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Accept What You Can’t Change: Managing Stress in this…

Helpful info from the Institute for Disaster Mental Health.
View the full resource here.

Accept What You Can’t Change

It’s equally important to recognize that some things are simply out of our control during this time, whether we like it or not. For issues you can’t really control or change, think about using emotion-focused coping strategies that help you manage your feelings. For example, you may not be able to talk yourself out of worrying about the health of your elderly parents, but you can consider strategies for how you’ll handle these unavoidable emotions and prevent them from overwhelming you.

We all know the lists of healthy coping methods like mindfulness, exercise, journaling, and so on. These are great ways of maintaining calm if they work for you, but being reminded to follow these practices just adds more stress for some people. Maybe you prefer to manage your emotions by taking a brief break from your worries in the form of a book, game, or TV show, or you like to stress bake, or scream into a pillow. It really doesn’t matter what you do so long as you actively do something that helps you both feel and function better.

Activities for Kids

At-Home Activities from NASA

Looking for hands-on science and engineering fun at home? Find ideas to build, design, launch, and solve with online resources from NASA.

Here’s one example we love: Make an ocean ecosystem you can eat?! Yes, please!


Make an Ocean Ecosystem Dessert

It’s hard to imagine life on Earth without oceans. The air you breathe used to be an ocean breeze. The water you drink was once in a cloud over the ocean.

The ocean is also important to the many species of plants and animals that call the water their home. This community of organisms is called an ecosystem.

Human-caused climate change is warming our planet, and the oceans are
feeling the heat. Plants and animals in the ocean ecosystem are sensitive to
changes in the ocean’s temperature. Some organisms can adapt to the change, but others can’t survive the warmer temperatures. Since so much life is dependent on these waters, it’s important to keep the oceans healthy!

Scientists are monitoring the temperature of the ocean with an instrument called the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite. The satellite measures the temperature of the top millimeter of the ocean’s surface.

With this activity, learn to make a cool and tasty version of the ocean ecosystem at home!

What you’ll need:
• 1 large clear bowl (deep and 10+ cup capacity)
• 2 – 6 oz boxes of blue gelatin dessert mix
• Red licorice twists
• Gummy fish
• Scissors
• Mint leaves
• Hot water
• Cold water
• Measuring cup (not pictured)
• Spoon (not pictured)

What to do:

1. Make the ocean water. Follow the directions on the box of blue gelatin dessert mix by pouring 4 cups of hot water into the bowl with 2 packages of blue gelatin powder. Stir for 2 minutes. Once the powder is dissolved, mix in 4 cups of cold water. Place the bowl in the refrigerator for approximately 45 minutes. (Note: This amount of time should allow the gelatin to become a thick liquid that is only slightly firm.)

2. Make the coral. While the gelatin is in the refrigerator, use the scissors to cut the red licorice strips into short sections that are only a few inches long. The licorice will represent the coral in your edible ecosystem.

3. Make the seaweed. Cut the mint into segments approximately 2 to 3 inches long. The mint leaves will represent the seaweed in your edible ocean ecosystem.

4. Remove gelatin from refrigerator. After 45 minutes has passed, remove your gelatin from the refrigerator. It should be thicker than liquid, but not completely firm. If the gelatin is still very runny, place it back in the refrigerator for 10 minutes and check it again.

5. Assemble your ocean ecosystem. Once the gelatin has become a thick liquid, begin placing your seaweed (mint), coral (licorice), and fish (gummy fish) in the ocean of blue gelatin. Push each item into the gelatin with your finger. Be sure to place some of your fish, coral, and seaweed right next to the glass so that they’re easy to see. When you’re done, jiggle the gelatin a bit to repair the holes.

6. Refrigerate gelatin again. Place gelatin in the refrigerator for another 2 to 3 hours. This will allow the gelatin to become totally firm.

7. Enjoy your tasty ocean-themed dessert!


Check out dozens of activities and project details here: https://www.nasa.gov/stem-at-home-for-students-k-4.html

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Girl Scout Resources: COVID-19

Updated 3/12/2020, 4:30 p.m. Eastern

Talking with girls about the virus:

Sometimes parents could use a little help, especially when it comes to speaking with your child about a serious issue. The Coronavirus is currently taking top billing in the media, so GSUSA published an article that provides some tips on how to talk with your daughter about the disease.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) also has some good advice for talking with kids, including ways they can avoid getting or spreading the disease and reminding them that health and school officials are working hard to keep everyone safe and healthy.


