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Sarah M
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| Posted: Jan 17 2008 at 6:36pm | IP Logged
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I need some advice. My oldest daughter (age 6) is interested in joining Girl Scouts like some of her friends. I'm wondering if any of you have experience with this--or Little Flowers--or Earth Scouts? Do you recommend one over another? Is she too young for this? My gut instinct is that she's too little, but then I see all her friends joining them (I know, I know- peer pressure), and I don't know.
Any thoughts?? I'd appreciate it!
Sarah
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folklaur
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When my oldest was little, she was in Girl Scouts - before I knew about the links to things like Planned Parenthood, etc. I was a leader, and it was run through my parish. She had a fun time.
Once we learned about some of the deeper issues, etc, we pulled out. We had an American Heritage Girls group for awhile, also, which was really wonderful.
Now, my son is in Boy Scouts, and it is TOTALLY different from Girl Scouts. Amercan Heritage Girls is set up much more like Boy Scouts.
Currently, we have a "homeschool group grown" club - the Sacred Heart Boys and Girls Club. (The boys and girls meet seperately, and we have like 10 different little groups of 10-15 kids, each named after a saint. (My son is the St Sebastian Group, my youngest dd5 is in the St Therese group. They LOVE going. It is the thing they talk about missing the most when we move. They meet 2 times a month for 1 1/2 hours, and the program is very loosely based on the Protestant Contenders of the Faith program, as they have the best pins/medals  .
While I really, really LOVE the Little Flowers materials (and the Blue Knights, also!) my kids already have so much Religious instruction - and the two moms who started the Sacred Heart Club so long ago just wanted some fun interaction for their girls. While the meeting are still infused with our Catholic Faith, they get to do activities like Cake Decorating, earn Friendship pins, and work on 1 virtue for the year. (For my youngest it is "patience" this year. She has a patience journal that she recored times when she is patience between meetings.  ). She is only five, but she really, really thrives meeting with other girls close in age in this way - her group is ages 5 - 7 -- they all have a few year age range so it isn't completely age segragated.
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folklaur
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Oh, how I wish we had spell check in the reply box  !
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Sarah M
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| Posted: Jan 17 2008 at 9:14pm | IP Logged
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Thank you, Laura- that is very helpful. I'm afraid I don't know much about the "deeper issues" of the girl scouts- I gather they are affiliated with planned parenthood? I need to research that, I think.
I'm going to look into American Heritage Girls. Thanks for your input!
Sarah
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Jenn Sal
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My daughter will begin her third year in Little Flowers next month. She loves it and so do I! The age range in her group when they started was 4-6. My daughter was the 4yo and it's reccomended that 5 is the starting age. I would agree 5 or 6 to be the starting age.
Little Flowers is based on virtues. The meetings have no particular set up. We have the meetings at each others homes, where we open with prayer, have the girls say something that they did to earn their patch, then learn about the new virtue, have a craft and snack. We have become more creative over time. We try to have the flower of the new virtue at the meeting, decorate the table with the color of the virtue, ect....
At the end of the year, we have a Tea Party. It is wonderful!
I can't express what a gift it has been for our family! Every month we all have a virtue to focus on. There's a memory verse, reading from the CCC, and other creative questions to answer throughout the month.
If you can get your hands on a Leaders Manual or Member's Guide, that should help you with your decision.
I would suggest to keep the group under 10 girls.
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Jennifer, Texas
Wife to Mark, Mom to Cora 13,Kade 10, Sarah in Heaven 12/05, Colette 7, Corin 5, & Kieran 2
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stacykay
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I used to be a girl scout, but just the brownie and junior girl scout level. I loved it so much, and I still have my handbooks (the orange brownie one and the blue junior girl scout one.) I had such fond memories, that when shopping the scout section for my boys, I picked up the new junior girl scout handbook to see if it was much different. Ugh! It was. There was a scenario (and I do think this was the jr. book,) of what to do if someone young became pregnant. I think it said to tell an adult, if my feeble memory is correct. I have also heard about the links to the PP folks and such.
