Girl Scouts Rant and Advice

[Nana~ 4]

My daughter went to a summer camp girl scout thing this summer in Fl.

She apparently had alot of fun because shes asking me to become a girl scout now.

I called the Girls Scout phone line and they gave me the number of a contact in my town.

The thing is apparently, her group is full and theres a waiting list of 3 girls who want in but none of the other parents want to be a troop leader..She said they all want their kids in Girl Scouts but don't want to be involved themselves...

Well, I am Pagan so I didn't think I could be a troop leader. I thought GS were a Christian based group, but apparently that is just the boy Scouts. The girl scouts have said they will not discriminate against race,religion, or sexual preference.

I live in a very closed minded town, very big into sports and God, and anyone who isn't into to sports and God must be bad...

I am very open minded, I will like you no matter your race,sex or religion as long as you are a good person I will befriend you!

This lady was telling me how theres a troop leader that FREAKED when she found out that GS didn't care about sexual preferences, and told the lady to make sure she didn't get any girls from Gay or lesbian families in her troop.

Another woman said she would only accept Christian girls who were affiliated with a church...

Anyhoo...this woman I talked to is in charge of following those requests and placing the girls where they will do their best and have fun, She also is troop leader of the troop that is my daughters age but full

She is a very open minded woman, and one of her girls is pagan and wanted to attend Pagan Pride Day and do a area food drive. When our town found out about the Pagan pride day, they put it in the paper and all the town went nuts! They posted they would protest it etc, and so the GS said they had no issue w. them attending the festival but since it has made a big stink and there will be protesters GS should not attend to see that kind of thing

I was there and there were only 4 or 5 people and all they did was hand or try to hand out church flyers..they hung out by the playground and didn't make much of a deal at all...

My sister in-Law has a Gothic mom friend who is a troop leader and she is really wild colored hair tattoos piercings very very Goth, and I think that is very very cool, that she and her daughter can do GS and keep their individuality!

Anyhow, I am trying to decide if I want to do this or not, or try it out to see how it goes.

The lady says she thinks I'd do good and she can give me my 2 hr training etc. But I'm not the Small town Church going type.

Any advice from Parents of Girls Scouts, Former Girls Scouts or other Girls Scout troop leaders?

Nana~

[Anwyn 0]

I think you should go for it! I was a girlscout for a few years and I don't remember any religious stuff at all. I remember lots of crafts, camping, and eating lots and lots of girls scout Cookies.

You can always go through the 2 hour training and see if it's a good fit for you. Keep us posted.

[GayleTX 1]

Your main concern is how is the fall-out going to affect your daughter. I know she'd love to have you there but at her age kids (girls especially) are much more into peer opinion than parent opinion. If you plan to stay in that same little town for the next several years, a big blow-up over this could affect her social life for the rest of her school years. Be sure you think thru all the ramaifcations before you make a decision.

[DrewsLou 3]

I was a GS for 15 years and am apalled at these leaders and their small-mnded views!! When I was a member there was never any religous affiliation (that I was aware of) and it was a very open and inviting atmosphere for all the girls. GS is about loving yourself and expanding your horizons not segregating yourself from the rest of the world.

I say go for it! It will be an experience you and your daughter will never forget. Some of my greatest childhood memories are the time I spent with my mom in GS!

[Nana~ 4]

Well the lady said a full group should be no more than 10 girls or it gets too hard to manage.

If I did become a troop leader I would have my daughter and my neice and I would think as long as the 3 on the waiting list parents didnt have an issue with me I'd have them too. so thats 5 girls~

I am attending a Girl Scout event on Aug 12th to meet and see what its like, then I can call her if I want to go thru the training~

My lil girl already has some Patches from this summers camp, and she wants to wear the sash instead of the vest. I seen some on Ebay. Once I decided what I'm doing I'll prob. buy the stuff from there if its a good deal.

I am a big arts and crafts kinda personand i love to Sub teach so I think I may really like this~ Just let the girls decide what they wanna do and figure it out for them.

[DrewsLou 3]

You'll be a great troop leader Nana!

