Aldi’s has a cookie that is a Tagalong clone for less than $2. I don’t buy them because I would just inhale them.Originally Posted by Hambo
Aldi’s has a cookie that is a Tagalong clone for less than $2. I don’t buy them because I would just inhale them.
If we have to march off into the next world, let us walk there on the bodies of our enemies.
My wife was a girl scout leader, but she was a unicorn. Camping, fishing, and outdoor skills, along with a host of other life skills and community service were accomplished by her 15 years of leadership. She hates where the Girl Scouts are headed to today.
I used to be a Cub Scout leader. I'd go to the big summer camps and other troops would show up in our camp and say "whoa you guys have an ax?" Some troops couldn't even get a fire started. Our kids had one going with a minute of arriving at our campsite.
I guess the whole point of my rambling is that troops of both Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts are heavily dependent on the quality of the troop leader.
Most kids, especially Girl Scouts, lose interest in scouting by age 11.. that has been my observation.
Our diocese is winding down Girl Scout participation at the school level because the (world) organization won’t give up on certain positions. As a result our cub troop has pulled in a number of young ladies. It works great, after two years, both at the pack level and at day camp (there were bear girls at bear camp but I didn’t get to directly observe them). Good inclusion, no real accommodations necessary, they just fold in.
In my most recent line of work I’m in contact with a lot of senior scientists, commercial marine officers, and mid rank military officers. I have been staggered at how many of them were Eagle Scouts, to the point that I decided it’s something the boy is going to do whether he likes it or not. Fortunately it’s his favorite thing in the world except Jesus and dogs.
He kept that ten ring spotless. Just like daddy.
Ignore Alien Orders
Change your title to cookie enabler.
"Gunfighting is a thinking man's game. So we might want to bring thinking back into it."-MDFA
Beware of my temper, and the dog that I've found...
interestingly on a similar note (ignoring the politics of the women mentioned in the title and focusing more on their accomplishments)
http://freakonomics.com/podcast/girl-scouts/
When I left the military a few years ago, I left Eagle Scout on my resume and was amazed at a) how many folks brought it up in interviews and b) how much weight was given to it. It was occasionally mentioned back when I was a teenager (that it was an important accomplishment in life), but that still understated the importance it still had almost two decades later.
I'm a bit torn on whether or not we'll pursue this for my daughter. A LOT of good in my life came out of the BSA program, but at this point its so politicized I'm not sure if we want to approach it or seek out an alternative program (e.g. 4H - founded a couple counties away, or something like the program @revchuck38 mentioned). Or just keep doing camping/outdoors stuff as a family.
If you do chose to go this route, pay close attention to the leaders involved - both youth and adult. I can't speak for the other troops but ours was VERY heavy on the "adult guided, scout led". It's less "looking for nefarious intent" and more "what example do you want your kid hanging out with".
I'm curious to any answers to the question posed in the OP.
There's a meeting at the school on Friday to get information. The plan as of now is that I'm going to "go out to pick up dinner for everyone" and stop in there on the way to see what's the haps.
My stepson was briefly involved in Cub Scouts but that's been almost 10 years ago. The repeating theme in the posts here about the pack/adults involved making all the difference really reminded me of what a shit-show his pack was. Of course, you also get what you put in to it and at that time (and probably now too) I wasn't willing to get involved with "upper management" of the pack.
As I mentioned to my wife last night re: this, a week ago I'd have been all "cub scouts are for boys, and the politics of the organization are changing in ways I don't like, and we're atheists anyway so they won't let us in and what the hell kind of organization lets trannies in but no atheists, and, and, and..."
But then my little blonde-headed 8 year old girl who never really asks for anything (other than to spend time with us, and to have a snack) went rushing into the kitchen to get the flyer when I asked her about it and all that indignation went out the window.
So now I'll sneak in to the information meeting I guess and see what I see in the other parents. Our area is a mixed bag of everything from neck-beards all the way to millionaires (although most of the latter don't attend our public school) so the demographic of the group could be all over the place.
Potential Mild Drift-Apologies in Advance
Executive Summary-it is a wonderful opportunity for your daughter and you should fully support her involvement.
1. Great on your for listening to your daughter re an interest of hers and getting another opportunity to make memories with her.
2. My daughter was a Girl Scout who earned her Gold Award (equals or exceeds Eagle Award in terms of scope, time spent etc.) They camped out a bit but that was not the focus.
3. GS, IMHO is very leadership driven. If you have a mom who the Leader and is all in, particularly when her daughter(s) are involved, it tends to go well. If not, not so much. Because Boy Scouts Troops tends to have deeper leadership pools, who is THE leader is not quite as important.
A. My son went cubs thru Eagle. 7 years at Scout Camp, Seabase, Philmont. I went on most camp outs with the Troop, spent time at Summer Camp and did the two listed trips with him. We made great memories and nobody can take care of my son better than me.
B. Our pack does not have girls at present. the Packs that do tend to have co-ed packs but single sex dens. Those seem to be working well.
C. Girls who have joined Scouting from my area this year went to Scout Camp (Camp Bartle-Osceola MO) for the first time. They, 300+ girls, had the entire camp to themselves. A wonderful time was had by all.
The Program Director was a 22 yr rising senior in college. He is a big teddy bear of a young man and was perfect for the job. He joined Scouting at 15ish, still made it to Eagle.
My concern for boys re girls in Scouting is that:
i. It is only a matter of time before the activities become co-ed as they get older given the finite of time, talent and treasure that most Troop have to give to Scouts.
ii. I know my son would not have taken the number or level of social or physical "chances" he did while Scouting if had to do so in front of similarly aged girls.
iii. Because , IMHO, the average girl has far superior planning, leadership and executive functioning than boys of her same age, in a co-ed Scouting setting, they will assume a disproportionate amount of the leadership opportunities previously occupied by the more reserved boys in the Troop.
In short, I think the expansion of Scouting to include girls is a great thing for girls. I am much less sure if it is a great thing for many boys (particularly that many boys who gravitate toward Scouting are not necessarily or initially
as leadership oriented as their female contemporaries or the smaller more "alpha" subset of boys.)
Re the Panache of Being an Eagle Scout:
Every Eagle Scout I know ( I am not one) who has put it on the resume has had it come up positively in an interview. Many believe that being an Eagle Scout played a big part in them getting a particular job.
Every Eagle Scout I know who hires will interview every Eagle Scout who applies even if they may not be qualified on paper. The have made exceptions and hired that person all other things being equal or made efforts in guiding that Eagle to another job opening within the organization.
Blessings to you and yours.
Yes, those are the rules. A co-ed pack still has to have separate dens for boys and girls.
Dens for girls must have female adult leaders.
well sounds like that may be perfect for us/me then as I would be prevented from getting overly involved in something I don't currently have the time to get overly involved in!
I'm actually looking forward to the informational meeting tonight.
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