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Old 11-07-2008, 11:06 AM
 
5,244 posts, read 4,701,554 times
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We just started our troop and the drama --not from the girls but from the parents is horrible. Anyway, to start off our 9-girl troop from scratch, we had each parent give $12 in dues which will cover them through February and we can open an account.
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Old 11-07-2008, 04:43 PM
 
3,422 posts, read 10,881,936 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by okpondlady View Post
Yes do what works for you. The problem I have found with After School times is many parents just see you as "Monday's After School Daycare till 5" or whenever. Since they work they can't do anything to help you. Of course, some Leaders like it that way. It is up to you and what you want.
I like my 5-6ish for Brownies/Daisys and 6:30-8 for Juniors. They don't have to come, but it sure limits babysitting, SOME.
What is great with Tigers is parent involvement is required.

I know many people already who would want to be in my den and our kids kind of know each other too, so all the younger ones can go play with each other. (I will need that with my kids - I am planning on roping my 10 yo into being a helper since he is a webelo).
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Old 02-02-2009, 07:25 AM
 
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Default Brownies

I'm looking for a Brownie troop in or around Cary area for my daughter. Can you help??




Quote:
Originally Posted by Shwa View Post
Anyone out there ever have an issue with Brownies/Girl Scouts? My daughter was on the waiting list for a year. We moved and, low and behold, she got to get onto the new town's waiting list.... unless I volunteered to be an assistant leader.... which I did.

A month later, I received an e-mail congratulating me on my new "Leader" position. "Wait a minute", I thought, "didn't I apply to be the assistant leader?" Now, here I am the "Leader" and all we need to do now is find an assistant, right? Not so easy. Still waiting.

Now I feel like the "bad guy" because I can't get the troop up and running because nobody else is volunteering to help me lead and I'm not comfortable taking it all on myself (way too much on my plate at the moment).

Sorry, I just felt the need to vent and wondered if anyone else has been subjected to a leadership "bait and switch" situation with regard to Brownies/Girl Scouts or any other organization.
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Old 02-02-2009, 11:11 AM
 
Location: Mid-Atlantic
1,820 posts, read 4,482,970 times
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My daughter was involved with a Daisy troop in the town which we just moved from. She LOVED it!
We have just recently relocated and am having a terrible time getting her into a new troop. After several attempts at trying to just get a return phone call, I finally was able to speak with someone.
Basically, I was told that there was a waitiing list UNLESS I wanted to vol.to be a leader...
So my question is this; is there room in the troop or isn't there?
I was active in my daughter's previous troop, however, my husband travels quite a bit for his job and I also have a younger one who I honestly don't want to bring with me to every meeting.
Being in a new area, we of course,know not one single person to babysit.
I find it terrible that just because one cannot commit to being an actual leader,that my daughter be shut out of a troop ?
Is this usual? We had no problems with her previous troop at all, she enjoyed it so much and really is upset at the fact that we cannot find another one.
I thought it would be a great opportunity to meet some of the other kids her age and some of the parents in our new area,however,if I must judge on our first impressions, I am not the least bit impressed.
I understand that there are parents who use these types of activities as a "babysitter" and I also understand that volunteers are a crucial part of the scouts organizations, I just feel that they should give us a chance and allow my daughter to join with the understanding that I will help when I am able, I just cannot commit to every meeting.
I don't think that is unreasonable.
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Old 03-07-2009, 08:20 PM
 
Location: maryville, tn
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I am sorry to hear such bad stories about some of the situatuions. I became a leader 2 years ago by opening my big mouth and asking my leader if she needed help the next year. I was not planning on leading, just being there if she needed me. She said she was moving up (from brownies) because her daughter was moving up, mine wasn't. Luckily there was another mother there who also voluntered her time. We both became leaders of the remaining brownies (5) and had a recruitment at our elementary school. And wouldn't you know that 17 more girls signed up. It was very hard getting started because we didn't know what we were getting ourselves into. 2 years later, I couldn't be happier that I did it. I work full time and drive an hour each way to work. It is hard and like one of the previous notes said, it is hard to find good parents these days. but my troop is fortunate to have some good moms but it is still alot of work, but the joy I have gotten out of it is wonderful. We are always doing something field trips, badges, camping, volunteering with pet organizations. It is hard and you have to have a good network of people to help. I love Girl Scouts.
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Old 03-07-2009, 09:12 PM
 
Location: NE Oklahoma
1,036 posts, read 3,061,365 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NYMD67 View Post
Being in a new area, we of course,know not one single person to babysit.
I find it terrible that just because one cannot commit to being an actual leader,that my daughter be shut out of a troop ?
Is this usual? We had no problems with her previous troop at all, she enjoyed it so much and really is upset at the fact that we cannot find another one.
I thought it would be a great opportunity to meet some of the other kids her age and some of the parents in our new area,however,if I must judge on our first impressions, I am not the least bit impressed.
I understand that there are parents who use these types of activities as a "babysitter" and I also understand that volunteers are a crucial part of the scouts organizations, I just feel that they should give us a chance and allow my daughter to join with the understanding that I will help when I am able, I just cannot commit to every meeting.
I don't think that is unreasonable.


