Mumsnet Talk

Thought it might be nice to have a place to swap ideas and experiences. Shall we do introductions first?

My name's MadBad and I've been a Brownie guider for about 5 years.

Hi I'm frasersmummy and have been a brownie guider for 18 years now.

I was brown owl till I fell pregnant then I handed the reins over to younger fitter brownie guider and became barn owl

Evening. <<offers left hand and salutes>> I'm Mo, obviously, and I've been a Rainbow Guider for 8 years, with a splattering of Assistant Guide Guider, since DD is there now. She is a young leader at Brownies too, so I think we cover all the bases!

I also have a small problem. I appear to have hidden extra-curricular activities from my viewing list and I can't work out how to get it back!

Ah. Customize! There it is. <<points to the top of the page>>

As you were!

Hello! I'm mummyfantastico and I've been a Brownie Guider for 4 years and I'm just about to help start up another Brownie pack too for some reason.

Hi, I've helped at Rainbows and Brownies for a couple of years and became a Guider about six months ago.

Hi, Another one guilty here - quite a long story which I will keep brief - have always been involved in guiding, I inherited it from my own mum! Am now a Guide and Senior Section Guider and have a dd at brownies. Also hold a couple of other roles within our local (and wider) structure, and work weekly to make my team at work undertsand why i do it, and why I dont need to be paid!

Ooh. Hello everyone. Lovely to meet you.

I'm barely keeping my head above water, running one pack. (Until recently I was sole Guider but have just found an assistant, hooray!). If Guiders still had hats, I would take mine off to those of you who have two units or wider responsibilities within the district/division!

OK, then, what for you is the best thing about being a Guider?

OH, I've just remembered I'm the District Secretary too! It's easy to forget, I don't do it very well!

Best bit? Not sure really. I love the Rainbowsd best. They are still innocent, but I like the Guides too, because you can have real deep girly chats with them. I just love kids tbh.

Really?? I've only ever 'done' Brownies but I find the Guides with all their teenage listlessness quite exasperating. Ours lollop in front of the Brownie cupboard while they're waiting for our meeting to finish and theirs to start and then seem taken by surprise when I ask them to move so I can cram all our junk vital equipment back in the cupboard.

Hello! I'm a guide guider and --for my sins-- have coped with teenage angst for almost 5 years. But it's fun and I enjoy it!

Aaaagrh can't do crossings out!

best bit...is taking the kids away .. I love pack holiday. Its soo often the first time the girls go away from home apart from to grandparents its magical to be part of the experience

I have just taken on the role of divsion pack holiday advisor ...my chance to pass on the pack holiday bug!!

Oh no, Don't like Brownies much! It's the age. I can't relate to them as well as I can 5 year olds and then teenagers! Suppose that's just the environment I've been in for so long. Childminder for 12 years, with littlies and then working in a secondary school with the oldies!

I am doing Brownies in a couple of weeks though. Brown Owl is on holiday and since DD is a young leader there, I've said I'll do it for her.

I started with Brownies 18 months ago, and am doing my LQ.

I go to camp as an extra, but I'm not keen on even more responsiblity and paper work to do my camp permit! I've got Rainbows anyway, so it seems an awful lot of work for only 23 hours away!

What's everyone got planned for Centenary then? I'm going (with the Brownies!) to Butlins in January. Is anyone else in LaZer region and going?

<<Waves at cybermum>>

To cross out, you have to do each word separately, with -- on each side of each word.

I love pack holidays but I've always done a joint holiday with a much more experienced Guider, who's now retired. Aargh!

So are you lot all going to be mad enough to take charge of your own pack of brownies dressed as brownies in amongst the thousands of other brownies all wearing the same clothes at major theme parks which have been closed down for the day?

If you lost one of your's it would be like looking for a needle in a haystack

<<waves at science teacher>>

Maureen - I'll be at Butlins! Shall we meet or would you prefer to remain incognito? You've got 10 months to decide!

Are you? Where's your theme park? The Rainbows have got London Zoo.

No! We must meet! My Guider friends are not an issue with MN! Kbear is going too!

I'm really really not sure if I'm into Brownies at all...but dd has always been desperate to join and there isn't a local pack round us...and some kind soul is starting one...but could only start it off with help. which is where I come in. I'm only helping out every other week - but have got roped into the planning etc as there's one proper guider and two total novice helpers. I do like being with kids of this age (love helping out at school trips, like talking to them when they come and visit, like doing activities with them) but am a bit terrified that I've bitten off more than I can chew. We're starting up after Easter. so I'll be calling in here for ideas etc.

What's all this about theme parks and London Zoo? Have I missed something vital?

<<Fishes Guiding magazine out of the recycling>>

hatwoman - Please stay around. I thought I'd just be an occasional helper and ended up running the pack!

Mad - all the info should be filtering down to your district soon. I know London Zoo with the Rainbows has come down from Region, at least.

Maybe your region/county/division is not quite decided on things yet.

We've also just been allocated tickets for something going on at Crystal Palace in September. Not sure I'm going to do that though. We've already got about 4 paying activities and we haven't sorted anything for District yet. Parents are paying £10 a month for Butlins as it is!