“On my honor, I will try…”
Went to the Girl Scouts organizational meeting tonight with my daughter. I had mentioned to her several times over the course of the last few months that girl scouts would be fun, but I had of course totally blanked on it until
The girls went off to a different part of the media center (the meeting was in a school library) with several Senior girl scouts (high school aged) who led them in songs and made bracelets with them. They had a good time running around and singing and such while the grownups talked.
It looks like we’d have 17 Brownies (my kid’s age classification) in her troop, which is a big troop. Troops usually max out at about 12. As we parents were all sitting and chatting and eyeing each other to figure out which of us was going to be the poor sucker who wound up leading the troop, the meeting organizer mentioned that we had a woman here who didn’t have kids, but came specifically to be a leader. 17 Brownie parents’ hands shot up into the air and started waving wildly as we shouted for her to come over to us. Forget the Daisies and the Juniors, she was ours! Mwahahahahaaaa! So we’ve got a bundle of energy who recently graduated from college, plus about five of us who volunteered to be co-leaders or help out in the troop. Yay!
But the best part was when a little girl who came in late ran up to me and said, “Hi, Emily’s Mommy!” Yep, one of her school friends is a Brownie in the same troop. She ran over and played with Emily, mainly by chasing her around the room. So right away, there’s a familiar face.
And for me, the best part of that best part was near the end of the meeting, when I told the new leader that my daughter is mildly autistic, and that it shouldn’t be any kind of problem because she’s in a regular class and is a sweet kid, but that I was planning on being in the troop for at least the first few meetings just to be sure everybody was comfortable with everyone else. Emily’s friend’s mom chimed in with, “That’s true, Emily’s a sweet girl, she fits in great. She’s not any kind of problem.” She continued to affirm that yes, my daughter did well with the class last year (they’re in different classrooms this year).
Now, I don’t know what kind of contact this mom may have had with the classroom, but at least this means that her daughter wasn’t coming home saying, “You won’t believe what Emily did today!” It was really great to hear from an independent source who was backing me up and saying that Emily’s capable of handling this stuff. The leader, for the record, seemed to take it in stride.
Emily is totally psyched about being a girl scout. And her eyes were as big as saucers when my husband mentioned that there was a uniform. She loves that stuff.
Bi-weekly meetings will start in mid-October. Neither I nor my girl can wait.
That is great! What is it with kids and uniforms?
That is great! What is it with kids and uniforms?
T yer making me cry. Happy tears but wow. ::hugs:: Hug the kiddo for me and this past Brownie is happy for the newest one!
T yer making me cry. Happy tears but wow. ::hugs:: Hug the kiddo for me and this past Brownie is happy for the newest one!
Awwww, how sweet! My boy received his first Tiger Cub award tonight, and he looked so handsome all decked out in his navy and orange uniform. He loves his uniform and is all gung-ho to complete as many badges and pins and awards as he can. All I have to do is help and support him, and sew the damned things onto his shirt (the hardest part by far) – Girl Scout uniforms are much more intelligently designed.
Good luck to both of you, and have fun!!
Awwww, how sweet! My boy received his first Tiger Cub award tonight, and he looked so handsome all decked out in his navy and orange uniform. He loves his uniform and is all gung-ho to complete as many badges and pins and awards as he can. All I have to do is help and support him, and sew the damned things onto his shirt (the hardest part by far) – Girl Scout uniforms are much more intelligently designed.
Good luck to both of you, and have fun!!
I am so, so pleased for you. That’s just wonderful. (Lump in throat activated.)
I am so, so pleased for you. That’s just wonderful. (Lump in throat activated.)
Glad I’m not the only one on your friendslist with a lumpy throat. Can’t wait to see pictures of Emily in uniform.
Glad I’m not the only one on your friendslist with a lumpy throat. Can’t wait to see pictures of Emily in uniform.
YEEHAW! You both go, girls!
Just imagine, in a few years, Em will be camping out in the back of beyond, wielding matches and hatchets with the best of them, and telling you how to set up your tent. And sweetie pea, if her troop only does girlie stuff in later years, you’d best complain. Kids learn soooo much about independence and capability and responsibility when they learn to camp.
Sorry, the Scoutmaster in me just popped out there! Down girl, DOWN I say….
I’m so pleased for you both!
YEEHAW! You both go, girls!
