Girl & Boy Scouts
By uath13
@uath13 (8192)
United States
August 31, 2007 7:21am CST
Have the Girl & Boy Scouts wimped out in your area?
I have to say that in mine they have. The girlscouts have become comercialized. They spend 90% of their time doing cookie sales just to earn money to go to an amusement park or some other lame event. It would be far easier & less hastle for the parents to get together & all go as a group instead of selling all those cookies. What happened to camping out, learning crafts & skills? Those things are gone from most of the local troops leaving only COOKIES.
For example on a campout my oldest daughters troop went on they staid in a cabin ( twice the size of my home ) with a spa in it. The girls earned their firemaking badge by building gumdrop & pretzel stick fires. GUMDROP & PRETZEL STICK FIRES!? Was that effective? NO! The next weekend my family went camping & I told katie to build the fire & she had no idea what to do. After seeing & hearing about this I sped up her outdoor training. By the next girlscout campout she was the one showing the girls what to do, how to build a proper fire & cook on it, set up tents , identify plants & such. The leaders ended up as useless chaparones.
From what I understand the boy scouts are headed down the same path. Presently a friend of mine has had to take over the event organization because the council is useless. This is the same person who just a few years ago went on her first campout with my reinactment group. I took pity on her when I saw her trying to light a LOG with a lighter. I ended up setting their families campsite up for them. Not to be mean to my friend, she's a great person, but her outdoor skills have much to be desired. Yet this is the best they've got?
Well that my rather long rant. What are your feelings? Is it the same way in your area? Have any stories to tell?
7 people like this
16 responses
@ketssom (42)
• United States
21 Oct 07
unfortantualy it seams im most areas you are right in the fact that basic skills are disappearing, they young are losing more than they can even comprehend, most just think thinks will always be easy & gotten from a store etc.
i wish i had learned myself so i could pass on. if those who know how not show others then truely it will be a lose most dear.
my hope is that those who do know try to pss on the skills
@vicki2876 (5636)
• Canada
16 Nov 07
I am very disappointed that they don't have any scouts here in my area anymore. I have an 8 year old who would love to be in it but there isn't one around. My daughter was in the girl scouts but again it was so much focus on fundraising and little time actually doing anything else. Most her badges came from us independently doing projects and not from the actually group. Considering the fees and outfits, cookie drive, meals on wheels, etc. I would think there would be more things they would offer them to do. Big let down here too.
@vicki2876 (5636)
• Canada
16 Nov 07
I know what you mean. My sister was in it too and first off the cookies were a $1.00 per package but now they are $5.00 and half the size. My sister did it one day for the year. But my daughter had to do it three times and she had to sell till all her boxes were gone. WHAT??? That wasn't easy at $5.00 a box. Two my sister went on field trips to museums, parks, and lakes. My daughter didn't do any of that. Just work for the next fundraiser. Bunch of garbage!
@4monsters4me (2569)
• United States
18 Dec 07
My daughter was in Brownies last year and they only did cookie sales in January and part of February. All they did with the money they earned was have a pizza party. She decided not to do it this year (sadly).
My son won't be in Boy Scouts because they don't allow atheists so I have no clue what they do. According the Boy Scouts my son isn't good enough for their group because he doesn't believe in a god. They say atheists can't be good, productive citizens.
@4monsters4me (2569)
• United States
19 Dec 07
He hasn't actually tried to join yet because you have to be in 1st grade and he is in Kindergarten this year but I looked into it and to sign up you have to sign a paper affirming that you believe in a god (not their god--just any god) and that you will do your best to serve said god and be a good little religious boy.
I have talked to other atheists that refuse to let their children compromise their beliefs and when they informed the people at the sign up they were atheist they were told to they couldn't join or to not even try. I looked it up on their website and they pretty much say that they believe one must believe in a higher power to be a good, productive member of society.
They do not allow atheist, agnostics or gays in the Boys Scouts. That is here in the US. Other countries don't have these restrictions. The Girl Scouts allow anyone and you don't have to believe in a god. We were told we could omit the mention of god in the pledge and oath if we so chose.