Since the boy and girl scouting organizations are two different entities, we have no problem with our boys. But if I had a girl, I would definitely join the Little Flowers (or some such group.)
And, yes, I feel guilty about still buying the gs cookies.  I don't know how much money goes to the organization and how much goes to the church the girls are from.
As far as too young, all I recall about brownies was doing some neat crafts once a week after school. We also made crafts for nursing homes and sang there on occasion. That would be ok for 6yodd, right? (I feel very out of my realm discussing girly things.) Maybe it could be a weekly or biweekly craft date for a group of girls instead of the more formal group?
I pray you find a great group for your dd.
God Bless,
Stacy in MI
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8kids4me
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My girls did Little Flowers for a year and really enjoyed it, then the group switched over to K4J(Kids 4 Jesus) and it wasn't the same. I'm thinking of doing Little Flowers on our own now.
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guitarnan
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For info, the troop keeps about 50 cents per box. I don't know how much anyone else gets, but I don't think the sponsoring organization gets anything.
50 cents seems small, but it adds up and enables the girls to do some activities that otherwise they might not be able to afford, like an end-of-year skating or pool party.
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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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sailormom
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My girls have both been Girl Scouts since they were Daisies (kindergarten), with me as their leader. I wish now that I'd had an alternative like Little Flowers.
The longer I've been a part of GS, the more uncomfortable I've become with them. After going through leader training for the older girl program (used to be called "cadets" and "seniors"), and feeling like the only sane person in the room, I decided that I could no longer be a part of the organization. I quit as a leader and pulled my girls out.
While I think a child could certainly get a lot out of the younger girl programs with a good leader, I'd really recommend seeking an alternative if you have one, or at least keeping in mind that you probably won't want your daughter to continue in GS past Juniors.
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Sarah M
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Thank you thank you thank you for all your advice! I am going to look into Little Flowers and American Heritage Girls, and see what I like best. I had thought I had heard some negative things about Girl Scouts before, but I couldn't remember exactly what it was. I so appreciate all your thoughts. These posts are all the confirmation I need to find a Little Flowers or American Heritage Girls group or to start my own.
You ladies are the best!!! 
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Angi
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Ok since the twins are currently limiting my computer time, could some please point me in the right direction regarding Girl Scouts? I am leader of my oldest's Daisy troop, and want to make sure that continuing is what is best for us. We did not enjoy our Little Flowers group last year.
Also, regarding the cookies - each girl reecives 20 cents per box sold (in a gift card to the girl scout store) and each troop receives 50 cents per box (at least around here) cash.
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folklaur
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Here are some links.
I know that as my daughter started on the junior level, I felt really uncomfortable with the materials, etc. I can relate to that "only sane one in the room" feeling that someone else mentioned.
This was just a quick Google. I am sure there are many more, with more info.
Jimmy Akin's Blog
and a Right to Life Site: here
A secular article:
here
Concerned Women for America:
here
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guitarnan
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We're part of a homeschool Junior/Brownie troop. We definitely keep a Christian/Catholic perspective on the whole thing...but it's true, the program for the older girls keeps changing and I'm less happy each time it changes. We'll probably stick with this troop as long as it lasts...or until we move...and then, ???
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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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Kristen in TN
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I haven't read all the posts yet. That being said, I am a lifetime member of Girl Scouts. Several years ago our priest announced that they were honoring a woman who was well known in the planned parenthood arena. I rembemeber thinking "I want my money back." When I was a leader, about 6 years ago, we got to keep 35 cents a box for the cookies. It was awful. The boys scouts could rake up tons of money on popcorn sales, Christmas tree sales and the like. In order for us to do anything, we had to stand out in the freezing cold and have bakesales that brought in very little money. We were very limited on what fund raisers we could do and what time of the year we could have them. They could not interfere with the cookie sales, the other sale run by Girl Scouts, or the United Way campaign. After being a leader for many years (and going all through Seniors myself) I was utterly discouraged and disquisted with the whole thing. As I got older and had more children it also occured to me that Girl Scouts does not promote any traditional woman's roles. While career stuff may be important, motherhood and all that goes along with it had no place there anymore.
