Girl Scout Daisies?

[disneygals]

In our district, the council sends out notifications and organizes the list of wanna-be Daisies. They usually put kids who live near each other together. I think that if you want to get together your own group you can.

Since girl scout leaders are volunteer, what the troop does really depends on the leaders. When I was a daisy leader, we didn't do a lot of field trips because I had a 3 yo dd and 1 yo dd at home. As brownies, other mothers joined in and we did more things.

It is VERY time-consuming and there are many rules. I loved the kids, but it really makes you appreciate how hard teachers have it.

 

[clutter]

Oh, I do not mind if she is not in the same class as our neighbor's daughter. I actually prefer it. I find it best not to get neighbor's too involved in your business or it can result in bad neighbors.

She mentioned it was at the elementary school after classes. Her daughter is in kindergarten and will be in first grade. My Meg will be in Kindergarden. It sounds really great and I have NO PROBLEM volunteering lots! As far as the money, I am down to one child in the house (my other children are 21,20,19 and 18) and everything seems so cheap compared to paying for four! lol

Petals! That is so cute! And I can register as a GS? That is awesome! I was one in California and Germany in the mid seventies (I was forty this January). I do remember most of my experiences fondly with the brownies/girl scouts and I look forward to doing it with my daughter.

My daughter is special needs though (internal physical defects), I am sure she can still participate.

Thank you all so much for sharing your knowledge and experiences!

Did you have your kindergarten orientation yet? Our school has the organizer come to recruit leaders. Anyway, there is probably someone in your school or your service unit (a group of schools) that is responsible for forming troops. They will form them at the beginning of the school year, and you will probably get information about it early in the school year. Otherwise, find your neighbor, ask her for the contact to volunteer to lead a troop (that's as far along as they will be at this point). Once they have leaders for however many troops (we always had two at each grade), then they will recruit scouts, but not until the beginning of the school year.

 

[julznjess]

I just ran across your posting from last month and thought I would add my 2 cents. I am a Brownie leader to a troop of girls going into 3rd grade. We started as a Daisy troop in Kindergarten, so have been together for 3 yrs. Daisies is a great program that concentrates on social skills and character traits. As with anything, the more the parents are willing to put in, the more the girls gain. If you do decide to sign up as a leader seek out experienced leaders in your council or service unit. Most are very willing to help and give tips. Without some kind of support it is easy to get frusrated and feel like you are alone.

My girls will tell anyone that asks that they have a whole group of sisters because of GS, and starting young with daisies seems to cement that even more. An earlier poster said that simple trips are great for daisies and she was right. My girls loved going to the police station. We also saved pop tabs for the Ronald McDonald House and took them to McDonalds and got ice cream cones. So simple, but it teaches charity and the girls remember that trip 3 yrs later. I would say give it a try, you will be amazed what your daughter will get out of it.

 

[sunlver]

I think you find that different troops cost different amount of money. What I mean is, to register, it is $12. If you are a leader or co leader you still have to register and the fee is $12..
Now, there are dues, that will vary from troop to troop. Some say $2 a week(if you meet weekly for dues), Ive been to troops where it was $5 a month. This covers the petals/patches, craft items.
Some troops do a lot of field trips, some don't. I know there are a lot of free things we have done, fire station, police station, visit behind the scenes of Krispy Kreme, all which were free.
My almost 10 yr old has been in girlscouts since Kindegarten.
My 4 yr old will be starting Kindergarten in the fall and will be a daisy. I will be the co-leader of her troop.

 

[julznjess]

Sunlver is completely right on how it varies from troop to troop on cost. The big advantage to new daisy troops is that they get to participate in nut sales and cookie sales. So you just have to make it 1/2 yr or so and then get the parents on board on the product sales. My troop is almost entirely funded from these sales, and we do A LOT of activities!! I buy all of the badges and fun patches and pay for field trips out of the troop account. Not all troops do this. See, another reason to sign up as a leader. LOL!

 

[samandgiasmom]

I have an incoming kindergartener as well. Another woman and I just finished our training to be the Daily troop leaders for next year. Here, as in many other places, not enough parents step up to be troop leaders, leading to long waiting lists of girls who want to get into troops..Each troop can only take 10 kids.

 

[SereneOne]

I went to the first Daisies meeting today!

There are six moms and six girls including my daughter and myself. They are a nice bunch of ladies and we are going to get together in Aug to decide what activities we want our troop to participate in. It is $12 each for registration and then she said she thought 38.50 for the uniform and patches and it comes with a book. Our meetings will be the first and third Thursdays of the month.


Thank you all for your sharing and advice.

 

[aprilgail2]

. My troop is almost entirely funded from these sales, and we do A LOT of activities!! I buy all of the badges and fun patches and pay for field trips out of the troop account. Not all troops do this. See, another reason to sign up as a leader. LOL!

We don't run ours this way, we let the children vote and pick what they want to do with their nut and cookie money. Last year they chose Great Wolf Lodge and this year they are saving it to take a bigger weekend long trip next year. Any field trips are paid for by the parents, the patches come out of the dues. I think after all the work of cookie booths and selling those darn cookies that the kids should get a say in what they want to do with the funds.

..Each troop can only take 10 kids.

wow- very different here, I don't know of any troop with just 10 children in it!! My friends troop has 25 girls and ours had 14 last year.

 

[MichelleinMaine]

wow- very different here, I don't know of any troop with just 10 children in it!! My friends troop has 25 girls and ours had 14 last year.

I wonder if it was 10 girls, unless there was a third leader? I believe that was the ratio when my girls were Daisies. We didn't have a third mom willing to step up, so we had to stay at 10 girls.