Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
If they are that talented they can be a troop leader, too. And I would tell them that. Give them the membership leader's telephone number. Have at it or shut up.
After a meeting or 2.. I did just that. Her grumbling got quiter but she stayed. Thankfully she didn't re-enroll her daughter this year. The sad thing is the daughter is just adorable and such a smart, sweet kid. To bad she has to pay for having a witch for a mother.
I guess my question is--how much time is involved for a troop leader? My daughter was involved with Daisies last year and it was very time consuming. They did one meeting a month and that was it. This year with Brownies, there is one meeting and then one "extra" field trip per month.
I lead a very busy life as the mom of four girls between gymnastics, dance, and music and the school PTA newsletter and two other committees. We only have one day off a week and we usually do that for homework. On a given night, I don't sit down and have "me" time until 9PM and my kids are still little!!! If I commit to being a troop leader, is it going to work if I commit to a meeting one Tuesday a month? Are people going to be disappointed in me? My husband is freaking that I'm going to burn myself out! On the other hand, I want my daughter to experience Daisies and no other mom has stepped up yet.
I guess my question is--how much time is involved for a troop leader? My daughter was involved with Daisies last year and it was very time consuming. They did one meeting a month and that was it. This year with Brownies, there is one meeting and then one "extra" field trip per month.
I lead a very busy life as the mom of four girls between gymnastics, dance, and music and the school PTA newsletter and two other committees. We only have one day off a week and we usually do that for homework. On a given night, I don't sit down and have "me" time until 9PM and my kids are still little!!! If I commit to being a troop leader, is it going to work if I commit to a meeting one Tuesday a month? Are people going to be disappointed in me? My husband is freaking that I'm going to burn myself out! On the other hand, I want my daughter to experience Daisies and no other mom has stepped up yet.
Not sure how different girl scouts is compared to boy scouts, but when I was den mom for my boys, we had to have two meetings a week for just the kids, then a troop meeting once a month, district training meetings once a month with all the district leaders, then on weekends at least once maybe twice would be the whole troop events like pinewood derby, campouts etc... Then of course is all the fundraising events. So I guess it depends on how involved you want to be.
I guess my question is--how much time is involved for a troop leader? My daughter was involved with Daisies last year and it was very time consuming. They did one meeting a month and that was it. This year with Brownies, there is one meeting and then one "extra" field trip per month.
I lead a very busy life as the mom of four girls between gymnastics, dance, and music and the school PTA newsletter and two other committees. We only have one day off a week and we usually do that for homework. On a given night, I don't sit down and have "me" time until 9PM and my kids are still little!!! If I commit to being a troop leader, is it going to work if I commit to a meeting one Tuesday a month? Are people going to be disappointed in me? My husband is freaking that I'm going to burn myself out! On the other hand, I want my daughter to experience Daisies and no other mom has stepped up yet.
You know, I think when your kids are little the most important thing you can give them is quality Family Time - something you can't do if you are burnt out from overextending yourself and your kids. Outside activities are nice, but it sounds like your kids already have alot going on and it sounds like you are already on overload. Brownies can be great, but sometimes we just can't have it all. In the big scheme of things, which is more important a loving, relaxed family or Brownies? Don't be guilted into something that will negatively effect you and your family. If its too much, don't do it. JMHO
You know, I think when your kids are little the most important thing you can give them is quality Family Time - something you can't do if you are burnt out from overextending yourself and your kids. Outside activities are nice, but it sounds like your kids already have alot going on and it sounds like you are already on overload. Brownies can be great, but sometimes we just can't have it all. In the big scheme of things, which is more important a loving, relaxed family or Brownies? Don't be guilted into something that will negatively effect you and your family. If its too much, don't do it. JMHO
I think you are already committed enough. The reason I can do what I do is I am a SAHM, I don't have any little children anymore (11 & 15), I figured out how to delegate real quick. If you can delegate and manage well, it won't be so much trouble. You sound like you will be overextended. You are pretty well pegged out it sounds to me like.
Just my opinion, for what its worth.
I am my daughter's troop leader. One of the great things about being the leader is that I make the decisions. I set the meeting times, how often we meet, how large my troop is, and what we do - with input from the girls. Some troops meet twice a month, some once a month, some once a week. In our last 'leader training meeting', there was a leader present who ran her troop for 4 months a year, twice a month, to accomodate her daughter's sports interests.
