3rd Year Cadettes this Summer and What I’ve learned
Hi Everyone,
I wanted to share with you what Troop 2119 did this summer. We had a great time. We are a troop of 15, yes 15, 8th grade girls. We have girls who attend LTMS, some who go to Regents, and some who are home-schooled. We try to stay active in the summer by doing at least one event each month. Just like during the school year, not everyone can attend everything, but we try to get together. The girls are now at the age where they research and plan their own activities and ask for help from adults when they need it. This is what they decided to do:
June: We got together for our next years planning session, had a pot luck, and swim party;
July: 5 of the girls attended Camp Harriet Potter at Camp Texlake;
July: We attended Schilitterbahn New Braunfels for a day trip and ate at Freddy’s Frozen Custard on the way home;
August: SU Swim Party
August: We went kayaking in Luling on the San Marcos River, we picked up some trash along the way, we ate lunch at City BBQ in Luling, then went to one of the girls Grandma’s house for ice cream.
I think that having a successful troop of this age is difficult. I think truly giving the girls the responsibility for the troop is important. Girls this age will never be in 100% agreement about anything. I encourage them to try hard to form a consensus about what we will do. If someone really doesn’t want to do an activity, they can stay home or they can come anyway. It’s up to the individual.
It’s also critical for me as the Troop Adviser, to be willing to meet the girls at whatever level they choose to participate and be okay wit it. If that means if someone just comes to hang out and catch up with their friends, I’m okay with that. If they just want to do the fun stuff and never attend a meeting, sure. My only rule is that is others are trying to get something done, we are respectful of that.
It’s hard being an adviser for this age. I want them all get along perfectly. I want them to all earn the Silver Award. I want them to all participate fully in the program. I want to tell then, :if you would just do what I say, everything would be perfect.” or “This badge is awesome, you should do it.!” Still, I think this program is designed to let them learn how to budget their own time in order to do what they want to do, work with others to build relationships, and become the creators of their own destiny. It’s not my place to take that away.
I’ve been with these girls since they were Kinder Daisies. I learn something new every year. I can’t wait to see what it will be in 2013-2014.
Amy