Guiders Staff Room Part 2

Christmas cards tonight turned into a bit of a free-for-all with card, stencils, stickers and colouring pens/pencils.

I need to do something other than crafty stuff after Christmas

Delicto you can run a unit without your LQ, so long as you are working towards it and your DC is happy that you're confident and know what you're doing, and you have your First Aid.

I ran my Rainbows unit for nearly 2 years doing that! Finished LQ in the end, having had a term off for maternity leave along the way :)

I'm off to renew my First Response this evening. Lucky, lucky me... :o

I managed to get an extra space, unit will make up the shortfall

Cakes sound stressful! Our brown owl has announced she expects to be moving to a new country in 10-12 weeks. No pressure to complete our LQs then! In her head she's already gone, last night she sent out an email asking parents whether to meet at the hall or do the planned activity, and asking for parent helpers. I'm off to the safe space training with other leader in training, and she's known we're going for the past month, but it all feels a bit disorganised. Part of me looks forward to taking the pack on!

Did you ever resolve the camp dilemma, Albus?

The dance lady was awesome, she has danced on x factor and strictly so had instant street cred with the girls.

Poor Lucysmam, I would be fed up of xmas by the beginning of December!

We're doing yet more Christmas this week...cards this time

I love Christmas but not really this much.

Need to find myself a quick ish back up to put in my file too - can't really see them taking that long.

We had our MP playing twister.. (Outs self).
She came to talk to the Brownies and Guides about the Girls Matter resource but they clammed up a bit so I moved on to the game I'd planned.

Got someone coming in to dance tonight. should be fun!

wow momb for you!

momb, that sounds like a stressful evening!

Feeding back on the mini Christmas cakes. It was tough. It took the full 1.5 hours to double line the tins, make the batter and spoon it into the tins. This was with a responsible adult per six and a runner and everything weighed out in advance..

Another group uses the hall after us and we need to be out on time. Everything got washed up but nothing put away into boxes for storage and we ended up bunging everything into my car to be sorted at home.

We have 30 girls. I had sent detailed descriptions and even photos of the required tin size home. I also took 6 spares as I had thought we could make up a spare 6 cakes in case of mishaps. Several brought no tin, several brought the wrong size. I had to send the YL to the corner shop to buy another tin and we never got to make the extra batch.

Two girls cut their fingers while greasing their tins in spite of very detailed verbal instructions and an adult watching like a hawk. One girl cut her finger on her tin in the car on the way to Brownies and didn't mention it until half way through the evening when the blood started dripping onto the table.

One of the Mums who said she's take a batch home to cook didn't. UH and I split the extra batch between us so cooked 9 each. Baking, cooling, feeding and double wrapping the cakes at home took me until almost midnight. If I'd attempted to do all 30 it would have been an all nighter I think.

It would have been much less stressful if we'd had 20 minutes to sort things out after the girls left. It would have been less dangerous if we hadn't used bean tins. The cakes look and smell amazing. At the moment I'm in two minds if we'll ever do it again (with modifications), but will update on the end results in two week's time.

Yes already published criteria.

But the girl was signed up to go on the last camp, and dropped out so late my reserve for that couldnt go.

Have you advertised your exact criteria? Would age, then fewest previous camps, be possible instead?
I've never had an issue with spaces on camps but I always do age, alone, for outings that are likely to be popular.

Albus, I agree with drsspouse: go with your current list, put the correct girl on the waiting list, and be very firm about payment dates. Then if any payments are late drop that girl and take the reserve.
You can't exclude a child based on the fact that their mother is disorganised, or even that the child isn't likeable: sometimes the most challenging girls are the ones who need GG the most.

Sadly not first come first served, but done by fewest previous camps, then age.

If I count her as having come to the most recent camp she misses out, if I count her as not having come, another girl misses out, who is always beautifully behaved, and may not get another chance due to age

Albus well you have 18 places and it's first come, first served (I assume she'd miss out because she was late with payment, or latER), and sorry but lots of mums work.

Honey, I'm not in UK at mo, but all parents sign a code of conduct on behalf of their daughters (and we introduce code of conduct activities at each section in an age appropriate way).
For brownies, we wouldn't pull out code of conduct violations, but we would definitely do some repair work at unit level - getting the girls themselves to identify desirable behaviours (and the converse) and getting their opinions on how adverse behaviours should be treated. They can make a unit 'code of conduct' for their notice board. We also have a specific challenge called 'Girls United' which has games and activities for each section - it's essentially a tool to build teamwork and try to alter disruptive behaviour etc (especially bullying). It's probably online. or pm me if you are interested.
If the parents are supportive, and you are at the point where you need an additional leader to manage the behaviour of these girls (or one in particular) I would be sitting down with the parents and explaining that while GG is an inclusive environment, we can't tolerate disruption to this level, and in order for the dd to remain within the unit as it stands, you will need them to sign up as a parent helper for the next term, or until the behaviour subsides. (I am also the DC - I wouldn't raise this to the next level unless there was a specific incident that needed reporting anyway). Our guiders do occasionally call for this sort of support.

We don't have any other units close enough to make a switch out though... You could offer this as an alternative if the parent is unwilling to provide additional adult support to the unit that is required because of her dd

I have only ever moved one girl because of a code of conduct violation, and she was senior section. She is now one of my best junior leaders and will be transitioning to adult leadership next year. It was all done very smoothly with much discussion. On that occasion we did involve the next level up, due to the seriousness of the incident, but three years later and her mum still thanks me every time she sees me. it doesn't have to be a bad thing, and these girls mature and often become the most responsible and trustworthy kids on the block if you treat them appropriately.

Good luck!

Ugh I have 18 places for camp next year and 19 wanting to go.

If I apply for another place I will need another leader paying for, which isnt budgeted so will have to come out of unit funds.

The girl who would miss out has just dropped out of the last one at the last minute as she was "ill". I know for a fact she wasn't. Mum was also a pain about the whole thing, bringing forms and cheques etc as she "works you know".

Brownie was also a complete pain on the last camp she came too.

So I dont want to apply for another place specifically for her, but Mum is going to kick off, isn't she?

Thanks Groovee, will add that one to my folder for next year

Excellent, thank you - haven't been on Guiders for ages, must do better!

I like the Santa tags Groovee! What's reindeer soup?