When Does Girl Scout Cookie Sales Cross The Line?

It's the time of year I love and hate, as it's GS cookie sales time, and I have a daughter who's a Girl Scout. While I love eating the cookies, I hate the pressure of selling them. What's proper etiquette, and when do sales cross the line?

The whole idea of Girl Scout cookie sales, or Boy Scout popcorn sales for that matter, is an important one: teaching our kids confidence. It's a message that is printed on almost every cookie box and piece of paper that goes out to the Girl Scout and their parents. This is at time for the kids to go and sell, and get comfortable with having conversation with strangers and handling money, while feeling good about supporting a cause they feel good about, while achieving personal sales goals. But too often, this isn't the case.

I'm guilty of it too. More often than not, parents take lists to work, and pitch their kids sales on co-workers, while their kid isn't even present. It's just become "what you have to do" so your child can reach their goal. Problem is, what have they learned? Do they handle the money, or learn how to make a pitch, or have a conversation? Nope. Instead, parents are left to harass co-workers, and honestly I feel guilty about it.

Then there's the cookie booths, which I do support, for the most part. Yes, we all kinda panic every time we see someone standing at a door to a business, no matter what they're trying to sell. Usually the obligatory "no thanks" is fine. Unfortunately, at least for me, the consumer does have a bit of guilt, especially when it's freezing outside, and the parents are still making them work. And that's where I toe the line. Is it a good lesson to teach the kids the life lesson that work is difficult some times, or would it be best to not subject the kids to the harsh elements just for the sake of the "need to sell"? Guess it depends on how cold it is, and how much the girls are participating.

For us, I'm fine with the door to door. Sure, it stinks being the dad pulling the cart down the sidewalk, but I think the learning for my daughter is best present in this situation. The first 2 years, I helped her quite a bit, but this year, it's pretty much all her. She has to handle the greeting and "pitch", as well as the critical math of how much they owe. I'll help out with the handling the cash and change, but the rest is on her. It's how I did most of my fundraisers in school, whether chocolates, magazines, or fruit. Problem is, we just need some tolerable weather to walk around in.

One thing I'll never do though, which really bothered me the other day, is go business to business. Knocking on someone's door is no biggie to me. If they don't want to answer, they don't have to. And if they have already bought, or aren't interested, they're always nice in letting us know. But to invade the workplace, interrupting people you have no connection to from doing what they're being paid to do, that crossing the soliciting line. I just don't think it's the right lesson to teach your kid. Yet, I hear this being done all the time.

This can be a heated topic, as people feel strongly about each of these, so what do you think? Feel free to comment below.