[Tired_Old_Man 1]

Don't let other people's small mindedness ruin your's or your daughter's life.

Don't let other people's small mindedness control your's or your daughter's life.

Pretend that they do not exist. Then do what you would have done if they were not in existence.

[babyjane 0]

Go to the training and then decide if it is for you. I was in GS and enjoyed my time there, my mom was not able to attend. coming from a large (6 kids) family it was okay ---kinda my time away from them. i used to walk 1/2 way across our little town to attend meetings at the GS "hut" we called it. i think you will probably enjoy the fellowship with the girls and they will enjoy you. I do not recall any religious anything in GS. so.....I think no one's religion should be a focus at scouts, christian, pagan, etc.

Just have fun and enjoy ya'll's time together!!!!

[mousecrazy 2]

I say give it a go. My DD has been a Scout since 1st grade, so this willbe her 4th year. They don't talk about religion, although we are Christian (full disclosure). We do the activities for the Patches, and most of all, the girls learn to get along with each other, which should be its own patch! If you are willing to be involved, and are willing to keep it religion-free, then go for it.

Sigh, isn't it sad how many parents don't want to parent? I'm excited that you want to!

Happy Scouting!

[blj5362 0]

I was a GS (Brownies) leader for 2 years I loved it, there were no religious activities involved for my group. We always encouraged all girls to join. When I moved up to the next level with my daughter I had 15 girls.

[DonnaB 3]

My sister was a GS leader when her daughter was about 9. She LOVED it. They had a great time making huge glitter messes all over their house! lol

My sister took her troop to a GS camp for a weekend along with LOTS of other troops. While she and another leader had their girls out on a nature walk/picnic, the other leader had to go back to the campsite for some reason and left her group with my sister and her group. My sister was so involved with keeping the other group from killing each other (there were several problems with that other group) two of her girls wandered off by themselves and got lost. It took hours and hours to find those two little girls. Thankfully, the pair were found, safe and sound, just a little scared and hungry, but my sister never got over it. She had panic attacks for months over losing the two girls. She stopped being a GS leader shortly thereafter. Too nerve wracking.

It really wasn't my sisters fault, the other leader never should have left her girls with a virtual stranger, especially knowing she had some problem kids in her troop. She should never have left my sister to care for that many kids without another adult to watch them all. Whether is was her fault or not, it REALLY messed my sister up for a long time. She still gets that panicky feeling when we talk about her time as a GS leader. Sad.

[vinesqueen 2]

I was a GS too for 3 years when I was little, I still have most of my Patches and pins! I only stopped going because there wasn't anyone to take over the troup when my Leader moved away. And I don't remember any religeon either, and even as a child I was very interested in comparative religeon. (parents were both athiests but sent me to an evangelical private school)

I say GO FOR IT NANA~! I was involved with the boy scouts with my Spudboy, and all they want is a belief in some form of god. I'm Pagan, but Spud is agnostic, and DH is a Christian.

The girls need you, and the town needs you. I know how hard it is to be in a smallminded small town, but you are strong!

[Nana~ 4]

Thank you vines :confused: you are always so positive

Hugs

Nana~

[CCBSTX 0]

Go for it Nana! You will probably end up with 10 girls. I would highly suggest you get an assistant group leader to help with activities and planning!!!! The assistant would obviously be another Mom.

My daughter has been in girl scouts and I don't remember any religious ties, other than where we meet (church). Don't let that discourage you. You are there to have fun, teach activities and morales.

Shawn

[Nana~ 4]

I think we found a troop she can enter, so I may not have to open a new tribe after all, and my daughter came to me last night and said she wanted to do GS but also wanted to fight in the SCA and was afraid she would not have time for both...SO, I guess if we can get her into a troop and she can fight SCA then either she will do both w/ no issues or she will pick her favorite. But I dont want to open up a troop if she decides not to continue, I'd hate to break all those girls hearts and them have to go back on a waiting list :eek:

So I guess I will wait awhile and see what unfolds~

Thanks so much for all the support

Nana~