Guideline for Parent and Daughter Badge Earning

Cynthia wants your advice: I am not a leader but a parent. I would like to help my daughter earn badge during summer. I have found articles but I don’t know what is needed to show work was done or a check list on what steps are can you point me in right direction?

Troop leaders left their ideas on our Facebook page to help with parent and daughter badge earning:

Colleen writes: If you’re buying the badges for your daughter, you don’t have to show anyone what she did. Just be satisfied between you and her that she completed the requirements, and go buy the badge. Having said that, PLEASE complete the requirements. If you expect the leader to use troop funds to buy the badge, you will need to check with the leader first to see if she’s willing to do this, and then ask her what proof she’ll want that the requirements are met.

Dawn’s comment: As a leader I have the parent verify what parts they did to earn the badge then I talk to the girl and have her tell me what she did to earn it.

• Amy adds: I agree with this. Demonstrating knowledge is as important as the learning – when one earns a badge, she should be able to demonstrate proficiency AND teach someone else about it.

Roseandlee: If a girl wants to earn patches for completing skill level badges, all ya have to do is follow the requirements. It’s important to inform the Leader as she may have plans to complete them. For me as a Leader, I trust my parents, they tell me if their daughter has done the skill levels and if they have, I’ll issue the patches…….we have done them as a troop when the girls were Brownies and it took like 5 hours on a designated day. As Juniors, I know the girls do stuff in school for staying fit, animal habitat, practice with purpose is done because I have girls in sports……no need to re-invent the wheel

Brenda’s input: As a leader, I love when Girls do badges with their parents!! If we attempt it as a troop – then that Girl can help lead it. Awesome!!

• Monica’s response: I love this idea! You can get the Badge In A Bag® kits from Makingfriends®.com. It is everything you need to earn the badge. Games, crafts activities for all five requirements. Then your daughter can even have something to show the rest of the girls!

Kiersten: I encourage my daughters and other scouts in our troop to create an electronic photo scrap book for each badge. One photo for each step. Can be put into a PowerPoint slide or some type of slide program.

Kimberly’s experiences: I always try to give the girls a few badges that they can work on over the summer. Ones that just can’t be done in our meeting room. Usually it is a cooking badge or some they might be interested in but others are not. I just have their parents let me know if they completed the badge, then have the girls tell me what they did and I will get them the badge.

Cynthia’s thankful comment: Thank you for all your advice. I was making things a lot harder than they are.
As a old scout we had a handbook provided all information on earning badges. The terms skill level and journey. Kept confusing me.