My daughter, at just 7 years old, is a proud Brownie, and her troop engages in a variety of enjoyable activities, such as visiting animal shelters and delivering care packages to veterans. I’m thankful for the other parents who coordinate these events, as I tend to be a more passive participant in the Brownie experience. We’ve managed quite well until the cookie sale season hit.
Typically, I’m the laid-back parent who lets my kids take the lead, but for some inexplicable reason, I decided this was the year to dive headfirst into cookie sales. The rationale seemed sound: after all, selling Girl Scout cookies offers valuable lessons, as a former Girl Scout once highlighted in an article on CNN.
Lessons Learned from Selling Cookies
- Marketing Skills: My daughter would learn how to persuade people to buy cookies.
- Facing Rejection: She’d encounter people who say no, teaching her resilience.
- Building Courage: Approaching strangers can be daunting for a 7-year-old, but this was a chance for her to practice bravery.
We aced all these challenges, and my daughter thrived in her newfound roles. So, where did I go wrong?
It all started with the ill-advised decision to sell cookies to former colleagues. At the time, I was underemployed, and with another school day off for the kids (don’t ask), we hopped on the train to Manhattan. We visited three different offices where I still had connections. My daughter, with her charming smile and order form, sold cookies while I handled the cash. She was a hit!
Upon returning home, my mother-in-law called to congratulate us. I excitedly recounted our success, but her next question stopped me in my tracks: “How will you carry all those cookie boxes on the train?” Uh-oh.
While walking around with a pen and an order form is manageable, transporting a mountain of cookie boxes on multiple trains is a different story altogether. By the time the cookies arrived, I had returned to work, which meant I’d likely need to take time off just to deliver these sugary boxes.
But wait, it got worse.
The cookies had to be picked up from one of the Brownie Moms’ homes. In my frantic effort to organize who ordered what—I was convinced I needed this list when, in reality, the Cookie Mom was far more organized than I could ever hope to be—I spilled an entire cup of coffee on my laptop keyboard. Fantastic.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, I then had to navigate out of the Cookie Mom’s driveway, which had a ridiculously arched stone entrance. In my attempts to escape, I accidentally backed into her iron gate, taking another ten minutes to extricate myself from the situation. When I finally returned home, seeing the damage I’d done to my brother’s car drove me to consume an entire box of Samoas in one sitting, as if that would somehow make everything better.
Now, I was left with a wrecked car, a belly full of Samoas, and ten cartons of cookies to sort and deliver. I was contemplating whether I should drag my daughter out of school to help me finish the job, effectively turning her into a delinquent.
How NOT to Sell Girl Scout Cookies
- Avoid Hard-to-Reach Locations: Selling cookies in places that require multiple subway transfers or that are only open during weekdays is a recipe for disaster—especially if they’re near the chaotic crowd of Times Square.
- Set Realistic Goals: Don’t aim for excessive sales; be content with a manageable amount.
- Skip the Extras: Ordering extra boxes for “just in case” will only lead to temptation and regret.
- Resist the Siren Call of Samoas: These cookies are dangerously addictive. One box? Forget it. It’s an all-or-nothing situation.
- If You Struggle with Self-Control: If you share my love for Samoas, you might find this article helpful to resist the urge for a second box—maybe.
In conclusion, selling Girl Scout cookies can be a valuable experience, but it’s best approached with caution and realistic expectations. If you’re considering options for starting your family, check out Cryobaby’s at-home insemination kit or BabyMaker’s home intracervical insemination kit combo, which provide excellent resources on the topic. For more information on pregnancy, visit Healthline’s comprehensive guide.
Keyphrase: selling Girl Scout cookies
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