Confessions of a Cookie Mom

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Girl Scout cookies
“Hi, would you like to buy some Girl Scout cookies?” is a phrase I will hear a million times from February until the end of March.

If you are the parent of a Girl Scout you know what I mean when I say the two-month cookie season seems like it lasts at least twice that long! Between picking up cases upon cases of cookies, canvassing the neighborhood, taking orders at the office, and having cookie booths, cookie season is A LOT of work. 

Why We Sell Girl Scout Cookies

Well, it turns out there are A LOT of reasons why helping my Scout sell cookies is worth it:

  • The preparation that goes into selling cookies provides girls the opportunity to apply real-world skills. They learn about goal setting, selling, distributing change, and organizing to name a few.
  • Girl Scout cookie sales is the world’s largest girl-run business. Being a “Cookie CEO” helps my daughter develop her public speaking skills and allows her to be comfortable interacting with adults outside of her school setting. It’s amazing to see her conversation skills with family and friends develop as a result of selling cookies.
  • It makes my daughter feel a real sense of pride. Each year she sets a very ambitious goal for herself (this year it’s 550 boxes!) and keeps close track of her sales. The sense of pride and accomplishment she feels as she hits her milestones makes all the work worth it.
  • Girl Scout cookie sales ensure all girls in her troop can take part in amazing activities. Each Girl Scout troop receives a portion of the profit from cookie sales to help with running a troop. One of the things I love about my daughter’s troop is that they offer incredible activities that are no cost to the girls! Cookie money has allowed the troop to go camping several times, complete mud runs, go horseback riding, and even spend the night at the Omaha Zoo. Those are just a few of the most memorable experiences we have been a part of thanks to cookie sales. These activities help all the girls in the troop learn and grow together.
  • Each Girl Scout troop takes donations. This is great for people who don’t like cookies! They donate cookies to various local organizations like police and firefighters. There is also a program for sending cookies to members of the Armed Forces stationed overseas.
  • The more cookies my daughter sells, the less summer Girl Scout camp costs me! Girls get credits they can use based on cookie sales. One of the possible uses is to help pay for summer camp. My daughter went to her first five-day camp last summer. She loved it so much, she increased her cookie goal this year to help offset the costs to our family. 

How you can get involved

Whether you purchase Girl Scout cookies or not, here’s how you can help girls selling cookies build confidence and character:

  • If a girl comes to your door or approaches you in a public place, be nice. Allow them to finish their sales pitch before you decline or buy cookies. It takes a lot of courage for children to approach adults.
  • Ask them about Girl Scouts! What is their favorite cookie? Why do they love being a Girl Scout?
  • If you were a Girl Scout or raised a Girl Scout share that! My daughter loves to hear about experiences others have had
  • Give the girl a chance to tell you what you owe her and figure out if change is needed. That is one of her most important jobs.

To my fellow Girl Scout moms, I salute you. To the cookie moms who coordinate pickup for each family in your troop for the two-month cookie season, I am in awe of you. There are many times I’d rather stay home and curl up with my DVR, until my daughter asks if we can load up the wagon and try to sell a few more boxes. If you’re like me, you put on your coat and hold the money bag while she works her very first business. And, if you see me at one of your cookie booths hit me up; I am always good for a box.

Are you a cookie mom? 

*this post was originally written in 2020 and updated in 2024

3 COMMENTS

  1. Love this! We’ve been involved with Girl Scouts since my Junior was in kindergarten so we are very familiar with cookie season. We are so thankful for our community who welcome her in and support her goals.

  2. Girl scout mom here! So much yes! My daughter loves girl scouts and selling cookies. I participated as a girl until my senior year in high school. Wonderful program. Support our girls!

  3. I have e never been a girl scout myself. However my 10 yr old has been one since 1st grade and my 6 yr just started her fist year as a kindergarten. I was a cookie mom when the pandemic 1st shut down our booths. I solely sold over 500 boxes of cookies for the troop. Last year 2020 I had to pass on cookie mom as I was pregnant with our triplet boys. Now my boys are 10 months old and I’m back at it. However this year I’m cookie mom of 3 troops. That’s right I said it. 3 troops. My oldest daughter troop leader is a troop leader for her oldest and her youngest and both troops have meetings together so she asked if I would do both I said yes before she finished. And this year is my 6 yr old 1st year and I offered before they even asked. I love cookie mom I will always sign up for it every year. I myself just wondering when my boys are in boy scouts is it bad if a mom is participating as my hubby sleeps days works nights.

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