Updated September 2022
As adults, we oftentimes forget that learning something new can be a challenge. We are so used to doing things and being successful right away, that we forget the learning curve that comes with each new skill set we acquire.
Leading a group of Daisy Girl Scout is probably a very new experience for everyone reading this blog post. You have questions-lots of them.
Here are some of the most common questions I have seen over the years. You can always check with your Service Unit Manager for your local answers if you feel they may differ from these.
.png)
No, you do not. You should start with the Blue Promise Center simply because all of the petals go around it.
2. Can you earn more than one Daisy petal at a meeting?
While every petal deserves a meeting of its own, there are times when you need to overlap the activities to earn your petals and finish the Daisy. This is true if you are starting as a second year Daisy leader or if you have had meetings cancelled due to inclement weather-which happens to me at least once a year.
There are no Girl Scout police that will rip petals off of a child's tunic or vest if you do this on occasion. Feel free to go ahead and do what works best for your girls and your timetable. There are several articles on my blog with meeting plans to earn multiple Daisy petals with one activity.
3. Do I have to do a Journey?
Plain and simple, no you do not. In fact, Journeys are not required for anything until the girls' Junior year AND if they want to earn the Bronze Award. If the girls do not want to earn higher level awards, then your troop never needs to do a Journey as they get older. It is a choice, and one that is far in your troop's future.
My troop only did a Journey as 5th grade Juniors so we could earn the Bronze Award. Presently, we are slowly doing the aMaze Journey for those who want to earn the Silver Award.
Image created on Canva
4. We earned all the petals our first year. What do we do for the second if we do not want to do a Journey?
There are so many activities that your troop can do. There are Girl Scout holidays like Founder's Day, World Thinking Day and Girl Scout Week to dive into.
There are Daisy badges to earn (check out my website devoted to earning Daisy badges)
There are community service projects you can work on and you can go on field trips. There are Council events for you to participate in, so check your Council's website.
Of course, selling Girl Scout cookies will keep you busy as well! Meetings to bling your booth and teach the girls about what to do while selling and how to speak to people are meeting ideas for mid-year.
It also does not hurt to redo a petal activity using a different lesson, especially the one about being a sister to every Girl Scout. Stamp out cliques and cattiness from the beginning.
5. Do Daisy Scouts have to sell cookies or participate in the QSP Magazine/Nut fundraiser?
Again, the answer is no. Fundraisers are optional activities. Most first year Daisy leaders are just getting started in late fall, after nut sales and right before cookies. How can you make little girls sell cookies and they have no clue what being a Girl Scout is all about?
You are also new and learning the ropes. Cookie selling is stressful, even for experienced leaders. Learn how to be a good leader first. Get a year with your troop under your belt. Collect dues from the girls and visit Pinterest for easy and inexpensive craft ideas.
6. Can I meet with my troop alone? I have no co-leader.
No! You are setting yourself up for a potential lawsuit. No co-leader means no troop meetings.
7. Who buys petals if they get lost?
If a child or parent loses a Daisy petal, then it is their responsibility to replace it. You are volunteering your time to run meetings, you are not a personal shopper. Parents can go on eBay to buy a replacement or take a trip to the Girl Scout store.
8. How do I handle parents who do not RSVP to events?
This is a tough one because while you do not want to punish a girl for her parents' lack of action, you cannot spend your precious time chasing after people. If this is your first year as a leader, you need to draw your line in the sand NOW. How you handle parents this year is how they will be expecting you to handle them in the future. If you are not firm now, you will get more pushback when you decide to get a backbone.
If there is an RSVP date and you have not heard from a parent, the girl does not get to go. Period. This is not on you, this is on the parent.
9. Who pays for events?
Another issue leaders face is using money to pay for events and the girls are no shows. Parents should either pay for all or part of an event. Parents need to have some skin in the game, as very few people value things that are free. It is not them, but the troop, that is out the money if you do not charge them anything.
