Girl Scout Cookies

You all know the Dog Walker is/was an amazing scout! And now that he is 18, he is old enough to be a scout leader. So a couple of weeks ago he was asked to be the Assistant Cubmaster which works perfectly since my sweetie is the Cubmaster. Today he spent over an hour doing online training so he can learn about his new position.

Scouts is very important to us. I love the way it helps me teach my children the kinds of skills they need to be productive adults. That said, there are some things about Scouting that drive me crazy! Like the fact that I only plan half my calendar at the beginning of the Scout year and then in January I’m forced to do it all over again.

Since I’ve been a Girl Scout leader for 18 years, this normally isn’t that big of a deal. I know the badges inside and out and I even remember most of the requirements. The problem is that the Girl Scouts made a clean sweep of their program on every level a few months ago and I feel like a brand new leader again. I have NO IDEA what I’m doing!

I’m not sure why the Girl Scouts feel the need to revamp their program every few years. Scout is my 7th daughter to be a scout and from the time Bossy started until now, we have been through 4 different versions of the Brownie Handbook. Girls haven’t changed that much in 20 years, have they? They still like to dance and do theater, make new friends and keep the old, sing silly songs, camp, hike and swim. And they LOVE to sell Girl Scout cookies! Don’t they?!

We moved into this area when Bossy was 10 years old, but we didn’t find a troop in time for her to sell cookies. So the next year, when she was 11, she set a goal to be the top-seller in our council. She didn’t quite make it; but she was in the top five. I’m remembering that she sold 1568 boxes (check the comments though, I’m sure she will correct me if I’m wrong) and it was engraved into a mug for her to keep forever and ever.

It was tough getting all the cookies delivered that year within the allotted time. I remember shelling out $400 for the cookies that had yet to find their homes and be eaten by appreciative buyers. After that we kept our total box sales to around 600 – 700 (although last year it crept up to nearly a thousand…I guess some people really NEED their Thin Mints).

The Drama Queen and Teach were not as ambitious as Bossy. Oh, they were willing, but they didn’t care about being the best. Then Princess became a scout. She hated selling cookies! She was incredibly shy and would rather have a root canal than ring the doorbell of a stranger or even a friend. She would be in tears by the time I dragged her to the car. (I think that even happened last year!) Crafty isn’t much better and you all know that Scout doesn’t speak in public…period. (Although she is getting better.) Thank goodness Prima Donna is a natural-born salesman.

So cookie sales in Utah start on January 14. During the following 2 weeks I will be driving slowly around the neighborhoods (wasting more on gas than the girls are earning) following the girls and keeping them safe and warm. At least that’s one part of Girl Scouts that isn’t changing. And just think of all the character the girls are building…even if it is driving me crazy.