In both my own experience as a fifteen year Girl Scout leader and the things I read on Facebook groups for Girl Scout leaders, I've come to the conclusion that Girl Scouts can't decide what to do with parents. While BSA insists that their youngest scouts have a parent or other adult participate with them, GSUSA discourages extra parents at meetings. While Cub Scouts do family camping, GSUSA (or at least my council) requires any adult spending the night at a Girl Scout camp be registered and background checked, and, in general, discourages family camping except at special events. While Daisies in my council are required to have an adult spend the night with them, once they hit Brownies, troops are encouraged to take only the required number of adults. The trip training for leaders taking older girls on trips of three nights or more states that only the adults necessary to meet ratios attend, even if that number is two--which in my opinion is unsafe for the adults.
On the other hand, a frequent complaint on leader Facebook groups is the lack of parental participation. Whether they are complaining about difficulty finding co-leaders, or not having a cookie mom, or not getting things turned in on time, leaders seem to want more from parents in general.
