Several days ago Nurse Norma came back to my office and told me that one of our wonderful patients was checking out and asked if I would be interested in purchasing Girl Scout cookies, as her daughter and troop are now selling them as per the usual yearly GSA tradition for raising money. I believe our staff members individually, and I personally, obliged and ordered a number of boxes of cookies. There is something very special seeing children, showing so much positive energy, raise money for a great cause.
Last night right outside the restaurant Nataliya and I attended was a stand where a number of girl scouts and their parents were selling Girl Scout cookies. It was cold and windy last night, and we sort of felt obligated to purchase more Girl Scout cookies, as these ladies and their parents must have been cold, tired and would rather have been home at 830PM.
Okay, so now my office has boxes of Girl Scout cookies in our small kitchen area and my home has boxes in our pantry. I am suspecting that many, if not all of you, out there are pretty much facing the same situation: Buying high caloric, dietary damaging, weight loss derailing snack items that we do NOT want to have around when we are trying to control weight. Why do we buy these cookies? Because we very much want to support these young women and their quest to raise money so they can do fun and rewarding activities with their troops.
Back to “tradition”: Girl Scouts have been selling cookies as a fundraiser since 1917. Other organizations, such as the Boy Scouts similarly have candy sales drives to raise money. Is the selling of Girl Scout cookies the main reason why America is one of the most obese countries in the world and suffered from more Covid deaths than almost every other country in the world? Of course not. BUT, given that childhood obesity is one of the most serious health concerns in America, perhaps “tradition” should be changed.
If these young ladies were selling their drawings, crafts or other non-caloric creations to raise $$$, would as much money be raised? I doubt this. I know that personally, I would not pass one Girl Scout stand without taking my wallet out and buying something. However, it sure does sound more appealing to have Tagalongs, Somoas or Thin Mints in our houses rather than a lanyard.
So, although I am about to be barraged by nasty e-mails from parents of Girl Scouts, I am suggesting that the organization come up with another tradition to raise $$$ other than contributing to the most serious health issue facing our country, obesity. On the personal/family side of this issue, take a step back and see how other “traditions” impact your weight control and what steps can be taken to change the tradition to a scenario more supportive of your quest for higher health and happiness.
(Please no picket lines in front of my office railing against the Grinch of Girl Scout cookies, the evil Dr. Posner!)
Supporting the Girl Scouts is a great thing. Buy the cookies but instead of keeping them, it would be a great gesture to gift them to a Firestation, police department, nurses station or soup kitchen.
Thank you, Ms. Carla for your comment and ideas! Kind regards, Nataliya Posner and Dr. Bob Posner