Pros and Cons of Christian Alternative to Girl Scouts

The Girl Scouts of America is a well-established organization that is more than 100 years old. Recently, due to policy changes shifting the Girl Scouts further to the left, Christian alternatives have gained popularity in the United States.

If you are thinking about switching your daughter out of the Girl Scouts and into a Christian alternative, here are a few pros and cons to consider.

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PROS

• 1. Conservative Values

By joining a Christian alternative to the Girl Scouts, conservative parents may see their morals and beliefs being followed and their daughters held to a higher standard than they would with the Girl Scouts.

• 2. Focus on Christianity and God

Although Girl Scouts may work with churches and church groups, Christian alternatives like the American Heritage Girls will put God front and center. They state that they are a, “nonprofit organization dedicated to the mission of building women of integrity through service to God, family, community, and country.”

• 3. Possibility of coeducation

Christian groups that are similar to the Girl Scouts provide the option of having groups dedicated to Christianity and community service while having both boys and girls. The most popular of these groups are the Pathfinders and Awana.

• 4. Disassociation with Girl Scouts and the group’s new values

Due to the recent changes to significantly more liberal values throughout the Girl Scouts organization, many children and parents may feel more comfortable joining a group that aligns more with their own conservative, Christian values.

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CONS

• 1. Lower Popularity

With more than 2 million members in the Girl Scouts, many people find that their daughters initially want to join the organization not because of its community service aspect but because many of their friends are also signed up.

• 2. Fewer Opportunities

Due to such a large member base, the Girl Scouts have built relationships in and around the United States, partnering with large and small corporations that may give your daughter more opportunities than recently started Christian alternatives.

• 3. Less Diversity

Alternative Christian groups can be great for some, but they focus in on a very small group of people with similar views. The Girl Scouts, with its progressive policies, may provide girls with the chance to speak and interact with people who may have different views than them.

• 4. Possibility of coeducation

Some parents state that the Girl Scouts being just girls is a great thing and by moving to a Christian alternative such as the Pathfinders, that single-sex aspect may be lost.

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