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Updated February 2022
When I was growing up, there were public service announcements from Woodsy Owl that told us to Give a Hoot, Don't Pollute! In the 1970s, this was a crunchy granola way of thinking, as we were not as enlightened to the perils of air pollution like we are today. The quality of the air can have a direct effect on how we are feeling. As the mother of a son with asthma, air quality is very important to me.
It isn't just pollution that affects the air we breathe. As a writer, I truly need absolute silence to get my mind in the zone and do my best work. When my kids are home, all hope of doing any research and writing original content just flies out the window. Fighting, having the television on, or having their friends over to play are much too distracting for me.People who have had careers where noise levels are too high risk having permanent damage to their ability to hear. Rock stars such as Phil Collins, Pete Townshend and Eric Clapton have all admitted to having hearing loss after playing their loud music on stage for years.In the Cadette Breathe Journey, girls will learn how the air around them impacts the Earth and their lives.
When I was growing up, there were public service announcements from Woodsy Owl that told us to Give a Hoot, Don't Pollute! In the 1970s, this was a crunchy granola way of thinking, as we were not as enlightened to the perils of air pollution like we are today. The quality of the air can have a direct effect on how we are feeling. As the mother of a son with asthma, air quality is very important to me.
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Breathe Journey Guide for Leaders
Photo from Pixabay
Having internet resources is a good thing-I wish we had them back when I was a full time elementary school teacher back in the day! However, because I am also old school, I like to hold a book and have a hands on resource that I can pull of the shelf without having to turn on the computer.This adult leader guide for Breathe can be paid for with troop funds, since the girls are benefiting from it. Do not feel guilty asking for the money-after all, you volunteer many hours of your time for free!
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Girls Book from Amazon |
Other Kinds of Pollution
In addition to noise pollution, your senses can also be assaulted by smell. If you have ever had to change a dirty diaper, you know what I mean! There are scents which are pleasing to the nose, while others are quite offensive.In fact, people with severe allergies can have significant breathing problems when they are near a person or a group of people who are heavily perfumed. My synagogue politely requests that during the High Holy Day services of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur that we refrain from wearing perfume because of this problem. There is a sign in my son’s allergist’s office to please not come into the office wearing perfume.
Relax-It's Good for You!
To make the Journeys Program more interesting and fun for the girls, each one includes activities to help the girls learn the objective of the meeting and the overall goals of the Journey. For one meeting, the troop can make something that they can take home to help them relax and find time in their busy day to have a few minutes of downtime. These kits come in handy for this project.
Girls Need to Breathe!
Finding time to decompress from the stress
When life becomes overwhelming with work, family, chores, and everything else, some people find it hard to breathe. The stress gives them anxiety, and they begin to breathe in a shallow manner. They cannot relax and this exacerbates the problem even further. Stress begets more stress!
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| Bath Bomb Kit from Amazon |
Another aspect of the Breathe Girl Scout Journey is to teach the girls how to breathe-take a moment and relax. The middle school years present all kinds of challenges-more homework and projects, sports, and other activities become more competitive and time consuming, and relationships with peers and are also changing. On meeting can focus on having the girls find a time and place to just relax. Put on some relaxing music and do some breathing exercises or practice some simple yoga poses.
Fun Craft
Girls can find meaning and inspiration from these beads. They can make necklaces, keychains, or put them on a piece of cardboard that has been covered with felt and glue them on.
Cadette Breathe Resources for Leaders
The following links will be beneficial to leaders as they plan the Journey.
- Girl Scout Troop 340This group of Cadettes shares what they did to accomplish the goals of Breathe.
- Troop 1445 Breathe Journey in a Weekend
- Girl Scouts of the Nation's Capital Online Guide
- Earn the Breathe Journey on a Camping Trip
- Girl Scouts of River Valleys has resources for leaders.
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Take Action Projects for the Breathe Journey
Girls have taken to the internet to share with their sister scouts what they have done to Take Action for the Breathe Journey. Let these girls help guide your ideas or help spark some new ones.
There are dozens more of these videos. Here is just a sample.
There are dozens more of these videos. Here is just a sample.