A written policy also needs to be in place about the girls not showing up. You may want to have parents accountable for the other half of the money that the troop laid out if the girl does not attend.
10. When should I hand out badges and petals?
Young girls need immediate and positive reinforcement. I do not understand leaders who hold onto petals and badges for months to hold a Court of Awards. That is simply one more thing to do (two if you get all Pinteresty about it). Hand them out as they are earned. Save yourself time and effort and let the girls wear what they have earned as soon as they have earned it.
For more information about starting out, you can read:
Of course, selling Girl Scout cookies will keep you busy as well! Meetings to bling your booth and teach the girls about what to do while selling and how to speak to people are meeting ideas for mid-year.
It also does not hurt to redo a petal activity using a different lesson, especially the one about being a sister to every Girl Scout. Stamp out cliques and cattiness from the beginning.
Photo from Pixabay
5. Do Daisy Scouts have to sell cookies or participate in the QSP Magazine/Nut fundraiser?
Again, the answer is no. Fundraisers are optional activities. Most first year Daisy leaders are just getting started in late fall, after nut sales and right before cookies. How can you make little girls sell cookies and they have no clue what being a Girl Scout is all about?
You are also new and learning the ropes. Cookie selling is stressful, even for experienced leaders. Learn how to be a good leader first. Get a year with your troop under your belt. Collect dues from the girls and visit Pinterest for easy and inexpensive craft ideas.
6. Can I meet with my troop alone? I have no co-leader.
No! You are setting yourself up for a potential lawsuit. No co-leader means no troop meetings.
7. Who buys petals if they get lost?
If a child or parent loses a Daisy petal, then it is their responsibility to replace it. You are volunteering your time to run meetings, you are not a personal shopper. Parents can go on eBay to buy a replacement or take a trip to the Girl Scout store.
8. How do I handle parents who do not RSVP to events?
This is a tough one because while you do not want to punish a girl for her parents' lack of action, you cannot spend your precious time chasing after people. If this is your first year as a leader, you need to draw your line in the sand NOW. How you handle parents this year is how they will be expecting you to handle them in the future. If you are not firm now, you will get more pushback when you decide to get a backbone.
If there is an RSVP date and you have not heard from a parent, the girl does not get to go. Period. This is not on you, this is on the parent.
9. Who pays for events?
Another issue leaders face is using money to pay for events and the girls are no shows. Parents should either pay for all or part of an event. Parents need to have some skin in the game, as very few people value things that are free. It is not them, but the troop, that is out the money if you do not charge them anything.
A written policy also needs to be in place about the girls not showing up. You may want to have parents accountable for the other half of the money that the troop laid out if the girl does not attend.
10. When should I hand out badges and petals?
Young girls need immediate and positive reinforcement. I do not understand leaders who hold onto petals and badges for months to hold a Court of Awards. That is simply one more thing to do (two if you get all Pinteresty about it). Hand them out as they are earned. Save yourself time and effort and let the girls wear what they have earned as soon as they have earned it.
For more information about starting out, you can read:
Visit my Teachers Pay Teachers Shop, Leadership Made Simple
10 Tips for Starting a Daisy Troop
10 Craft Items Every Daisy Leader Must Have
The Ultimate New Daisy Girl Scout Leader Checklist
First Daisy Girl Scout Meeting Idea-Girls Help Make the Kaper Chart
Your Very First Daisy Girl Scout Meeting
The Ultimate Girl Scout Daisy Investiture Guide
Girl Scout Daisy Meeting Plans September to December
10 Tips for Starting a Daisy Troop
10 Craft Items Every Daisy Leader Must Have
The Ultimate New Daisy Girl Scout Leader Checklist
First Daisy Girl Scout Meeting Idea-Girls Help Make the Kaper Chart
Your Very First Daisy Girl Scout Meeting
The Ultimate Girl Scout Daisy Investiture Guide
Girl Scout Daisy Meeting Plans September to December
No comments:
Post a Comment