Girl Scouts - Privacy Rules

[luvmy3]

See I dont teach my daughter to be ashamed of her body. I teach her not to allow others to touch her or to dress in a way that sends the wrong message and could put her in danger. My main concern is making sure she is not in danger. As a dancer she can change in front of a group of girls with no issue at all. She does it quickly and it is over and done with in a minute or two. If a girl's mom is having to call the camp director daily than something is wrong and that child cannot handle that sort of camp. Its good for girls to be taught that sometimes to get the good (camp, swimming, dance, ect.) you have to deal with stuff that is less than comfortable (changing in a locker room). If she cannot do one than she cannot have the other. The camp should not change for one child.

I think this speaks to a whole generation of parents trying to over protect their children, to have rules bent for them, to smooth over every little bump in the road. Children will learn to cope given a chance, they will learn to rise above and will one day look back and wonder what the big deal was, but only if their parents aren't always catching them before they have a chance to fall. The girls is in no danger. She might be embarrased but since when is embarrasment something that a mother feels the need to call a camp director about daily? I remember being embarrased growing up. That is a part of life. If she doesn't want to change than she should be at a different camp program that works for her and her parents.

-Becca-

You don't need to teach your dd to be ashamed of her body for her to be. Look around, there is plenty of pressure from everywhere else, peers, TV, magazines. It isn't always about embarassment, there may be deeper issues and thats why a mother feels the need to step in.

 

[luvmy3]

From what I have been told, part of the new program is to encourage door to door sales as a troop. I was told this by our council cookie chair who just happens to be in our SU and is our former day camp and former SU director. As for general door to door sales, they can sell door to door, just not without and adult. Of course some areas might have more strict rules, but per national guidelines it is not prohibited.

We encourage door to door sales with an adult and to houses that we are familiar with. We just go around our sub-division to our neighbors.

 

[sha_lyn]

Wanted to add to my previous post but since others have posted will make a seperate one.

I believe the door to door troop sales are not presales but what is called rolling cookie booths. IE the girls go around in uniform with a wagon full of cookies and 2 registered adults as chaperons of course

 

[luvmy3]

Wanted to add to my previous post but since others have posted will make a seperate one.

I believe the door to door troop sales are not presales but what is called rolling cookie booths. IE the girls go around in uniform with a wagon full of cookies and 2 registered adults as chaperons of course

We don't do that, just the presale. I wonder though if this is something that our council will encourage next year.

 

[aprilgail2]

Wanted to add to my previous post but since others have posted will make a seperate one.

I believe the door to door troop sales are not presales but what is called rolling cookie booths. IE the girls go around in uniform with a wagon full of cookies and 2 registered adults as chaperons of course

Ours are called a Walk About and the troop goes out with the leaders and what ever parents want to come along and we get a certain area we can cover- ours was about 8 blocks and 6 avenues big and we walk around with wagons full of cookies and the girls go door to door selling them.

 

[sha_lyn]

You don't need to teach your dd to be ashamed of her body for her to be. Look around, there is plenty of pressure from everywhere else, peers, TV, magazines. It isn't always about embarassment, there may be deeper issues and thats why a mother feels the need to step in.

Unless the deeper issue is a medical condition IMHO the parent's energy would be better spent preparing their child to either cope with it or not participate instead of trying to change the rules.


While as far as I know it has never been an issue with our camp, I would certainly see a medical condition such as excessive hair, scaring from surgical procedures etc would be an allowable excuse with if the request was in writing and addressed prior to the start of camp. Just as carrying insulin, an epipen etc are excetptions to the rule about the girls carrying medications.

 

[dreamer17555]

You don't need to teach your dd to be ashamed of her body for her to be. Look around, there is plenty of pressure from everywhere else, peers, TV, magazines. It isn't always about embarassment, there may be deeper issues and thats why a mother feels the need to step in.

But then why send your child to a camp with swimming where she will have to change? There are so many different summer day programs across the US that would avoid that.

Also I know there are outside influences but isn't it our job as parents to sit down with our daughters and help counter this images? To tell them daily that they are beautiful inside and out? Shouldn't the OP be telling her daughter she has nothing to be ashamed of, that the girls won't stare or make fun of her, and that it is normal to be embarrased but that if she wants to stay at camp she has to follow the rules? And on the flip side that if it is that big of a deal to her that her mom will support her by bringing her home?

