u/Rude-Deer509 — reddlx

Hi, just looking for advice. I'm currently a first-year Daisy troop leader. It's been a very steep learning curve, but after lots of shenanigans, I feel like it'll be easier next year at least from a learning curve perspective.

Problem:

My assistant leader is leaving (her job is ramping + her daughter is bridging to Brownies and they don't meet on the same day).
None of the other parents/adults are very active/helpful. We didn't even have a cookie manager this year and I did most of the work.
I work full time in a demanding job. Truthfully, I am doing this for my daughter and the other girls. We wouldn't have had a troop otherwise this year, and they love it.

Troop setup:

We have a multi-level troop of Brownies and Daisies but we basically operate separately.
- In hindsight, it would've been easier to start our own troop last year to keep the money and complications separate. Cookie season was hell for me because of the accounting.
We currently have 20 Daisies — 10 kindergarteners and 10 1st graders. So half will bridge to Brownies at the end of the year.

I would love some advice from more experienced leaders.

Note that none of the parents/adults have responded to requests for an assistant leader.

>For ease of continuing our troop in future years, should the Daisies:

Branch off into our own troop number? It's not too late, imo. Just a small pain for the 10 kindergarteners who are currently in my troop.
Not accept any new Daisies? Or maybe we only accept new 1st graders next year, so that the whole troop can continue to move up and bridge together, without anyone getting left behind and needing to find new leaders in the future
Some combo of the above? Something else?

>Separately, if I really don't get an assistant leader, should I:

Require 2 adults to sign up/meeting to help to shore up the gap? This year, 8 parents were willing to sign up to commit to helping with 1 meeting.
Not do cookies this upcoming year and just increase dues? Open to suggestions on extremely low-key ways to do cookies that would require less involvement as a leader, if I really don't have any help

Any other suggestions or thoughts welcome