Daisy Girl Scout Leaders

[purpleorchids]

Hi I am a newbie too. Signed up to be a leader and not sure what I am getting myself into. So many great ideas thanks! Still waiting for the stamp of approval to get my troop number. There will be two new troops for K at our school with 5 girls each that way we have room to grow. The word slowly got out since there were hardly any parents at the GS information last month. The school wouldn't let them put any signs up - but for some reason boy scouts were allowed to.

Next week is GS registration night and I will have all the parents buy their items there. We will be doing Smocks, I think they are really cute. Not sure yet on how we will do the dues plus my troop will still need a co-leader too.

If we get everything set up by the end of the month, one thing I was thinking of doing is having plain cupcakes the girls can decorate to celebrate Juliette's birthday. Not sure yet what else but like the animal mask idea.

 

[purpleorchids]

wow, I applied to be a leader on Wed. I know have my list of girls now just need for them to assign us a troop number.

 

[purpleorchids]

Hmmm looks like one parent doesn't like my meeting time. Waiting for her to get back to me since she mentioned she might not register. Should I try to see what time works for everyone? If we lose one person we will lose the troop since there is only 5. I sure hope this doesn't become a headache. I was planning on doing the meeting on Mondays @ 6:30, figured that will most likely be after everyone's dinner time.

 

[purpleorchids]

acklepwifey - thanks for posting the trax website it's great. I am not sure what area you mean that is not editable. If you change the grey sheets - Daisy 1 to the girls name, the sheet will update it to their name. I did notice that is it protected so what I did is go to tools, protection, and unprotect. They do ask for a password and I just put in daisy which worked. so now I can update these grey sheets.

 

[acklepwifey]

Hmmm looks like one parent doesn't like my meeting time. Waiting for her to get back to me since she mentioned she might not register. Should I try to see what time works for everyone? If we lose one person we will lose the troop since there is only 5. I sure hope this doesn't become a headache. I was planning on doing the meeting on Mondays @ 6:30, figured that will most likely be after everyone's dinner time.

Odds are you're not going to be able to make it work for everybody. I had the same problem with some of my parents. I had scheduled the meetings from 645-745 and some complained that it was "too late" and that the girls had bed time at 730 or 8. So I moved my time up slightly, from 6-7 now and I still am hearing complaints about the day being conflicting. Its just one of those never ending battles with parents who don't want to donate their time but want you to adjust to their schedule. Its hard to be stern but remember, you are the one donating your time to make this troop happen, not the parent. So stick to your guns and try to accommodate as you see fit. If it isn't too much of a big deal to move the time then go for it but just a pre-warning...if you change something for 1 parent, there are going to be other parents who will use that against you for something they want changed down the road. Remember its whatever best fits YOUR schedule seeing as how you are the one volunteering not the parent.

acklepwifey - thanks for posting the trax website it's great. I am not sure what area you mean that is not editable. If you change the grey sheets - Daisy 1 to the girls name, the sheet will update it to their name. I did notice that is it protected so what I did is go to tools, protection, and unprotect. They do ask for a password and I just put in daisy which worked. so now I can update these grey sheets.

Yes I saw that after I had posted it on here. I guess I should read directions before anything else lol.

 

[Marshay]

Purpleorchids -- change the time only if it works for you, first. I know that may not sound very "honorable", but you are the leader and if you don't show up b/c of a conflict or you are tired of all the complaints or anything in between, then there is no meeting.

We have 4 girls, too, b/c our 6:30 - 7:30pm time doesn't work for everyone. but my co-leader and I each have a 18-20 month old baby so we have to wait until DH's come home to babysit.

I asked our SU and they said, go ahead and start the troop ... they are positive more will join as the word gets out. In fact today, someone else asked me if it was too late. I've been told girls can be added at any time (it's just harder when they miss out on badges, etc)

I did read that our Leader to Girl ratio is 1 to 5. I know a few of you mentioned 1 to 6 ... Ours is 1-5, so I guess our service unit is a bit more strict. (I found that ratio in the Daisy Leader Workbook and on-line).

I'm hoping the 5th girl joins, but if not, we'll still go ahead and if nothing else, it'll be a lot easier with only 4 girls.

