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Extra-curricular activities

Why do you send your daughters to Brownies?

154 replies

AlbusPercival · 07/09/2015 15:09

I was hoping to understand.

TO be very upfront I am a brown owl. I am planning this terms activities, and while I am bearing in mind all of the guiding principles I have to, what the girls find fun, I wondered why parents send their daughters and what they expect them to learn?

I was reading an old thread about a brownie unit having a Diva Night. The OP was upset at choice of songs for karaoke (understandably in my opinion) but other posters were questioning Diva Night at all. For me if the girls requested it, as one night out of the 40 I have them in a year, I would find a way to make it happen. Some times children like to dress up, and sing and dance, just as they also like to abseil, cook etc.

So what do you expect your daughters to get from Brownies?

And conversely, if you wouldn't send them, why not?

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momb · 07/09/2015 15:15

Another brown Owl here on tenterhooks.....

FWIW my lot have never asked for a diva night, although until last year my YD was a Brownie and loves nothing more than a fake makeover night at home or for parties. it just never came up at brownies.

Looking forward to reading the replies to this...

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diplodocus · 07/09/2015 15:15

I send mine because they go to a very small village school and I want them to have a wider pool of friends. The activities (within reason!) are immaterial as long as they enjoy them. However, in an ideal world I'd like them to have the opportunity for outdoor stuff / camping but in reality that doesn't happen much in their pack. I don't really expect them to "learn" anything. I'd be quite happy with a Diva night.

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duggiecustard · 07/09/2015 15:18

I send them cause I went. Don't really care what they learn tbh. I don't think I learnt a lot, it is supposed to be hanging around with friends.

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diplodocus · 07/09/2015 15:18

Oh, and I really like it when the activities are lead / driven by the girls themselves and think that's a really valuable experience.

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bgottalent · 07/09/2015 15:22

I sent mine so she could have fun out of school. she loved the team games and the fact that she was under no pressure to learn anything if she didn't want to. She was desolate when she had to leave due to age.

I loved Brownies myself for the very same reasons. I also went to Guides but ut wasn't nearly so much fun because it was much more earnest.

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AlbusPercival · 07/09/2015 15:34

Thanks for those who have replied so far,

Surprised at the number who say you don't want them to learn anything specific.

My lot love getting badges, but I do think they should have to work for them, and meet the criteria (SN excepted) to get them,

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diplodocus · 07/09/2015 15:36

Mine aren't that bothered about badges. And to be honest a lot of the ones they get are for things they already know about / do activities outside school in.

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duggiecustard · 07/09/2015 15:37

My dd does the badges at home. She has got 1 badge from an actual brownies session so far

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OohMrDarcy · 07/09/2015 15:41

I sent DD initially as she needed to have friends away from a crowd at school (rainbows age) she loved the craft etc there.

she's now 8.5 loves brownies - I love the fact they get occasional opportunities to learn a new skill - eg one night last term they had a circus performer come and they earned their circus skills badges.

the ideas are generated by the girls often but not always, DD LOVES getting her badges and I do agree they should have to work for them - she was surprised when she joined that she could get her advanced swimming badge immediately signed off as she could already do it all (and had done a taster session too)

She adored going on her first camp at easter, and learning all the cooking skills etc around that, its meant she's taken more of an interest in cooking at home and I'm teaching her how to make simple meals now.

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OrionsAccessory · 07/09/2015 15:45

I send her because she wants to go! I'd like her to have the opportunity to do camps and outdoorsy stuff. She's only just started so doesn't have any badges yet but she's excited about getting them. I imagine she'll want badges for things she's already good at as well as choosing others that she wants to learn about.

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Groovee · 07/09/2015 16:01

I sent Dd to guiding because I had a positive time in my own youth. I felt it brought me on in confidence and gave me experiences which I wouldn't have got before.

I was a snowy owl before she went and returned in 2011 and now run my own unit. We have offered a lot of things and ask for feedback.

There are things I cannot do due to my disability, but we try to meet the girl's needs as much as we can as well as the 5 essentials.

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yeOldeTrout · 07/09/2015 16:03

I knew nothing about them except stuff I read on MN.

DD has 3 brothers (no sisters, and I'm not very girly) so I figured she would enjoy a right girlie zone. She's a joiner & likes clubs & activities.

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rightguard · 07/09/2015 16:06

I send mine because she's really shy and it means she makes more friends. She went to her first brownie group for a year but hated it as she didn't know anyone and still hadn't made any friends after a year. Her new group is fab and she loves it.

I like the wide range of activities, no exams to pass, no pressure, just really fun stuff. She's been away on camp twice, something I never thought she'd do and had so much fun.

They go swimming, cinema, nature walks, have speakers in, they had a frozen themed evening at the height of frozen fever, they do a lot of arts and crafts.

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ZeldaTheWindBreaker · 07/09/2015 16:14

I send mine because it's just kind of the done thing round here. All the units have lengthy waiting lists so I was lucky to get my daughter a place.

I like the fact that it's varied. one week will be arts and crafts. Another will be planting in the church garden. There is a huge focus on friendships and what it means to be a good, responsible citizen in the community, which is an extension of one of the Curriculum for Excellences goals.

I also like the fact it is run by volunteers. Obviously these people are passionate about what they do and not in it for the money.

I do wish there was more focus on badge work though. They only seem to work towards about 4 per year.

