Daisy's, Brownies, Girl Scouts - the Good the Bad and the Ugly!

[lillygator]

DD. has expressed interest in joining...to all who have participated or have DD's who participate, what are your thoughts?

what is the time committment?
monetary commitment?
is it "political"?
is everyone welcomed?

 

[mjkacmom]

Around here, it's a nothing - once a month, after school, inexpensive, I haven't ironed on a patch all year (dd13 bailed in 5th, dd8 still goes, no one stepped up for Daisy leader for dd6). We (and everyone else) have so much other stuff going on, scouting is always the first to go (ds11 quit a couple of years ago - he plays on 4 teams every season, and he and his friends just signed up for the cool stuff - mostly overnight camping).

 

[mickeyboat]

DDs 8 & 9 started in K as Daisies and bridged to Juniors last Spring.

I am the co-leader of their troop. I don't love everything we do, but overall we have had a great time. I am looking forward to the kids taking more responsibility in their activities as Juniors.

I think your experience will really depend on the people your daughter is grouped with - other children and parents, leaders, service unit and council members. But Daisies is great place to start. The goals are simple and meetings are usually short and not very often. When my DDs were Daisies they were not allowed to sell cookies, but the rules changed last year, so be ready. People love to buy cookies from Daisies!

My advice would be to talk to the leader of the troop and find out what her plans are. Have your DD sign up (I think registration is $12) and try it out. If she doesn't like it, she doesn't have to continue. If she does, she has the opportunity to make some great friends, have a great time, and develop strong positive character traits.

 

[dopeysgirl01]

My DD 8 started as a Daisy and is now a 3rd yr Brownie. Since becoming a Brownie I've been her troop co-leader. We meet every other week for an hour. A bunch of her friends are involved as well. The meetings are fun and the girls love the special events that we choose to attend as well. It's going to be what you make of it. You can choose to be very involved or just a little.

 

[castleview]

Daisy's seemed like a lot of money at first because...well, they don't have any and can't fundraise. It totally levels off once they become Brownies. Your experience depends on your leader and how much commitment you want. DD9's troop only meets every other week which is terrific - not too much time and she enjoys the girls.

As a parent who is involved in 500 other volunteer jobs/associations, I do steer clear of getting too involved in the troop because they will suck you in (not the leaders). Fortunately, DD's leader is very trustworthy and not pushy so I can keep my distance. My hat's off to all you leaders!

 

[LisaNJ25]

I have a 5th grade junior troop and a Kindergarten Daisy troop. I am also a service unit manager that covers 3 towns.

Now Daises can fundraise so those first 2 years are getting better. Registration this year is $12 and than each troop sets dues. Mine are $30 a year for the younger ones and $20 for the older ones.

Like others said, it will depend on the leader. You should always try to help out when you can. Troops are always looking for cookie moms, QSP/Nut sales mom and even leaders. We have grade in my town with no troop because a parent wont step up to lead.

Money wise is not bad at all compared to other activities... Once your troop build up money from cookie sales and magazine/nuts trips will be free or close to it.

 

[aprilgail2]

The cost depends on your leaders actually- it is 25.00 to join (we make everyone become members +fan club) and then the dues are 66.00 for the year plus the kids bring 1.00 to each meeting. My daughters troop are juniors this year and we have already planned a bunch of trips for the first 2 months along with the meetings- we are doing a badge at girl scout council that is 12.00 a kid, a swimming badge at the swimming place- 15.00 a kid, theater badge at a theater 15.00 a kid. We are also going away to a dude ranch for 3 days it will be under 200.00 per child and an overnight at Great Wolf Lodge which will come out of troop funds from cookies/nuts. Looking into a horseback riding badge trip which would be 30.00 per child. The kids don't have to come on every trip, some pick just the ones they want to go on- some kids go on them all, others go on some and one doesn't go on most of them. The kids love the trips so we try to throw a bunch in as well as the meetings after school at the school.

 

[monorailsilver]

what is the time committment?
monetary commitment?
is it "political"?
is everyone welcomed?

My dd just joined last year in 2nd grade. We had a larger group (about 18 kids).

We had a leader who was less then a leader so with some persistance we were able to get her out of there. The girls with her did nothing GS related other then sell cookies (which she did wrong anyways). They did foam crafts. She claimed she was still in training (she never did training) & that she didn't have the check book yet so that is what she had them do. Looking thru the Brownie badge book there are plenty of things to do very cheaply & cheaper then the 2 sets of foam crafts she'd buy each week.

Anyways, my friend took over as leader & I am the co-leader. And the last 5 or so meetings we had last year the girls had a blast.

We have meetings twice a month & they are 90 min each. We walk to our town library from school (a 5 min walk). We give them a snack (about 10 min) & then begin the meeting.

It was $12 to join for my dd & then I am also $12 & if you want to go on any outings with her then I suggest you pay it now & sign up as a parent volunteer (plus you can go to the meetings & help out & you don't have to go to all the meetings either).

I am not sure what our dues are going to be for this year. We didn't have them last year with our dud but we used the money from my friends old troop that she still had the check book for.

Everyone is welcome to join (well girls that is). I do bring my ds to the meetings & he plays his ds & my younger dd comes as well. I am hoping this year she will sit better (she is 3½) & wiill do some crafts with them.

Political, I don't think I would say that. I do feel like I am an outsider at the SUM meetings just because I am new.

 

[castleview]

We have grade in my town with no troop because a parent wont step up to lead.

.

DD7 is going through this and it's a tough situation for me. She's registered for the last two years, but no troop. The only parents to consider were me and another woman, but I'm the volunteer P&R director and she's the PTO president. We'd be crazy to try and be effective leaders in addition to our other positions. Hopefully someone will step up, but I can't complain since I'm not willing to do either.

 

[Anne MN]

For those without a parent to lead- the girls can do solo girl scout.
we looked at it when we moved. do not know all the details, but I think you do everything you want as far as badge work and I believe you can sell cookies(don't know how that would work) we took on a few solo GS when I was co-leader they liked the troop a lot better than solo, but they didn't have an option at that time.

 

[lillygator]

thanks for all the info. We are going to pass for now. She is in swimming and gymnastics and this would require a Saturday commitment which we can't do in the fall.