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I was a Girl Scout for many years (age 5-11) and loved it. Of course, my mom was the leader, so that might of been part if why I liked it, but we did a lot of fun activities...hiking, tent camping, lodge "camping", community service, crafts, singing, parades, etc!

I was a girl scout for a few years, but I feel pretty "meh" about the experience. I don't feel like we did a lot of activities and I even stayed in for another year because the leader suggested they were planning a big fun trip. That didn't happen, so I was pretty unhappy about that. But the cookies are good

I was a brownie and had fun! I would love for my DD to be involved!

@scg00387: are boy scouts different than girl scouts? Besides the obvious fact that one is boys and one is girls. I assumed they were the same?

I was never in girl scouts when I was little, but I love their more tolerant and liberal philosophies (especially compared to the boy scouts!) and the advances they’ve made in activities for girls (i.e., it’s not just “homemaking” skills, they do science stuff, etc.).

If LO expressed interest in joining, I would be supportive in finding a local troop.

I didn't realize there was a negative stigma for girl scouts. I loved being a brownie.

We had to pay dues every meeting I remember it being five dollars. But that was the eighties.. No idea how much it is now.

I was both a brownie and junior Girl Scout in grade school. My first troop was awesome. But the second one wasn't quite as great and by the end I was ready to move onto new things.
So much is dependant on having a great troop leader and an involved group of girls. We have a son so I won't be participating but if we had a daughter I would certainly offer it up to her.

I have no negative associations with Girl Scouts. I was one, my mom was a troop leader, and I'm generally a fan of the organization. I enthusiastically buy cookies every year!

I think there was some nominal fee to join, but I'm pretty sure it was waived in cases of financial hardship. Same went for the camping trips.

@Mamaof2: They're not the same organization. They originated out of the same ideas--Juliette Gordon Low started GS in the same general model as Lord Baden Powell's Boy Scouts--but they aren't affiliated.

i always thought brownies was the Canadian equivalent of girl scouts. but it appears that's not the case. Up here we had sparks, brownies and then girl guides, which i guess would be more similar to girl scouts. after girl guides was pathfinders. i'm not sure why i never became a girl guide - was probably too busy with dance but i'm sure if i wasn't i would've kept it up.

I'm on my phone, so I can't elaborate at the moment, but I was a GS for 12 years. I'll never have my daughters join. The skills they teach are mostly useless, the all-girl environment is unhealthy IMHO, they hardly ever do real camping, the handbooks are incredibly politically charged. I could go on.

I loved being a Brownie, but I was always upset because my mom was our leader- she was awesome at it, but it meant that my little sister, who usually ruined everything, was part of all our activities, while I never got to do the fun things the Daisys did.
I remember being jealous of not getting to make sand candles, and neat little chocolate/butterscotch chip pretzels.
I got over that though, and it was a whole lot of fun. Oh the camping trips!!
Ultimately, I had fun up until it was time to become Cadets (the blue ones?) and they looked like they were not fun at all- only work and responsibility, without any sort of gradual transition. Suddenly stuff was SeriousBusiness. So, I quit then and we join the eco club at school.

I was a daisy then a brownie. I think that's as far as I went. We never camped or really did anything outside even! I have good memories, but it was more like an after school play group in our community. I'd say the only stigma I know of is that maybe it's a little geeky as you get beyond mid-middle school age? Idk though because it's not hugely popular here.

@Skadi: Wow, I was a Girl Scout for the same amount of time, even got my Gold Award. It was a completely different experience for me! We went camping 2x a year as well as mini weekend trips and I have very positive associations with the all-girl environment.

By the time I got to high school, we barely met as a group but I stayed connected. It wasn't cool to do but I still was involved. I guess I was lucky to have leaders that really invested in us and liked to camp. I would definitely enroll my daughter if there is an active group!

I loved girl scouts! I was one 1st-8th grade. I would definitely enroll a theoretical daughter in it.

@ShootingStar: I had a friend in HS that was a girl Boy Scout--they would NOT let her get her Eagle Scout award, which was bogus to me. She could do everything else but that.

@Mrs. J: Ugh, so sexist. Just another reason for me to dislike them I guess.

I was a Girl Scout for a few years and found it incredibly boring. I don't remember doing a single exciting thing and we never camped once (all camping I did was just with my family) and when I stopped I remember telling my parents that I wanted to be a Boy Scout because they got to do all the fun stuff.

@regberadaisy: I did girls scouts for many years and I loved it. The leaders are volunteers, usually one of the girl's mom, so I think that can effect the group a lot, as far as what type of activities they do etc. We did lots of projects, crafts, volunteering and camping. I learned how to chop wood and build a camp fire from doing girl scouts. fun!

I did it until 8th grade and then I volunteered as a troop leader when I was in college. Personally, I loved it, but I do agree that the leader(s) has a lot to do with how fun the troop can be. We did a lot of camping and volunteer work and it was just fun. I would love for Gwen to be a part of that.

I was a brownie for a few years. I liked doing some of the crafts but I wasn't upset when I quit (I had too many other activities). It didn't really make much on an impression on me either way so I don't think I'd mind if LO wanted to join but I probably wouldn't think of it unless she asked.

I think Girl Scouts can be a great experience. I would be fine with my daughters being in troops. Boy Scouts, no way, not unless they change their policies re: homophobia. My husband is an Eagle Scout, but he agrees that any sons we have will not be participating unless serious changes are made.