Luke Parker Bowles is THE Cookie Dad

Photo: Luke Parker Bowles

Luke Parker Bowles is many things. He is a London native who is the President of Production at Story Mining & Supply Company, a Los Angeles-based production company. He serves as the Chairman of BAFTA New York and is also a board member of the Montclair Film Festival and The Queen Elizabeth II September 11th Garden. Luke is a Cookie Dad.

We spoke with Luke about his experiences in the Girl Scouting community, how he's able to bond with his daughter, and his out-of-this-world ability to stop a bus in order to sell cookies.

What made you get involved in Girl Scouts?
LPB: My daughter was volunteered to be part of a troop and it seemed to me to be one of the few activities, including school activities, that she really put a tremendous amount of focus and discipline into. For the first time that I've seen in her life, it really provided a structure that wasn't a stricture. It was such an engaging opportunity and it was so well-structured by the troop that she was more into it than watching Star Wars The Force Awakens! To me, that immediately sparked my interest because I thought, "If this has the ability to keep her from trying to play Angry Birds on her cell phone or avoid doing her homework, and she's coming back and offering up all of the things that she'd done. A lot of the reasoning behind it and a lot of the motivation, is the fact that she had projects that she could complete with her friends and it was a team effort - and that's crucial. With Girl Scouts, it was really about could they do it together and the satisfaction of actually completing it with their friends for the greater good.

What have you learned about your daughter as a Girl Scout?
LPB: The thing I've learned the most is her capacity for kindness and for sharing. They sometimes say, angel at school, devil at home. With Girl Scouts, she began to wait for her turn. And not from a fear of being sent to the principal, but because she saw other people doing it. That's one example of the kind of morals that Girl Scouts has - teaching these fantastic principles. It's a much more brilliant way than school teaching it to you because you feel like you're being force-fed. So, I saw this kindness, this patience, this notion of the other person. Truthfully, I wish that there was Girl Scouts for her every single day. But the fact is that she has still taken those core principles, and I've seen them incorporated into her life. She was much more selfish with her brother before Girl Scouts than she is now. There's a pause now. There's a thoughtfulness. She's thinking, "let's let somebody else have a turn." I see her enjoy him having a good time. There's an understanding and an appreciation  of the fact that somebody else is getting to enjoy something as well. It makes the interaction much more pleasant. It really has had a huge impact on our family.

We heard that you're a cookie dad, is that true?
LPB: I am the cookie dad, excuse me. All other pseudo cookie dads can get in line! I consider it almost a kind of samurai-type skill set. And I'm very, very proud of it.

What do you enjoy most about being a cookie dad?
LPB: It's again back to structure. It's dealing with money. It's the concept of something being worth something. It's also the concept that it's a good cause, and that that's the motivation to sell as many as possible - not that the motivation is to sell more than your friends. So, when you're in that environment, they're learning more than you can possibly teach. I love seeing that. I also really enjoy finding bonkers ways to sell these cookies! In Montclair, there is a local bus that goes into the city and I stopped the bus and we went onto the bus and we forced people to buy cookies. I'm sure under the Girl Scout Laws, I've probably violated about 16 of them - people loved it! The kids went up and down and collected money. By and large it was a really great thing and I think that - selfishly - it's a good opportunity for me to have fun! For the kids to see that they can do different, creative things, I think that's awesome and it's fantastic!

That is very creative, and the commuters got to have a little snack on their way to New York!
LPB: They did! And they were very happy. Very, very happy.

As a male involved in Girl Scouting, what would you say to other dads who want to get involved, but may be a little hesitant?
LPB: I'd say grow up! If there's any ambivalence in supporting perhaps one of the most important institutions in America, from my standpoint, that is only there to further our children to teach them respect, decency, thinking of others... I can't think of a reason why you wouldn't. It is without a doubt the whole package and it's very little time! You can make a huge impact by giving a  couple of afternoons and really find another way to bond with your kids. I know that with my daughter, I've added another level of closeness or connection with her because I was the cookie dad! It's a great way to spend some time with your kids and do something that they're really invested in.

Right, and she'll remember that forever that you were there for that part of her life.
LPB: She won't be able to forget! Because I will remind her every year that there has never been a better cookie dad. And once I get my cookie dad tattoo, it's all over.

What have you learned about yourself as you're involved in Girl Scouting and you're involved in your daughter's Girl Scout life?
LPB: I've learned that I should be doing more stuff like this, I suppose. And that it really doesn't take a lot to make a big difference. To me, that's the key. Particularly with this, you don't have to do a lot to make a difference and you get to hang out with your kids. It's the best of all worlds. And I know how to stop a large bus with only a box of cookies in my hand, which is almost super-heroic!