10+ Things Your Cookie Mom Wish You Knew...

Leaders and Cookie Mums:
Sometimes, we as leaders can take on the role of cookie mum, or maybe you are that parent who stepped up (we as leaders thank you!) and you either know this by having experienced it or you are about to! Feel free to share with your parents so they understand not only is "there a post for that" but that other leaders as seen in number 10, have the same exact experiences as you! Yes, I know, it is hard to believe in our cookie bubble world sometimes. You are in good company!

Parents:
Read this and know that those experiences of your cookie leader or cookie mum is the same across the nation. When we say they work hard for your girls, we do. We do it without pay and with the love from our hearts! We are very proud of your girls! And we can't do it without you! So help out with booths, offering to pick up cookies, everything is helpful!

1. Read This! 
Okay, anyone who is a leader or a cookie mum will get the whole joke behind #1. If you don't, let me explain. People don't read their emails, sign up for things on time, ask questions that have been answered over and over (or in the blog post). It gets old fast. We don't mind helping but do read this to understand why sometimes we hold frustration. Although, most of the time is it worth it.


2. We Have to Set Alarms to Get Cookie Booths
Because it is like winning the lottery to get the first choice on what you want for prime cookie booths for your daughters.

3. We Re-Arrange Our Houses to Fit All Those Cookies In
And my how much work that takes when you live in an urban area! I am going to have fun fitting 4000 boxes of cookies in the house just on the initial order only! Oh, yes, we actually move furniture in the house to fit your cookies in-- so when we ask for you to pick up on time, please do! As much as we love been the fun house of girl scout cookies, it is a pain in the butt to house them sometimes.

4. C is For Cookies and for Crying Because of Cookies
There are points, especially last year, I almost quit because of an experience I had with a couple of parents and how much grief they put me through. I am the middle man, well, woman, and I think that people think I make up the rules, but I don't. I convey the information, and one reason I did posts to cover "All About Cookie Season" was so I did not have to endure same questions over and over again or parents who will try to pull the same stunts as last year. I think though, honestly, I have a great set of parents from what I can tell this year and I am excited!

5. We Account (and Re-Count) For All Cookie Transactions
This includes booths. I keep everyone accountable to what they do because I don't want their daughters' to suffer or the troop. Also, this is tedious sometimes but absolutely necessary for making sure we are on top of our stuff!

6.  We Volunteer- If We Got Paid, We Could Be Rich!
The amount of hours leaders put into being leaders and that is on top of being cookie mum for some of us is massive. We love your girls, we love this troop! So please keep in mind, we stay up very late and we wake up early to make sure things run smoothly-- and we don't get paid to do it!

7. We Have Lives Outside Scouting... 
And this is obvious, but some people don't realise despite how many hours we do actually put into scouting (and I dread to count the actual hours), that we do have many things to do beyond scouting. Some of us have medical things going on, or family things, or actually do want to put our kids into swimming too.

8.  If We Ask For Help, It's because We Need It!
Again, captain obvious here, but it's true. Sometimes people think that if we ask for help we are just wanting to push off work on you. Sometimes it is our last straw to ask for help. I am a type A all the way and I sometimes prefer to just get it done on my own but if I ask for help, it is for a real reason! So please help me help you help the troop of amazing girls we have!

9. If You Would Like to Show Your Gratitude for What we Do, Please Do! 
It makes us feel more appreciated and that we are doing something right when people/parents let us know that we are doing good and that our work is appreciated. Any token of gratitude is appreciated! In fact, wine is great-- (hahaha). And I have the resource to tell me what cookie goes with it! 

10.What Other Cookie Mum/Troop Leaders Say
(these are not my opinions, but those of the amazing leaders around the nation, within different councils (meaning different rules), and with their own experiences). So keep in mind the follow that your Cookie mum goes through!:

Tiffany Lang Rosengrant What Traci said! My daughter worked all booths at least 2 hours and a few of them all 4 hours so we could have our safety numbers. One of the 4 hour booths was in 27 degree weather. She EARNED those rewards. And she was only 5.

