Girl Scouts - Tampa,FL

My daughter is in a troop where most of the girls go to a different school. We stay with this one because the leader is awesome and the girls are so nice. Also, I like that she has a chance to bond with girls outside of school. With that said, it sounds like you were not impressed with the leader or the girls you met. Maybe it is not a good fit. To me the leader is everything.

I would keep her in, so that she can meet some new people. Don't do the cookie part if you don't want to. We will sell some cookies but not very many as we don't have much family here and DH and I don't work in big offices to sell to.

Its your choice to do cookie sales! I am a Troop Leader of the Daisy and all the girls are from same school, though 4 different classes of 1st graders.

They are daisy till 1st grade then they become brownies. Daisy grouo is not focussed on sales as girls are small. It is mostly about talking to strangers, opening up and introduce them the concept of business - sales, earning profit. It is a program for busness sense over the years not a money making in each year. It is healthy, and if you do not participate that should not be a issue with leader, troop or council. We have some girls(parent) that do not sell.

I've been a leader since my daughter was in first grade (5 years now) and I can tell you that if your GS council is anything like ours, they have no idea what they're doing. Ours is very disorganized, don't return calls, and leave troops pretty much to their own devices unless it has to do with money. That being said, the way it works is they hold recruitment fairs in the fall at school open houses, etc. After those fairs, they send out a mass email to all the leaders asking if we can place the girls. It is up to the leaders to accept or decline. We have accepted girls and then never hear from them again, only to see their names pop up on the list looking for troops the next year.

When our girls joined in kindergarten, my friend went to the parents meeting to learn more and walked out a leader because she was pressured to be a leader. It was good that she did or we would have had a hard time finding a troop. I joined her as a leader the following year.

All that is to say that you should look into starting a troop yourself. The training isn't overwhelming, and the experience has been very positive. Your daughter is probably not the only girl that would do it in your school, and you only need five to start a troop. We meet twice a month, so the burden isn't too great. Our troop has been together since kindergarten and the girls all started at the same school (several have transferred to other schools, but the troop is still together) -- we are the only troop that age at our school and next year they will go to middle school and most want to continue.

Good luck!

No, you don't need to "throw her into cookie sales." However, that shouldn't stop you from letting her join a troop. There is no requirement that says you must sell at least "X" amount of cookies. Just buy a couple of boxes yourself and ask your close family members. I had girls in my troop who sold just a bit over 10 individual boxes and others who sold over 100. The girls who sold over 100 were the ones who had parents asking people at work to buy them. My daughter loved going door to door with me. (She sold about 50 to 60 each year.)

We used the money for fun activities, and to donate some of it to charities. If you have a good leader, she'll be fine with seeing a cookie form with only a few boxes ordered. GIRLS HELP THEIR TROOP OUT IN MANY WAYS.... NOT JUST BY THE NUMBER OF COOKIES THEY SELL. And if a leader has an attitude about this, then I'd look for another troop. HOWEVER... you did NOT mention that the leader was pushy about sales, so I say.... Let your daughter continue with this troop. It would be great for her to make friendships outside of school at an early age.

You could also start a troop at your daughter's school. I did need training, but it's not that much. You do need to be committed to it and it does consume some of your time. BUT it is a valueable experience for you as and adult and for the girls!! Have fun!!

Cookies are not mandatory...however, depending on the GS Council you're in the cookies you sell/or take (in our case we pre-order and each family says "xx" number of boxes) you are responsible for. Read the permission slip, make sure to ask lots of questions. Cookies are an individual sale...unless you're at a booth (which will help her get to know her fellow troop members).

In our area we have girls from all over our school district in our troop. It's fun for them to make new friends...I have 14 girls and out of the six elementary schools we have four covered. We sing "make new friends but keep the old, one is silver and the other gold"...

We actually just had a girl sign up for the first time two weeks ago...she's from the next town over. Our girls took her in and made her feel at home and welcome. If that is not being done I would say look for a new troop.

Good luck...

ETA: Start your own troop as well. I never thought I would be any good at it or have the time. Now I am so involved with not just our troop but with our service unit. Best decision my daughter ever made "Yep, mom will do it"...is what she replied when asked "would you like your mom to be your troop leader?"

