When I was growing up I was in Girl Guides, starting with Brownies. Although the memories are hazy, they are pleasant happy memories. Memories of an easier time and place. A safe place where you were always surrounded by friends and an unconditional acceptance. Somehow the environment just created an atmosphere where cliques and competition ceases to exist (at least in my memory). This year I put my daughter in Sparks, “where the Guiding adventure begins” It has only been 3 weeks and the last 2 weeks were spent selling cookies but she is so enthusiastic and she was absolutely delighted when she received her first badge.

When we first started she would just thrust the box of cookies toward them as soon as they opened the door and said ”$4 a box!” I explained to her how to greet them when they opened the door and what to tell them about the cookies. So she lead with it every time and being the actress she is, gave it her own dynamic flair. We were only turned down at 3 doors and you could tell it pained them to do so. Part way through she got the idea of taking her hat off and telling them to put the $$ in the hat. Naturally I had to explain she needed to wait to find out IF they wanted any cookies before she “asked” them to put the $ into the hat. Fortunately most people understand the ways of a child and were only amused by her “selling” techniques.

*picture is from their site, not of my daughter