Unlike · Reply · 1 · January 18 at 6:23pm

Traci Born During fall product, I had people sign up for booths and not only not show but also not call me. My daughter worked every single booth because we didn't have another option. She earned her 100+ in sales.

After fall product was over... I was told I sh...See More

Like · Reply · 1 · January 18 at 6:39pm

Margaret Spainhoward Agreed. The only booth last year that my daughter was not scheduled to work, she got roped into working because mom #2 didn't show up, and pretended like she didn't knowwhat time it was, even though she confirmed time and place with me a few days before. -.-

Like · Reply · 1 · January 18 at 7:03pm

Tiffany Lang Rosengrant Ugh. I mean my girl wanted to stay usually, but wanting to and having to bc smeone one else no showed are 2 different things.

Like · Reply · January 18 at 7:35pm

Traci Born Our council allows mother daughter booths. Of the 5 booths we did for fall product, 4 turned into mother daughter booths because no one showed. My daughter loved it... But after I was told that I should CALL the other moms. I sent out a group text... No one replied.

Like · Reply · 1 · January 18 at 8:46pm

Beth Mellott How much time it takes. 😐
Plus how my husband, son, and two GSs do to make it all happen.

Unlike · Reply · 1 · January 18 at 5:35pm

Manly Foster Summerfield I had a parent tell me at Christmas that Christmas wasn't too much of a break for me since I only spend 2 hours twice a month on scouts. I was like confused emoticon . .would you like to tell my husband that? She really thinks I only spend 4 hours a month? Shoot I spent 4 hours at each meeting, and hour before setting up and dealing with parent concerns and an hour after cleaning up.

Unlike · Reply · 2 · January 18 at 5:41pm

Traci Born Another thing... If you call me 20 minutes before a booth your daughter signed up for and cancel, then I have to fill that spot. Which means that yes, my daughter is getting pulled in. Because I will not call 12 moms to fill a 1 hour slot. So yes, she might get an extra booth slot but that's because someone cancels last minute and she's my go-to fill in (which she loves). If you give more notice, I can offer the slot to other girls.

Unlike · Reply · 5 · January 18 at 5:46pm

Morgan Caufield The enormous amount of time it takes and how much time I have to sacrifice for it. That it's extremely important to pick up your cookieswhen I ask...I have 14 girls picking up cookies and it's hard to try to work my schedule around 13 others. Please pay on time...it's not fair to me to deal with cookie stuff while I'm away on vacation. And my biggest thing...please sell cookies...it's not fair to the ones that bust their butts to sell cookies and you don't even sell one box in the years you have been with the troop.

Unlike · Reply · 4 · January 18 at 12:44pm

Amy Oliver The huge amnt of time scheduling booths and doing paperwork- had to do my parents training FIVE times this year because people couldnt make the meeting or make up session.... smh

Unlike · Reply · 4 · January 18 at 1:07pm

Lisa Burnham Leibrand The amount of time that gets put in. I go every Friday to pick up cookies for booths, cookie booths all weekend, deliver remainder back on Monday. Place orders that have been collecting all week long in Tuesday so I have enough to cover more booths. ...See More

Unlike · Reply · 5 · January 18 at 3:49pm

Andrea Barton Bailey Why I need a chiropractor!

Unlike · Reply · 3 · January 18 at 4:58pm

Margaret Spainhoward That my husband pays for the uhaul, not the troop. That my husband and I load cookies at pickup, unload cookies at my house, and sort all those cookies BY OURSELVES. And no, we don't get paid...

Unlike · Reply · 8 · January 18 at 9:57am

JoAnne Guertin Callas That when you give them a deadline date, I mean it. I don't make up these dates and I can't just enter your order when it's covenant for you to get it to me. And realize that I work 3 jobs and also volunteer so the 3 days that I am given from the end of sales to when orders are due, in reality does not give me much time to enter the orders.

