Giving Up Girl Scouts

I informed my co-leaders a week ago, and told the girls and their families yesterday (and a few families a little earlier) that come April once certain age groups move up to new levels of Girl Scouts, I am done being their leader. I have been troop leader for 4 years, since my oldest was a kindergarten Daisy, and I am exhausted. The meetings wear me out, the minute details of running the troop never end, and half the families never respond to my requests for rsvp-ing for events. I run 2 meetings on our meeting days (one at 3pm and one at 5pm) for a grand total of 33 girls. It is just too much. I finally said enough is enough.

We are taking all the money the troop has earned over the years plus the money we are about to earn with the upcoming cookie sale and will take all interested girls to Disneyland for 2 days/3 nights with at least 1 parent.

My two daughters will still be registered Girl Scouts but will not be part of a troop. Together we can still have them earn badges, participate in council events, and sell cookies. We just won't have the organized troop meetings to attend, which right now sounds just fine.

My head is already doing the happy dance.

Lynelle

I always admire someone who selfishly gives of themselves so much to help the community as you do. I'm sure you have enriched the lives of so many people (and young girls) and more than you will ever realize. You came up to bat for four years and deserve the rest.

How nice of you to do this.

Angela

Lynelle. I understand how you feel. When you sign up as a Leader they make it sound so easy! But the chores are endless if you have an active troop. I was a Leader or co-leader of both daughters troops (different age levels) for 10 years! Zoe is a Jr. in high school now, but is still a Girl Scout. We found a fantastic group that has 2 very enthusiastic Leaders. They do something almost every week, fun things. They do not have to go to regular meetings. They even allow other girls to join for an outing. They are doing more exciting things than I could manage. After I left the old troop it fell apart! It was such a (guilty) relief, though. Matbe your head will calm down a little, now. Mine did.
Hugs,
Cindy






















.gh.

Thanks for the support.

Believe me, I was passionate about it early on, and booked all kinds of interesting outings. I had dreams of traveling with the troop when they got into high school, but now it's just too much to manage. Since the passion is gone, it's time to bow out.

Some of the girls were sad to hear I wouldn't be their leader anymore, but some of the girls are hoping their own moms will start new troops and be their leaders. I hope that happens. It is very special to be the leader's daughter.

But now I am really, really looking foward to the one-on-one-on-one time (I guess make that two-on-one)time with my two daughters as we do Girl Scouts just the three of us. Every now and then we will join up with other mothers and daughters who are going to be doing exactly what we are doing so they still get to see their good buddies socially.

I do hope I've "done right" by the other girls and they look back fondly on our years together.

Personally I think you are making a great decision.

I have been a Juliette Girl Scout, an independent scout, for 5 years. It is a lot less stress. My mom and I enjoy going over scouts on our own time and it is more fun.

I think you and your daughters will have a great time being Juliettes

If you have any questions, about activities or badges you can contact me.
I'm a proud Ambassador level Juliette Girl Scout. I love the program and I'd like to hear about and share events with you.

What are sister Girl Scouts for, right

My son and I joined Cub Scouts years ago and burned out quick. I had just divorced his mother so it was a great way for us to be together even more. I volunteered as an assistant and took on duties which made my son very proud. In the first year it was a lot of fun, we did so much and had a great time. I guess when we only had a month off in the summer and the meetings started back up, which were every Tuesday night for 1 1/2 hour at a nearby church. It always was hard to work all day and then drive across town to pick up my son every Tuesday and go to the meetings, but we enjoyed it until it became a chore. He would go home late and sleepy , I would go home exhausted. Then at least once a month, sometimes twice a month, there was some type of activity on the weekend to attend. This began to cut into family time and trips and simple lounging around the house and family bbq's. My evenings were occupied with emailing parents and organizing activities. Fellow leaders were bickering and the parental involvement was fickle.

I took a long look at my son who had gone through a divorce and wanted as much time as he could get with his father and we called it quits. Instead of the weekend activities all the time, he and I along with his brothers go on our own hiking and camping trips. By us not being a part of an organized group, it has increased our time together.

I'm not bashing scouts by any means, I think they have some great qualities. Boy and Girl Scouts are great organizations, that do some great things for kids. I just think the time invested and the time allotted should be considered when joining.

Thanks.

Yes, the time commitment needs to be understood upfront. When my girls were younger and the troop was smaller it was ok, but as the girls grew and the troop grew it has gotten to be too much for me.

Yes, my daughters will be Juliettes next year. In my heart it is the right decision and we are all looking forward to it. We will enjoy the program more.

Older version:


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Newer version:

On my honor, I will try:
To serve God,
My country and mankind,
And to live by the Girl Scout Law.

* + * + * + * + * + * + *

I liked the older version of the Promise and 10 Laws better than the newer version and the single law. Though, maybe it has been changed again, since I was last involved in the early 1970s.

They have changed the promise again, by taking out "mankind" and replacing it with "helping people at all times".

The Law states the 10 points (being honest and fair, friendly and helpful, etc).