Another issue that seems to be overlooked by some here is that the whole cookie sale itself is supposed to be a learning opportunity for the girls. The process of planning a sale, planning what to do with the proceeds, setting goals based on that plan, and figuring out how to meet the goals is a very important part of why Girl Scouts sell cookies. For some girls, it’s all about the individual incentives (and I haven’t heard anyone bitching about GSUSA spending money on a stuffed kangaroo for every girl who sells at least 150 boxes), but for others, it’s about the group goal. If the GSUSA donated a stuffed kangaroo to an orphanage somewhere at 150 boxes, instead of giving it to the seller, it would be more charitable, but it would be much less likely to get the girls to actually participate in the sale and gain the intangible benefits of doing so.
Well, I would liken the stuffed kangaroo to a badge earned.
The thing I think is being overlooked when people say “Hey, these kids deserve a little reward” - the funding of GG is the reward. They all joined because ostensibly they enjoy being in Brownies and that requires money. If high school kids are having a car wash to raise money for the prom, they wouldn’t take a little off the top as a “reward” for their hard work.
That was my experience to a T!
Yes, but what they enjoy about being in Girl Scouts may well be that they do things like a dress up/spa day as well as going camping. Both outdoorsy stuff and social stuff are part of being in Girl Scouts.
My sister’s troop went to a New Kids on the Block concert.
OK, so reward time in some Brownie troops falls egregiously outside of the mission statement. Now I know. Though reading rhubarbarin and saje’s posts, maybe a spa day would have been a courage building exercise. lol.
:dubious: Really? It’s new to you someone can hate a bully?
Why would a NKOTB concert fall outside the mission statement?
We are encouraged to take our kids to concerts and plays. Granted, a NKOTB concert would be a special kind of hell for most leaders - and I can’t imagine being able to afford a concert with my Scouts (maybe after several years of cookie money). Music and theatre are as important to most troops as camping.
“New Kids On The Block” falls under the category of “concert and theater” for the Girl Scouts?
Good grief. :rolleyes:
I’m sorry, are you under the impression that music has to be classical to be of value? That’s news to me. (as if, say, Pachelbel wasn’t the NKOTB of the 1700s anyway.)
Would it also be considered poor form to see a production of Rent rather than yet another Shakespeare play?
Why would someone bitch about stuffed kangaroos? That’s an apples and oranges comparison. I don’t know what the stuffed animals are like, but at a presumed cost to GSUSA of a couple of bucks each for girls who sell 150 dollars, that’s a trivial percentage.
Going back to charities and fund raising, it is assumed that organizations need to spend money to raise money. However, if too much of the funds are being used to raise money, then there is an issue.
It doesn’t seem to be the case for many people that being in Browies or scouting is fun in and of itself. I think the answer would be to either change the system, discontinue it or to downscale it to just the ones who do enjoy it, but I don’t think bribing girls (which I’m specifically thinking of trips to Toy R Us, and which spa days may or may not be) is the right answer, especially if the donors are not being informed of how their donations will be used.
I think this is a reasonable statement.
I’ve talked to a number of friends and family member about this, and the conclusion seems to be that where scouting used to have stood for something on a higher level than high school kids raising money for proms, it sounds like, for some troops, that this may not be the case.
If so, then for me it makes a difference between giving money to organization who I don’t personally know the recipients (like the case for a couple of my favorite causes, ALS and Doctors Without Borders) and high school prom car washes, which I would do for people I personally know, but not others.
Probably inappropriate for Brownies…but that has more to do with the content of Rent than some theatre being more “worthy.”
Oh, no doubt–specific post I responded to had moved the discussion to “Girl Scouts”.
What are they doing it for, then?
Because their parents want a babysitter for the night and send their children if they like it or not.
These are likely the same parents that refuse to get involved in any meaningful way and then bitch that they don’t like the activities planned.
Just because your child is in Girl Guides doesn’t mean you’re a good parent.
Just as an aside, here’s a link to one of the badges for Canada’s Girl Guide program:
http://ggcgirls.girlguides.ca/ggcgirls/all_about_me/badges/guides/being_healthy/feeling_good.gif
Please note this part:
So, apparently going to a spa can actually partially earn a merit badge, at least in Canada. I suppose if any of the Canadian parents bitching about the spa day in this thread had carefully reviewed the Girl Guide literature before sending their children off, they would know that.
ETA - actually here’s another one:
Yeah, but what age levels are those for? The second one says Teens…I wouldn’t be crazy about a Spa Day for an older girl, but IMO the whole “spa day” concept just isn’t appropriate for little girls who are still supposed to be acting like kids, not like junior adults.
From the text of the second badge: “Learn about your body and the changes that can take place physically between the ages of 9 and 11.”
Presumably it’s meant for late pre-teens, therefore.
There are similar badges in the American Junior handbook (that is being rewritten right now and a new version will come out in September or October). The Junior handbook is for 4th and 5th graders.
I can’t remember if there are Brownie Try Its with similar activities. I think that there are.
I think what some of you are missing is that camping, spa day-type events, concerts, marching in Veterans Day parades, making crafts to give their moms, selling cookies, cleaning up a riverbank, going out to a fun dinner, and so on are all part of scouting. Different girls like different events more than others. Different troops have different focuses depending on ability, funding, and interest, but all that is still part of scouting. These are features, not bugs. What is it that you think “being in Brownies” is supposed to be confined to? My grandmothers were scouts. My mom was a scout. My sisters were all scouts. Scouting has always involved social/frivolous/playtime events as well as civic/outdoor skill-building activities - my Granny’s troop organized boy scout/girl scout mixer dances every year. My mom ate her first spaghetti dinner thanks to scouts. It’s all part of the package.
They are Girl Guide badges, so they are for ages 9-11. Brownies is the age below that..
and wow, they HAVE changed the badges! There wasn’t a ‘becoming a teen’ badge or ‘feeling good’ badge when I was in (as a girl and a leader)!