Iowa, Don’t Be This Person During Girl Scout Cookie Season

It is unavoidable.  It's cookie season.  You might have seen the sheet at your work.  Or you were sent an email or it popped up on your social media feed.

Maybe you were trying to buy some groceries and when walking in the cute Girl Scouts were there with their cookie booth.  Or, maybe you got an "old school" visit directly at your house with that Girl Scout ringing the doorbell.

No matter what, it's hard to avoid Girl Scout Cookie season.  And that is actually the worst thing you can do to the little girls trying to sell them.

The Cookie Sales Help The Girl Scout Troop

I get it.  As the Girl Scout dad I know you can get a box of cookies for less at the grocery store.  But the cookies really do help the local Girl Scout Troop.

They help pay for the meetings where they learn, do crafts and genuinely grow as young girls.  It even pays for them to experience things like summer camp, horseback riding and so much more.

I wasn't pleased the price went up to $6 this year (mostly cause of all the change that needs to be carried around) but you should know when you buy the cookies you are helping the girls in many ways.

Selling Cookies Helps The Young Girls Confidence

We appreciate that you buy the cookies.  But getting them straight from the Girl Scouts gives so much more than the money to the troop.

Having a young girl walk around the neighborhood to ring doorbells and present themselves is such an important skill for these girls.

To take the order, grab the cookies, count the change, and be polite and thankful to the person buying.  The smiles with each sale are special.

But also, they need to be rejected.  When the Girl Scout is told "no thank you", they also learn that disappointment is a part of life.  Getting told no and then pressing on is an important experience for the Girl Scouts.

Don't Be This Person When The Girl Scout Rings Your Bell

Many houses have video doorbells and know who is at the door without getting off the couch.  So when they see the Girl Scouts standing there, they simply don't come to the door.  And this is the worst thing you can do.

The little girl has enough confidence to walk up to the door.  The least you can do is tell them no thank you.  Heck, you can even lie and say "I just bought some from somebody else.".  But leaving them standing there wondering if anybody is home is the worst.

It's Even Worse When We See You And You Still Don't Answer The Door

This past weekend I was walking the neighborhood with my Girl Scout.  Lots of sales. A few nos.  A lot of no answers.

One house we came up to had big bay windows in the front.  My daughter rang the bell and I saw the person stand up, look at her phone, and then literally hide around the corner.

I watched and wondered if she was going to eventually come to the door and say anything.  She kept popping her head around the corner, I guess thinking I couldn't see her.  But I could.  Luckily my child couldn't.

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After about 45 seconds I figured the torture of having a Girl Scout at this person's door had gone on long enough and I called the child down from the steps to move onto the next house.

This is the worst thing you can do during Girl Scout Cookie season.  Buy some or tell them no thank you.  Just acknowledge the effort and that alone will be a reward for the girl who is learning to hopefully someday not be a scared adult cowering in their house because the cookie monster is at the front door.