Take Action:

In addition to routine environmental cleaning, there is a lot we can do to minimize the risk of catching and spreading the virus. Tips from the CDC include:

  • Keep your environment clean – routinely clean frequently touched surfaces like doorknobs, light switches, remotes, sinks and countertops. Find more cleaning tips at the CDC online.
  • Practice good personal health habits like washing your hands frequently and covering coughs and sneezes. Make sure your home and family have a plan of action – these CDC guidelines are helpful.
  • Know what to do if you or a family member gets sick. The CDC specifically advises to call your doctor and stay at home. Get more information here. It is also important to take special care with family members who are more vulnerable to infection.

Stay Informed:

Take a moment now to check your council’s website and social media pages (or reach out to a staff member or your council office) to see what local guidance is provided, and what your council is expecting of you as a volunteer. Some councils may choose to temporarily limit their office/store hours, event schedule, etc. Stay connected to local council updates as much as possible.

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10 Things You Learned as a Girl Scout that…

We asked our alums on Facebook what skills they picked up at Girl Scout camp that still, to this day, define how they camp, hike, and explore the outdoors. Overnight, we received hundreds of responses—525 to date!—and some of them may surprise you. Buddy burners, cherry dump cakes, bedrolls, slip knots, and sit-upons came up a lot—but many of our alums say that their camp experiences have resonated in ways that extend well beyond the woods. Read on for some of our favorite responses.

1. Empowered Decision Making

“I was an older Girl Scout hosting a younger Girl Scout troop on a campout, and it started pouring rain and the ground around our tents was flooding. I remember my troop leader looking at me and saying ‘what are you going to do?’—which induced a moment of panic that I will forever remember [was] followed by decisive action. It was a moment of empowerment that fuels me today, 25 years later!” —Susan E.

2. Respect for Nature

“The most important thing that I learned, that I emphasize to my kids, is to always leave places better than you found them.” —Anne Marie D.

3. Planning for the Worst

“I always have a first-aid kit! My husband laughs because I have one in my Jeep, house, and purse … at all times!” —Raine S.

4. Enjoying the Journey

“Plan ahead but stay flexible and positive when plans have to change—sometimes that makes for the best memories.” —Lezley B.

5. Inclusiveness

“I learned to set a pace by the slowest girl, which is a great way to learn to care for others.” —Sarah P.

6. Independence

“I had never been able to stay overnight anywhere away from my mother—until Girl Scout camp as a Brownie! That changed my life forever and gave me a lifelong love of camp.” —Nan C.

7. Cooking Over a Fire

“I learned to build and cook over an open fire. This was very useful after Hurricane Sandy when we had no electricity for more than 10 days!” —Gina S.

8. Tenacity

“I learned problem solving. My first year leading at a day camp, I fixed a latrine door that kept jamming by using a big rock to hammer the flange back into place.” —Jocelyn H.

9. CPR

“I learned first aid and CPR—and it led me to become a medic!” —Lauren B.

10. Fire Skills

“I learned how to keep a fire going in the rain! They never cancelled our camp training during Hurricane Hannah … and I learned so much that I still use today.” —Rachel C.


Want to stay connected to Girl Scouts? Sign up for the Girl Scout Network newsletter for inspiring profiles of Girl Scout alums, savvy career advice from and for women, mentoring tips, and so much more.

Bullying

Help Us Stop Body Shaming in its Tracks

Whether you call it fat shaming or body shaming, one thing is clear: nobody should feel shame over their weight, clothing size, or body shape. And while you’d never intentionally say or do anything to make your girl feel too fat, too big, too anything—the sad truth is that more than half of girls in first through third grades think their “ideal weight” is less than their actual weight. You read that correctly. Six-year-old girls aren’t just aware of their weight; they think there’s something wrong with it.

