Guiders Staff Room Part 2

I'm sorted, have matching up flashcards and masks - we'll build on the flashcards with a chat about who is likely to be approachable should they need help rather than the idea of just 'strangers'. Going to google some images of our local shopping areas too - see if they can find where would be 'good' places to stand if they did get lost rather than in the crowds.

Hopefully that (and our shiny new skipping ropes) will fill the hour should our visitor not come.

We've had our last full meeting of Guides but outing/camp to come. But some of them seriously need an attitude transplant. Total mess in the loos after painting. One cross and threatening to "quit" because we told her off for this and for using hall tea towels for wiping up paint (suspect she's never had to clean up at home). One took some pens home (Mum rumbled her and sent me a text).
Also two who bought food for an activity seem really confused about finances i.e. seem to think it's my money? One of them (the cross/spoiled one) didn't get that we can't have everything premium brand/masses of choices/ready made on camp, again I suspect she doesn't understand that camp costs can be a struggle for some families.
I think we need less painting and cooking, more thinking about values and thinking generally, next term.

Twinkl was going so well until it wanted me to pay! Activity Village appears to be offline. Will try Sparklebox & then I'm out of places to look - any other websites any of you can recommend?

For Rainbows Millicent, one of them threw me the other week when we were talking about what we believe in & she said strangers - I thought a session on people who might help might be a good way of approaching it. I'll get on the laptop shortly and have a proper look, just in the middle of some sewing jobs that have piled up quite a bit.

Are you looking for Rainbows or Brownies on Tuesday lucysmam? If Brownies maybe get them to come up with people who might help and act out their jobs for other sixes to guess?

Funny you should be talking about Scouts - my dd's friend who is in our Brownies is talking about leaving for Scouts when they leave Brownies together in Jan (same birthday). I'm a little bit miffed about it tbh - the whole selfish reason for my opening a Guide unit was for my own dd and her friends. Obviously others too but they were the motivation behind it.

Finally managed to get hold of the Queen's birthday badges for the Rainbows - why it took me so long to try our local trading lady I don't know . Had a proper lightbulb moment about it on Saturday evening .

Still no further with something up my sleeve for tomorrow night - must find something.

I've actually looked up the rules and they can take those under 10.5 in 'exceptional circumstances'. Which apparently is every Brownie who wants to join Scouts...

And don't be tempted to open up other units as well. Maybe one day a lovely new leader will appear in your neck of the woods and do it!

Scouts start at 10 and a half. Ds is one. I guess scouts have a very effective & loud public face. Guiding just gets on with it.

In time I'd love to bring a guide unit into my village. And Rainbows. But I also know I'm only human!

Our local scout group has quite the history of taking 10 year old Brownies...

Surely they are not old enough at 10 for Scouts anyway?

Trying to organise a visit to the local Guide unit for out eldest lot of Brownies in a couple of weeks time. Have had two parents come back to tell me that their girls won't be bothering to even visit Guides as they are going to scouts. Which makes me a bit cross in itself as they will not even spend one evening trying Guides and seeing if their assumptions are correct or not. But it also makes me sad as one of them is a very shy, quiet girl who I suspect would thrive at the local, quite small Guide unit. She still barely says boo to a goose even after three years with us. I suspect she will get eaten alive at the very boisterous Scout unit, but of course I can't question the parents decision. Sorry just wanted a rant, please ignore me!

Hope you got some sleep eventually Becles.

I was going to put together a session on 'people who might help us' for Tuesday just in case our local PCSO doesn't make it...my Pinterest app isn't working though & dd1 is hogging the laptop

Hope you've had some rest by now, Becles - or at least lots of coffee!

I ache so much today after all the walking yesterday, I forgot what the trip-hangover was like. Ho hum.

That was me last week Becles. You have my empathy

nmg85 Welcome back.

At a.sleepover having very little sleep

it seems they only have 5 girls at the moment which is ridiculous as the waiting list is at least 15 with 5/6 of them already 6. I am looking forward to it but just hope I can make a difference.

Then really you have a blank slate! Seriously, it's not so bad, we took over in Jan, and although our numbers were good, the girls were disillusioned because the previous leader had lost heart.

A good DC to hold your hand is totally beyond value

Hi All, just getting back into guiding after a 13 year break (was a young leader before I went to uni). I am starting as a rainbow leader after the summer holidays and it appears all the old leaders are leaving as well. It is all a bit daunting and I am not sure really where to begin, I think the unit is stuck in a rut so I think it will be a lot of work.

On my way home from the LASER Discover Day in Greenwich Park - am shattered, have walked 16,000 steps and 40 flights of stairs (thanks Fitbit!) so a well deserved early night is calling I think! Fingers crossed I don't fall asleep on the train home...

Lots of interesting stuff though, DD finished her stargazer badge with our planetarium visit, had a chat with our CC and the county events chief bod too. Didn't see the chief guide though, who apparently was roaming around with a giant picture frame, ready for selfies!

Right, where's the gin?!

If they are Guides they are still Rainbow Helpers but I agree that at 14/15 they should be capable of a bit more.

Uff, I know we can't turn our noses up at volunteers but a mum who rarely brought her Rainbow and was awful at communication has volunteered for one (or both) of my units. I need the hands but cba chasing folks.

Hello all,
Could anyone with Guide helpers in their Rainbow/Brownie unit advise on what you get them doing ? We have 1 guide helper who has been with us for about 2 terms and have just gained another one - one has just turned 14 and one is 15.Having a guiding admin day today ! Risk assessments and planning for September. We have lost 1 leader and our LIC is on maternity leave and won't really be able to come back for some time so I've had to take on a lot more responsibility than I had anticipated when I signed up hahaha

4 weeks and a sleepover ro go. I have been in countdown mode

Oh hello, I think I was on this a while back!

Just done all the paperwork for a joint camp in a tented village and realised I didn't put insect repellant on either the kit list or the health form. I guess we'll have to keep the fire lit...

We're doing Guide Outdoor Cook badge as our main badge (there are so many activities on site we don't need to plan any crafts/other activities really though I may take a wide game to have up my sleeve). But of course the night we did menu planning for that hardly any of them came so they will no doubt complain about not getting the badge.