Unlike · Reply · 8 · January 18 at 10:25am

Terri Iacovelli Come Delivery time my parents pick up the cookies for my troops I input 3 different troops into ebudde I'm also handle Cookie deposit for these troops 4th grade Junior 6 girls Senior troop 1 girl Brownie troop 1 girl plus I running a Thinking Day Event for the service unit

Unlike · Reply · 3 · January 18 at 1:19pm · Edited

Jennifer Yanben Please come on time for cookie pick ups. I hate being held hostage for cookie time. It may ony be 10 minutes but over the week all of those ten minutes equal a lot of idle time I am twideling my thumbs. I have to cook dinner and run erans too.

Unlike · Reply · 6 · January 18 at 11:38am

Amy Ward Exceed the amount of cookiesset for the troop per girl. We try to encourage the girls to sell 75 boxes a piece. Some will exceed that which is great. Some will just stop at 75. Trying to encourage more if they can. The more they sell the more the troop can go and do or maybe even get more patches, assist in getting the next uniform, or what the troop needs as a whole.

Unlike · Reply · 3 · January 18 at 11:47am

Kisten Kerns That the e-mail I sent saying, I will be in Florida from X to Y dates, but I will make myself available for cookie pick up ALL THESE extra days before I go.... Means pick up your dang cookies, because I will ACTUALLY be in FLORIDA!!! Last year, 16 texts asking to pick up either initial order, extra cookies, or swing by for a few more of this or that! I was only gone from Friday to Monday morning!!

Like · Reply · 7 · January 18 at 8:20am

Carrie Straub How inconvenient it is to me and my family if they decide to drop by unannounced ALL the TIME!!! I had one parent who I swear would come to my house EVERY SINGLE NIGHT, to drop off money. Even if it was only $50 bucks. I finally had to tell her she couldn't do that, as I have other things I have to do in the evenings!

Like · Reply · 5 · January 18 at 9:36am

Margaret Spainhoward I had a mom drop by Saturday while I was working (in my home) and then send me a hateful text about how she couldn't wait for me. I'm just thinking "Maybe you shouldn't have come by UNANNOUNCED!"

Like · Reply · 1 · January 18 at 4:11pm

Julie Nelson That for every 1 hour they put into cookie sales, us leaders and cookie moms put in 3 or 4 hours smile emoticon

Unlike · Reply · 12 · January 18 at 2:18am

Carol Grafton If it was my parents frokm last year, understand you need to sell more that 10 boxes for a free camping trip for 16 Scouts and their guardisn, and don't get mad if we have to charge you. This year's troop is smaller so we need to work very hard to earn anything. Also, just because my scout is high seller, it's because she works hard and does more than we require!

Unlike · Reply · 5 · January 18 at 7:30am

Christine Bourette How much I actually put onto it. How physically exhausted o am all the time! What goes into making sure all girls get a fair chance to go to cookie booths.

Unlike · Reply · 6 · January 18 at 7:33am

Jennifer Reilly I am an unpaid volunteer. I am not here to please you (the parents) but to help the girls do the best they can. You will have to do work and the things we do will not always be the easiest for you but we are unpaid volunteers and do not have the time to spend catering to you. I do appreciate you and I do know how busy you are so am I. Please just pay for your cookiesthanks.

