What does a Girl Scout Brownie Do?

My daughter, Isabel, is a Girl Scout Brownie. She loves her troop, Camp Texlake, leading the pledge at school, participating in service projects, and her troop leaders.

I was so moved when she recently attended a back-to-school fashion show and talk organized by a local author. She surprised me by pulling out her pen and taking notes during the lecture, matching her friends, teachers, and troop leaders to various virtues.

She has also become quite a little salesgirl which amazes me because I am such a reticent seller. In first grade she partnered with another troop to sell cookies because she was so incredibly passionate about it, selling over 120 boxes. Her favorite was getting donated boxes which she handed out to panhandlers. In second grade she joined her troop and sold at booths, selling just above the minimum for a basic patch. This year her troop are participated in Fall Product Sales, something I had not realized until she left the first meeting order sheet in hand. She had prospects in mind and had closed four sales before dinner. A few days later we went to a school distict-wide meeting downtown and she eagerly sold to many of our friends. The polite "no thank you’s" didn’t stop her and she continued to tell them about how much she loved her troop, the service project which would be funded by the sales, and other details. Many of these are new customers who are interested in buying cookies in 2010.

It reminded me of a young woman I had recently discussed strengths with. As a young girl she became incredibly motivated to sell subscriptions and with her mother’s support became a top seller. I lag behind my daughter who is thirty years younger than I in gaining confidence in this area, a necessity for my current profession.

I am so grateful for how Girl Scouts is raising myself and my daughter and how the Girl Scout Law applies to so many aspects of our life. I will do my best to be honest and fair, friendly and helpful, considerate and caring, courageous and strong, and responsible for what I say and do, and to respect myself and others, respect authority, use resources wisely, make the world a better place, and be a sister to every Girl Scout.

-Claire M., Girl Scout Mom

Meet Isabel
Watch Claire's daughter in this video about Girl Scouting and Girl Scout Cookies!




P.S. Girl Scout Cookie sales begin January 20.