Girl Scouts: Crafts and Cookies or So Much More?

As a Girl Scout leader they ingrain in to our brain the cheesy nothing that we are “ helping girls develop the skills they need to be the leaders of tomorrow”. It sounds cheesy and totally like a grab line to get parents and leaders to sign up. I mean, that is the point isn’t it? Get more girls, they are an organization and they need both adult and girl members. Are they really more than cookies and crafts?

When I signed Bit up to be a Daisy in kindergarten I signed on to be her leader, with her health issues it was essential that I had a role in planning safe and inclusive meetings as well as be permitted at all events because she was too young to fully self advocate. I thought the program would be great for her, and a great way to make friends. There are so many other activities she can’t participate in, I was glad I found one she could. What I didn’t realize is that, that tag line…isn’t just a cheesy tag line.

This is my third year as one of the leaders of her Girl Scout troop. We have 4 of us, as we are a large troop (22 girls right now) so Bit is safe, involved and has 3 other amazing women to lean on and look up to. These other women who I lead with have become family, they have become our village. They have made it so that when Bit has a problem at scouts she doesn’t run to me, she talks to them about how to fix it. She is learning to ask for help. She is learning to navigate the world with other trusted adults and with friends, who support her when she succeeds and when she doesn’t.

Bit is a strong willed girl, so speaking up for herself has never been an issue. She is not shy most of the time, she doesn’t need that type of empowerment. However, the other girls in her troop, they may only be 7 & 8, but I have seen their self confidence, their public speaking, their ability to express themselves all blossom. That cheesy tag line about learning skills to become leaders, well girls need to be able to be confident, and speak to strangers (safely), and express themselves well. These girls, these other 21 girls, have started learning those skills. How? Cookies. Honestly. Girl Scout cookies are so much more than just cookies. That $4/5/6 a box (depending on where you live) isn’t about the box of cookies you just bought. You fail to see that the little girl you just bought from is super shy…