Girl Scouts

When I was little (I think maybe 5), I went to some Brownie meetings with a neighbor friend; at least that's what I remember.

I spent Fischer's youth taking him to all the Boy Scout meetings I could... it was so much fun. My dad helped him make his wooden cars, he had his uniform and earned patches, all the fun stuff. I love Scouts! I was sad when he didn't want to do it anymore as he became a teenager. I laugh and say sometimes I wish I was a boy so I could do all that fun!!! The leaders get to have fun too... going on camping and hiking trips, high adventure fun, etc. But alas, I'm a girl.

...

Gracie is 6 and in Kindergarten, and she desperately needed something to do. She is so against change of any kind, is super shy in new situations, and will flat out refuse to do things even after we sign her up. Every kid is different, but she's in left field. I love my daughter immensely, but none of the other kids do anything like what she does. We tried dance. We tried soccer. We tried gymnastics. I just kind of gave up on her doing anything extra-curricular. So when she asked about Girl Scouts, I was skeptical but optimistic at the same time. "PLEASE LORD!"

Her first meeting was last night, and she shut down in typical Gracie style. The leader asked her what her name was and she put her head down and wouldn't answer any questions. Great. Just as suspected. But a funny thing happened: the leader started playing "getting to know you" games and icebreakers. She wouldn't do the pass-the-ball-and-tell-me-your-name-and-something-you're-good-at game. But when they stood up in their circle and connected hands and put a hula-hoop on their arms, then tried to move it over one person to the next without it touching the ground, she started busting a gut. OMGOSH... amazing! :) She was laughing so hard when one of the leaders got stuck and couldn't move her legs through the hula-hoop and move it over her body. (The hula hoops were kid size!) :)

She participated with excitement, but as I watched her, a lightbulb went off in my head about my sweet Gracie. Her poor face was filled with so much anxiety over who was watching her and if she did good enough. I could almost see her heart beating. And I saw the "I'm gonna run away and cry in a minute" look. I prayed, "No, please let her finish and be happy and move on." She worries what people think. She doesn't like being in the spotlight. She laughs at others' funny moments, but doesn't want anyone laughing at her. She wants to be accepted and doesn't handle rejection well, so she just refuses to do anything that might create that opportunity. Kinda like stage fright, but with everything in life. I almost sobbed. I finally get her after 6 years. She is strong-willed, and she is stubborn. But she's also afraid, to the point where it paralyzes her sometimes. Big Mommy moment.

I pretended to be busy with the other moms, and even got to be for a few minutes, so she didn't know I was watching her. She moved from beginning activities to group activities with the Daisies and she warmed right up to the girls and the leader. She loved doing the activity (making willow tree plants), and listened to the girl who was reading out of their book out loud. She was running, laughing, and playing and so very happy. When it was time to go an hour and a half later, she cried because she didn't want to go. She wanted to stay! So I reassured her we'd be back at the next meeting in two weeks, and that we'd get all her uniform gear and books before then.

On the way to the car, she told me about their "Goodnight Girl Scouts" handshake and then showed it to me and Barry when we got home. She was filled with so much excitement.

I am so glad she likes it. I am so glad she wants to go back. And I'm so glad she broke out of her shell after only about 5 minutes. That is the Gracie we all know all the time :)

My daughter is a Girl Scout! YIPPEE... now we can do fun things too... even if we're girls ;)