I am sorry to hear this but sometimes Troops can be very clique-ish, especially if no one "asked them" if they are taking new girls...they just assume they are full. I don't know about where you are but here it is difficult to find a troop that will take girls after Christmas or so because the fund raising has already taken place. The line of thinking is they didn't contribute to the troop by fund raising so they shouldn't benefit. I personally don't believe in this because it is way to exclusionist. Ask where and when the Service Unit Meeting is for your area. Go to it. This is the Leader's Meeting for the month. See what the leaders say to you, when you ask them. You would be surprised and they may very well be looking for someone to help as much as you can. Be prepared to say specifically what you could or could not do to help.
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Old 03-08-2009, 11:19 AM
 
Location: SD
895 posts, read 4,241,652 times
Reputation: 345
Quote:
Originally Posted by NYMD67 View Post
My daughter was involved with a Daisy troop in the town which we just moved from. She LOVED it!
We have just recently relocated and am having a terrible time getting her into a new troop. After several attempts at trying to just get a return phone call, I finally was able to speak with someone.
Basically, I was told that there was a waitiing list UNLESS I wanted to vol.to be a leader...
So my question is this; is there room in the troop or isn't there?
I was active in my daughter's previous troop, however, my husband travels quite a bit for his job and I also have a younger one who I honestly don't want to bring with me to every meeting.
Being in a new area, we of course,know not one single person to babysit.
I find it terrible that just because one cannot commit to being an actual leader,that my daughter be shut out of a troop ?
Is this usual? We had no problems with her previous troop at all, she enjoyed it so much and really is upset at the fact that we cannot find another one.
I thought it would be a great opportunity to meet some of the other kids her age and some of the parents in our new area,however,if I must judge on our first impressions, I am not the least bit impressed.
I understand that there are parents who use these types of activities as a "babysitter" and I also understand that volunteers are a crucial part of the scouts organizations, I just feel that they should give us a chance and allow my daughter to join with the understanding that I will help when I am able, I just cannot commit to every meeting.
I don't think that is unreasonable.
I went through a similar experience. There was only one Brownie troop in my daughter's age group (it was a mixed troop between two schools). Because it was pulling from two schools, they had 18 children in the troop. The leader felt that 18 was the limit on taking new members. I called the GS contact at our school and she told me that they would look into the wait lists to find out if they had 6 girls on it to start a new troop--and would I be willing to lead a troop. At that point, I offered to lead a Brownie troop or a Daisy troop (I have the fortune of having a 1st grader and kindergartner) After doing my own research, I realized that there wasn't anyone on the Brownie wait list, except my daughter. I inundated the troop leader with phone call after phone call to get on the wait list. Luckily for us, someone dropped out and we took their spot. It was a frustrating process. But here's the funny thing--I could barely get my daughter in a brownie troop but I could barely get a Daisy troop started. The other school (of the mixed Brownie troop) had great luck getting started with 12 girls and didn't have any interest in joining with our school. Out of 36 girls in our school's kindergarten, we recruited only 6 girls. It was interesting.
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Old 03-08-2009, 03:55 PM
 
516 posts, read 1,960,114 times
Reputation: 581
Now that we have finally started a Brownie troop, I'm learning that a big issue is percepton by the parents of the whole system. So many parents just don't understand that the leadership is completely made up of volunteers. I am very quick to let them know... or remind them that leadership is voluntary and they are more than welcome to help. Girl Scount, Brownies, etc. are very different from the dance classes, karate, or art classes that they spend lots of dollars on..... the folks who run those places actually get paid!
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Old 03-08-2009, 10:39 PM
 
Location: NE Oklahoma
1,036 posts, read 3,061,365 times
Reputation: 1093
HAHAAHA yes......they thought I got paid. The first time someone was just OUTRAGED that I would ask for help from the parents to do something... they finally worked up the guts I guess to say..well what are you getting paid to do??? Ummmmmmmm NOTHING??? I don't get Paid.
So now the FIRST thing I announce at the beginning of EVERY year is the only thing I get from this is the reward of seeing the girls grow. I DO NOT GET PAID. Nor does "The Girl Scouts" pay for ANYTHING, not badges, snacks, craft supplies, gas...ect. It is amazing what they think it entails. Alot of people think you just sign up and the Girl Scouts provides everything. I wish it worked that way..of course then we would be selling cookies year around or something else similar.
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Old 03-08-2009, 11:59 PM
 
Location: Australia
1,492 posts, read 3,225,410 times
Reputation: 1723
Kind of interesting how many parents have time to create a child but then not enough time to do anything with said child. Both my wife and I work. But we find time to do things with our kids. Including volunteering to help with things like scouts / girl guides / soccer / church. It all comes down to priority. I go to work an hour early 4 days a week and take off at lunch time on Thursdays to run a after school kids club.

At our kids club, we ask all parents to go on a roster to be involved on a rotation. It is a hard thing to agonise over if a parent will not be involved, do you say sorry, you child can not come. Because it is probably that child who needs it the most.

There are some pretty standard excuses I hear like they have a smaller child or baby and my imediate reply is just bring it. Or an older child - well let the dear child have a few hrs at home without supervision or if you really dont trust them, then get them to come here and help too.

So personally, to all you who say you want your child in a group but you do not have the time to help, then I suggest a reassesment of your priorities. Have you even talked to your boss about re arranging your work schedule. Come earlier / different day time etc. Most parents I speak to have not done that. We are all so busy earning that extra dollar or over supervising our kids that we loose sight of the real important things in our lives.
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