A really dumb Girl Scout Badge...

This must be a very new badge or I miss it a couple of years ago..I can't believe they would promote something like that and surprised that someone is not complaining..Unfortunately you said her leader is not much of a leader, maybe that is how it got into the book, too many leaders like that..

After a long day of cookie sales they needed a badge the girls could actually get. The local groups have completely wimped out. My oldest daughter was taught how to build a fire using gumdrops & pretzel sticks. How the heck do you learn how to build a fire using candy? I took her on a campout the next week & she was completely clueless. I took over ensuring she got her camping skills, she ended up being the one teaching the other girls in her troop when the leaders couldn't. When the council has become nothing but a cookie pushing franchise what do you expect to see?

Thats a real badge? What is up with that? When I was in scouts all the badges were for things like hiking, volunteering etc. I find that badge to be an insult to scouting and all that I thought it stood for.

That sounds crazy to me. It seems like they would want to teach them "good" things like you said. I don't think sitting on a couch for 2 hours straight watching tv is good for a child. I would like to know why they say they want them to earn that kind of badge.

I couldn't find that badge on the official website - http://www.girlscouts.org/program/gs_central/insignia/list/ so I'd be suspicious of the list your were given.

unbelievable, nothing like helping the kids strive to better themselves - this is so shallow an assignment, and lazy. I think it should be removed. truly it is borderline offensive, if it was not so ridiculous.

Um. that is strange.. Is that like the girl scout book for all girl scouts or just her groups? I never did taht sort of thing when i was a girl, i was in brownies for a few meetings, but i found the girls there were prissy, Anyways i quit. I didn't enjoy it. The couch potato badge however seems like something i could handle but as far as promoting leadership and good health, i have NO IDEA why they would think up that badge!

I guess they had to come up with a badge for the girls who are totally unmotivated and unwilling to participate in any activity that requires physical or mental exertion. Welcome to the new politically correct Girl Scouts! Annie

Now, that is an easy badge to earn. Why didn't they have that kind of badge when I was in Girl Scouts? Kidding. I never earned very many badges in girl scouts. I have them around the house somewhere. We had to actually EARN a badge back then.

You have GOT to be kidding me. Really? When I get my little girl (and she gets old enough of course) I'm going to enroll her in the Future Farmers of America. Believe it or not, the daughter I have already raised learned a lot in the program and watching TV was not one of the things on the list.

I had a bad experience with the girl scouts myself. I went to earn badges. Sell cookies whatever. But our scout leader almost without exception gave the accolades to her daughter. Yes, this seem like a pretty silly badge to earn for the sash. However, try to look at it from a different point of view. Look at it as the "OBSERVING BADGE". How observant can each girl be. I don't know. Trying to put a positive spin on a bad badge. Kinda like putting perfume on the garbage. Guess it doesn't work.

My daughter wants to join the Girl Scouts. But I haven't let her because I didn't think that this town got really involved in the activities, cause I don't see or hear anyone doing much with them. The only time I see the girls is when its time to sell Girl Scout cookies. Now I hear theres a "couch potato badge". that doesn't impress me much. My daughter loves the outdoors and I want her to do things and learn things about the outdoors. I thought Girl Scouts was suppose to do that. Wow what has society come too?

Well, I am a troop leader and I have never heard of that badge. Is it part of a requirement for a badge? I see how it could get worked into media and how media portrays girls. From there decide is the media protrays them in a positive or negative way. Maybe it's a way to show girls that they do not have to be so influenced by tv. I have never heard of an official Girl Scout badge that has only one requirement to earn the badge. Even in the lower grades they have to do at least four activities.

Is that a cadette or junior badge? I know I have seen it in one of the books but never really thought about it much.

You are kidding me...I can understand current events and reporting on them. But fashion and commercials. Girl scouts has really changed since I was in them.

I don't really see what it is teaching them. I was a Girl Scout and for the most part all of the badges deal with teaching you something. I don't know why they'd have a badge for this anyways since there are alot of kids, girls and boys both, that sit in front of the TV too much as it is. **AT PEACE WITHIN** ~~STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS~~

Well I guess it's one badge every girl could earn. I know my step daughter got a birthday badge last year. When my daughter was in scouts you really had to earn badges. I hope your daughter picked a different badge to work on.

That is the dumbest badge I have ever heard of. You hear in the news all the time the complaints that are kids are becoming to obese and need to get up and exercise yet the girl scouts are encouraging letting the child sit in front of the tv for 2 hours come on people.

EEEkkkk this is horrendous, teaching a kid to do this by giving them a badge. I bet this badge was made up when TV was relatively new or that there were interesting/intelligent programmes on them?!?!? Liek you, I can't believe an organisation such as this would promote watching tv. Sounds like your daughter also needs a better leader! I certainly wouldn't consider this to be an activity that should be promoted.

Couch Potato Badge Required: How much of a couch potato are you? Evaluate how much of your life is spent in front of the TV by keeping a log for one week. At the end of the week calculate what percentage of your life is spent watching TV. Come up with a list of five other things you could do instead and try them for one week. Continue keeping a log of your TV watxhing and also record how you feel at the end of each day. At the end of the second week re-calulate your TV watching percentage, review the log, and evaulate how you feel. Do you feel better, healthier, happier? The badge has other requirements that help the girls learn healthy TV watching habits, about jobs involved with TV, commericals and the effect they have on people, etc. I came across this looking up info for my troop for turn off TV week. I had never heard of this badge, but wanted to clarify the reason for the badge. While it may not have the best name, it is not a badge for watching TV only. It's more of a way to shoe the girls what impact TV can have on them.