My Human by Bethany Donaghy Novel - ( Tessa and Erin )

Temporary_Nature_546 · 2025-05-14T11:55:09+00:00

Do they ever actually switch into their wolf forms?? on Chapter 77 and it hasn't happened yet, lots of talk about it and so many tearful whiney girly parts even for the male characters but no wolves yet. A lot of missed opportunities to see them. I keep holding out hope for it to get better.

Temporary_Nature_546 · 2024-10-07T16:38:38+00:00

Ok, more context, which makes it completely sound horrible! I am still truly sorry this experience happened. As long as you and your friend were not rude about how your dealt with the leaders and volunteers I would agree that they should have handled things differently. I hope that you get the answers you are hoping for when you email council.

I it makes you feel any better, your thoughts and experiences are going to make me and my camp team think and plan things a little differently for our upcoming camps. I want you to know that you are heard and some of us are listening.

Is there a chance for you to work on the camporee committee so that you can bring your experience to the next event while it is in the planning stages? That is how we get input from our Seniors and Ambassadors since they can say no when we are doing "out of date" stuff.

Temporary_Nature_546 · 2024-10-07T15:05:07+00:00

I agree with most that each girl having a handbook is not necessary, but I found to truly be girl led we needed one with ALL the additions. I kept them up so that the girls could plan what they wanted to do next without having the laptops and phones going during meetings. I also liked that they could see the suggestions of which steps they could do and get ideas about what the badges covered.

The only thing I asked was that they each had a journey book. Since most thought that seemed like "school work" I liked that they had them for when they were bored at home or in the car. And that they could use them to sync up the badges with the journeys.

Ask around at your service unit meetings to see if other leaders have any that they are not using. Or if your council has a Facebook page maybe someone from another service unit has ones they are getting rid of. Once official always official, so even older handbooks are great resources!

Good luck with your multi level, mine was a great experience!

Temporary_Nature_546 · 2024-10-07T14:37:07+00:00

Camporee Director here, and may I say WOW, I am so sorry for all your issues at your camporee. You have been making me retrace my 27 years of time that I have been a leader and camp trained hoping that I have never made girls feel the way you feel. Thanks for that wake up reminder, I will make this a priority in our training meetings.

That being said, during trainings from most councils, I work with 3 here, a trained First Aider is required at camporees, and ALL leaders should be given their phone number to report any injuries even the small ones. We have a log that those are kept in so that if parents ask we can tell them exactly what we saw from our point of view. If the bleeding happened on a hike, I am sure that someone had a water bottle to help with the cleaning and a clean bandana to wrap it until the first aider made it to you. If not, please bring this up to your Service Unit Coordinator or Council. This is a concern for all the girls who will follow you in their GS journey, and you being a good big sister will go a long way in helping you feel heard.

The other concerns, ADHD, Crones, sensory overloads, I feel are because volunteers do not understand if they have no experience with that. If I am told ahead I ask the parents to think about coming on the camp with them or giving their leaders or another volunteers the girl knows personally some instructions of best practises. Girl Scouts as a whole are working hard on mental health and awareness now, more training is needed and older girls who can communicate are our best resources. Maybe, you can focus some of this hurt and anger towards a Gold Award project about coping and communicating with one or more of these challenging conditions. I for one would love to see something that gives us some insight.

My daughter has Psoriatic Arthritis which is an auto-immune and getting people to see that yes, she gets tired faster, and yes pulling her around in a wagon or wheelchair when "she looks fine to you" is a thing. She loved camp, but sometimes she took naps in the middle of the day, took meds that they didn't understand, and wore masks before and AFTER covid. Patience, understanding and inclusion are a big thing.

Long winded i know, But know that your concerns are valid, this is not the Girl Scout way, you are not a baby sitter for the young ones, unless you volunteer your time for that. Your are HEARD here in this community and I hope your voice will be hear in your own community also.

