# You don't like it, you be the Brownie leader! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 12, 2011, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-like-it-you-be-the-brownie-leader/578148 "2011-04-12T21:53:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![El\_Presidente](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c2a13f/32.png) [@El\_Presidente](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Presidente)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2011, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-like-it-you-be-the-brownie-leader/578148/21 "2011-04-13T00:20:06Z")
> [@ExVoxMachina](#): > > You seem a little tense, might I recommend a Spa day? Maybe they can pull that stick out of your ass. Leave your homoerotic fantasies off this Board, please. ---
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2011, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-like-it-you-be-the-brownie-leader/578148/22 "2011-04-13T00:24:27Z")
I’ve been a troop leader, thanks, even though I don’t have any kids. I did it because I believe in the Girl Scouts, the goals they have, and the lessons they teach. It is hard work, don’t get me wrong. But as the adult in charge, you should have either vetoed or discouraged away the option of a spa day. It is fucking ridiculous. ---
**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:** [April 13, 2011, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-like-it-you-be-the-brownie-leader/578148/23 "2011-04-13T00:28:58Z")
El Presidente, you seem to have confused being unpopular with being right. ---
**Author:** ![Jaded\_Goddess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8c91f0/32.png) [@Jaded\_Goddess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaded_Goddess)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2011, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-like-it-you-be-the-brownie-leader/578148/24 "2011-04-13T01:04:57Z")
> [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](#): > > I’ve been a troop leader, thanks, even though I don’t have any kids. I did it because I believe in the Girl Scouts, the goals they have, and the lessons they teach. It is hard work, don’t get me wrong. But as the adult in charge, you should have either vetoed or discouraged away the option of a spa day. It is fucking ridiculous. Maybe not the best thing they could do with their money, but I see potential to make it a learning experience. The girls VOTED to have a spa day with their money. As a leader I would make them help research how much it was going to cost, make a budget, and stick to it. Lessons about hygiene could be tied in with it as well as a lesson in self esteem. In my troop, for every enjoyable thing the girls did, there had to be a community service component to it as well. Perhaps the girls could put together age appropriate bags of beauty/hygiene items to donate to a local womens and childrens shelter. A spa day is not the end of the world. ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2011, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-like-it-you-be-the-brownie-leader/578148/25 "2011-04-13T01:11:02Z")
> [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](#): > > I dunno. If my daughter’s troop decided to use their cookie money to do a Spa day (really?), you bet I would be raising hell too, and looking around for another troop to put her in. That should have been vetoed as soon as it was raised. > > Spa day. What the fuck is a SEVEN YEAR OLD going to do with a fucking spa day? Like they aren’t taught to place way too much emphasis on their appearance soon enough. From the GSA website: > > In what way is going to a spa age-appropriate? How is it “working together”? > > Jesus Christ. You sound poor. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2011, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-like-it-you-be-the-brownie-leader/578148/26 "2011-04-13T01:29:19Z")
Forevermore, whenever I read a post by **Rand Rover** , I will hear in my head the voice of Thurston Howell, III. Thanks for that. ---
**Author:** ![Ostrya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/35a633/32.png) [@Ostrya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ostrya)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2011, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-like-it-you-be-the-brownie-leader/578148/27 "2011-04-13T02:02:58Z")
I guess if the kids VOTED to spend their money in a shallow and absurd way, this should be supported. Because part of being in the Girl Scouts is letting the girls decide things. ---
**Author:** ![Jaded\_Goddess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8c91f0/32.png) [@Jaded\_Goddess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaded_Goddess)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2011, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-like-it-you-be-the-brownie-leader/578148/28 "2011-04-13T02:18:01Z")
> [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](#): > > I’ve been a troop leader, thanks, even though I don’t have any kids. I did it because I believe in the Girl Scouts, the goals they have, and the lessons they teach. It is hard work, don’t get me wrong. But as the adult in charge, you should have either vetoed or discouraged away the option of a spa day. It is fucking ridiculous. Since you were a troop leader you should know it is GSUSA not GSA. Also you should know that Girl Scouting is not just about camping, crafts, and cookies. A spa day can fit into badge work. It might not be the deepest of subject, but a good leader could expand on it and make it so the girls do learn something (as stated in my previous post). Ideally the girls should have voted on what to do with their cookie profits before the sale, but I cannot see how a having a spa day makes it a bad troop. ---