Now, I hope I don't sound too bitter. My girls will never be Girl Scouts.
I have been wanting to start a Little Flowers group, but it looks like it is all going to fall on my. Last year when it traditionally starts I had lots of health problems that kept me from doing it. Now that it is past half of January, I am actually feeling guilty about not doing it.
God bless,
Kristen in TN
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ann@home
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First I want to say that each troop/girl experience will be very different because it's volunteer run. Some troops will be very active and others not very much. Some will focus on things that leader likes such as crafts or camping, which may not be in line with what each girl is interested. It's often a majority rule type of thing so it's hard to meet everyone's needs.
I wish there was more "quality control" over the troops as far as what kind of experience a girl gets. That's why there is training for leaders. But it still boils down to volunteer time and energy-some are wonderful and some just don't have the time to invest.
I am also a lifetime Girl Scout and fully support the program. While I know the program has changed a little since I was a girl the basic program is the same.
I can state for a fact that Girl Scouts has no official affiliation with Planned Parenthood. I worked for GS for 8 yrs and had to know these issues backwards and forwards. The do not take a stand on being pro-life or pro-choice specifically so all people can feel welcome.
However, Each troop or council is free to use community services to meet their needs for certain programs. Some councils or troops may use PP, or a pro-life group for that matter, for a certain program they offer. However, whenever this is done all parents must be informed for consent and they can choose not to do it. Councils usually try to avoid these things just because of the controversy and different views.
Councils do seek out active professional women in the community to be on their boards and committees and these women may well be involved in a variety of groups such as PP or a church for example. They are not looking at the women's job per se, they are looking at her talents and networking in many cases.
Girl Scouts is not a "Christian" organization, they welcome girls from all faiths. They did NOT take "God" out of the promise, but encourage girls of other faiths to insert their spiritual diety if that is their choice.
It's a great program IMO but does not meet everyone's needs.
Just wanted to clarify a few points so the OP can make an informed decision.
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Becky Parker
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We do Little Flowers here and we really love it. Actually, once a month our entire homeschool group meets in our Parish Hall. The older kids go with 2 moms to do volunteer work, the young boys go with another mom and I to do Blue Knights and the young girls do Little Flowers with 2 other moms. We even made a little group called "Our Ladies Blossoms" for the little girls younger than 5. It's great fun. We all have snack together after each of the meetings took place. Then the kids have some time to play all together. It's a big deal to plan, but it's only once a month and since all the moms help, it's not too bad.
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SeaStar
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Bumping this thread up. I have been researching different activities for my dd, and I found this information to be very helpful.
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
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jillian
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The PP stuff makes me concerned. We were thinking about GS for dd when she turned 5 but perhaps not..
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SeaStar
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jillian wrote:
| The PP stuff makes me concerned. We were thinking about GS for dd when she turned 5 but perhaps not.. |
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I was aso thinking of GS for my dd, but the linked articles have given me serious pause. The American Heritage Girls organization is a good alternative.
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
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JodieLyn
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Oh yes I'm getting my girls involved in American Heritage Girls. We like the Boy Scouts for the boys and I was just tipped off to this the other week..
AHG and BSA sign memorandum of mutal support
Read the actual memorandum that's linked on that site too. 
It's definately brought AHG to the forefront as an alternative for the girls here in our house.
It's not as fun as a troop, but there is an option for doing AHG without a troop if there's not one nearby. But other families can also do the individual program and you can get together to do things without having to start a troop. Starting a troop yourself is great but it's a lot of work to start one yourself. Some can, but some can't and it's nice to have options there.
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4Real Forums : Living Learning
Topic: Little Flowers or Girl Scouts?
