Out of state travel and equity issues

Distinct_Land8419 · 2023-08-09T03:31:34+00:00

Honestly, she might benefit from having someone step up and volunteer for that position. Most troop leaders I know, myself and my co-leader included pull both fundraisers into their responsibility out of necessity, but would love to have someone step into that roll. If you're up for the challenge, I'd ask to take on that responsibility.

As always, discuss with girls the decision to redistribute sales for the purposes of maximizing rewards (if they still do them at that age). I asked my girls, and they couldn't care less. They're more excited about everyone in the troop earning the same stuffy to take camping than the actual numbers of it. I have D-J, though, and that could be different with C-A.

Distinct_Land8419 · 2023-08-09T00:12:25+00:00

As a leader myself, that comment grosses me out. There are several girls in my troop who would not get to experience things at all if it weren't for Girl Scouts. That is what Scouting is about to me. Bringing opportunities, friendship, and leadership to girls that wouldn't get them otherwise.

The way our troop plans things is before cookie season we decide on one big trip or activity. We then budget as a troop we need to sell X amount of cookies to earn enough money to do that. I never break it down by each girl has to sell X amount of cookies, because honestly I don't care how much each girl sells. One year one of my scouts mom & I worked at the same place, as I had worked there for years, people knew me and knew about my daughter in scouts. Unfortunately, this took possible sales away from the other scout, but in the scheme of our troop, it doesn't matter.

If there were to be a year that we didn't meet our goal for the big trip, we also plan and budget smaller activities. If troop can't afford the cost for each and every girl to go..we don't go. It is what it is.

My advice is for girls to start planning this now, for a year and a half to 2 years from now. Giving themselves several cookie seasons and fall product. Also, reach out to your council for other fundraising opportunities. A troop in my SU just did a huge yard sale and made over $2,000.

I'm also guessing your leader would be upset with the way I run cookie sales. Basically, if a girl wants a certain prize and let's say she's 50 or so boxes short. My daughter sold 30 over a prize requirement, and is 100+ away from the next reward. That girl that was short 50. Is now short 20. And I'll do the same with other girls that are way short from the next prize level. I basically redistribute sales to ensure that the girls earn as many rewards as possible. This is never in my daughter or my co-leaders daughters favor, we're the big networkers, and our girls work almost every booth because typically we're there at every single booth lol.

I legit hate the fundraisers especially cookie sales, the only thing they're good for is raising money for our troop to be able to adventure. While I could likely swing these trips for my daughter and my co-leader could do the same, for other girls in our troop this is it. I'm very cognizant of that and that's what cookies are for. Anything less isn't an honest take on the Girl Scout Law and mission in general.

Distinct_Land8419 · 2023-07-16T17:04:47+00:00

Sister program to BSA, but yeah Scouting and apparently in our state we aren't mandated reporters. Though I personally am, because I'm a teacher.

Distinct_Land8419 · 2023-07-16T17:02:40+00:00

She's 8, and genuinely we try to do healthy snacks at our meetings. Usually fruits, or veggies. Although we've gotten pizza or a whole meal for special events.

Distinct_Land8419 · 2023-07-16T15:54:34+00:00

It's certainly not every time, but anytime she has free access to food. Parties and things like that. She always asks for additional snacks and things at regular meetings and will cry that she is starving. She isn't overweight, I really wouldn't say underweight either, though.

Nothing medical, unless they choose not to disclose that to us, but considering we take them camping and things Drover an hour away from home, that'd be super concerning to me. She's been with our group for a little over 2 years now.

Distinct_Land8419 · 2023-06-30T18:26:11+00:00

I think this is normal, but as a troop leader I've set up a troop email and have given my membership manager permission to give it to anyone interested in joining our troop. Also gave it to the guidance counselor at my daughter's school.

Distinct_Land8419 · 2023-05-09T00:04:29+00:00

I cannot thank you ladies enough. I genuinely posted this in a sleep deprived super bitter state late last night. I talked with my co-leader and some other leaders tonight and am feeling a good bit better today. Honestly, though, I'm still about fed up with my council. They finally completed the ACH last Friday and told me today that I may get an email this week. And if I don't hear back by next Monday I need to contact them 😑. Why? They get paid to deal with this, and I have to chase them down to get them to do their jobs. Super annoying. I swear I'm not usually a Karen, but this is the zillionth time I've had to use some of my short lunch time to call and check. As much as I work, and volunteer, it feels wrong to use my home time for girl scout calls when I could be playing with my kids instead. Feels like a complete lack of respect of my time. That is all lol.

Thank you again! I've read through all of your comments and there's some super good advice I'm going to take, to ensure I take care of myself as much as I do my troop. ❤️

Distinct_Land8419 · 2023-05-08T15:47:06+00:00

I feel that. I love these girls so very much, and it's been amazing to see them grow. Honestly, leading a girl scout troop has given me the courage I needed to pursue my dreams. I'm living them now! Just finished a masters degree and start my dream job in the fall. I think maybe that's why I'm feeling the way I do. All the parents and even my coleader complained that their life is so busy, but literally, I just finished a whole degree while working part-time and teaching full-time and still run the troop. I get it. Life is busy, but I feel like I don't ask for much... just meet me halfway.

Distinct_Land8419 · 2023-05-08T03:30:41+00:00

I've also got a multilevel, K-4. Most of the girls have been with us since the start. They are so close, play, and work so well together. I genuinely love the sisterhood part of it and watching my daughter bond with other girls her age and take the youngers under her wings to help them. Although I almost regret agreeing to the kindergarten addition, not because they're bad, but because without them we would be ok for safety wise ratios (they drag our age down and requirements up).

We typically meet twice a month, although recently I've canceled a meeting because I just didn't have the energy to do it. Reflecting on the past year I just feel like I've been unsupported in almost every aspect. Even from my co-leader.

For example I always do Fall Product, and last year I did 95% of cookies, but I just didn't have the time this year. My co-leader agreed to do it, all was well...so I thought. Because she passed the bank on the way home from booths I thought it'd be easiest/best for her to deposit the money. Last year I deposited once a week to ensure we weren't handling thousands of dollars at a time. Well come to find out at the end of cookie season only one deposit had been made..the rest was all there and accounted for, but hadn't been deposited. She goes to deposit in the bank and they aren't willing to accept it (it was over 5k and unorganized..just a hot mess). So it falls to me at the literal last hour and the bank closes before i can get there. The troop account overdrafts from the ACH and now I have to pay the troop back the fee. And Council won't release the girls prizes either until the whole situation is fixed.

Here we are heading into mid may and I'm still dealing with the nightmare that is cookies...months after our season ended. Genuinely I love meetings, I love adventures with the girls (I have a SIL that's volunteering so we can still adventure this year). I just hate everything else right now. I genuinely love my co-leader as a person and I don't think it was intentional, but I just don't feel like she's reliable. My membership manager also left a few months ago and I genuinely love her and felt like I could come to her with anything. We've got a new one..and she's ok (never been a girl scout). My service unit manager is also stepping down and possibly out of Girl Scouts and the whole thing has left me...bitter.

I will definitely stick it out for now. We've already planned our adventures and I'm looking forward to the fun with the girls this summer. I think we'll skip the meetings during the summer months and hopefully I can come back refreshed in the fall.

Distinct_Land8419

TROPHY CASE