Life Lessons

Yesterday two Girl Scouts, all decked out in their snazzy green uniforms, came to my door selling cookies. Sashes proudly displayed their numerous badges that were surely earned with great dedication and pride, and just a few steps behind them was their mom, patiently waiting and smiling as her girls made yet another successful sale. Not only do I love Girl Scout cookies (seriously could there be anything more delicious?), but the Girl Scouts organization truly holds a special place in my heart.

“You know,” I told the scouts, “I was a Girl Scout too, and my mom was my troop leader.” The youngest piped up to exclaim “Our mom is the troop leader too!” I waved to her mom and told the girls “Well you are very lucky. Be sure to thank her.”

Immediately I started thinking about the life skills learned while a Girl Scout. Who would’ve thought some of the most valuable skills I learned came years later when I became a mother thinking about my own mom and troop leader.

While there are badges for photography, music, and gardening, there really should be one for multi-tasking and making it work. Because to make my Girl Scout years fun-filled and full of smiles, my mom surely earned those badges.

The camping, the songs, the crafts, my mom loved it all, but she really cherished that her own mother was her troop leader and that she could do the same for me. While digging through photos of her Girl Scout days, I found this gem. Check out my super stylish mom at camp (first row, second from the right):

When it came time for me to become a Girl Scout, my mom was all in. Even though she already had a full plate with a million other responsibilities, she jumped in and planned each meeting and activity with such thoughtfulness (or at least it looked that way) and skill (again, it really did look that way). Even a troop full of girls that really hated to be outdoors earned a few more badges than they thought they could.

Mother/Daughter sleep away camp with matching shirts? You betcha!

While my grandmother painstakingly sewed each and every badge onto my mother’s sash, my mother had no time for that nonsense. She hot glued those bad boys right on, and if one popped off, she’d just fire up the hot glue gun. Sometimes you just have to make it work.

But more importantly than badges or camps was the fact that my mom knew being a Girl Scout was something I loved and she wanted to be a part of something I loved even though it made her already hectic life even more bananas. So maybe the most important life skill I learned as a Girl Scout was not how to make jewelry or line dancing, but being present for your kids, being a part of what they love, and using a hot glue gun to make it work.

The Girl Scouts have declared February 7-8, 2014 as National Girl Scout Cookie Weekend! This special event is a great opportunity for Girl Scouts to share the importance of the Cookie Program and what it does for the girls and their communities! Through this effort, Girl Scouts hope to show when we buy a box of cookies, we’re helping the girls learn important skills like goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills and business ethics— skills essential to life and success!

So if you love the Girl Scouts and Girl Scout Cookies (and I know you do), join them for the National Girl Scout Cookie Weekend February 7-8!

Want to learn more about the Girl Scouts click here

To learn more about the Girl Scout Cookie Program click here

You can also find the Girl Scouts on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest

*OK, so this post is an ode to my Pops for Father’s Day. I know I am a few days late, but I’ve been super busy and this post is super funny, so keep reading!*

My Dad is a real pain the ass. He assumes his opinions are always right, his potty mouth would make a trucker blush, he is crabbier than my kids if he doesn’t stick to his schedule and misses his nap, and he is in better shape than most twenty year olds. So freaking annoying.

However, he is a gem of a man who has come to my rescue more times than I can count. He loves my kids in such a beautiful way that it melts my little black heart. Around every turn of my life when I have been afraid, he reminds me to be brave. And he has taught me some of the most simple but profound lessons in life.

Now in all honesty, a lot of this magical advice was plagiarized from my grandfather, and if I had to guess, taken from his father, but it doesn’t matter because I fully intend on stealing these morsels of knowledge and sharing them with my own bambinos.

People are stupid—this little tidbit is the gift that keeps on giving. Sure it seems a bit harsh, but I can’t tell you how many times a day I recite this line over and over. Watch the nightly news: people are stupid. Read asinine status updates on Facebook: people are stupid. Keyboard politicians: People are stupid. Naming your baby North: people are stupid.
Are they paying your bills? Then why are you worrying about them? I shutter at the thought of being a dad to an emotional basket case teenage girl. I was a freaking hormonal nightmare and cried All. The. Time. During any falling out with a friend, non-friend, or lame-o boyfriend, my dad would lay it on the line and ask:

Dad: Are they paying your bills?

Me: What? No? (insert whiny voice and a few extra tears, OK a lot of tears)

Dad: Then why are you worrying about them?

Me: Because I …(insert lame teenage response) You don’t know what you are talking about.*Storms off to pout in bedroom*

Ok, So it wasn’t the most well received piece of advice as a teen, but with most life lessons, it was lost on youth but invaluable to me today. It takes a lot to get my panties in a bunch, and if they do, I ask myself those questions. Usually if that doesn’t work, I refer to #1

3. Do the right thing- So simple and so true. It’s sorta like my Daddy-O is as enlightened as Dori and her “just keep swimming” line. The next time you find yourself at a crossroad in life, just do the right thing. Makes your decision a lot easier.

There is all sorts of research on the lasting effects a dad has on his daughter’s relationships throughout life and her sense of self-worth. That’s a lot of pressure for Dear Old Dad.! Clearly the big guy did a few things right (even if he failed at teaching me to parallel park). But here is the best part of having an awesome dad, watching him be an amazing grandfather to your kids. Do the right thing? I think so.