RebekahTN

1 hour ago, David CO said:

I don't understand any of this talk about letting kids go out into the cold, half naked, in order to help them develop a sense of personal autonomy. It sounds like a bunch of self-help psycho-babble to me.

    I don't let mine go half naked as a learning experiance. She goes half naked (no coat and when she can get away with it no shoes) because she is hot natured. I know in the orginal post she said her daughter would go without a coat and then complain because she was cold. My post was next and I said mine did the same but I made her take her coat with (even we are just going from car to in the store) because of all the judgemental people and their stares and comments about her not having a coat on and I had one on.... I didn't clarify that she doesn't then complain because she is cold. She is VERY hot nature and will walk around in the house with bare minimum clothes, and me not much more and her dad will have all his clothes on including a pullover. Me and her prefer the heat set on 63 - he prefers 68 we compromise at 65 and we wear as little as possible and he covers up. 

   I would NOT make her put on a coat just because everyone else does, unless it's a rain coar for rain, because I am just as hot natured as she is and don't even own a "Winter" coat. It doesn't snow here but a few days a year and doesn't stick around. I have a light jacket I wear in the winter - I layer long sleeve shirts under it if it gets real cold or we are out with the animals for an extended time. She does the same, she has a winter coat for when they play for an extended time at school that she leaves at school, but it's not always about bad choices.

On 3/26/2018 at 9:28 PM, Treflienne said:

I was really disappointed in them.  Here is an example from one of them:
Junior Robotics. (for 4th-5th graders)
Badge 2 Designing Robots.  (This badge has 5 steps)

Step 3 Plan your robot.

   "Engineers look for needs in our world and build robots that solve problems both big and small. If you could build a robot that solves a global problem, what would your robot do?  What would it look like/ What parts would it need?  Brainstorm and sketch your ideas for robots that can help others.  Share your sketches with other Juniors to improve your designs, and choose one to create a prototype of in Step 4"

Step 4 Create a Prototype

    "Engineers create prototypes, a quick way to show an idea to  others or to try it out.  It can be as simple as a drawing or  created with common materials, such as cardboard, paper, and string.  Now is your chance to build a prototype of your robot.  Remember, you're creating a robot, not a simple machine, so you'll also need to create a step-by-step program for your robot to 'run.'"

This badge sees really unsubstantial, merely let's-pretend and arts-n-crafts.

Kids this age are capable of more.  When my son was this age, he was programming Lego mindstorms robots, and learning to write simple programs in Python.

See, I was thinking they would need to actually build a robot even for Brownies... How does drawing one or even making one out of cardboard get you interested in robotics? I was thinking getting kits and actually building one for each girl, or a bigger one they all put together would make this badge pretty expensive. I guess if you just draw it, it won't but I am like you and believe even Brownies could do more than just think about building a robot. They won't even know if their prototype works since it's only a drawing or made from cardboard.... I'll pass on this one I beleive. 

The college mechatronics class teacher brought a simple robot to my daughters school for a STEM night that was pretty interesting. They had to use syringes to control it's movements and had to work together to pick up blocks and move them to a specific spot. So maybe do the cardboard thing and then see if a mechatronics teacher could do a little class or tour of the school.... or do that first so they at least know what they are trying to do for the badge.

What I have seen of some of the last badges, it seems a  need was seen, STEM, and they quickly put something together. I forget which one I was looking at but it was pretty much in lesson plan format instead of picking one of each 5 steps. That would be easier to teach I guess, but what happens if your area doesn't have the resources needed to complete such specific steps. For instances there are some steps of badges that have steps to choose that would be much funner and easier than what we end up doing just because we live in a small town and can't just go to the zoo or visit an aquarium or go to a broadway show. I mean we could but we would have the cost of driving 2.5 hours, extra meals and gas and all that. 

If you figure it out, let me know. My 7 year old is the same way. She will wear nothing but a light jacket even when it snows, unless she is playing in it. I have her take her bigger coat and leave it at school so if they are outside for an extended time she has it, if she gets cold. (It is REALLY more so that the teacher realizes, yes, she has a jacket, she just refuses to wear it. If you can get her to, more power to you!)

I have to do the same thing about shoes. She takes her shoes off as soon as she gets in the vehicle and/or home. Sometimes it's not worth the fight (she is number 7 - so I have learned many years ago to pick my fights). If we are going into Wal-Mart in 40 degree weather and she is fussing about putting on a coat I tell her she doesn't have to put it on BUT she has to take it with her. Not because I think she will freeze to death before we get inside but because I don't need the evil eye, stares and comments from others. LOL

My problem with some of these new badges, I have no knowledge of the subject matter they are trying to teach and because they are "extra" and don't come with the book, I have to pay $3.00 to see if it's even anything either I or another parent could teach. I'm not sure how I am supposed to teach a daisy K-1 how to  design a roller coaster and/or robot. I'm sure it would be cool to do, but I have no clue how that works. I also have no clue on coding and firewalls. I can see me spending hours about hours trying to figure out enough about coding to teach it to someone else. This IS where I would ask for help from others, but I think some of these new ones are a bit unrealistic. Flying Flyer design? or Leapbot design for 2nd grader? Programming robots? I wouldn't mind learning but I have a feeling that at K-3rd grade it would be more the parents/leaders doing it for the child. 10 year olds maybe... But then again like I said, I can't even review the requirements without paying $3.00 per badge. Maybe it's something high school teenagers would enjoy teaching the girls...