Our first SU mtg is Tuesday and I just found out we owe $10 this year and $20 next year/thereafter. Now I'm wondering if there are other costs we are expected to pay but don't know about when we set our dues. I'm glad we put a little extra in for incidentals...

 

[MamaOfTwoPrincesses]

subbing. I'm a new leader too!

 

[Marshay]

subbing. I'm a new leader too!

Welcome! Let's us know how your process goes and what you plan to do.

So for our November service activity, we couldn't get in the food pantry to help organize. They said it's really too small for even 4-8 people.

Instead we are planning to bake some pumpkin muffins and decorate them with Thanksgiving message (toothpick and paper) and then give them to a church to deliver to a homeless shelter in the morning. We'll talk about being thankful, how blessed we are for home, family, food, etc. and talk about how good it is to share what we have with those who do not.

I think this will be good too!

 

[kelann7]

Has anyone started planning something for Christmas yet? My co-leader suggested that the girls do a secret santa gift exchange. But the more I think about it, I don't think it will work. We meet right after school, which means the girls will have to bring the gift to school and keep it in their school bag, it would have to be small enough to fit in the school bag, I think it may get smushed or damaged depending on what it is and I'm sure someone is bound to forget to bring their gift.

I think it may be easier if the girls make something at the meeting and then exchange it with each other. We can pull names or something. I'm just not sure what they can make at the meeting that they can then exchange. Any ideas?

Thanks.

Kelly

 

[Marshay]

Has anyone started planning something for Christmas yet? My co-leader suggested that the girls do a secret santa gift exchange. But the more I think about it, I don't think it will work. We meet right after school, which means the girls will have to bring the gift to school and keep it in their school bag, it would have to be small enough to fit in the school bag, I think it may get smushed or damaged depending on what it is and I'm sure someone is bound to forget to bring their gift.

I think it may be easier if the girls make something at the meeting and then exchange it with each other. We can pull names or something. I'm just not sure what they can make at the meeting that they can then exchange. Any ideas?

Thanks.

Kelly

At this time, we aren't exchanging gifts among the girls. We plan to make a small gift for senior citizens and hopefully sing 2-4 Christmas songs for them. But unless we have the parents join us, only having 4-5 girls may not work to do the mini-concert...

We are doing something very simple -- go to Costco and purchase a big container of those small tissue packs, wrap in colorful paper with ribbon and tie a candy cane and small handmade Christmas card on it.

Then if we actually get to sing, we'll have the girls hand them out after the caroling. We will only do the assisted living side (I don't want to freak the girls out with the more severe patients).

 

[cerberus]

Hi again everyone. I am finally back from vacation and caught up on the thread! Glad to see some of you have a Troop

My stuff is still moving extremely slow......
I have done my training, and I got an email on 10/7 that we will be they hope to finish our background/reference checks and set up a meeting in the next 2weeks....our initial recruitment meeting was mid Sept.
So it is not looking like anything will get started for me until almost Nov

 

[dc8atp]

Has anyone started planning something for Christmas yet? My co-leader suggested that the girls do a secret santa gift exchange. But the more I think about it, I don't think it will work. We meet right after school, which means the girls will have to bring the gift to school and keep it in their school bag, it would have to be small enough to fit in the school bag, I think it may get smushed or damaged depending on what it is and I'm sure someone is bound to forget to bring their gift.

I think it may be easier if the girls make something at the meeting and then exchange it with each other. We can pull names or something. I'm just not sure what they can make at the meeting that they can then exchange. Any ideas?

Thanks.

Kelly

Kelly I have seen online a package of bracelet supplies for making bracelets for learning the girl scout law. They have the beads on them the colors of the daisy petals. I think 1 package was like $10 and it has supplies to make 12 bracelets. Each girl could make one then exchange it!

Kari

 

[purpleorchids]

One thing I want to do this year is order the girl scout songs cd from amazon so the girls can listen to it at meetings and learn the songs.

Have you purchaased your cd yet? I want to get one too and not sure which one.

Thanks acklepwifey and Marshay, I am going to keep the time. I did mention her to my service leader and she told me the lady is petty head strong but seems like she doesn't want to do anything. I did meet her yesterday to get the registraion filled out and she seems much mellower - I guess after talking to the service leader with all her 1000's of questions she had. And now she got her friend to join so hopefully it might work out better since her daughter would have a friend with her (I hope!) she did mention to me another class mate joined but went to the other troop and her daughter was sad.