ETA x 2: We just finished our cookie sale for the year...I work in an office that only has four other people, my husband works from home...we sold 250 boxes of cookies...door to door, cookie booths, taking cookies with us anywhere we went. I aslo had one family sell 20 boxes. I told my parents..."the more we sell the less out of pocket you will have to pay". I also said "I hope you sell and even if you sell only two boxes I will be happy!"...

ETA: Just wanted to say that as a troop leader after meeting I cannot go around and talk to each parent and let them know how their child did. This is a volunteer position...yes they are going to have to correct the children....it's not all fun and games. I am constantly reminding my second graders to stay on task, to share, to smile, to have fun, we don't play with the toys that belong to the church. At the Daisy/Brownie age...the leaders still need to keep the girls on track. Are you sure the kids didn't say goodbye? Cause we don't say goodbye individually...we do it as a troop just before pick up.

Ask her what the money earnings are going to provide? They may be wanting to go on a lot of activities, THinking Day (can be expensive), Camporees can be expensive. I would ask for a parent handbook.

My daughter started GS in the 1st grade. She's in the 5th grade now. She is the only girl in her troop that doesn't go to the same school. I Love it. I think, it's letting her meet new people that she would never have met. They are all such good friends now. Also, they will all be going to the same middle school next year together for the 1st time! I'm so excited for her. I think .... having kids in her class, would be nice I guess but so not necessary. I love our troop - I've become close friends with the leader/moms too. Wouldn't change anything for the world.

Maybe you should "get busy" now, with getting active with your daughter's Daisy Scout activities in this troop. The cookie sales raise funds for the children's activities. Sounds like your daughter has already waited for her turn to participate in something that she would like to do. Let her try for six months before making a decision to stay or quit.

We attended a meeting back in Sept because my daughter wanted to know what they did (when a flyer came home and a friend asked us to join too). We ended up signing her up but the service unit took until the week before last to give her name to a troop. We got the call the day before the 1st meeting in Dec...we went and it was just a making crafts and cards so we could take them to the nursing home the following week when they went caroling. My daughter loves it so far...making friends already. The other Daisies are not in her school although one or two of the Brownies are.

Look at it this way, she will be forming friends outside her school which will make them friends with whom she has things in common other than her class. My guess is the elementary school probably feed into the same middle school so in a few years she'll already know people when she moves up into the bigger pond.

I say go for it.

Both of my daughters belong to Girl Scouts and I do know that it is up to the leader as to the meeting night, where they meet, and how many girls they are willing to have in their troop. Even if you waited until next year hoping to get her into the 'local' troop, you are not 'guaranteed' a spot.

I would assume that there were discussions going on between council and the leader of the local troop in those weeks that you were waiting a response. I assume that the local troop is at capacity. Unfortunately in order to get in that troop either girls will have to drop out or another troop will need to be formed and that is based on someone willing to step up and be the leader. Even if people drop out, she still is not guaranteed a spot because honestly the leader can pick and choose who she lets in.

Is the troop she was assigned to another troop within the same school district or a neighboring school district? When my oldest daughter started, troops were formed based on schools. Today they intermingle the three elementary schools. I have seen that it actually works out better when they are intermingled. Plus my oldest daughter's troop folded a few years back so she had to join the one surviving troop where the girls are intermingled.

I also want to caution you that with any volunteer based organization, the Girl Scout experience will differ greatly troop to troop. It all comes down to the leader, their personality, their philosophy, etc. What was your take away from that first meeting? Woud this troop be a good fit? Does the leader do a lot with the girls or does she fly by the seat of her pants? Do they have a lot of great activities planned for the girls?

Finally if your daughter is going to stick it out with this troop, than she will need to sell cookies. It is all being part of the troop and doing your part to raise the funds necessary to do all of the fun activities. On the up side, I have found that the cookies are not a hard sale. People are actually looking for them...go figure!

How did your daughter feel about the meeting? My daughter joined a troop when she was in kindergarten. She didn't know anyone in the troop and was really shy so I ended up staying for most of the meetings. While I was there I didn't see my daughter talking too much to the other girls, but she said she LOVED Girl Scouts. So I would find out what your daughter thought about it and see if she wants to continue.

