We try very hard to have my daughter do most of her selling. I think that is one of the only benefits of this program. Otherwise it's just hawking unhealthy food. She does all her door to door selling (we go along and stand on the sidewalk) and she calls family. We do post it on Facebook so people can let us know if they want my daughter to call, or make sure to run into them. I carry the mini card in my purse so that she has it around when we run into friends. I think it's too easy to get caught up in the fundraising needs or, even less valuable, the prizes. If that were all it was in her troop, I would absolutely refuse for her to participate.

Here's an article I wrote a couple years ago for the BOL Early Childhood Site...

Benefits of Selling Girl Scout Cookies

My daughter sells the cookies on her own. I can't bring her to work, but she writes up a little ask that I then take in. If I have friends that want to buy cookies, I have her do the ask to them. I sold cookies when I was a girl, so now it is my turn to teach her to be independent. However, lots of people don't see it the same way. The girls aren't going to learn the same lesson as my daughter and I have to be o.k. with that. There's only so much information I can share with parents and cookie managers.

Selling cookies is big business for the national organization. Our troop only makes 35 cents/box. Our troop is not getting rich selling cookies. It truly is not worth my girls' time. I've given up trying to tell parents that it is the girl's responsibility to sell and deliver the cookies. My council will not back me up. Their goal is to sell as many cookies as possible. That is the main reason they set the sale up as a competition with the prizes. I love the Girl Scout program but I hate selling cookies.

All activities of the girl scouts are really helpful for young girls.

Looks like you are just trying to be right. In todays world would you actually want your kid going door to door. It is not safe and lets be realistic here. Times have changed. I buy my cookies from parents who have brought their sheets in for their daughter. I think that is the way everyone does it now for sometime. No big deal. If the kid wants a lot of sales then it is up to them to take the initiative and make it happen any way they can. My nieces sold GS cookies. The only thing that bothered me was when I took the sheet in to get some orders (doing them the favor) and then my brother calling me and telling me to come pick up the cookies. I think he should have come by not me with them cause then I felt like I was the one doing all the work and getting taken advantage of. They could argue the point of being too busy but then so am I. They are the parents not me so take responsibility.

Actually we do live in a small town where it is safe to go door-to-door. Kids still walk to school and play in the parks w/o adult supervision. Last night I had 2 girls ride their bikes to our troop meeting. But not a single girl in our troop sold cookies door-to-door. It is easier and faster to have the parents sell. My gripe isn't parents selling cookies. My gripe is GSUSA's policy against it. If times have changed then their policy needs to reflect that change.