On 2/5/2014 at 1:49 PM, j2huggies said:

I emailed the council 3 or 4 times to get my stepdaughter in (and me in as a volunteer) NOTHING

I do see this as a problem. When I was with cub/boy scouts with my 21 year old son there was someone local and I knew (from seeing him at the weekly meetings) that I could go and talk to about starting a new den if I wanted to (the pack leader).  With Girl scouts there is no such person that I as an individual go go up to that I know from seeing them at meetings and say hey, I'd like to start a troop (den) for my daughter. There is a Service Unit leader (she is actually in most cases a troop leader of an older girl troop) but I wouldn't see her as a parent. The leaders all get together (without the scouts) and plan monthly outings and get news from higher up at Service Unit meetings. Then hopefully monthly but more likely a few times a year all the girls in the county will get together for a Service Unit outing (camping - movie night - rock painting - lock in- skating - swimming - badge earnging whaterver) but again as a parent I still wouldn't see the SU Leader because the girls attend with their troop leader without their parents. 

All I could do would email/call council over and over until they got the picture that I was serious. I would show up at recruitment the following year and voulnteer in person to start a troop. But not knowing how it works or assuming it works like BS, I would get frustrated and probably end up giving up. You could have had your daughter get a few frineds together interested and submit that you have several girls and you would need at least one mom (for safety wise - like when sleeping or someone needs to go to the bathroom) (especially if k-2 grade). i had a dad co-leader in my troop, but it was an established troop when he stepped up and he had been with us from the beginning. 

On 8/25/2012 at 1:08 AM, fred8033 said:

Size is the obvious difference but I don't think the significant difference.

 

Biggest difference I've noticed is variety. Most Cub Scout dens do outings, attend pack meetings and cub camp. Though quality varies greatly, activities are very similar.

 

BUT ... Girl Scout troops vary greatly driven, I think, by the troop leader. Some might camp. Some might be more craft oriented. Some might be school work like. Others might be yet different again. Each troop is different.(This message has been edited by fred8033)

The differnce you are making is true with Daisy and Brownies (K-3)... and here is why. Cub scouts are family oriented and the whole family attends and then when they reach Boy Scouts they are less family oriented and do things without the parents. Girl scouts don't encourage family camping or even family at meetings. It's just the girls and their leaders even in K and first grade. So the younger girl scouts don't usually do as much camping but as they get older even 3rd grade they (we do anyway) camp several times a year. We started with a campout at our meeting place (remember we are talking Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd graders without parents there) and then went on to do a Service Unit lock in with other troops at a local church and then tent camping although Cabin camping would be the more logical progress. Even our K and 1st graders have camped  twice this year and we have 3 more planned later in the year in tents. 

It depends on the leaders and thier camping expericance as well as the camping experiance of the girls. All but 2 of our 18 girls have camped with their families before so it wasn't scary to them.

On 8/24/2012 at 8:58 PM, frank10 said:

smoothmom: Please tel me you are somewhere near Waterbury CT.

 

My daughter's unit is a Snack and a craft unit. One field trip/party each year (candy factory party this year). Other thna that, they have never left the room they meet in. Worst part is they meet at the YMCA right up stairs from the pool... Maybe? maybe? nope.

 

(men need not apply).

I know this is an old post, but I just joined, so it's new to me. If this was my daughters troop I would ask to lead a meeting or plan a trip and do something different, even if it is just go upstairs for a swim party. I would LOVE to meet in an area like that.... we don't even have an area like that within an hour from us...  If I kept hearing no, I would start a new troop next year for my daughter and show up at recruitment and let them know how many of what age level I would wanted and then do my own thing. Some may not like it and break off and form their own troop or ask to be switched to one that does less, but I'll bet yours will become the one others want to join. If you find yourseld in this situation, check around and see if there is another troop that is more active she could join. Put in a request to change when they get room (someone moves or quits). Don't stay with a troop your daughter isn't going to grow and learn in.

I am currently a Girl scout Co-leader of a Brownie troop. In previous years when my now 27, 23 and 21 year old kids were in scouts I was a GS leader, co-leader and Den monther during their scouting times. When trying to compare Boy scouts and Girl Scouts you would think you were comparing apples to apples but really you aren't. You are comparing apples to oranges, Not even yellow apples to green apples. Because they are set up so differently. You can compare them but when you say Boy scout Troop or Cub Scout Troop or Pack or Group it does NOT comapre to a Girl Scout Troop. A troop in Girl scouts is more like a Den in the cub scouts. While some Girl Scout troops are multi level (more similar to a Cub Scout Pack) that is not the goal in Girl Scouts. When they do have multi level troops they do break down into what ya'll are calling Patrols or dens and everyone would do opening and closing things together and break down by level (Daisy, Brownie, Junior, cadette, ect) Similar to (Tiger, Wolf, Bear, ect.). This is why the original poster was saying 14 was pushing the limits. We have 18 and it can be very overwhelming at times. Luckily several parents stay and are willing to help out any time we need them. We have Daisy's (little sisters of the Brownies) and Brownies and break down as such to make it more manageable. It would be MUCH easier if they were seperate troops. 