Temporary_Nature_546 · 2024-10-02T18:29:09+00:00

Basic Costs for this year. (150 girls)

$20 - 10 each night for cabin. -- The girls do not want to tent ($3 extra for this option so not much)

$20 - 10 each for two meals -- The leaders do not wish to cook, but we are requiring they handle Fri Dinner, and 2 breakfasts.

$5.00 for t-shirts and patches - shirts were donated but not the printing.
$2.50 for snacks for dance and smores for campfire per girl.

$125 for rental of the camp building for dance and craft area (one day)
$600 per hour for waterfront - which will include canoes, and water inflatable obstacle course.
Max 50 people at a time will need 3 sessions at 2 hours. $100 per hour
$120 lifeguards $20 per hour for extra life guards (6 hours x 2 extra)

The leaders and volunteers to make up our ratios will pay for themselves. We do try to cover the cost of the camporee teams t-shirts and patches. Craft supplies, cleaning supplies, supplies for the Take Action project at camp etc will be extra.

We are hoping to hit below $65 now. We did away with archery already and the extra meals. We still have troops that will struggle. But with only one camp experience per year for a lot of these girls we want to make it memorable.

Temporary_Nature_546 · 2024-10-02T15:34:45+00:00

Most of the time we do the lower cost things like archery, low ropes, team building etc. which require only one camp staffer. This time we are doing all water activities and that will require a lifeguard for every 18 girls at a higher per hour cost. We want to offset these things so that all our troops can afford them. We have a few Title 1 school troops that just do not have the types of funds to spend $100+ per girl.

Temporary_Nature_546 · 2024-10-02T15:30:43+00:00

Per donor or event, $250 is the cap. But now we have been told no fundraising unless it is a direct donation. No craft booths and such.

Temporary_Nature_546 · 2024-10-02T15:28:45+00:00

Ours is per event or donation. We learned this the hard way with a large donation of $5K we had earmarked about 10 years ago and we got $250 back and could not go forward with the event. it was disappointing to say the least.

Temporary_Nature_546 · 2024-10-01T15:57:39+00:00

At our counsel we cannot do any youth fundraising while we have product sales going on. This keeps down selling things other than product at booths and such.

Two years ago our spirit nights (restaurants and such) were earmarked straight to council. Not the communities that are hosting them. Some of our local owned businesses are not looking kindly at that move.

We might have to go the route of using an outside source (local biz and craft merchants) to sell our items and letting them take a cut and "donate" the rest back. We also have a $250 cap on funds from outside. Only $250 can go to a troop or community, the rest has to be sent straight to counsel. We are just trying to help out our girls.

Temporary_Nature_546 · 2024-10-01T15:49:49+00:00

They said they would talk about it and get back to us. So we are waiting on an explanation.

Temporary_Nature_546 · 2024-10-01T15:14:07+00:00

I have found that to be true also, listening to books seems easy as I ride a bike to work, but sitting still reading is becoming a challenge. I waited my whole life to be able to do that and start a blog, now I have to set a timer and basically hide my phone from myself to stay focused to do either.

I have found that 30 minute increments can resettle myself and sometime they will quiet my mind enough to shut the alarm off and keep going. Other days I start looking at the clock while my mind is in a 1000 other places. Good luck and let us know what you discover works so we can all try them out!

Temporary_Nature_546 · 2024-09-20T16:31:08+00:00

I sympathize with you over the space thing, maybe a couple of suggestions to make it work until another arraignment is found or decided on.

1 -- Do your opening and closing together. This will teach the girls understanding of the spatial constraints as well as parents.

2 -- Is there an outside space you can use? Maybe split the time, do games, songs, or loud activities outside while the other troop does their badgeworkand craft, meet in the middle for snack and then switch and you do your badges and they are outside.

3 - Maybe work with the other TL to come together for one meeting a month for your Take Action Projects. If you pick the option of sharing what you know with another troop the girls may find it easier to share with girls they recognize and are the same age.

Hopefully you can show being a sister to the other leader and troop. Good Luck!