Unlike · Reply · 7 · January 18 at 8:09am

Christina Bombe Timms That there is only one of me. I have a completely full schedule. I have a husband in a walker, 2 younger kids with special needs. The youngest is out there selling with mom. She not complaining. She thinks it is fun. In a week she sold 280 boxes the next kid sold 30. I sew the uniforms on days I am off. I did the troop over one nite. I pass them out on Monday. I have a mom show up for first time and want her uniforms and cookie forms. I am going to verify with council. It took till Friday because we had a flat selling these cookies. So we lost a week we was too sick to go outside. I text the parent at 6 am saying uniforms done. She online I see her at noon on Saturday to meet. Not a thing it is coming to meeting. I have therapies for the kids a total of 6 different sessions. Plus I am helping my mother in law. I answer calls and messages from new leaders.
When I say money is due by (this date) it is a few days till die to council.....but I will turn you in to council at midnight. If you want to do trips and have it cheaper in your pocket then sell some cookies

Unlike · Reply · 2 · January 18 at 12:32am

Wendi Casa That I will not lose sleep or rearrange my family's life or schedule because their little princess wants her cookies NOW and can't wait until the pick up time tomorrow.
Also all the gas I use driving.

Unlike · Reply · 6 · January 17 at 11:27pm

Laury Baxter All the behind the scenes work we do, ordering, balancing, double counting, entering info into spreadsheets, etc. So if we appear unorganized, disheveled, and so forth we really aren't.

Unlike · Reply · 6 · January 17 at 11:27pm

Jennie Gordon Coon I don't get paid for this and my day job expects me to keep working

Unlike · Reply · 11 · January 17 at 11:45pm

Donna Miller McCarty The paperwork, and the time it takes to do everything! to pick up cookies, pack orders, run deposits to the bank, figure out booths deliver cookie booths.
And how many people think they they can pick up cookies when ever they want, like dinner time. Or say they will be here at 5:00 and show up at 7:00

Unlike · Reply · 14 · January 17 at 11:55pm · Edited

Kisten Kerns That giving me a 'verbal' order for 2 more Thin Mints and a box of Samoas for Uncle Joe, while I am in the middle of passing out the girls Initial Orders, will never result in boxes of cookies for Uncle Joe! Text it, e-mail me, write it down on the gosh dang Goal Getter that I JUST Handed to you, lol!!!

Unlike · Reply · 6 · January 17 at 11:59pm

Traci Born That being cookie mom isn't easy and it takes away from MY daughter and her time to be selling. That I'm not available 24/7. That just because we homeschool and I'm home doesn't mean I'm available to answer you the moment you message me for cookies (or anything).

Unlike · Reply · 7 · January 18 at 12:27am

Tiffany Lang Rosengrant Oh and that I can look at the cases of different shapes and sizes, stare at the back of my truck and see how to get the most number of cases in there while maximizing booth sales. Because you know, I'm a cookie mom and that's my super power.

Unlike · Reply · 6 · January 17 at 10:53pm

Vicki Oliver That they consume my entire living room and possibly camper for at least a month or longer. That I need and want the help loading them up for cookie booths because I am only 1 person. And that if no one wants to help with booths, we aren't doing them because I refuse to sit there by self selling cookies. It's a troop effort

Like · Reply · 8 · January 17 at 11:18pm

Kisten Kerns That my daughter being Top Seller, year after year, is no secret 'trick' or magic. It is hard work, and if their daughters set the same kinds of goals, I would do my best to help them reach them!

Unlike · Reply · 12 · January 17 at 10:49pm

Angela Nielson Smith In GSU we have to have a minimum of 2 adults, one of whom HAS to be a registered adult.

Like · Reply · 2 · January 17 at 10:42pm

Melissa Dodd Lugging all them boxes around really puts a toll on you.

Unlike · Reply · 5 · January 17 at 10:35pm

Becky Brewer I wish I could have made them understand that you can't just 'send back' unsold cookies, and that I needed them to step up and do more to get them sold. I'm no longer a leader and I miss my troop terribly, but I do not miss cookie stress one bit.

Unlike · Reply · 4 · January 17 at 10:35pm

Andrea Wallace Cassels The many week nights staying up until 1 am planning cookie stuff and meetings!! And the numerous emailing and texting now that I have 2 girls in 2 different troops!