You can always stay in this troop for the remainder of this year and switch next year if you find a troop closer etc. It isn't that uncommon for girls to switch troops b/c the time/place are more convenient so that shouldn't be an issue. Plus I think it is easier to find out about troops from within the organization. If there are any big meetings (Camporee etc) you might see what other age level groups there are and see if you can get your daughter into a different troop next year.

If your daughter had fun, then I would at least wait another meeting or two to see if it is a good fit. You might get a better feel for the leaders in that time too.

As for cookies, selling is always optional but Girl Scouts encourages girls to set goals so they can learn about money management and running a business. I had 12 Daisies last year and only one of them sold over 150 boxes. Most sold anywhere from 15-75 boxes. I think 150-200 is a lofty goal for this age group unless they are counting cookie booth sales.

If you have the time, you might want to consider registering as a volunteer for Girl Scouts. Maybe if you help the troop out with a meeting or field trip you can help your daughter make a transition into the troop.

Good luck! I hope your daughter does enjoy being a Girl Scout!

ask the principal of your school if there is a troop. or the next closest school.

I dont think selling girl scout cookies will damage your daughter in any way.. and you dont have to sell cases of them. just sell them to a couple of friends and buy a box.. and be done with it.

our school has a troop but we didnt know about it till 1/2 way throught the school year .. so we joined in april. my daughter liked it..

Why dont you contact the pta from your daughter's school they will know. We tried Girl scouts but it wasnt for us. It was at a troop leaders house and there was always drama.

Your daughter should tell you which of her school friends are in Scouts and then you can call the parents and find out who the leader/s is/are for her grade level.
OR
Call your daughter's school. I know most areas have school coordinators for both Girl and Boy Scouts (I was one for years) and their contact info can usually be found in the school directory.
OR
Ask our daughter's teacher, she may know who the scout leaders are as well.
I know going through Council is the official way to do it, but really you want your daughter to be in a troop at her school, with her friends, so start asking around!

I used to be a girl scout leader, but I quit this year. They just updated all their books. IMO their programs are now very sale and profit centered, (there's a fall sale and a cookie sale) and they've cut down dramatically on the number of available skill badges. Also, they make you buy more of their products like journey books in addition to the handbook. When my troop made a profit from the cookie sale, almost all of our money essentially went back into the company store to buy supplies...

A few years ago, they didn't allow Daisies to sell cookies. But that has changed recently... again, there's that focus on sales and profit....

Each troop is different, though... the leaders set the tone for the group. You can always start your own troop at your own school with at least 5 girls.

I also quit because in some girl scout councils, they allow Planned Parenthood into their programs. Not all councils have a relationship with them, but some do.

My daughter joined when she was 5 and I pulled her out 2 months into it. It was the same thing and I hated it...my daughter was learning nothing. The parents did everything I thought the girls would do, so I always rushed around just to get my daughter to a meeting where she would sit and color. No thanks!

I prefer GS at a private home as the day could go longer and the cost was low. Keep her in it and start now making your cookie sale list. Once your sales hit the highest numbers your child will be a star.

I have 2 daughters in GS, both ambassadors. It's been a long journey of different troops and leaders.

Both my girls started in troops that contained girls from all over the city. At one time we had 5 different schools represented. It was great. IMO much better than the troops that had all the girls from one school.

Every troop and every leader are different. It appears that this may not be the best match for your daughter, but it's really difficult to tell after just one meeting. Give it a try for another month or two.

Regarding cookies, it's great to participate and it's pretty much the only way a troop has to raise money, however, you are not in any way obligated to participate so don't allow yourself or your daughter to feel pressured.

From a "retired" troop leader
You could ask in her own school if there is a Brownie troop you can get her into next year. That way she would be meeting other girls she already sees in school. Daisy level is only one year anyway. You can also ask who the leader is, so you can get to meet her.
Parties are not the best time to join, since the girls know all the other ones there already. Cookie times are stressful times for everyone, too. Better wait a bit so you and your girl get to enjoy the Girl Scout experience a lot better. Troops have a ratio of adult/child, that is the reason for some troops will accept or not new girls. You can volunteer at your daughter's troop, most leaders appreciate the help and your daughter will like it too.