I never made it an issue with my daughter but my son is 6 and says he doesn't believe in god and he shouldn't have to lie just to be part of a group that doesn't accept every child and says people like me aren't good enough. I don't want him to be part of that anyway.
Me and my friend thought about creating "Heathen Scouts" for our kids (she is agnostic) so they could have something to do. We'd do all the same things scouting groups do but there would never be a religious undertone and anyone could join.
@emeraldisle (13139)
• United States
19 Mar 08
I'd like to say I'm surprised but I'm not. Back when I was in the girl scouts I quit because all we were learning was basic craft skills, nothing like what my brothers learned in the Boy Scouts. My one brother was actually an Eagle Scout back in the 70's at the age of 14 so I knew what all they did. I was very disappointed in girl scouts. My niece participated in the scouts as well but again they didn't learn anything. All they did was some crafts and sold cookies. When they did go camping they weren't learning much about the skills needed.
The only plus I can say for the girl scouts over the boy scouts in my area is that they do sell the cookies. Around here the boy scouts stand outside stores just asking for money. They don't work for it at all.
@emeraldisle (13139)
• United States
20 Mar 08
It's very sad really. They used to do a lot of good for boys and girls but now...it's just a waste all around in my opinion. They could be doing so much more and they aren't. It's a shame that they have gone down hill this much.
@bicklelady (1404)
• United States
10 Dec 07
I have a son that is 20. When he was in the scouts, I was the den leader. We made it fun. We made getting the badges exciting. I live in a small town and there is not much to do around here for the town youth. Now I never here about any scouts. Thats to bad!
@bicklelady (1404)
• United States
11 Dec 07
yea, it seems like all the good things that was fun as a kid is about gone. All most kids want to do now is stay on the computer or one of those games. Including my own.
@eanna13 (133)
• United States
20 Mar 08
Uath, you keep saying that you wish their wa a group who went out and did stuff with the children, tought them basic nature laws and such. There is it's called Spiral Scouts. they are groups through out the US. the closest to us tho is in Nashville, but I think that group dispursed not sure.
@uath13 (8192)
• United States
20 Mar 08
Unfortunantly location would be a big problem with that. There's no way to get to the meetings if they're an hour away. There'd be now way to get the munchkin back home to be in bed at a decent hour.
If you hear about one nearby I'd be happy to look into it.
1 person likes this
@rogue13xmen13 (14403)
• United States
1 Sep 07
They are, but they are dying in general, too expensive and people cannot afford to put their children in scouts.
@rogue13xmen13 (14403)
• United States
1 Sep 07
I do not know, all I know is that it is expensive and that is why many people are not in it. My brother and I were both in scouts, and it was great fun for us, and it did not cost my mom much money at all, but now, my mother is a scout accountant for Troop 102, and she has told me that things for the scouts have gotten very pricy.
@thepromptwriter (474)
• United States
31 Aug 07
As the scoutmaster of my son's troop, I try to make sure that my boys actually do the requirements in order to earn their badges. It isn't easy, being a female leader, but I'd never forgive myself if they were to earn badges without doing what they needed to do.
My daughter was in girl scouts for a while, but decided to quit because, in her words, "If I wanted to sit around and make macaroni art, I'd do it at home". The girl scouts in my little town never do any campouts, field trips, or anything else for that matter. Like yours, it's all based around the annual cookie sales. My boy scouts do our annual popcorn sales, but that's only part of it.
I make my boys come up with other ideas for fund raisers, we work extensively with our community, and do our week long camp out every summer. My biggest problem with Scouting right now is lack of adult volunteers. It's getting to the point where parents simply dropped their boys off and leave. They don't seem to care as to what we're doing during our meetings, so as long as they can get rid of their sons for an hour a week.
My son is about a year away from making Eagle Scout, and once he's done, so am I. I'd like to continue, but it's just becoming to much of a headache.
