Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My MIL was a Girl Scout leader and always took DH with her to the meetings. My SIL was the Girl Scout and my FIL was always working. Today, my husband laughs about learning to build a camp fire when he was a Girl Scout. It was a different time and in a geographic location where people are a lot more laid back than they are around here. My hunch is that the other parents were thankful just to have a parent volunteer to be a leader and we’re ok with the little brother tagging along.

I think it would be different if it were the leader’s kid but it’s not. All parents in the troop are expected to volunteer at 3-4 meetings or events per year. None of the rest of us bring another kid along that I’ve noticed.

I hear you. This was in the late 1970s in a rural area. Like I said — different time and different place.

Anonymous wrote:My MIL was a Girl Scout leader and always took DH with her to the meetings. My SIL was the Girl Scout and my FIL was always working. Today, my husband laughs about learning to build a camp fire when he was a Girl Scout. It was a different time and in a geographic location where people are a lot more laid back than they are around here. My hunch is that the other parents were thankful just to have a parent volunteer to be a leader and we’re ok with the little brother tagging along.

I think it would be different if it were the leader’s kid but it’s not. All parents in the troop are expected to volunteer at 3-4 meetings or events per year. None of the rest of us bring another kid along that I’ve noticed.

My MIL was a Girl Scout leader and always took DH with her to the meetings. My SIL was the Girl Scout and my FIL was always working. Today, my husband laughs about learning to build a camp fire when he was a Girl Scout. It was a different time and in a geographic location where people are a lot more laid back than they are around here. My hunch is that the other parents were thankful just to have a parent volunteer to be a leader and we’re ok with the little brother tagging along.

Former troop leader and we didn't let any siblings attend our meetings. Period. We explained to the parents it's GS rules and regulations.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In GS lingo, younger sibs are called "Tagalongs" -- generally events specify whether Tagalongs are welcome or can be accommodated or not. It's not generally appropriate for troop meetings, which are geared to a specific age and designed to help foster independence from the family unit. I'd say something to the troop leader, who should probably just start saying something along the lines of "tagalongs welcome for the hay ride!" or "sorry, but we can't accommodate tagalongs for the computer programming badge activity" or whatever. There's a lot of activities where younger siblings really do disrupt the experience for the older girls, and as a troop leader trying to stretch a buck to keep costs down (which is a big push in GS), I'd be a little irritated at having to get supplies for additional kids -- if we are doing a particular badge activity like jewelry making or tie-dying or making journals, I may have only bought enough supplies for the troop members. Sometimes we invited younger siblings for the last 15 minutes or something, if we were doing something that might be fun for them like the Pet Badge or racing cars or something.

It's totally different from Cub Scouts, where an adult member is REQUIRED to stay for the meeting until they hit Boy Scouts in 6th grade. Apparently BSA does NOT want to foster independence from the family until 6th grade -- they really want the parents there to rein those boys in. I've been pretty active in both GS and BSA for almost a decade now, so I'm pretty familiar with the differences in the programs.

What a shame that after almost a decade of being active in boy scouts, you are still so ignorant.

Lions and Tigers require a parent stay, because of the age of the kids and to help parents understand Cub Scouts. After that parents are not required to stay. There is a requirement for 2 trained, adult leaders to be with the Scouts at all times but parents don't have to be there. Some Dens ask parents to stay, especially if their kids are a handful or struggle to listen to the Den Leader. But Cub Scouts is run differently then Girl Scouts. I don't think that we have ever discussed independence as a goal for my kids Den or in the Pack. We focus more on the individual adventures and earning the belt loops. I believe in Girl Scouts the kids choose their Troops focus and what they want to work towards, that doesn't happen in Cub Scouts. It does happen more in the Arrow of the Light year and when the kids transition to a Troop.

I like that DS is exposed to many different activities through the planned adventures. There is an art one every year that is cool and that I doubt the kids would choose on their own. They have done something in geography every year, which is cool. I like the broad approach but I can see the value in the kids choosing what they want to do as well. I am have no problem with that happening when the kids are in 6th grade and not in first grade.

Both programs are great for the right kid. I am not going to bring a BSA mindset to Girl Scouts because they are different programs, with a different approach, and different goals and that is fine. I would not phrase it the way the PP phrased it but too each their own.