Where are girls getting this body shame from, though? Despite the fact that you’d never, ever directly shame your daughter in any way, a lot of behaviors she sees in the grownups in her life can indirectly make your girl second-guess herself or see herself in a not-so-flattering light.

Basically, if you’re covering up your curves, staying out (or standing in the back) of family photos in an attempt to hide yourself, making disparaging jokes about your body, or even calling a pair of pants your “fat jeans,” she’s picking up on it and will likely view her own body through that same hyper-conscious lens.

It really is a problem. So much so that one in four kids say comments from their parents have made them self-conscious about their bodies. Even more depressing? Feeling shamed by parents actually makes kids more susceptible and sensitive to body shaming from others in their lives.

It’s a sad—and in some cases, dangerous—state of affairs. Girls deserve better. Families deserve better. We all deserve better.

But how can we end the cycle of fat shaming if we don’t even realize we’re part of the problem? It’s easier than you think, and it starts at home. Here are five ways to combat body shaming:

1. Recognize the Cycle of Body Drama
Despite the growing body-positivity movement, weight stigma is still in effect. Only about one in ten adult women actually feels good about her body. Your girl won’t be little forever, and obviously you want her to feel good about her body through her entire life.

That might be hard, though. Society as a whole has taught us to favor thin over thick. Think about this for a second: the average American woman wears size 16 clothing, yet almost every model in magazines and advertisements—and most female celebrities and influencers—are  somewhere between a size 00 and 2. Every person of every size and shape should be valued—but when people who are thin or skinny are raised up as the ideal and other people aren’t, the message is pretty clear, and pretty messed up.

Add to the mix a bunch of unfair stereotypes. Overweight people are commonly labeled as lazy, stupid, or both. It’s not right, and it’s cruel, but it’s shaped the way generations of girls and women (and guys, too!) think of their bodies.

In so many ways, girls have the deck stacked against them when it comes to body image and body acceptance. Parents and families in general can play such an important role in balancing the negative with positive, healthy examples.
2. See Yourself Through Your Girl’s Eyes
We get it. If you have issues with your own body, you can’t just snap your fingers and suddenly love everything about it. Short of [EK2] magically wishing away any self-image challenges (can you imagine?!), there are two pretty powerful things you can do:

  • Think back to a time (maybe it’s now!) when your girl wanted to wear matching outfits. That’s proof that your girl worships you and thinks you’re beautiful just as you are—treat yourself the way she’d treat you!
  •  Follow the age-old advice of faking it ‘til you make it.

In other words, pushing yourself to put on that bathing suit for a splash at the local pool, making sure family pics include your fabulous self, and adopting the air of confidence you want your girl to have about her body (even if it doesn’t come naturally to you) are all super awesome things you can do for your girl. Bonus? Over time, some of this pretend positivity might just become the real deal—helping you heal yourself and lift up your girl at the same time.

3. Curb “Diet” and “Skinny” Talk
Making healthy choices is an awesome form of self-love and a great way of life to model for your girl. What isn’t great is teaching your girl about a culture of deprivation and thinspiration. So if you’re looking to make some lifestyle changes, do your best to talk about them with your girl in terms of the strength and energy you’ll be giving your body by eating more balanced foods and getting active.

Setting health and fitness goals for yourself—like “I want to run my first 5K” or, even better, “I want our family to run our first 5K”—isn’t just a better message for your girl, it’s also more meaningful and possibly more attainable than a specific weight target or the idea of looking a certain way.

4. Help Her Tell “Fit” from Fiction
Talk to your girl about society’s beauty standards as well as what she thinks makes someone beautiful. Do they match up? When you see ads together, look at what body types are represented and talk with her about any photo alterations or deceptive camera angles that may have been used to make the people in the ad appear thinner. Discuss the movies and TV shows you watch together as well. Remember that the average American woman wears a size 16. What size did most of the women featured in the show probably wear? Was the average woman’s body seen anywhere on screen?

Helping her see that what’s shown to us in the media isn’t actually the norm (and that sometimes it’s not even real!) can help her feel better about her own body and realize that the skin she’s in isn’t too big, too small, too anything. She’s wonderful just the way she is.