Ok, now I'm done ranting too. LOL
@uath13 (8192)
• United States
31 Aug 07
Its great that you stepped up & took that job & have been trying to keep things going well. Unfortunantly with my oldest daughters troop I was never given the option ( she lives with her mom & their troop is in another town ). For my youngest daughter my wife was the assistant scout leader. I was pleased that we could try to give my youngest a better experience. Personally I liked being involved. Unfortunantly the council kept things so tied up with the cookie sales & other parents caused so many problems the troop eventually failed. Fortunantly the local boy scouts haven't gotten AS bad but their quickly heading that way with coupon ,popcorn , magazine & christmas wrap sales ( its a good thing they can't do cookies ).
I hope there's another parent willing to step up and keep things rolling in your area when you leave.
1 person likes this
@cutepenguin (6431)
• Canada
31 Aug 07
Not really. While there are a lot of arts and crafts, especially in the younger groups, the older kids do a lot of actually useful stuff.
Of course, around here, they don't do a lot of fire building until the kids are older, because there is such a risk of forest fires in the summer. They also learn a lot of outdoors skills in school.
Of course, it also depends on which type of scouts you are in. Some focus on boating and sailing skills, some focus on outdoors skills and orienteering, etc.
@brokentia (10389)
• United States
17 Dec 07
OMG!!! LOL Let me and my sister finish laughing before I can even respond to this! LMAO
Gumdrops and Pretzel sticks!!!! hahahahahahahahaha
That was good! I needed a good laugh! Thanks!
I could not agree with you more! They have become whimps!
They can't play with fire because someone might get burned.
But then again, when I was growing up, if we got burned that meant we learned what NOT to do!
Our poor kids are going to be wimps and when we get older, they are going to try to imply that we are the weak? Sorry...but at this rate, we will still be stronger.
Thanks for the great laugh!
I am glad to read that you did teach your daughter the proper way to build a fire. :)
@beyonce03 (2331)
• Canada
31 Aug 07
I'm sp happy that it,s not like that around. Of course they will sell calandar abd chocolate and others things, but not that much. And the money is really use for the camp. They really learn things in the wood. Some of them go winter camping and have to built some kinda igloo (well it's not an igloo, almost lol)
I can't understand why some scout are so much commercialized now and I'M so happy that it's not like that here.
@peanutjar (5198)
• Canada
16 Nov 07
Hi uath13.Nope,there are no boy&girl scouts here in our area at all,as a matter of fact i dont think they exist anymore around here,but they have cadets in another town about an hour away thats for boys.The only cookies around here are the ones i make,hahaha!
Peanutjar:)
@violeta_va (4831)
• Australia
17 Nov 07
Both my nephews are scouts and they have never ever had to sell things. All the places they go are scout related. Museums, pool (to practice swiming and drowning and saving). They go camping every month (I would say probably cose to every 3 weeks) my older nephey is a leadter and really enjoys it. The younger one was mummys boy and that is the reason my sister took him to the scouts he loves it now and you can say he is a new boy). I cant wait for my son to be old enough to join them.
@shanarenea (26)
• United States
18 Jan 09
I agree. I went through Girl Scouts the whole way up and I loved every minute of it. I got to do so many more things because of it.
I have recently decided to Volunteer again, because I have boys and not girls.
I helped at our Day Camp this past summer. Luckily the other women helping with the unit is one of my best friends.
The differences between now and when i was in are many.
They don't cook out anymore, they have a cook that does it all.
They don't get badges anymore. I know that was one of the many reasons for Day Camp when I was in.
They don't learn things about their environment.
I worked with girls that would be going into 7th grade, most had been in Scouts for over a year and none of them knew what Poison Ivy looked like, or how to build a fire. They forgot about their bug spray, and we were in the woods. They were too worried about not getting dirty to want to do anything fun.
Thankfully by the end of the week a few of the girls told us how much they actually learned and wanted to be in our group again next year.
@sunshinecup (7871)
•
31 Aug 07
Wow here they spend time fund raising and asking parents for money and less time doing anything with the girls. In fact the last troop I checked out, they had not gone on any field trips but were earning badges from the troop leaders back yard. I just wiped them off as a scam and hubby and me are working with our girls and their friends with various activities that scouts do. There is a load of resources on the net, so the ideas are endless. That and my girls aren't selling anything to participate in this stuff.
