Independence Badge

The Independence badge is part of the “It's Your Planet - Love It!” badge set introduced in 2011.

Step 1: Get transportation smart

It’s fun to get around by yourself, but first, you have to know how.  Get more transportation savvy in one of these ways.

Bike Checklist:

• SEAT: Is it the right height for you?
• HANDLEBARS: Do they feel comfortable when you ride?
• BRAKES: Are they working and not sticking?
• CHAIN: Is it oiled and working properly?
• TIRES: Do they have enough air?

Car Checklist:

• OIL: Make sure the oil level is correct and find out what kind of oil your family’s car takes.
• WINDSHIELD WASHING FLUID: Make sure there’s enough and add some if needed.
• LIGHTS: Have a parent push on the brakes and turn on the headlights.  Make sure they’re all working.

CHOICES – DO ONE:

Get a bike ready to ride.  Ask a bike expert to help you go through all the parts of the bike.  Use the bike safety checklist on the previous page.

FOR MORE FUN:  Take a short bike trip.  Speak to your family about whether you need to bring along an adult – and be sure to wear a helmet.  Review the rules of the road before you go.

OR

Help take care of a car. With a parent or car-smart adult, go over all the lights and gauges on the dashboard and what they mean.  Then, look under the hood for a safety check. Follow the checklist on the previous page and see if the car is ready for an adventure.

OR

Use public transportation. Figure out how you’d run an errand or get to the nearest shopping center using buses, trains, or subways.  Map out which bus or train you’d take, how long it would take to get there, and how much it would cost.  Then, with an adult, test out the route.

FOR MORE FUN:  Think of a place you’ve always wanted to visit, and plan how you might get there.  Plane, train, or car?  How much would it cost?

Step 2: Make her clothes look great

Part of being independent is taking care of your wardrobe.

CHOICES – DO ONE:

Become a laundry expert.  To be fashionable, you need clothes to wear!  Get familiar with the machines, how to get out stains, and how to wash and dry different kinds of fabrics (look on clothing tags for tips about each item).  Then, be your family’s helper and do three or more loads for practice.

FOR MORE FUN:  Create a family quiz and try to stump them all with your super laundry skills.  Look below for some quiz-question ideas:

Life is Like Laundry . . . Loads of Fun!

It might not seem exciting at first, but knowing how to take care of your own clothes is a skill you’ll always be glad to have. If you sing a song, put on some great music, or make the chore a kind of meditation, it’ll be fun.  Some people like to post inspirational quotes in their laundry area to remind them to take a load off . . . what would inspire you?

If you chose to become a laundry expert in step 2, here’s some inspiration – series laundering skills past Girl Scouts learned to earn the Laundress badge.  Some might be great additions to your supper laundry quiz.

• Know the heights at which you can, with the least fatigue, use a laundry tub and/or an ironing board.
• Show that you can wash cotton, woolen, or silk stockings.
• Show a blouse that you have starched and folded.
• Show a skirt and coat you have pressed.
• Know: What is soap?  How is it made?  What is soap powder?
• Know how to remove stains: ink, fruit, rust, grass, cocoa, and grease.  What stains must be removed before laundering?

OR

Learn two basic sewing skills – and use them as a fashion designer. The coolest clothes are totally original – and something you make yourself is always original.  Ask an expert to help you learn to sew on a button, patch, or to do a basic hand stitch.  Then, use your new skills to decorate old jeans, a T-shirt, or a sweater.

FOR MORE FUN:  Have a fashion show with friends to show off your designs.

Fashion Design Idea - Switch out buttons on a sweater.  Instead of them all being the same, mix and match and sew on new ones that fit your personality.

OR

Try on the role of clothes-organization guru. Find a book or website with tips on organizing space, and use them to organize your closet (or the area where you keep your clothes).  You might sort by color or length, make a shoe rack, use labeled clear plastic boxes or shoe boxes to hold different kinds of items (or accessories), decorate hangers . . . the ideas are endless.

FOR MORE FUN: Do some “design consulting” by helping a friend organize her clothes, and ask her to consult for you.