Unlike · Reply · 4 · January 17 at 10:33pm · Edited

Barbara Kreisler That I am responsible for getting and distributing the cookies. That I am responsible for the money. I am a volunteer and really don't enjoy running around for so little return for the troop.

Unlike · Reply · 3 · January 17 at 10:32pm

Jessica Dean Ditto on the stressing over booths. Also, I'm selling not just for my daughter to make her goal, but also the goal for all the girls in the troop. But, my parents are awesome, so I don't stress too much over it.

Unlike · Reply · 4 · January 17 at 10:31pm · Edited

Rebecca Wedl Wilson that I'm staying up until midnight and stressing over getting "good" booths for them!

Unlike · Reply · 13 · January 17 at 10:23pm

Autumn Jean Hall Kizerian and getting up early and if I switch a booth it's cause I think it will sell better. Walmart is better than Lowe's and if we can get a better booth I will. smile emoticon

Unlike · Reply · 2 · January 17 at 10:25pm

Rebecca Wedl Wilson I am constantly stalking the booths listings just in case someone else drops a good one! It's an illness! hahaha

Unlike · Reply · 3 · January 17 at 10:26pm

Tiffany Fogle I'm a cookie mum / co leader and our main leader is not a good leader I have to due pretty much all the work and then she never communicate with me .

Unlike · Reply · 1 · January 17 at 10:21pm

Nikki Williams My parents have been awesome so far but this is a new group of girls all new parents but so far my parents who couldn't meet said I can come to u They are pretty awesome ask again at the end of cookies lol

Unlike · Reply · 2 · January 17 at 10:21pm

Tara Joines I try so very hard, to get the troop to realize the skills that they can and do learn, just by selling cookies. The training, the information, the organization and work to make it a fun experience for each girl. There is a LOT of red tape, that the leaders and TCM go through, all for the cookies, behind the scenes. We love what we do and we do it for their baby girls! heart emoticon

Unlike · Reply · 5 · January 17 at 10:16pm

Monica Lightsey- Stowers Understanding the physical work involved. I suffer from fibromyalgia.... lifting and moving boxes can make for a rough couple of days. Also, the amount of gas I use picking up cookies throughout the season, and driving to and from every booth sale even when I'm not scheduled to work the booth.

Unlike · Reply · 14 · January 17 at 10:14pm

Tiffany Lang Rosengrant That they double counted the cookies they took. *i* did not give them the wrong types or short change them.

Unlike · Reply · 12 · January 17 at 10:14pm

Autumn Jean Hall Kizerian That I have to help my daughter just like them and do troop stuff. I have a family that needs me. My life is a little more complicated. In my troop I am one of 2 working mom's the rest are stay at home but, keep telling me theiy arebuisier than me.

Unlike · Reply · 9 · January 17 at 10:05pm

Shanna Brown We don't "make up rules" just for fun. We get instructions from council and we pass on the expectations. Please don't give ME grief over the way the council sets their rules. I have to follow them for my own child, just as you are expected to do. I am a volunteer, I don't work for council, I'm not their employee. We are doing the best we can and need their support by please just doing what we ask.

Unlike · Reply · 24 · January 17 at 10:04pm

Robin Pruitt i just wish they understood that i am JUST as busy, and kids get JUST as sick, and life gets in the way JUST as much for me and them, and then i ADD days worth of hours of hard work into my life to better the girls and that my life is no less of value just bc i volunteered to do this. (this can go for being a leader in general too)

Unlike · Reply · 41 · January 17 at 10:02pm

Deb Lyszczak Kraft Could not have said it better!

Like · Reply · 2 · January 17 at 10:04pm

Sarah Thomas Amen!

Like · Reply · January 18 at 10:28pm

Remember that no matter our frustration....  We Love Our Troop-- That is Why We Do It!
We love our troop and want to support girls, big dreams, and business savvy amongst them. Seeing the girls blossom makes it all the worth it!