5. Go Ahead, Tell Your Girl She’s Beautiful
No doubt you’ve heard advice from people who say complimenting a girl on her looks is a big no-no. You’re supposed to tell her she’s brave, strong, curious, funny, bold, or smart—basically anything but pretty or beautiful. But you know what? With so much body shaming going on in the world and so much pressure to meet unrealistic and often unattainable beauty standards, it’s actually important for your girl to hear she’s beautiful once in a while. Of course don’t make that the only thing you focus on—she is so much more than the way she looks, so mix in some praise for her hard work at school, her kindness, and her can-do attitude—but telling her she looks awesome isn’t going to hurt anything, and it might be just the thing she needs to hear.

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Episode 12 – Girl Scout Week: March 2020

Girl Scout Week is almost here, and we want to know how you’re celebrating! This is an annual celebration of Girl Scout spirit in the week surrounding Girl Scouts’ birthday, on March 12.

It’s the perfect time to learn more about the history of Girl Scouts and our founder, Juliette Gordon Low. You can browse information on Girl Scouts of the USA’s “Our History” section of the website here.

Here are a few ideas for ways to celebrate, or check with your council for additional options, or make up your own!

Sunday, March 8: Honor Your Beliefs
Girl Scout Sunday is a special day dedicated to thinking about your beliefs and how they’re reflected in the Girl Scout Law. Think of the things the two have in common and share your thoughts with others.

Monday, March 9: Mission: Sisterhood
Give a big shout-out to your Girl Scout sisters! Whether you tag other Girl Scouts on social media or get creative and make a card or gift for a Girl Scout in your life, don’t be bashful about sharing the love.

Tuesday, March 10: 
Do a Good Turn Daily
Perform an act of kindness. Whether you pay for a stranger’s cup of coffee or visit an elderly neighbor, every bit of positivity Girl Scouts put out there helps make the world a better place.

Wednesday, March 11: Girl Scout Spirit Day
Get out your green gear—it’s Girl Scout Spirit Day! Whether you sport a Girl Scout tee under a blazer at the office or rock a trefoil sweatshirt at the gym, let everyone know you’re a proud Girl Scout.

Thursday, March 12: Happy Birthday Girl Scouts! 
It’s Girl Scouts’ 108th birthday! Honor the Girl Scout Movement by sharing on social media an issue you’re passionate about and what you’re doing to make a difference. You’ve got this, Girl Scout!

Friday, March 13: Girl Scout Jummah 

Girl Scout Jummah celebrates the powerful ties between Girl Scouting and faith and, on this day, Girl Scouts across the country will honor those share believes as they pledge to serve God and others.

Saturday, March 13: Girl Scout Sabbath
Besides reflecting on your beliefs and how they’re echoed in the Girl Scout Law, we urge you to take some time this Girl Scout Sabbath to learn something new about someone else’s faith.


A friendly reminder that if you’d like to contribute content for April, the interest form is due by March 10.

Cookies

Episode 11 – The 2020 Cookie Episode

The year-by-year Cookie Entrepreneur Family pin collection is the latest addition to the Girl Scout Cookie Program—and was inspired by and designed for families just like yours!

It’s never been easier to support your girl as she develops business skills, makes amazing memories, and earns a different pin for her uniform every cookie season. The simple, age-specific guidelines have been tailored for her developing skill set, making success a snap.

Purchase the pin (worn by girls only) here: click here to go to the Girl Scout Shop.

Check out where to place the pin on the Girl Scout uniform here: https://www.girlscouts.org/en/our-program/uniforms/where-to-place.html


Save the Date:
National Girl Scout Cookie Weekend is February 28 – March 1, 2020!

Get the patch! Click here to go to the Girl Scout Shop.

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Episode 10 – World Thinking Day

Get the one-page PDF resource for this episode: click here

Every year, one special day brings girls around the world together to celebrate sisterhood and make a global impact: World Thinking Day!

What Is World Thinking Day? 

Since 1926, World Thinking Day has promoted international friendship among Girl Scouts and Girl Guides as they work together to make the world a better place. It all went down when girls met at Girl Scouts’ very own Camp Edith Macy (now Edith Macy Center) for the fourth World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts World Conference. The delegates agreed that there should be a special day every year when Girl Scouts and Girl Guides around the world think of one another and celebrate global sisterhood. They decided to call it Thinking Day and chose February 22 to honor the birthdays of Girl Guide founders Lord and Lady Baden-Powell. 