So for our November service activity, we couldn't get in the food pantry to help organize. They said it's really too small for even 4-8 people.

Instead we are planning to bake some pumpkin muffins and decorate them with Thanksgiving message (toothpick and paper) and then give them to a church to deliver to a homeless shelter in the morning. We'll talk about being thankful, how blessed we are for home, family, food, etc. and talk about how good it is to share what we have with those who do not.

I think this will be good too!

Oh what a great idea. I have been thinking about thanksgiving. At target dollar spot I found turkey paper placemats that they can color (there's 6 in a package) thought it would be great and just and that sticky vinyl sheet on top of it. they also had some Thanksgiving stickers, and fake craft leaves. Still haven't decided fully on what to do with the craft leaves.

For Christmas I thought about making the holiday crackers and give them away either to a retirement home, a church soup kitchen, or maybe one of the mom and baby support groups. need to find one.

How do you break up the leader and co-leader stuff. For my group it's like pulling teeth for them to volunteer but luckily one mom volunteered to be the co leader. Still need a treasurer and cookie mom but there are several moms that have more than one girl in gs and they volunteered in the other troop. I have now 7 in our troop.

 

[dc8atp]

Have you purchaased your cd yet? I want to get one too and not sure which one.

As far as CD's go, it seems that there are a huge variety of them and each one has a couple of good songs on it. I purchased one of them. I also was able to check one out of the resource room at the girl scout office. You may want to check with your council to see if they have a resource room that you can borrow supplies out of. I was able to borrow a button maker and we now have name buttons for the girls and the leaders. I burned the CD to my computer and will eventually compile my own CD with the songs that we will sing or learn as a troop.

 

[Familyof4lovesDW]

Has anyone started planning something for Christmas yet? My co-leader suggested that the girls do a secret santa gift exchange. But the more I think about it, I don't think it will work. We meet right after school, which means the girls will have to bring the gift to school and keep it in their school bag, it would have to be small enough to fit in the school bag, I think it may get smushed or damaged depending on what it is and I'm sure someone is bound to forget to bring their gift.

I think it may be easier if the girls make something at the meeting and then exchange it with each other. We can pull names or something. I'm just not sure what they can make at the meeting that they can then exchange. Any ideas?

Thanks.

Kelly

What about a book exchange? A book would be small enough to fit in their backpack and they would be able to pick it out. I would set a price limit if you decide to go with this.I would hate for someone to bring a $20 book and only end up with a $2 one.

We are going to give the girls blue headbands that the leader and I will buy or make by placing blue ribbon over a different colored headband and hot glue a daisy to them. They will match their vests and look really cute when we go places as a troop. We will be finnished with the garden journey book by then so we may give the bracelet then or before we are not sure yet.

The leader bought halloween patches for the girls at council for $1. They were so excited to get their first patch!

 

[mommy2princesses0309]

Hi everyone,
My dd is in Daisy's for the first time this year. She's in 1st grade, I wanted her to join last year but had a hard time getting anyone from the GS answering my emails and phone calls to put her in a troop.

Anyway, she's in a troop with 12 other girls. We've had three meetings so far and I'm a bit concerned. I was wondering what you all do at your meetings? My leader seems to be more concerned about planning trips than anything else. The girls are taking a bunch of trips, which I'm afraid is going to end up costing us a lot of money, and she even booked a trip to an indoor water park for a crazy amount of money and then told the group about it and how much it would cost. We aren't going, we'll be elsewhere, but it was just another thing that raised a flag for me.

She had each mom pick a petal of the daisy to run a meeting each week. That week you are supposed to bring your own supplies (so I'm wondering what the $10 craft fee was for?!)

At our first meeting she had a guest who helped the girls make scrapbook pages and that was it. Afterward she pulled the new moms aside and said "The other moms know this, I thought it fair you know too ... I don't like kids." I did my best to pick my jaw up off the floor and we left.

At our second meeting, she had the girls color a page the whole time while she sat sitting and talking with the other mothers. When the girls were done with their pages they just sat and talked.