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WiryElevator · 07/09/2015 16:15

It's the one extra curricular activity she adores. There are two Brownie groups in our village and they are very different, run by very different Brown Owls. One group is laid back, play a lot of games, make stuff. The other group learn a lot, are always doing badges and seem more focused.

DD would hate the latter and loves the former. Highlight are the weekends away staying in the woods.

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AlbusPercival · 07/09/2015 16:17

Varied responses.

I have 30 girls, and it is so hard to balance the needs of all of them! Hopefully I get it right most of the time.

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skyeskyeskye · 07/09/2015 16:17

DD is 7 and has been a Brownie since April (was a Rainbow previously). She goes because her friends go and she loves it and because it's childcare for £1 a week cheeky grin. but seriously, she really enjoys it.

They sat the girls down at the start of the first meeting and asked them what they wanted to do, so the girls listed everything. They wanted a fashion show, so they did that and they also used it as a fundraiser, invited the parents along and sold tea and cakes. When a local show was on, they all made paper flowers to enter.

I thought it would be all cooking and crafts, which seems to be what it mostly has been so far, but it has only been one term. They also had a party and a water fight on the last session before the holidays.

They have been camping for one night outside the hall where they hold Brownies. They had a themed camp, and they had a camp fire. They went to Cookafest for a day out and did their Brownie Promise on a Carousel Grin, which DD said was the best ever.

They have only earned one badge since April and I am going to look at her Brownie book as one of the leaders said that she could earn some of them at home if we had evidence.

I think Brownies is a good thing for DD as she can be a bit clingy, so this year alone going on a day out and an overnight stay are both things that will help make her a little more independent from me.

I think it would be good for them to learn some skills, DD loves doing sewing at the school craft club. It would be good to work through badges even if it takes 2-3 sessions to get one

What I don't want is a load of expensive activities like bowling and cinema and swimming. We can do that any time and is not what Brownies is about.

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WiryElevator · 07/09/2015 16:18

Re the badges DD couldn't give two hoots, isn't into displays of knowledge or achievement. She has enjoyed some of the stuff she's learned though, unconnected to badges. The one that stuck in my mind was how young women are portrayed in the media, photoshopping, and then creating a toy showing 8 things they liked about themselves, at least four of which had to be physical attributes.

Really good stuff, handled really well.

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leccybill · 07/09/2015 16:19

I send my DD to Rainbows because I like the crafts, and the emphasis on friendship and community values. Ours is quite heavily Church-based and DD likes carrying the flags .
Also, she is an only and likes to socialise in the evenings.

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PerspicaciaTick · 07/09/2015 16:20

Mostly it was about being independent away from me and DH. Doing activities with her friends, getting to organise some of them as she got bigger. Heading off to regional event days such as Thinking Day activities, not being sure who will be there exactly but knowing she'll be able to make friends on the day.
The overnight camps were a bonus but prepared for brilliantly for the school residentials in Y4 and Y6.
Knowing that it was up to her to choose what badges she wanted to work towards in addition to the ones the unit was working on. It made her take the initiative more.
It also got her mixing with other girls outside the somewhat cliquey groups in school.

And I think the leaders and Guides who volunteer are brilliant role models.

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Palomb · 07/09/2015 16:23

I send my dd because I thought it would be a good way of her meeting new people and because it would give her the opportunity to go on camps, take part in parades etc.. Give her a sense of community. She loves it and is going up to guides on Wednesday.

My ds has recently started beavers and they seem to have a much more engaging itinery than brownies. I

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AsTimeGoesBy · 07/09/2015 16:33

I didn't get much out of it myself, but that was a long time ago and decided she ought to give it a try, so she started at 5 in Rainbows and at 9.5 is coming to the end of Brownies. A quick check of her sash shows she's done 15 badges in 7 terms, so about one every half term. She's not that bothered about them, but finds the activities interesting and they go out and about quite a bit locally. However she has only had two, one-night sleepovers in the Brownie Hut, I had really hoped they would get out camping properly, further from home (hut is 200m away), or at least out in the woods doing campfires etc.

I also like the things I have read about that the Guiding movement does in the way of getting girls and young women's voices heard, educating girls about body image and other issues etc.

Not sure about a diva night, don't remember that thread. I like the idea of a singing evening, but the word diva has somewhat negative connotations in the sense of attitude etc, even if it did originally mean a singer of great talent.

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AlbusPercival · 07/09/2015 16:35

Palomb, the comparison with beavers is something I hear a lot.

I wonder how widely it is the case and why? I know when I wanted to take my girls to have a campfire, I asked the local scouts if we could borrow their campsite (not allowed to have fires in church car park!!). But the cost was prohibitive to non-scout groups. The nearest guide place for us which is very affordable, is in the next town and a 20 min drive for parents, so not a great idea really, which is a shame.

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WiryElevator · 07/09/2015 16:38

My DS absolutely hated Beavers, but DD loves Brownies. All children are different, eh? My DD would also hate Beavers, as she's not really a fan of boys. Grin

She loves the all girl environment.

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HeighHoghItsBacktoWorkIGo · 07/09/2015 16:41

I send/sent my DDs because they see their friends there. The fun is simple and wholesome and actually all they really want is to eat something sweet, hop around a toadstool and maybe do a craft. We live in a fast, go-go sort of area and there is something lovely and old fashioned about brownies. It makes everyone remember that they are just kids, everything for them is new, they aren't jaded...yet!

Nature walks in our area ending with chips or pizza have been very popular. Decorating store bought cookies goes down a treat too. Putting on a Xmas show for parents has excited my little ones.

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