# Moms selling girl scout cookies **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 10, 2013, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-selling-girl-scout-cookies/652517 "2013-03-10T01:22:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tollhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e99b99/32.png) [@Tollhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tollhouse)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2013, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-selling-girl-scout-cookies/652517/1 "2013-03-10T01:22:31Z")
Girl scout cookies ,no problem. Girl scout cookies sold by nine yeAr olds, fine. But a forty nine yr old? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2013, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-selling-girl-scout-cookies/652517/2 "2013-03-10T01:26:20Z")
> [@Tollhouse](#): > > Girl scout cookies ,no problem. Girl scout cookies sold by nine yeAr olds, fine. But a forty nine yr old? So what. I sold a ton of them for my daughter (as did her mom). The cookies are good and the raise money for the troop. What difference does it make who you buy them from. If you have an issue with it, only buy them from the actual girl scouts. But you’re probably not going to see them going door to door by themselves anymore. On top of that, during girl scout cookie season, everybody wants them, so usually whoever at work has a daughter selling them will bring in an order form. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2013, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-selling-girl-scout-cookies/652517/3 "2013-03-10T01:26:53Z")
So, any conflict of interest involved in this inquiry **Tollhouse**? !!! ---
**Author:** ![Tollhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e99b99/32.png) [@Tollhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tollhouse)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2013, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-selling-girl-scout-cookies/652517/4 "2013-03-10T01:43:28Z")
I know I didnt give any details…more specifically, it was not a mom at work, it was a few moms with the girl scouts in front of a store. As shoppers walked by, the moms would call out to them, asking “have you bought girl scout cookies YET?” As if it was assumed that everyones planning to. Any shoppers who politely tried to avoid the net of these moms, would be called out to…the girl scouts themselves stood there , while the moms put shoppers on the spot. A couple people fumbled saying “i already got mine this season” . I understand the moms being there for safety reasons,but they should of hung back or to the side and allowed the actual girl scouts to ask people. They learned nothing imo,while it could be a good experience and give them a sense of accomplishment. But the moms were doing it all for them, and doing so in a pushy somewhat obnoxious manner. Doesnt this send the kids a message their not capable? ---
**Author:** ![brainstall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@brainstall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brainstall)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2013, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-selling-girl-scout-cookies/652517/5 "2013-03-10T01:44:30Z")
As long as they’re made from real girl scouts, I don’t care who I buy them from. ---
**Author:** ![markdash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@markdash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markdash)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2013, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-selling-girl-scout-cookies/652517/6 "2013-03-10T01:50:31Z")
GSC’s are one of the main reasons I haven’t committed any sex crimes yet, because then I would be unable to purchase them from their vendors. Especially Thin Mints. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2013, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-selling-girl-scout-cookies/652517/7 "2013-03-10T02:22:29Z")
We have a ban on selling and soliciting ANYTHING in our office. For charity, for personal profit, doesn’t matter. You know who flaunts these rules, repeatedly, no matter how many “reminders” HR sends out? Yep. Sellers of Girl Scout cookies. Every year around this time of the year half a dozen moms have to be reminded of the rule. When the ban went into effect in 2007 we had a couple of quiet years. The. I guess the desperation took hold and people started putting up flyers in their cubes. Then this year someone got so bold as to put the sign-up sheets at the coffee stations. Someone else put up a copy of the No Solicitation memo right next to it. WWIII erupted when the seller ripped down the memo. The original ban was at least partially due to folks in Accounting feeling the pressure to buy from the VP of Accounting. Her daughter has outgrown Girl Scouts now, but there are still a couple of directors flogging cookies to folks who report directly or indirectly to them. And as was pointed out five years ago, someone may not report to you now, but they may apply for a position in your organization in the future. They don’t want to piss you off by declining to buy the suggested three boxes. I love Thin Mints. My daughter is in Girl Scouts. But selling in the office is just obnoxious. I plan to eat or give away 30 boxes of cookies next year. ---
**Author:** ![Tollhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e99b99/32.png) [@Tollhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tollhouse)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2013, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-selling-girl-scout-cookies/652517/8 "2013-03-10T02:22:57Z")
Njtt, conflict? What confli (hiding yellow bag of tollhouse morsels) ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2013, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-selling-girl-scout-cookies/652517/9 "2013-03-10T03:12:25Z")
Yanno…while I’ve seen a lot of moms trying to sell kidcrap at work, I always have to go to the grocery store and get mugged in the parking lot for GS cookies. The moms don’t seem to be doing much selling, either, its all those cute little kids in their uniforms showing off their gap toothed smiles and hopeful eyes that makes me buy a box going in and another box going out. Samoas, dang those things are so good that they don’t get opened until I can put them in the breakroom for other people to eat. ---
**Author:** ![white\_rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dbc845/32.png) [@white\_rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/white_rabbit)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2013, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-selling-girl-scout-cookies/652517/10 "2013-03-10T03:15:06Z")
> [@brainstall](#): > > As long as they’re made from real girl scouts, I don’t care who I buy them from. That’s what dreams are made of, after all. ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2013, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-selling-girl-scout-cookies/652517/11 "2013-03-10T03:52:01Z")