Step 3: Break a bad habit

Part of being more independent is practicing good habits.  Work on changing one bad habit – experts say it takes two weeks to create a new one to replace it. Choose a habit you have and want to work on from one of the categories, and follow the steps to change it.

CHOICES – DO ONE:

At school. Habits like putting schoolwork off until the last minute, forgetting to study for a quiz, or being disorganized when bringing schoolwork to and from home.

OR

At home. Habits like forgetting to brush your teeth, not putting away your clothes, arguing with siblings, or eating too much junk food.

OR

With your friends. Habits like being bossy with your friends, talking too much about yourself, or interrupting when your friend is talking.

Steps to Change a Habit

1. It’s easier to break a habit when you know why you do it in the first place.  Ask yourself when you do it, and how you feel before, during, and after.  The answers should give you some clues to your why.
2. Think about the effects of your habit.  How does it make you feel?  How does it affect others?  How would you both feel if you changed that habit?
3. Now, find something positive to replace the habit.  The key is to break the old routine around that habit.
4. Practice, practice, practice!  Practice your new habit until you can’t remember what it was like to do the old one.

Tip: Reward yourself for success.  At the end of one week, do something nice for yourself.  At the end of two weeks, reward yourself again.  You can, also, look and listen to find inspiration around you – has anyone noticed your improvement?

Step 4: Help around the house

A huge part of being independent is taking care of where you live.  Plus, your home gives you a place to stay, so you should give it some attention.  Pick one of the choices below, get an adult to help you, and give it a try.

CHOICES – DO ONE:

Solve a pesky plumbing problem.  Watch how your toilet works by taking off the tank lid and flushing.  Learn how to fix a running toilet. Then, have someone show you how to use a plunger if the toilet gets clogged.

FOR MORE FUN:  Find the number of a good plumber to help with more complicated problems.

OR

Clean to the beat. With a group of friends, brainstorm all the tasks involved in cleaning a room (like dusting, vacuuming, and cleaning windows or mirrors).  Figure out how long each task takes on average and what’s the best order to do them.  Then, put it all to music – make up or find a song that will help each task go by in a flash.  Last, use your mix to clean a room together – your meeting place, a bedroom, or a family space.

FOR MORE FUN:  Add some dance moves, too – maybe you can create a “dust bunny” jive.

OR

Hang something up.  Whether it’s artwork, a poster, a framed portrait, or a shelf, independent girls should know how to hang fun stuff on the wall.  Find out what type of fastener is best for the wall – putty, hook, double-sided tape, push pins or nail – and hang something.  (Hint: You’ll need to know of what the walls are made.)

More to  EXPLORE  - Get Handy!  Here are some great activities from badges past – the skills they teach are just as helpful to know today as they were way back when.  If you’re interested in trying one, ask an adult to help you.

• What is the difference between an alternating current and a direct current in electricity?  Why do we need to know? -Electrician badge, 1930
• Learn to read gas and electric meters in order to check your family bills on your home meters.  List some ways in which your family bills might be reduced without interfering with anyone’s comfort.  -Handywoman badge, 1940

Step 5: Show off her independence!

Now that you’ve been working on being more independent for a few weeks, you’re ready to be responsible for yourself.  Check with your family when choosing an activity – you may need to adjust a choice based on family rules.

CHOICES – DO ONE:

Stay home alone.  Hang out at home for a few hours while your family is gone.  Before they go, talk about who you should call in an emergency and rules of the house.  You could use the quiet time to de-stress or watch a movie, or play your favorite music and make up an independence dance.

OR

Run a family errand. Part of being independent is letting others know they can depend on you.  Show you’re dependable by mastering an errand.  You could make a grocery list, then, have a parent drop you off to shop and pick you up when you’re done – or ask them to spend time at a place close by while you do the errand.

OR

Go out with a friend. Go out to see a movie or eat a meal.  If you aren’t yet allowed to go alone, see if you might be allowed to sit by yourselves and order by yourselves. Then, figure out what kind of money is needed to pay and tip, and how much change you should get.