It’s crazy to see how things have changed so much in just 5 months. I think this quarantine has encouraged a lot of people to start reevaluating everything they are doing. We are blessed this hasn’t impacted us financially, but, having a high risk kiddo in the house has caused us to take this far more seriously than most.
You would have thought that the pandemic and quarantine would have put stress on our family. I don’t know if it’s the fact that we are used to pushing through and never being certain that tomorrow is a given, but I’d say we have fared this storm pretty well. Considering our overscheduled calendar prior to COVID, taking a step back, and relaxing was such a change in pace that it forced me to start digging deep about our family values and what we wanted.
I stepped back from leading after 6 years.
Not all of them, just the one I never thought I would leave. I had been with them from the very beginning. They were my all-star troop. The girls were passionate about scouting and the parents were easy to deal with too. It was such a painful decision, one that I spent weeks mulling over and crying about. In the end, I knew I was making the right one for myself and my family. We can do hard things.
So what led me to this decision? It’s always the adults who ruin for the girls, am I right? The thing is, as a volunteer, it’s important to set boundaries. It’s important to be transparent. I always do things by the book. I have high regard for the rules and standards set out by the organization, no matter how strict they might seem. Always follow the rules. It protects you as much as it protects the girls. If you are a leader or a parent and you know certain rules are not being followed, demand for it. The standards are there for a reason to protect our children. Don’t forget that!
When another person on our leadership team doesn’t have the same respect and values and purposely disregards them behind my back, I have to draw the line. When another adult puts me liable I can no longer put myself and family at risk. Believe me, there are parents out there who will take you to court for looking at them the wrong way. Oh, the horror stories I could tell you!
It’s not as simple as I have made it out to be. There is always more to the story but I’ll just keep it with the above. I think what hurts the most was the way I was treated when the decision was made. I was cut off as if I didn’t have 3 more months to finish out the year or the responsibility of completing the year-end financial report. You find out who people are behind their curtain once you’re no longer of service to them. But like I said, it was the right decision to make and I’m not looking back anymore. Because of the way things ended, I knew I was no longer comfortable with my daughter in that troop. We formed a smaller troop and I know Bella is going to thrive in this new group dynamic! Everyone is where they need to be now.
It’s okay to step back and say “no”. Being a volunteer is tough and sometimes we need to remember that if we’re not caring for ourselves, we can’t serve others.
I’m still leading Ryleigh’s Brownie troop in the fall. Penny is entering kindergarten and will be a daisy! So obviously I’m not leaving Girl Scouts. I wasn’t thrilled with the idea of virtual meetings but there is a need we can fill while keeping the mission. This fall will be a challenge with the social distancing restrictions but I’ve got some ideas on how to get the girls pumped up for virtual meetings! We have one this Wednesday and I’m excited to share with you ways we are engaging the girls through virtual meetings! I’ll have to report back to you!