My policy is I only buy from actual girl scouts. I’m fine with them not coming to my door and fine with parental supervision, but my money goes into the hands of a child or not at all. Each year i normally have friends daughters or relatives sell me cookies, I only buy 2 boxes from each as I’m not sure how many kids are going to hit me up and prefer they all get the opportunity. If my cooking needs are not met I’ll stop by one of the tables they set up around town. ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2013, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-selling-girl-scout-cookies/652517/12 "2013-03-10T14:32:06Z")
I do not buy Girl Scout cookies unless solicited by the actual Scout in question. Yes, it raises just as much money for the organization if the parent sells the cookies…but the money isn’t supposed to be the point of the cookie sale. The point of the sale is supposed to be teaching the kids the skills that go with making the sales, letting them do the actual work and getting to be confident and proud about the results of that work. Actually, that’s supposed to be the point of the whole bleeding organization. Buying cookies from parents undermines Juliette Gordon Lowe’s entire vision, and I won’t do it. ---
**Author:** ![Tollhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e99b99/32.png) [@Tollhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tollhouse)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2013, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-selling-girl-scout-cookies/652517/13 "2013-03-10T15:59:28Z")
Yea, and the thing that was really obnoxous was the shrill voiced heavy set forty something yr old mom waving down shoppers calling out “have you gotten your cookies YET ?” as if it was a given that everyone must buy girl scout cookies if they hadnt already done so. I noticed other shoppers seemed to feel they had to give an excuse. and several people amswered the mom they had already bought theirs for the season. I was. sorely tempted to say “yet? Why would you assume I buy them?” or even more tempting reply " Arent you a little old to be a girl scout?" :dubious: (but for some reason i escaped the mothers net, as she focused in on another shopper) Thegirl scouts standing there were not itty bitty five year olds, they were like nine and ten years old, certainly old enough to be able to ask “would you like to buy some cookies?” but they didnt have a chance with their overbearing moms in tow ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2013, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-selling-girl-scout-cookies/652517/14 "2013-03-10T16:18:35Z")
Their mothers? I thought everyone knew it’s the eighteen year old sisters who sell the most cookies. ---
**Author:** ![Tollhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e99b99/32.png) [@Tollhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tollhouse)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2013, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-selling-girl-scout-cookies/652517/15 "2013-03-10T16:33:31Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Their mothers? I thought everyone knew it’s the eighteen year old sisters who sell the most cookies. Hmmm, I have not come across this but it would be hard for anyone to be more pushy or obnoxius than the moms I saw. I almost want to be asked by one of those moms to buy “their” cookies, just so I can ask them arent they too old tobe a girl scout :eek: Did i just say that? ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2013, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-selling-girl-scout-cookies/652517/16 "2013-03-10T16:54:27Z")
> [@CrazyCatLady](#): > > but the money isn’t supposed to be the point of the cookie sale. No, trust me: the money is the point of the cookie sales. The organization lives or dies off those cookie sales. If they could stock them in vending machines in prisons, they probably would. That’s not a slam on the Girl Scouts, just a statement of how important the sales are to the organization. My wife used to work for their offices in Washington DC and says it was ALL about the cookie sales. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2013, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-selling-girl-scout-cookies/652517/17 "2013-03-10T16:54:52Z")
It’s from a Friends episode. Ross accidentally broke a girl scout’s leg when she was selling him cookies. So he ended up selling cookies for her so she could be the top seller in the city. > [@](#): > > Chandler: Tell us what happened, Brown Bird Ross. > Ross: I lost. I only got second place. This one girl gave her girl scout outfit to her 19 year old sister. She went down to the U.S.S Nimitz and sold 2000 boxes. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2013, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-selling-girl-scout-cookies/652517/18 "2013-03-10T16:58:24Z")
True fact: I have never seen an actual Girl Scout selling cookies. The only Scout cookies I’ve ever seen sold were by parents at work. Another true fact: The Samoa cookies are better than the Thin Mints. ---
**Author:** ![Tollhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e99b99/32.png) [@Tollhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tollhouse)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2013, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-selling-girl-scout-cookies/652517/19 "2013-03-10T17:01:57Z")
> [@MeanOldLady](#): > > True fact: I have never seen an actual Girl Scout selling cookies. The only Scout cookies I’ve ever seen sold were by parents at work. Another true fact: The Samoa cookies are better than the Thin Mints. And,…Tollhouse cookies are better than even those ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2013, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-selling-girl-scout-cookies/652517/20 "2013-03-10T17:20:11Z")
> [@Tollhouse](#): > > I know I didnt give any details…more specifically, it was not a mom at work, it was a few moms with the girl scouts in front of a store. As shoppers walked by, the moms would call out to them, asking “have you bought girl scout cookies YET?” As if it was assumed that everyones planning to. Any shoppers who politely tried to avoid the net of these moms, would be called out to…the girl scouts themselves stood there , while the moms put shoppers on the spot. A couple people fumbled saying “i already got mine this season” . I understand the moms being there for safety reasons,but they should of hung back or to the side and allowed the actual girl scouts to ask people. They learned nothing imo,while it could be a good experience and give them a sense of accomplishment. But the moms were doing it all for them, and doing so in a pushy somewhat obnoxious manner. Doesnt this send the kids a message their not capable? Sometimes the girls get distracted and the Moms are supposed to model “selling behavior” - its best if the girls do it, but modeling behavior is a big part of girl scouts (I suspect its the reason I can’t bring a bottle of tequila to camp as a leader - well, that and safety). But girls should be doing the majority of the approach. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moms-selling-girl-scout-cookies/652517.md?page=2)