Hiding From the Cookie Momsters
Jan. 5th, 2005 11:49 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
It's Girl Scout Cookie Time at the office! And everydamnbody is doing their daughter's Girl Scout cookie sales for them. Apparently the Girl Scouts Of America condones this practice, since I'm seeing poster-size glossy order sheets printed by GSA.
As a former Girl Scout and thereby a Scout For Life, I have this much to say: What does it teach a child when you do their work for them? How is a child supposed to take pride in an accomplishment when it wasn't their accomplishment at all? Also, just plain WTF?
When I was a Scout 300 years ago, we did our own selling, dammit. We were supervised by adults (door-to-door sales w/o an adult were nixed even back then), but we did the selling. We counted the money and recorded the sales our little selves (uphill both ways in the snow!). Here are some of the things it taught us:
Reliability
Honesty
Courtesy
Simple accounting
Saleswomanship
Teamwork
Goal-oriented thinking
Organizational skills
and most importantly
The sort of self-esteem that comes from doing something yourself, which no amount of "unconditional validation" or whateveryoucallit can give.
Now then, what does it teach a child when a mom (or dad) comes home and says "I sold all 30 of your boxes at work, sweetie!" It teaches them that someone else will do their work for them and they need do nothing themselves in order to have "achieved." It teaches that they can just stay there on the sofa and grunt a "thanks" and be all set for their quota.
Ergo, if you want to drive your daughter over to my house or workplace, walk her up, and let her make the sale herself, I promise I will buy. Otherwise, stuff 'em back in your SUV.
Woof.
As a former Girl Scout and thereby a Scout For Life, I have this much to say: What does it teach a child when you do their work for them? How is a child supposed to take pride in an accomplishment when it wasn't their accomplishment at all? Also, just plain WTF?
When I was a Scout 300 years ago, we did our own selling, dammit. We were supervised by adults (door-to-door sales w/o an adult were nixed even back then), but we did the selling. We counted the money and recorded the sales our little selves (uphill both ways in the snow!). Here are some of the things it taught us:
Reliability
Honesty
Courtesy
Simple accounting
Saleswomanship
Teamwork
Goal-oriented thinking
Organizational skills
and most importantly
The sort of self-esteem that comes from doing something yourself, which no amount of "unconditional validation" or whateveryoucallit can give.
Now then, what does it teach a child when a mom (or dad) comes home and says "I sold all 30 of your boxes at work, sweetie!" It teaches them that someone else will do their work for them and they need do nothing themselves in order to have "achieved." It teaches that they can just stay there on the sofa and grunt a "thanks" and be all set for their quota.
Ergo, if you want to drive your daughter over to my house or workplace, walk her up, and let her make the sale herself, I promise I will buy. Otherwise, stuff 'em back in your SUV.
Woof.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-01-05 07:03 pm (UTC)and the thing is, it's REALLY not that hard. All you have to do is find a neighborhood that hasn't been hit too hard yet. And most people will only buy a few if they know they're likely to be hit up more than once. Selling in front of the grocery store is good, too. Group work, the girls are actually there, and people who haven't gotten asked door-to-door will frequently come up to buy. Sigh. It seems like kids don't do anything themselves anymore. I did all my OWN school projects, too.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-01-05 07:47 pm (UTC)Now I'm in the mood to sing dirtified versions of GS songs. Sing with me!
I've got something in my pocket
It belongs across your face...
(no subject)
Date: 2005-01-05 08:25 pm (UTC)"my Mom sold more cookies that your Mom" lol
(no subject)
Date: 2005-01-05 08:32 pm (UTC)That's *exactly* what I'm talking about! People don't stop to think that these kids will be needing to live independant lives out in the world, and while the sale of mass-produced baked goods probably won't be their career, McDonalds will be if they grow up with the notion that the whole world exists to take care of them.
Back in my day, we knew how to pimp our own cookies!
(no subject)
Date: 2005-01-05 11:50 pm (UTC)learn about Justice and civil rights now.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-01-05 09:38 pm (UTC)Only one girl got "suspended" from my Brownie troup, and from school too -- because she had an unconscious habit of diddling herself under her dress. :-D
(no subject)
Date: 2005-01-06 12:25 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-01-06 04:44 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-01-06 11:13 am (UTC)"Girl Scout cookies, Girl Scout cookies, Girl Scout cookies, something something something!" -- of course, I blank on whatever their last line was. Yeah, they definitely had gusto.
And we like the same cookies. Get out of my brain, I haven't cleaned in there lately! ;)
(no subject)
Date: 2005-01-06 03:38 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-01-06 04:39 am (UTC)Heehee! Can I hear a sweet Amen, brother! Sell cookies, not war!
(no subject)
Date: 2005-01-06 03:47 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-01-06 04:36 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-01-06 10:22 am (UTC)