At our third meeting, it was the co-leaders turn to run the meeting. The leader sat at the table the whole time and never even addressed or interacted with the girls. The petal they were supposed to be earning was the Magenta one, Respect authority. All she did was say "Do you know what authority is?", took a few answers from the girls and then had them color a picture of a flower. The end. They sat and talked and then had a snack and that was it.

I really want my DD to get something out of her scouting experience, not just how to color. I want to switch her troop but I don't know how hard that would be and I don't want a big confrontation if we bump into the current leader somewhere at a girl scout function. I just feel like this is ridiculous. Am I wrong? Any thoughts/suggestions/advice for what I should do?

 

[huffjoann]

glad to find this

I went to a GS recruitment event at DD school,, little did I know it was for scouts to get involved but more so for moms to agree to lead,, the amount of spots they actually had for existing troops was nonexistent. So I agreed to colead a daisy troop with what I thought was 3 other moms, turns out it is 2 others but oh well,, we have 7 girls.
Now the perturbing part is the other 2 leaders got their training done way before me so they got together to plan things and never even gave me a thought in the equation, grrrr,, anywho they picked a time not that great for me. They planned out most of the extra events for the year and I hope planned the earning of the petals. I had to miss the 1st official meeting since I was at the training myself then.
They started working on the promise is all I know from what DH told me,, I am not getting much info from them which is really ticking me off,, if you want help great,, if not,, have at it.
Best I know we aren' t doing journeys this year.
Everyone was reponsible for getting their own tunics/vests.
They collected $10 seed money but I have no idea if they are doing dues? but I would think we need to cause that money will go fast. We aren't doing snacks at the meeting for the sake of time and are holding meetings at our local church.

 

[purpleorchids]

Have you purchaased your cd yet? I want to get one too and not sure which one.

As far as CD's go, it seems that there are a huge variety of them and each one has a couple of good songs on it. I purchased one of them. I also was able to check one out of the resource room at the girl scout office. You may want to check with your council to see if they have a resource room that you can borrow supplies out of. I was able to borrow a button maker and we now have name buttons for the girls and the leaders. I burned the CD to my computer and will eventually compile my own CD with the songs that we will sing or learn as a troop.

which cd did you get. We do have a council but it's 1 1/2 hrs away from where I live It would have been nice if it was closer. I would have loved to see what they had so I can borrow - especially if they had a button maker.

mommy2princesses0309 - wow I would def. be concerend especially the remark that the leader made. why even be in that position if they don't like kids. If I didn't like the way the troop was being led then I would take my daughghter out.


huffjoann - even thought the other leaders got training before you they should have still let you know when the meeting is so you can participate and know what is happening

 

[gem21]

I'm a Spark leader (in Canada) which is the same age as Daisies. We have two units in our district, which sadly leads to small groups. Mine is only 3 girls, a fourth one showed up the first week and never came back . I just got the Leader Book so I'm excited to see exactly what the girls need for their "keepers" (badges).

Lisa: usually at our meeting we start with "opening" (songs) and then usually go on to a game, craft and finally a story along with snack. Depending on time we may do a closing, but usually we don't have time. Unfortunatly some units are more "active" than others. I don't think there's any harm in looking into other units in your area. And if someone asks why you switch, you can just tell them this current unit suits your daughter better.

We are two leaders, we met a couple of weeks ago to plan out until Christmas time. We usually plan a bit of each (ie: I tend to do the craft and game, while the other leader brings the snack and book) but it depends. I'm new to Spark and the other leaders been doing it forever, and I think she's looking for new and fresh ideas!

What's everyone planning for Halloween? We're going to make a "mud pie" (chocolate pudding and gummy worms), and I found a cute craft using a kleenex box. I'm thinking of doing some sort of "spooky" relay.

 

[Suellen]

I am SO frustrated right now! I did all the training and have emailed like a dozen times to no avail. Last I heard was two weeks ago that they had 17 girls interested and were going to get a co-leader for the troop and they would let me know something the following week.

Nothing. At this point I asked since they can't accommodate starting a new troop to find a troop for my daughter and that we would travel up to 20 miles. Zero. Nothing.

I am starting to thing there isn't so much a lack of volunteers but a lack of follow through on the GS's part.

I think we will investigate 4H at this point.