Just imagine, in a few years, Em will be camping out in the back of beyond, wielding matches and hatchets with the best of them, and telling you how to set up your tent. And sweetie pea, if her troop only does girlie stuff in later years, you’d best complain. Kids learn soooo much about independence and capability and responsibility when they learn to camp.
Sorry, the Scoutmaster in me just popped out there! Down girl, DOWN I say….
I’m so pleased for you both!
WOOHOO!!
WOOHOO!!
it doesn’t get any better. women just love men in uniforms too! It just confirms where it starts off 🙂 heheee
it doesn’t get any better. women just love men in uniforms too! It just confirms where it starts off 🙂 heheee
awwww how sweet!!!! When my daughter was in brownies last year (my sis was the troop leader, and I helped), we didnt’ do the uniforms in the catalogs. Some of the kids just couldn’t afford them so we did something very “vermonty” 🙂 We had each girl bring a plain white t-shirt and they learned to tie-dye them all themselves (light blue). They LOVED it!!! And then when they learned different things, we used the iron on petals for them. They came out so cute and Hannah still loves wearing hers.
awwww how sweet!!!! When my daughter was in brownies last year (my sis was the troop leader, and I helped), we didnt’ do the uniforms in the catalogs. Some of the kids just couldn’t afford them so we did something very “vermonty” 🙂 We had each girl bring a plain white t-shirt and they learned to tie-dye them all themselves (light blue). They LOVED it!!! And then when they learned different things, we used the iron on petals for them. They came out so cute and Hannah still loves wearing hers.
I’m already dreading keeping the boys off of Girlchilde 1 and Girlchilde 2.
I’m already dreading keeping the boys off of Girlchilde 1 and Girlchilde 2.
I still have Christina’s brownie vest with all her patches on it tucked away in a cedar chest somewhere. Its a great time and Emily is going to have a blast. You will too! I’m so happy for both of you!
I still have Christina’s brownie vest with all her patches on it tucked away in a cedar chest somewhere. Its a great time and Emily is going to have a blast. You will too! I’m so happy for both of you!
exactly why we joke that it’s going to be son and hubby sitting outside with shotgun in lap when daughter’s first boyfriend comes to visit 🙂
exactly why we joke that it’s going to be son and hubby sitting outside with shotgun in lap when daughter’s first boyfriend comes to visit 🙂
I feel like kerrileigh avatar. That’s wonderful!
I was a Girl Scout way back when. I loved it. Emily will too.
I feel like kerrileigh avatar. That’s wonderful!
I was a Girl Scout way back when. I loved it. Emily will too.
Oh, no worries, I’m not shy about speaking up about that sort of thing. And from the looks of it, neither will the other moms. I was worried we’d have the pampered Southern belle type, but instead we had the kind who, over coffee, can mobilize to storm the beaches at Normandy. Excellent!
Oh, no worries, I’m not shy about speaking up about that sort of thing. And from the looks of it, neither will the other moms. I was worried we’d have the pampered Southern belle type, but instead we had the kind who, over coffee, can mobilize to storm the beaches at Normandy. Excellent!
I just have to remember to tell her NOT to smile. Brownie with a zombie grin!
I just have to remember to tell her NOT to smile. Brownie with a zombie grin!
Aww. The organizer did say that as long as the girl was wearing a pin with the girl scout logo on it, they considered that “in uniform.” She did say that she recommended the vests, though, for badges (which apparently are called “Try-It”s for Brownies). They suggested getting the biggest size and basting the sides, because kids grow like crazy. I know Emily went from a 6X to an 8 since buying school uniforms last year. Yowza!
Aww. The organizer did say that as long as the girl was wearing a pin with the girl scout logo on it, they considered that “in uniform.” She did say that she recommended the vests, though, for badges (which apparently are called “Try-It”s for Brownies). They suggested getting the biggest size and basting the sides, because kids grow like crazy. I know Emily went from a 6X to an 8 since buying school uniforms last year. Yowza!
Me too, and I believe I joined in second grade. I’m not the only one. When the organizer mentioned Camp Occoneechee (the girl scout camp in the NC mountains), Emily’s friend’s mom and I both sighed, reminiscing.
You know, I need to get to know this woman better.
Me too, and I believe I joined in second grade. I’m not the only one. When the organizer mentioned Camp Occoneechee (the girl scout camp in the NC mountains), Emily’s friend’s mom and I both sighed, reminiscing.
You know, I need to get to know this woman better.
Also, your icon never fails to crack me up.
Also, your icon never fails to crack me up.