Also our "troops (your dens) don't get together and meet with their Service Unit (your Pack) as a group monthly. We do try to get the girls together several times a year. Also were you would have several packs in a county we only have 1 service Unit. So there are several Daisy, Brownie and Junior troops in the county but they aren't grouped like your packs by school or church or whatever.

Also there ALL girls in scouts are "Girl Scouts", they don't break them down like Boy scouts and have Cub scouts and Boy scouts. 

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2) The present GSUSA and BSA have very different programs and philosophies. Units in GSUSA are owned by the local GS Council. All money and unit gear is owned by the Council and parceled out to the unit. Sell cookies? Council gets money. BSA units are owned by a local organization: a church, synagogue, fire dept. PTA, even a hardware store. Sell popcorn?  Unit gets 1/3, Council 1/3, Popcorn 1/3. Unit can do what it wants with it's gear and money.

It is true that they are set up different for the most part -as you said Boy Scouts are owned and meet at schools, churches ect and often times the leaders don't even have scouts in the Pack/den/or even scouts at all that they are leading. Were my son met the Pack leader had been a pack leader for years and didn't even have a son. His wife however did co-lead a girl scout troop with me and they had 2 other daughters in scouts as well. I think this is were training/finding leaders is different and why Girl scouts don't do as much recruiting. For us we don't already have leaders that have been leading for years, on recruitment day we have a bunch of girls wanting to sign up with no leaders to put them in or there may be a troop that had someone moved or quit for whatever reason that is willing to take a girl or 2 but not the whole 20-40 girls wanting to sign up. So they say if you want your girl to be in scouts we are going to have to have someone step up and be a leader. Then they need trained before they can start meeting and it can be overwhelming. So when you are talking about doing a recruitment for girls you don't already (for the most part) have a place for them to go. They won't automatically go their schools "pack" because it's not set up that way.  

Council, at least in our area, does NOT get all of the cookie money. The split is very similar to the popcorn. We just earned just under 3000.00 selling cookies this year (18 girls selling).

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3) BSA: Leaders are recruited, trained, encouraged to get out and do stuff, especially let the BOYS plan and do stuff. There is a definite program of advancement and adventure. GS: If a woman wants to have a GSTroop, she can. If she wants tea parties, or fashionistas, that is what the GSTroop does. If she wants to hike /camp, she does. (she does?) BSA: many female leaders. GSUSA: Males are refused.

See above: Since the Pack leaders and even Den leaders stay the same year after year even if their child is no longer in the group, boy scout leaders have an edge. From my time in Boy Scouts I noticed the Den leaders were more like our troop leaders and you did have to find Den leaders each year, but the main people over the pack stayed the same and you had the encouragement and help of them at the meetings. For us we met at the school cafeteria and every week not just once a week and they broke down into dens after the intial call to order. See, this is much less scarey to step into than no one there at all to help on a weekly/monthly basis. You have books with badges to earn and you definitley can do "tea parties, or fashionistas, or hike /camp or whatever interest the leader or her girls. If a parent was to step up and say my daughter wants to do this, is it possible as a troop, (and I had no interest or knowledge about it) I would say sure, what day would you want to lead that meeting/outing. If my daughters troop continually refused to let me run a meeting for something that interested my daughter I would start a new troop the following year and do more things my daughter wanted. I'm sure other girls would be more into more balance as well. When recruitment came up I would be there and say I could take up to ever how many in this age group. 

Cub scouts (1-5) is more family orinented (whole family goes to meetings as well as camping trips) and Girl Scouts is more individual although parents are encouraged to volunteer and help plan. The entire girl scout program (k-12) is more like Boy Scouts (after Weeblos). 

Males most definetly can be a leader or Co-leader in Girl Scouts although it is not encouraged. I had a dad as a co-leader about half way through my middle daughters scouting experiance. Other co-leader moved out of town and he stayed at each meeting anyway and was very involved with his daughter (single dad of 1). So that was an established troop and everyone already knew him. Not sure it would have gone over as well as an initial leader. He slept in his truck on camp outs and we had to have another mom volunteer to be in tents with us to meet safety ratios. Again (whole families are GENERALLY not encouraged to join like in Cub scouts. Think Boy scouts here even for  K, 1st and 2nd graders).

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5) When the GSTroop members graduate, that's usually the end of that Troop. No continuity. My home BSTroop just celebrated 65 years. There are Troops 100 years old.

See above -this WOULD make it much easier - but not how it's set up.