What do you think about Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts?

Question

I don't quite know about it just yet. I would like to get my cousin (5 years) involved in an activity like that but I'm not too sure. How do you feel about these organizations? Are your children involved? Do your kids do extra curicular activities? Any suggestions?

I was never in girl scouts but always wanted to be. Now that I'm an adult I realize that they do con you into buying cookies and other things but I think it is a great program. Thank you for your answers!

He does have a case of FAS--it's not the worst case out there but it is a risk. I would plan to be involved with the group as much as possible.

FAS is Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.

Answer 1

I'm 26 now, and I was a Boy Scout. I disagree with almost all of the BSA's political stances, but I'm glad I was a Boy Scout, because most of that flew right over my head. The scouts taught me a lot of lessons that I won't forget, like focus, goal-setting, setting and keeping moral standards, outdoor skills, woods safety, basic survival skills, leadership skills....the Scouts shaped me into the man that I'm glad I am today.

Ignore the politics, ignore the worrying about everything except what you think would be best for your cousin. If he/she wants to get involved in a group that has a long and decorated and proud history, more power to him/her.

Answer 2

I am a Girl Scout Leader and my daughter is in Girl Scouts. We have never forced anyone into buying or selling cookies. Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts are a non-profit org and the number one way they raise money is buy selling the cookies or popcorn. The money that is raised in the events are split up between the Troop, the org itself and the producers of the cookies/popcorn. The troop takes this money to spend on the scouts in many differ net ways. Scouting is a great program for some. It gives kids and opportunity to experience many different things. We as Girl Scouts try to teach the girls to be strong and indepenat women. Any extra circumliaum activity is great for kids My daughter along with scouts is also in several of activities ans as a compression Scouting is generally a once a week meeting and maybe an outing on a weekend or two The cost is a yearly registration of $10.00 and than your troop dues which are usually $1 so at the most you have spent 62.00 a year where as Soccer for example in my area last about 10 weeks and I spend 60.00 to registrar/ per year than buy shoes for another 30.00 and shorts , socks etc... I want to add that Girl Scouts DO go camping it has always been a hugh part of the Girl Scouts

Answer 3

I am a girl scout leader and i think it is a great program. I got involved when my daughter's troop found them selves leader less. It teaches the girls some very good life skills. we learn leadership and self confidence the value of being a good friend and about diversity. I imagine the boy scouts are the same. I would highly reccommend these organizations to anyone and everyone. Also we don't just con people into buying cookies. we are a charitable foundation which means that we depend on the fundraising and donations to keep the programs going. In our area about 80% of the money raised stays with in our council to supoort the troops and everything it takes to have an organiztion this large. Just remember that the next time you buy a box of cookies or popcorn you are helping to develop tomorrows leaders today. Also in Girl Scouts we do alot more than the domestic estuff. Actually my girls have only cooked or sewn when they want to. They pick their activities. Last spring I took my 12 girls ages 5-8 camping for a weekend and we learned how to build a fire with only matches and sticks, no propellant, we cooked on the fire, learned how to safely handle pocket knives and other survivial mode stuff.

Answer 4

Scouting offers a lot of different activities that you just cannot do anywhere else. As a young boy your cousin would enter the program as a tiger cub & advance every year from there. The boys learn not only how to get along with others & work together, they also learn self reliance. This program is great for self esteem as well . Every single boy advances in the ranks regardless of race, religion, or disability. Our pack has several kids with ADHD & these boys seem to thrive in this environment. Our son has been a scout for 5 yrs & is excited about working toward his next rank. Something else to consider is that the highest rank a Boy Scout can achieve is the Eagle rank. This rank always makes a huge imression on college & employment applications.

Answer 5

Boy Scouts and lady Scouts are completely distinctive businesses - distinctive shape, distinctive guidelines (as an occasion, Boy Scouts bans gays and lady Scouts are inclusive). distinctive investment, too. From my observations as a lady Scout chief, the binds are loose, even tenuous. on the different hand, we the two have faith in doing solid deeds, being arranged, and assisting our little ones (no longer purely our start little ones, yet all we are able to attain) be the final they are able to be. So we share some widely used uncomplicated goals. In our section, lady Scouts and Boy Scouts come at the same time as 2 communities on initiatives - i've got participated in carrier initiatives with Boy Scouts, and that they've enable us to apply their camps. yet no longer something extra suitable than that, whether there are a number of mothers and fathers in touch with *the two* businesses.

Answer 6

Girl Scouts is a great program. It gives girls opportunities to do things they would never have the chance to do in other organizations.

Boy Scouts and Girl Scout programs are very different than one another. Boys can't actually join scouts until 1st grade. It is also a good program.

There are plenty of places that you can do research on the internet to see if you think these programs would be right for you.

The best part of these programs are that they are designed to be inclusive - if your cousin has FAS, it might be ideal for him. It will give him an opportunity to try new things and learn in a safe and supportive environment.

Answer 7

good question! i was a girl scout from brownie to cadet. we did alot of fun things, i learned alot of skills and made some great memories. those are the UP sides. on the other hand, i remember my mom being upset about the division of the funds...most of it going to administrative. you know how they show a circle divided into pie slices showing how much money goes to what? well, the administrative portion was way bigger than any other. also, one of our leaders when we were older was a married couple and the husband did not like it that we put up blanket dividers while camping so we could have privacy from him while dressing and he tore them down. not cool. no problems w/leaders before that one. they all were great. my daughter was a girl scout for one season or maybe just a matter of weeks or months. her leader did not do much of anything about girl scouting and it was not worth going. alot has to do w/the leaders and that includes them helping teach the kids how to get along and respect others. i dont know what FAS is, so i cant comment on that. one big thing i have to say is, that if you do not feel comfortable for any reason w/the leaders or whats going on, GET OUT. u can try joining another if you want to. best of luck to you and your cousin!

Answer 8

I think they are great programs. Two of my girls were in them for a couple years. I was also an ast. troop leader one year and I learned something that I didn't know.....they are bad about discriminating! At the beginning of the school year, they will send forms home to all elementary school girls to join the brownie girl scouts. Once those forms are brought back to school, the troop leaders collect them all and go through the forms one by one. If they or any of the ast. troop leaders know the child's parents and either don't like them or think they aren't "appropriate" people, they will not assign the child to a troop. I personally watched a troop leader throw several forms into the garbage. That wasn't right. Needless to say, my daughters and I didn't stay with that very long at all. Hopefully, you don't have that problem where you live

Answer 9

my son is in cub scouts, and he enjoys it. But you do have some time to think about it because a boy has to be in the first grade before he can join scouts. He would be in the tiger cubs. They do adapt for children with special needs so I don't think there would be much problem. Especially if you are planning on being involved. Contact your local counsel at www.boyscouts.com for more information. You might want to try your local ymca or ywca. They have alot of programs for children his age. Also ask his doctor for some information.

Answer 10

My daughter is in girl scouts and I think it is a great organization. My son wants to be in boy scouts, but he is only four and will have to wait until he is seven. The girl scout groups sell cookies and things to earn money to go on field trips and buy materials they need to earn badges and triads. We just had our fall fundraiser (NUTS) and we only get 25% of the sales. Because the products were so cheap ($5.00 for a 12 oz can of Chocolate covered almonds for example) we had to sell a lot of product to make ANY money!!! My daughter loves being in extracurricular activities. She has joined a Destination Imagination group, Girl Scouts, and wants to join a sports team too. It is wonderful for children's self esteem and social skills to join things like that so they learn how to interact with others and be part of a group!!!

Good Luck!