Anonymous wrote:In GS lingo, younger sibs are called "Tagalongs" -- generally events specify whether Tagalongs are welcome or can be accommodated or not. It's not generally appropriate for troop meetings, which are geared to a specific age and designed to help foster independence from the family unit. I'd say something to the troop leader, who should probably just start saying something along the lines of "tagalongs welcome for the hay ride!" or "sorry, but we can't accommodate tagalongs for the computer programming badge activity" or whatever. There's a lot of activities where younger siblings really do disrupt the experience for the older girls, and as a troop leader trying to stretch a buck to keep costs down (which is a big push in GS), I'd be a little irritated at having to get supplies for additional kids -- if we are doing a particular badge activity like jewelry making or tie-dying or making journals, I may have only bought enough supplies for the troop members. Sometimes we invited younger siblings for the last 15 minutes or something, if we were doing something that might be fun for them like the Pet Badge or racing cars or something.

It's totally different from Cub Scouts, where an adult member is REQUIRED to stay for the meeting until they hit Boy Scouts in 6th grade. Apparently BSA does NOT want to foster independence from the family until 6th grade -- they really want the parents there to rein those boys in. I've been pretty active in both GS and BSA for almost a decade now, so I'm pretty familiar with the differences in the programs.

What a shame that after almost a decade of being active in boy scouts, you are still so ignorant.

Anonymous wrote:There's a family in our troop that is ALWAYS bringing a little brother to Girl Scout events and it's annoying because he's younger and not a bad kid or anything but kind of obnoxious in the little brother way and although they usually pay his way for things he often ends up using resources meant for the troop. The mom says "I don't have child care for him" but these aren't events she's required to chaperone, they are things she's choosing to attend for her own sake. It's annoying my daughter and I'm not sure if I should talk to the mom directly or to the troop leader? My daughter loves her friends in her troop and loves her girl time (she has two younger brothers herself!!!)

Ridiculous. Then she should be staying home with him.

In GS lingo, younger sibs are called "Tagalongs" -- generally events specify whether Tagalongs are welcome or can be accommodated or not. It's not generally appropriate for troop meetings, which are geared to a specific age and designed to help foster independence from the family unit. I'd say something to the troop leader, who should probably just start saying something along the lines of "tagalongs welcome for the hay ride!" or "sorry, but we can't accommodate tagalongs for the computer programming badge activity" or whatever. There's a lot of activities where younger siblings really do disrupt the experience for the older girls, and as a troop leader trying to stretch a buck to keep costs down (which is a big push in GS), I'd be a little irritated at having to get supplies for additional kids -- if we are doing a particular badge activity like jewelry making or tie-dying or making journals, I may have only bought enough supplies for the troop members. Sometimes we invited younger siblings for the last 15 minutes or something, if we were doing something that might be fun for them like the Pet Badge or racing cars or something.

It's totally different from Cub Scouts, where an adult member is REQUIRED to stay for the meeting until they hit Boy Scouts in 6th grade. Apparently BSA does NOT want to foster independence from the family until 6th grade -- they really want the parents there to rein those boys in. I've been pretty active in both GS and BSA for almost a decade now, so I'm pretty familiar with the differences in the programs.

Anonymous wrote:You can't please everyone, that's for damn sure. This woman is volunteering her time to be with the troop. You know how hard it is to get volunteers? Who made your kid the ruler of the troop - she is annoyed - well hells bells! Can't let your precious scout be annoyed!

How much volunteering is she doing if she's tending to a younger child. Being there and volunteering are two different things.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s also possible that you don’t have all the facts. Her daughter may have a hidden disability or some other reason that the mother needs to be there. This is the only way to make that happen then that’s better than having the girl be excluded. But other family also doesn’t Owe you an explanation if that’s the case

While anything is theoretically possible - when you hear hoof beats it’s usually a horse and not a zebra.

This

Anonymous wrote:Come on.

Scouts is about a parent spending time with a child. If she doesnt have childcare for him, show some sympathy.

and FWIW, I was a boy scout troop leader of years and it was not unusual for little sisters (and sometimes little brothers if they weren't old enough for Cub scouts) to crash the party.

And they were ALWAYS welcome. Scouts is not supposed to be a drop off activity It's supposed to be quality time with a parent/caretaker

She does have childcare for him. Herself. She could drop her DD off.

Then enforce it! Troop Leaders everywhere, enforce. Grow a spine.

Anonymous wrote:It is actually against the rules, the troop is supposed to buy supplemental insurance for each event where there are non-members attending. It's only $5 but it is a pain and I doubt they're doing it every time.

I was going to say the same thing. Supplemental insurance is required for non-members before each and every event.

I don't get the "last minute change of plans" excuse. Parent attendance isn't mandatory at meetings, so consistently bringing the little brother, when you could just drop the girl scout off, is rude.

Anonymous wrote:I don't think it's appropriate for you to complain if there is not a rule against it.

DP but there IS a rule against it, though. Girl scout insurance only covers registered girls and volunteers. I don't allow siblings unless they are also girl scouts.