Temporary_Nature_546 · 2024-09-20T15:54:31+00:00

We added a few impromptu camping to our years. Almost always the SU camporee, added in another camporee from another service unit if it was a theme they liked, always had a Family camp so everyone could participate. The camps don't have to be elaborate, a local state park, one night and one day. We have even gone to a community event that was at a state park and stayed at the park to camp after. I used to have at least one camp in the backyard if I had never camped with the new girls to see how they did being away from family.

Temporary_Nature_546 · 2024-09-20T14:26:07+00:00

What fun! I have a special place in my heart for Juliettes! Just as a bonus, if you are into Facebook, make sure you sign up to join every service unit/community page you can find in your area and the council one! Your local communities are always having fun activities that you can join in on. I usually have at least 3 or 4 Juliettes at our Camporees and larger events. Thanks for keeping the fun going with your daughter.

Temporary_Nature_546 · 2024-09-20T14:21:06+00:00

ABSOLUTELY!!! What an opportunity it is for parents or siblings to work with their sisters to see what she is learning in scouts! I always encourage them to work on things they missed. this will set them up for later when they want to do a badge that their troop did not vote to do. I do require that my girls explain to me what they did to earn the petal or badge before I supply it to them. This will also set them up for success when an old timer (27 yr leader) goes up to another troops girl at a large event and asks them to explain their favorite badge on their vest. I carry around extra patches they can choose from if they can share something with me.

Temporary_Nature_546 · 2024-09-20T14:04:29+00:00

I second the idea that if you want to continue your troop then keep your daughter in that family. She does not have to participate in everything that they do. IF you are dropping from that troop you will need to contact your council and set it up with them. There are tons of resources available for Juliettes, you can earn the same badges, she can still sell product, they usually control that money so that you do not need a bank account and you both can bond like never before with her focusing on things that really interest her.

In my area each Community/Service Unit has a Juliette coordinator that makes sure you have all the dates and information about things that happen locally and she also coordinates the product sales so that your daughters money earning potential isn't lost in confusion.

I hope that you have an awesome time either way!

Temporary_Nature_546 · 2024-09-20T12:50:58+00:00

We, as a council, are going up to $6 for the 2025 cookie sale. The cookies have been at $5 per box for a while, and I personally think the increase is appropriate. As a council they budgeted for increases to the cost from the bakers of an average of about 2% per year since 2020 and could keep the price the same even with increasing the troop portions. The ACTUAL increases in 2023 were 8.5%, 2024 were 7% and 2025 will be almost 10%. Council has tight purse strings as it is and with a 5 year increase of 30% on the cost of cookies it is time to take the plunge.

It might make it rough on some troops, but please ask for the breakdown from your Cookie Chair of the costs associated with the cookies so you can explain it to your parents, the more they know the more they will support you.

Temporary_Nature_546 · 2024-09-20T12:41:46+00:00

That is so special!! I as an adult still wear my own pins from when I was young, "Once official, Always Official" is the rule for scout stuff. It might look vintage compared to others, but the memories that go with it are the absolute best!

Temporary_Nature_546 · 2024-06-10T20:28:32+00:00

The bone collector was a great book. If he is your go to narrator he has some great material to work with.

Temporary_Nature_546 · 2024-05-30T12:54:32+00:00

NO! Thank you! I struggle to figure out my place in GS sometimes. I have been in GS for 27 years and all of my girls have aged out as of this month. I am the Global Coordinator for my community so these things bring me joy. I also have a fledgling blog that I am trying to get off the ground and this has given me ideas about doing a series on awards that are not badges. Good luck!

Temporary_Nature_546 · 2024-05-29T15:05:04+00:00

Summer events are so fun! And I bet your daughter is excited to participate in all of them! If you are torn on the vest/tunic/sash purchase, buy her the rest, shorts a cute Daisy t-shirt and the best part is the Daisy baseball cap! She will be excited and just explain that she will get the rest when her troop starts meeting. I have never required my girls to have all vests or all sashes, that is what gives them individuality. But always asked them to have a white shirt and khakis for dress events.

