I got a Job!

Rob told me that after the wedding, it was time for me to get a job, at least one that paid. For the last 6 years I have been a stay at home mom. Contrary to popular belief, I did not sit home and eat bon bons. I was on the go, eating bon bons. I've been volunteering. Mostly with the Girl Scouts as a leader and for 3 years as the Service Unit Manager (I kind of oversaw the other Girl Scout leaders in our city). And I would volunteer at the kids' schools for field trips etc. It was a good life, it was important and I'm still doing the volunteering. Of course now, I've got a job too.

After Rob told me to find a job, wouldn't you know it, but the Girl Scouts called me and offered me a job. This was right after I told my unemployed son that he needed to get on the ball because people don't just offer you jobs out of the blue. Then out of the blue, I got a job.

It's only temporary for a few weeks while they are busy and then I will be filling in for the Receptionist for a few weeks while she is on vacation. This will take me through most of November.

My job is helping to recruit new Girl Scouts and new Girl Scout Leaders. I get to print bracelets on the weird paper that is plastic fibers that you can't tear. I get to take these to the elementary schools and during lunch, put a bracelet on each girl as I talk up Girl Scouting. This is not hard with the little girls, they all want to be a Girl Scout and camp, sing, play etc. The older girls are not so easily swayed to the idea. Already by 4th grade, they are thinking it's not so cool to be a Girl Scout. I do get most of them to think about it after I talk about my awesome troop of 8th graders and all the fun they have and all their plans. These bracelets have information for the parents so they can bring their daughters to a Recruitment Event.

The Recruitment Event is in the evening at the girl's school or a neighboring school. We get the girls and parents to come with promises of fun activities and information. We even give out a free gift - a GS pencil or a GS chapstick. So everyone shows for this, the girls go off to have fun with a Girl Scout troop who is helping out and then I get to talk with the parents. I give them information about Girl Scouts - a brief history, some fun facts, etc. Then I get to the point and ask, "Who came here tonight ready to sign up to be your daughter's leader?" Sometimes there are warm bodies ready to go. Mostly, it's more a confused look of "what?? don't you have leaders waiting to take on our darling daughter?" I divide everyone up into age level groups and talk with each group. I find that a lot of parents lose their fear of leading if they can do it as a team. Some nights we are very successful on recruiting leaders, other nights not. Hopefully every girl who is interested in Girl Scouts, will have a troop to join.

So I like my job. I like getting to meet people, to see the excitement of the girls when they think about being a Girl Scout. I like it when a parent says, "yes I can do it, I can be a leader"

It takes a village to raise a child and many hands make light work.