an organization does things to make life easier and more profitable for them, they point fingers at lawyers. What a crock. |
Anonymous
oh, the Boy Scouts aren't doing much better either. Declining membership rolls, a $439M camp in W.Va., and coming under attack from the right AND (unlike the GSUSA) from the left. http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/07/15/us-boyscouts-finances-specialreport-idUSBRE96E08B20130715 Of course, we may as well form two GS and BS groups and get on with the pillarization of American life. |