The big Girl Scout overnighter!

[xmas74]

My troop finally had their first overnight trip on Friday. We had reserved a building for GS use instead of camping (thank goodness!) but had many outdoor activities planned.

It rained, the outdoor activities were cancelled because of flooding, the girls stayed up most of the night and fought w/ each other. They didn't earn all of their patches, they griped and refused to eat the S'mores (who doesn't like S'mores? They don't.), they wanted to order pizza instead of cooking, they wanted to watch tv. There was one small bathroom for 25 people and the roof leaked on us all night long. I woke up soaked and my eyes were swollen shut, proof that the place was full of mold.

I'm crazy to take that many 5-6 year old girls out! Even worse, I've just volunteered for overnight camp.

If they can't stand staying inside w/o electronic entertainment how will they handle tents?

[deadparrot]

1. I remember being a Girl Scout.

It always seemed that our camping trips fell on weekends where it was about 10 degrees outside. :scared:

And that was when we were preteens. I can't imagine doing that with 5-6 year olds. You must be a saint. :)

[xmas74]

2. Not a saint-

just mentally ill.

[deadparrot]

4. Time for a hot bath, perhaps?

:)

[xmas74]

7. Still no time.

I'm doing laundry.

[MiniMandaRuth]

3. I remeber our cabin camping....

It was pretty fun... The cabin was huge and beautiful.

[xmas74]

8. Ours is not a cabin.

It's a house in the country that was donated to Council.

[MiniMandaRuth]

11. Well... it was actually like a huge house...

But still pretty...

[China_cat]

5. You think it's bad with them that young?

Try 26 girls ages 12 to 14 with only 1 or 2 who have ever been away from home before, none who have ever camped out, you're in tents, the weather is 29 and frosty and the raccoons got at and opened every Hershey bar, took one bite out of each and strewed the rest of them around the camp site because the person who was supposed to lock the food shelter didn't.

(Yeah, I had Cadettes)

One of the worst on that trip is now in her 30's and is supervisor at Costco for the food demos. I see her often and she tells me...and anyone else who will listen...that it was one of the best experiences of her life.

Oh yeah...throw in a mother as aid on the trip who brought along an electric canopener and popcorn maker and was really flummoxed when she couldn't figure out where to plug them in. (NO outlets)

[xmas74]

9. There's talk that I'll have the Teens at camp

(a few years ago many troops combined Cadettes and Seniors into Teen troops).

I'm not looking forward to it!

[China_cat]

12. Cadettes can be hell (hormones kicking in)

but I loved my seniors. With the proper trainings they could camp at the Council property without an adult but they usually invited me to come along, the troop was smaller and we rarely had to fight to get transportation because at least one of the girls drove and had access to a car.

[JVS]

6. It sounds like hell!

[xmas74]

10. It was.

Summer camp should prove just as interesting.

[Tsiyu]

13. You are vastly outnumbered so you must outwit them

Crafts are good diversions, just avoid massive amounts of paints and glues as much as possible.

Coloring books, board games, books on tape, art materials are nice to have on hand. Kids love stories about other kids their age, so you could try incorporating some history about early settlers' children in that area (depending on how attentive the group is cuz kids that age are so easily distracted.)

And kids that age love to play dress up, so throw a bunch of old dresses and costume jewelry in a box. Be sure you have enough for everyone so nobody gets hurt over fashion.

Just some rainy day stuff that worked when I was outnumbered.


You are crazy, BTW, but you already knew that ;)