I think trying to go around the rules by constantly calling the camp director is not teaching her anything but if someone puts up enough of a fuss they will get what they want.

-Becca-

 

[sha_lyn]

We don't do that, just the presale. I wonder though if this is something that our council will encourage next year.

Last yr was the first I had heard of the rollling booth sales.

From what I have been told part of the new GS leadership program is to have national standards for the girls to set up a business plan for cookie sales. It sounds as if they are encouraging the girls to sell more as a troop instead of individuals, however this is just my impression from a quik presentation during the last SU meeting.
I do know that there is more regulation in cookie prices. The coucil jsut to the east of us has been saling them for 25cents cheaper than our price. Price depends on several factors including which of the 2 bakeries the contract is with I believe. Oh some bad news the All Abouts are no longer. There is a new caramel cookie that sounds good.

 

[dispor]

See I dont teach my daughter to be ashamed of her body.

I don't teach mine to be ashamed of their body OR their feelings.

 

[sha_lyn]

But then why send your child to a camp with swimming where she will have to change? There are so many different summer day programs across the US that would avoid that.

Also I know there are outside influences but isn't it our job as parents to sit down with our daughters and help counter this images? To tell them daily that they are beautiful inside and out? Shouldn't the OP be telling her daughter she has nothing to be ashamed of, that the girls won't stare or make fun of her, and that it is normal to be embarrased but that if she wants to stay at camp she has to follow the rules? And on the flip side that if it is that big of a deal to her that her mom will support her by bringing her home?

I think trying to go around the rules by constantly calling the camp director is not teaching her anything but if someone puts up enough of a fuss they will get what they want.

-Becca-

Seems like I've been doing this with all your posts on this thread LOL..... ITA with everything you said.
IMHO to try to change the rules and/or to pull the child from camp etc, a parent is just reinforcing the idea that there is something wrong/shameful etc about their body....of course this is if there are no underlaying conditions and the issue is just about modesty/fear etc.

 

[TwinsinCA]

Why were they "hell" for you? I have a heart condition and a huge surgery scar, I have had horrible acne as a teen and been over weight. So why would a dressing room be more hellish for you than any of the others? Yes its uncomfortable. That just how it is but you take a deep breath and get through it. There isnothing sexual or abusive happening here just girls getting dressed with their same sex peers.

The people at camp have nothing to be ashamed of. Changing in a locker room is part of camp. If the OP's daughter can't do that for whatever reason then she should not be at camp. It takes a quick minute to wrap a towel around you and pull on some clothes- if that minute is such a big deal she is willing not to go to camp that is her choice but the camp has rules. Why is it that every parent thinks rules should be changed for their child?

-Becca-

I don't think there is anything in the rules that states the child gives up all right to privacy at the camp. What if they all had to use the restroom in an open area -- is that cool with you? If not, why not? Just because your line of what deserves privacy is different than others doesn't mean others lose the right to consider what is ok for them.

As for my high school experience -- yes, the idea of being forced (and yes, it was forced if you wanted to graduate) to be naked in front of my peers is my idea of hell. Does that really require further explanation? There is a reason people have NIGHTMARES about this sort of thing. I was not overweight. No one made fun of me. I am sure no one noticed me at all. But for me it was humiliating. I am very modest and still dress conservatively to this day. In any situation from grade school gym to a job in college that required changing -- I always, ALWAYS, found an area that was private.

 

[aprilgail2]

. Oh some bad news the All Abouts are no longer. There is a new caramel cookie that sounds good.

We sold so many all about last year because everyone that was buying a box we would say "oh you know those are discontinued next year-they freeze well if you want to stock up now before they are all gone"! And many many people did! One guy bought a whole case from us at a walmart booth!

 

[luvmy3]

But then why send your child to a camp with swimming where she will have to change? There are so many different summer day programs across the US that would avoid that.

Also I know there are outside influences but isn't it our job as parents to sit down with our daughters and help counter this images? To tell them daily that they are beautiful inside and out? Shouldn't the OP be telling her daughter she has nothing to be ashamed of, that the girls won't stare or make fun of her, and that it is normal to be embarrased but that if she wants to stay at camp she has to follow the rules? And on the flip side that if it is that big of a deal to her that her mom will support her by bringing her home?

