girl scouting - Page 2

[Meiri]

I'm not attacking your opinion, just wondered the *why* behind it. When discussing kids in the 5-8 age range (I guess this forum is specifically 3-8, but girl scouts doesn't go down that far) what do you think the advantages are in gender seperate activities?

Besides the sometimes differences in physical abilities, I've noticed that there are frequently differences in interests. Like anything in life there is overlap and variation of course.

There is also the factor that as they get older, gender "politics" happens. Both genders need safe places where they don't have to worry about what the other gender thinks of them, where they can just be who they are.

[Meiri]

Dolphinkisser, that stinks. I've learned that there are differences in how service units handle various issues. Ours has a policy of making room in troops for all the girls who come along. Volunteers are actively sought, as well as parental help. The other service unit which DD could have become part of had we opted to the after school route has waiting lists after troops fill up.

I just don't understand that at all. Recruit and train new leaders, or recruit enough assistants for the leaders you do have to run a larger troop, or *gasp* direct the families to other nearby service units that may have room for more girls, but by all that's holy do NOT leave girls out!!!!!

[Linda KS]

Originally Posted by dolphinkisser

4h does not segregate in terms of age or sex...clubs are comprised of boys and girls between the ages of 5-21. The categorization of clubs seem to be more based on common interest.

The age for 4H varies from state to state. In Kansas kids needs to be 7. At 5 and 6, they can join only as a tag-a-long if they have an older sib in 4H. We were in 4H last year in Arizona and it was a wonderful experience for my kids. They had an amazing leader, did lots of service projects, played games, and did crafts. This year in Kansas I am very disapointed in 4H -- they don't really do anything I even called the county office about getting into a different club. The materials are excellant and my kids are working on their projects at home, which is great enrichment, but 4H isn't a social outlet for my kids at all, and they aren't working with other kids on their projects.

I don't have a good answer for the gender seperation at girls scouts. We aren't there BECAUSE it is just girls, but it doesn't bother me that is just girls. My DDs like being around both boys and girls, but I think as they get older and start getting more twisted messages about what it means to be female in our society, it will be good for them to have a place where they get what I consider good messages. Girls scouts go hiking and build fires, they do science experiences, they learn to be leaders -- I think that my girls may need a safe place to do these things where they don't have to worry about looking cute while they do them. This isn't really an issue for us now as my DDs are sheltered from much of mainstream culture -- they don't go to school or watch commercial TV. Non the less, as they get older, I'm sure this will be an issue. At some point they are going to realize that there are parts of our culture which don't see them as whole people.