**Author:** ![Ca3799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9f8e36/32.png) [@Ca3799](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ca3799)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2011, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-like-it-you-be-the-brownie-leader/578148/29 "2011-04-13T02:20:48Z")
I don’t have an issue about a “spa day” for the girls. It’s a “girly” and “in” thing to do these days. I did not enjoy being troop leader for exactly the issues stated- the leader does a lot of work (it can be a part-time but unpaid job) and then gets little help and lots of advice on how you could have done the whole thing better during or after the activity. Not cool. We wound up dropping the whole thing. ---
**Author:** ![boozilu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4da419/32.png) [@boozilu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boozilu)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2011, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-like-it-you-be-the-brownie-leader/578148/30 "2011-04-13T02:28:49Z")
Wow, what a variety of responses! At first I was looking just to bitch, but now I’m working on formulating my response. We told the girls that they could have 60% of the money and decide how they wanted to spend it. They voted to send 5% to a charity and the remaining 35% would be for a summer activity (like camping). The girls are 8, so we didn’t think it would be too much work to ask them to investigate ways to spend the money. Other ideas included Hershey Park (way too expensive), Build-a-Bear (the complaining mom’s daughter’s idea), ice-cream party, shopping spree at Toys R Us, and a few museum trips. My daughter suggested the Spa day – it’s a party where they do nails, hair, and “light make-up” with music, dancing, and games at a kids’ haircut place. Based upon the response of the other girls, it was something they all wished they could do. (Also, the parents were sent the list of “possibles” a few weeks before our deciding meeting. If any had been a problem, they should have voiced their concerns then). For the record, our troop does do community service. We gave 30 boxes of cookies to the local children’s hospital and we also have done cards and gifts for the kids at the hospital. We sent care packages to troops overseas and made chew toys for the local humane society. We’ll be doing a creek clean-up later this month. The community-service ideas happen to cost very little money; the cookie money is supposed to be a treat for them. Other troops in the area are going on a shopping spree or day-trip to a neighboring city. Thanks to all for the comments (supporting and non-supporting). I like Jaded Goddess’ idea of putting together hygiene care packages for a local women’s shelter. Much obliged. Edited to add that I don’t feel it’s an attack on my daughter (since it was her idea). I personally hated the idea but she did all the research and presentation to the other girls herself. I definitely feel it’s an attack on me and my co-leader, who are volunteers and have pretty much received zero help or thanks from the other parents. But that’s OK – we’re doing it for the girls. It just sucks to be attacked. ---
**Author:** ![Jaded\_Goddess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8c91f0/32.png) [@Jaded\_Goddess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaded_Goddess)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2011, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-like-it-you-be-the-brownie-leader/578148/31 "2011-04-13T02:31:58Z")
> [@Ca3799](#): > > I don’t have an issue about a “spa day” for the girls. It’s a > “girly” and “in” thing to do these days. > > I did not enjoy being troop leader for exactly the issues stated- the leader does a lot of work (it can be a part-time but unpaid job) and then gets little help and lots of advice on how you could have done the whole thing better during or after the activity. Not cool. We wound up dropping the whole thing. Exactly. Often it is the troop leader doing most of the work. There are many things parents can do to help the troop. Baby sit for the leader and co-leader while meetings are going on. Offer to teach a skill or craft to the troop. Be a carpool driver on an outing. Send snacks. Do some of the calling or emailing to other parents. Write the troop newsletter. Be the “cookie chair” and run the troop cookie sale. The list goes on. I always liked to hear concerns and advice from troop parents, but when they did nothing to help out, it got old. Often the ones to complain the loudest were using it as free baby-sitting (and very often late to pick up their daughter). ---
**Author:** ![Jaded\_Goddess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8c91f0/32.png) [@Jaded\_Goddess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaded_Goddess)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2011, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-like-it-you-be-the-brownie-leader/578148/32 "2011-04-13T02:34:58Z")
> [@boozilu](#): > > Wow, what a variety of responses! At first I was looking just to bitch, but now I’m working on formulating my response. > > We told the girls that they could have 60% of the money and decide how they wanted to spend it. They voted to send 5% to a charity and the remaining 35% would be for a summer activity (like camping). The girls are 8, so we didn’t think it would be too much work to ask them to investigate ways to spend the money. Other ideas included Hershey Park (way too expensive), Build-a-Bear (the complaining mom’s daughter’s idea), ice-cream party, shopping spree at Toys R Us, and a few museum trips. My daughter suggested the Spa day – it’s a party where they do nails, hair, and “light make-up” with music, dancing, and games at a kids’ haircut place. Based upon the response of the other girls, it was something they all wished they could do. > > (Also, the parents were sent the list of “possibles” a few weeks before our