I think trying to go around the rules by constantly calling the camp director is not teaching her anything but if someone puts up enough of a fuss they will get what they want.

-Becca-

First, maybe some moms don't realize their dd has these issues until they are in a situation where they have to change in public. Maybe the moms assumed there would be private changing areas, I can't answer as to why the girls would go to these camps

Second, I agree with you. We should be telling our dd's to be proud and not be ashamed oftheir bodies etc, but that doesn't always work, some girls will just feel they way the do about their bodies no matter what anyone tells them.

Third, I also agree about trying to go around the rules, but I don't think its too much to ask if the camp has an alternative area for girls who feel this way.

 

[sha_lyn]

I don't teach mine to be ashamed of their body OR their feelings.

Teaching them to face their fears is not teaching them to be ashamed of their feelings.

 

[sha_lyn]

We sold so many all about last year because everyone that was buying a box we would say "oh you know those are discontinued next year-they freeze well if you want to stock up now before they are all gone"! And many many people did! One guy bought a whole case from us at a walmart booth!

We had no idea until this months SU meeting. If I had known I would have frozen a case. Would have done the same thing when they discontinued the lemon coolers last yr.

 

[TwinsinCA]

I think trying to go around the rules by constantly calling the camp director is not teaching her anything but if someone puts up enough of a fuss they will get what they want.

-Becca-[/COLOR]

It is teaching her that her mother cares about her feelings and will go to bat for her. Some things are worth making "a fuss" about. It isn't as though she is insisting on bringing her iPod to camp. The little girl just wants some privacy.

 

[luvmy3]

We had no idea until this months SU meeting. If I had known I would have frozen a case. Would have done the same thing when they discontinued the lemon coolers last yr.

I would have bought a case too if I knew, the All Abouts are my favorite, behind tagalongs.

 

[dreamer17555]

First, maybe some moms don't realize their dd has these issues until they are in a situation where they have to change in public. Maybe the moms assumed there would be private changing areas, I can't answer as to why the girls would go to these camps

Second, I agree with you. We should be telling our dd's to be proud and not be ashamed oftheir bodies etc, but that doesn't always work, some girls will just feel they way the do about their bodies no matter what anyone tells them.

Third, I also agree about trying to go around the rules, but I don't think its too much to ask if the camp has an alternative area for girls who feel this way.

The thing is though the camp doesn't have an alternative and believe me if they did every girl would want to use it. It would be time consuming. I cannot think of one girl who would want to change publicly if they could change privately. I am just shocked that a parent wouldn't go to visit a camp first and see how it works and ask questions if they know their child embarrases easily.

And yes I agree with you that girls will believe what they want to about their body but having that voice somewhere in the back of their mind will come into play one day.

Being akward and getting embarrased is part of life, generally it lessens as you get older but not always. I always get a little nervous trying to make new friends, especially with other mom's since I am normally 7 years younger. I just think the best thing to do is to teach our children to work through the tough stuff (being embarrased) so that they can have all the good stuff.

-Becca-

 

[dreamer17555]

It is teaching her that her mother cares about her feelings and will go to bat for her. Some things are worth making "a fuss" about. It isn't as though she is insisting on bringing her iPod to camp. The little girl just wants some privacy.

And the director mentioned having someone hold a towel for her and that wasn't good enough. I go to bat for my children when it really matters- when they are in danger. If the child is old enough for girl scout camp she is old enough to understand about rules. If she doesn't want to change than maybe she will have to sit out from swimming or not attend that camp.

Like I keep saying there are so many different programs out there that I hope next year the OP and her daughter will find something that works for them. Again rules are to be followed, if you don't like the rules at that camp there are many others happy to take your money.

-Becca-

 

[luvmy3]

I am just shocked that a parent wouldn't go to visit a camp first and see how it works and ask questions if they know their child embarrases easily.

-Becca-

At one of our local camps, parents would not be allowed to visit, it is not open to the public. It is only open to non profit organizations.

I really hope when my troop goes to camp, we don't have any of these issues