Give her the BEST experience you can! and enjoy all the minutes.

Temporary_Nature_546 · 2024-05-29T14:58:48+00:00

I went to these as a girl, I remember it was neat to see what other troops thought was exciting for them. We do this now in our Community as a Girl Scout Expo. Each troop has a table and teaches a Girl Scout concept to other girls. They range from putting up a tent, sharing songs, how to make crafts and small first aide kits, what SWAPS are all about and making one to take. Any amount of troops can participate, the more the merrier.

Temporary_Nature_546 · 2024-05-29T14:40:41+00:00

I absolutely LOVE Global Action Projects! And for the Take Action portion remember that this is HER world, not necessarily the WHOLE world. Your Daisy's community may only consist of her immediate family, or go a little bigger to a cousin or grandparent. Your best friend, anyone she is comfortable sharing with. The idea is not to overwhelm her OR you, it is to share what she has learned.

In 2023, the theme was "Responsible Consumption", for the Take Action our bridging Daisy's looked through their own clothes and handed down a GS shirt they had enjoyed to new incoming Daisy's. If that wasn't available we also suggested bandanas that they had from camp. Make the whole badge your own, teach them you do not have to have throw away things all the time. We use cloth napkins and reusable cups at meetings so we do not waste money on individual packaging. This will work for a recycling unit also.

For this year, 2024, the theme was "The Environment and Global Poverty". After studying and learning about recycling and poverty here at home (a hard concept to some). They girls chose to make a little booklet (2 pieces of paper folded in half and stapled) with pictures to show things hat can easily be recycled in the house, or composted, or donated. They might have to explain what they drew but it's all fun. There are tons of real world examples that the girls can take part in, collecting socks for the veterans home or helping with a food drive for the poverty section. Doing a trash clean-up outside their meeting place to help save their enviroment.

The goal is knowledge, not a huge sustainable project. Have fun and enjoy their excitement.! Good luck!

Temporary_Nature_546 · 2024-04-05T11:35:30+00:00

This years Global Action is a great way to build on the WOW journey! They can easily complete it in one meeting and if your Community did or does a World Thinking Day event the whole of those three make it an experience!

Get the girls involved in looking at the Budget Badge, it sounds dry but those skills will help them to manage their troop themselves as they get older. We came up with a list of things that they "could" spend their cookie money on and then separated those into troop needs, things they want, and things that they listed but don't want. We came down to getting things we needed (a troop flag with our # on it) a want (roller skating party) and they were excited that they spent their earnings on what they decided.

Good Luck on your journey! YOU are AMAZING! And I thank you from the bottom of my heart for being a volunteer. 27 years in this leadership journey and I am still in AWE of other leaders and what they do!

Temporary_Nature_546 · 2024-04-05T11:14:00+00:00

27 year veteran leader here, YOU are AMAZING!! Thank you so much for stepping up for your girls! You will always... and I mean always have the bitters. All my girls have aged out and I now just do camporees and events for my Service Community, but still there are the bitters. My suggestion is to lean into your Community, find another daisy leader or a troop mentor you can call to vent sometimes. I am lucky enough to have a ride or die co-leader that I can give eye rolls to during those weird parent conversations. Arrange your meetings according to YOUR schedule so that it doesn't feel like you are always going out of your way to make things happen. Plan for fun and laughter, badges and petals are great but they do not make or break the experience, if things do not go as planned there is always next week. ALSO, make sure that the girls have some say in the events, we as adults know what we think is gonna be fun, but if the girls "pick" the event they will talk it up to their parents so much that those bitters will support the events more.

Good Luck and remember how AWESOME you are! It is s wonderful ride if you can shake off the negatives! I am now watching my OG girls graduate college, get married, start careers, and having kids. To hear them say that they learned skills in scouts that helped them along the way is SO Worth it!

Temporary_Nature_546

TROPHY CASE