deciding meeting. If any had been a problem, they should have voiced their concerns then). > > For the record, our troop does do community service. We gave 30 boxes of cookies to the local children’s hospital and we also have done cards and gifts for the kids at the hospital. We sent care packages to troops overseas and made chew toys for the local humane society. We’ll be doing a creek clean-up later this month. The community-service ideas happen to cost very little money; the cookie money is supposed to be a treat for them. > > Other troops in the area are going on a shopping spree or day-trip to a neighboring city. > > Thanks to all for the comments (supporting and non-supporting). I like Jaded Goddess’ idea of putting together hygiene care packages for a local women’s shelter. > > Much obliged. > > Edited to add that I don’t feel it’s an attack on my daughter (since it was her idea). I personally hated the idea but she did all the research and presentation to the other girls herself. I definitely feel it’s an attack on me and my co-leader, who are volunteers and have pretty much received zero help or thanks from the other parents. But that’s OK – we’re doing it for the girls. It just sucks to be attacked. It sounds like your troop is well balanced. How does complaining mom think over-priced Build a Bear is any better than a spa day? I’d ignore her and let her complain to council. ---
**Author:** ![SSgtBaloo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac91a4/32.png) [@SSgtBaloo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SSgtBaloo)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2011, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-like-it-you-be-the-brownie-leader/578148/33 "2011-04-13T02:42:30Z")
> [@Jaded\_Goddess](#): > > For the complaining mom do what I did when I was a leader. Mark a envelop “complaints” and put applications to become a leader inside it. Give it to her telling her it is a complaint form for her to fill out. She’ll be quiet once she sees whats inside. I stand in awe of your evil brilliance! ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2011, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-like-it-you-be-the-brownie-leader/578148/34 "2011-04-13T02:49:45Z")
> [@Jaded\_Goddess](#): > > How does complaining mom think over-priced Build a Bear is any better than a spa day? Yeah. Build-a-bear? I should think that would put to rest the complainers in the thread. Frankly, I don’t think that **Cat Fight** ’s idea is bad at all. Let them look at the history of spas, and maybe get a merit badge for history from it. ---
**Author:** ![ExVoxMachina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/59ef9b/32.png) [@ExVoxMachina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExVoxMachina)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2011, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-like-it-you-be-the-brownie-leader/578148/35 "2011-04-13T03:13:17Z")
> [@El\_Presidente](#): > > Leave your homoerotic fantasies off this Board, please. But I like posting my homoerotic fantasies, almost as much as you appear to like posting drivel. That stick just getting more stuck? ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2011, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-like-it-you-be-the-brownie-leader/578148/36 "2011-04-13T03:22:29Z")
“You know, hugging would be good too. Yeah, that’s right. Now rub his back. Yeah, that’s good. You like that, don’t you? It’s OK to like it. Now smell his hair a little.” ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2011, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-like-it-you-be-the-brownie-leader/578148/37 "2011-04-13T03:46:16Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > So, if we buy Girl Scout Cookies, what we’re supporting is little girls having spa days? I apologize for the possibly snarky tone of my earlier remark. I found the juxtaposition of Brownies selling Girl Scout Cookies and using the proceeds to go to a day spa oddly incongruous (though somewhat less so now that the OP has clarified it’s at a “kids’ haircut place”). Mostly I was (and still am, though less so thanks to Post #30) ignorant about what happens to the money earned from selling Girl Scout cookies. And, being ignorant (of young girls as well as Girl Scouting), I am in no position to attack or defend this particular use of the money. But I do commend the OP for her leadership, with all the hard work and crap-putting-up-with the job entails. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2011, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-like-it-you-be-the-brownie-leader/578148/38 "2011-04-13T03:59:33Z")
Man, those of you poo-pooing the spa day…YOU try standing outside of Wal Mart week after week, year after year, selling over-priced cookies. Then tell me if you would rather use the money to go to a museum or sit in a hot tub. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2011, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-like-it-you-be-the-brownie-leader/578148/39 "2011-04-13T04:05:10Z")
Seriously. As a former top cookie salesgirl and the daughter of a woman who was Cookie Chair two years in a row, fuck that shit and let me get my nails did. ---
**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:** [April 13, 2011, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-like-it-you-be-the-brownie-leader/578148/40 "2011-04-13T04:08:34Z")
> [@ExVoxMachina](#): > > But I like posting my homoerotic fantasies, almost as much as you appear to like posting drivel. It doesn’t count as a homoerotic fantasy if you tell somebody to pull the stick out of their ass. It’s only homoerotic when you tell them to push the stick in. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-like-it-you-be-the-brownie-leader/578148.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-like-it-you-be-the-brownie-leader/578148.md?page=3)