Fast forward to 1999: at the 30th World Conference in Dublin, Ireland, delegates wanted to make sure the day reflected the Girl Scout Movement’s international nature, so they changed the name to World Thinking Day.  
Every year since, World Thinking Day has called on Girl Scouts and Girl Guides to unite and take part in activities that change the world for the better.  

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion 

Girl Scouts is a place for every girl, and this year’s World Thinking Day theme of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) emphasizes that by calling on girls to promote these values in their communities, the Girl Scout Movement, and beyond. 
By using the World Thinking Day Award 2020 Activity Pack, girls learn what DEI means and what they can do to put these ideas into practice. After completing the activities, girls earn the World Thinking Day Award! 

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Episode 9 – Join the AtGS Movement

We’re gearing up for BIG things in 2020! And we need your help.

Every month, we’ll be opening up guest blog submissions and podcast guest applications to plan all the All Things Girl Scouts goodness for the following month. Our listeners and readers have so much knowledge and experience to share, and we’re ready to help even more Troop Leaders and parents make Girl Scouts AWESOME for girls in their troop.

Be a Guest Blogger

There are 3 types of articles you can submit:

  1. Share Your Story: Something AWESOME your troop or Service Unit has done in Girl Scouts. What are your successes that others could gain inspiration from?
  2. How-To: Share the step-by-step of how to earn a specific girl award, qualify for a volunteer recognition, or host a bridging ceremony (for example).
  3. Expert Resources: Do you have a super-cool day job with expertise to share? Maybe you can help girls earn a badge by sharing resources.

To get started, submit your interest form here.
The deadline to submit is the 10th of each month, for content to be published the following month.

Be a Podcast Guest Host

There are 3 types of Podcast Guest Hosts:

  1. Girl Scout Experts – If you have a special skill, experience, or knowledge related to Girl Scouts, join us on an episode to share it! Are you really good at Dutch oven cooking? Love the STEM badges? Let’s chat.
  2. Professional Experts – If you’ve got a cool day job that girls or troop leaders might be interested in learning more about, let’s chat.
  3. Council Celebrity – How fun would it be to interview council CEOs, Board chairs, and Camp Directors?! Let’s highlight your Council’s celebrities with exclusive interviews!

Want to be a Podcast Guest Host? Submit your interest form here.
Know someone who would be an awesome guest? Suggest a guest here.

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Episode 8 – Safety Award Resources

What are Girl Scouts Safety Awards?

There is one Safety Award available at each Girl Scout level, so there are six total. They look like the little red cross symbol, except the color is different at each level and there is a little green girl scout trefoil in the middle of the cross.

Where does she wear the award?

It is typically worn just above the rows of badges and Journey awards. You want to have some space above it for the My Promise, My Faith awards. Above it there might also be Brownie Wings, a Junior Aide award, bridging awards, and so on. See insignia placement here.

Where do I find all the requirement?

To find all the requirements for the safety award, you will want to reference your level’s Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting. 

In this episode, we review the requirements of each level’s Safety Award and talk about ideas for completing each step.

We’ve also prepared a free downloadable resource for you, with links to additional expert resources to support your troop, as the girls work toward their safety award. Get the resources here.

Safety Award Topics by Level

Daisies

  • What to do in an emergency
  • Choking signs and first aid
  • Stop, Drop and Roll

Brownies

  • School safety
  • Local emergency services
  • Smoke alards
  • Trip safety
  • Disaster preparedness

Juniors

  • Common injuries
  • Home safety
  • Signs of dangerous weather
  • Bike safety
  • Trail safety

Cadettes

  • Hazards to young children
  • Water safety
  • Teaching Safety to others
  • Disaster preparedness
  • Bullying 

Seniors

  • Self defense
  • Teaching safety to younger girls
  • Distracted driving
  • Conflict resolution
  • Drug and alcohol abuse

Ambassadors

  • Teen forum on safety
  • Social Media safety
  • Safety Responsibilities for leaders
  • Safe relationships
  • Safety in sports