I signed up to be a co-leader last year for the Daisy troop, but then the leader bailed before the first meeting. I had a choice (as do all parents wanting their daughter to be involved in Girl Scouts) - step up or not. I had no previous experience with Girl Scouts (even as a child), but my daughter really wanted to do it, so I took the time to learn.
I run a small troop (8 girls). I've had a lot of pressure this year to expand it. But, I have no desire to make extra work for myself at this point. And the money - until the first round of cookie sales, troops are self funded. I just put out a flyer with what each girl has earned in patches and was shocked with my first complaint... hmmm, did that mom REALLY expect ME to pay for her daughter (and the other girls) $20 worth of patches? I have spent more than 10X any other parent in the troop- which is a point I've since made clear. What on earth made her think that I am personally responsible for the additional $140 worth of patches? They don't HAVE to buy them... I also made it clear that I can award the girls on paper - the uniform is a nice bonus, not a must, plus there are scholarships for the truly needy - but there's paperwork involved that the PARENT must fill out.
. I have made this point plain with each of my parents - if you don't like the way it's run, volunteer and do it yourself. I get the whole sob story about the waiting lists from my district leader and I got inundated with emails with each individual family's story for the first two months of the school year... sorry, but it seems to me that if there's an 18 girl waiting list and you only need 3 girls (or is it 5 this year?) to start your own troop, then surely 18 parents could get together and hold one meeting each so that a total of 2 meetings per month per school year could occur? Or maybe just 9 of them could volunteer and they could have 1 meeting a month?
I am a very organized person and one of my moms offered to be my co-leader last year, so we need very little outside help. Another mom offered to help more this year. Actually, 3 more moms offered to help this year, but so far only 1 has bothered. The rest are too busy apparently. That's fine - I have the time and don't mind doing it. I'm a bit of a control freak anyway, so it works for me.
When people ask how long we're going to continue, I tell them the truth - until the day my daughter no longer wants to. Then the other parents will have to decide if one of them will step up, or if their daughter's will also quit.
I don't know if this added to the discussion or not, but I guess I felt I needed to get some of this off my chest. Don't need "my girls" hearing or seeing me vent for sure!
If you want your daughter involved in Scouts but do not have the time or inclination to lead a troop, you can make your daughter a "Juliette". This is where she does Girl Scouts on her own, with adult supervision. Call (or google) your local Council shop for more information. One on one, this stuff is very simple and as a Juliette, you can do it at your own pace. As a registered Juliette, she can still participate in Council activities... again, information is at your local Council shop.
I guess my question is--how much time is involved for a troop leader? My daughter was involved with Daisies last year and it was very time consuming. They did one meeting a month and that was it. This year with Brownies, there is one meeting and then one "extra" field trip per month.
My daughter is in a combined Daisy/Brownie troop, with about 14 girls and 2 leaders, and they meet every other Monday for 1.5 hours. Not sure what extra prep is done outside of that, but as far as the meetings go, her leader has done this for 3 years now, so I trust the schedule she has worked out is sufficient.
I am going to step up and do Tigers next year for cub scouts for my third child (mine are 10, 6,5, and 1). The beauty of that for me is that I am going to have meetings after school. None of this 6-730 pm stuff. Get the boys in, snacked, do the activity, and send them home for dinner. I already know several moms of boys that would prefer the early time anyway, so I think I will have a den put together before the year even begins. The other parents can form their own evening Tiger Den if they need to. I talked to a mom who has led a den for 3 yrs now and that is how she did it. Gave me the confidence to know if I am going to do it, I don't have to bend over backwards to do so.
If you step up to do this, do what works for you and your family.
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.
I had meetings on Saturdays last year (the woman who was supposed to be the leader had already announced that before quietly slinking off). I was still used as a sitter.
Our meetings are afterschool Wednesdays each week for 1 hour. I "pick up" the girls from their classrooms, we walk to the stage area, they have snack while I ask about their day/week then explain what's going to happen. The girls love the time, they feel special walking together as a group each week (1st graders) and the only time anyone misses a meeting is when they are home sick from school -which cuts down on the "make up" work I had to chase parents down for last year when their daughter missed a meeting.
After Christmas, I'm cutting back to twice a month. We get so much done in that one hour with only 8 girls... and half the meetings should cut down on my expenses until cookie funds come in - hopefully in May.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
It is up to you and what you want.
