Guiders' staff room - tea, wine, chat and optional dancing around the toadstool

I feel for you. Joy of parents.

Saw a tip on t'internet about pancake batter, apparently you can use an old squirty ketchup bottle to minimise the mess and get easy pouring.

Need to finish off my ketchup first and will feedback.

We're doing pancake day this week. Not my idea and I notice the leader concerned who begged to do it, hasn't offered to get anything, so will be me again.

Still trying to get subs out of girls. It's the parents who have the money but forget every week.

How's the weekend treating you all?

Prep for a promise ceremony this week. Introducing membership cards and also encouraging badgework at home. Not sure if the team will be happy with that. Eek.

Groovee,

It was more than an hour a week when I was PL. I know what I'm getting into. ;-)

Now Julie beware, it's only an hour a week...

Hi Julie

I'm sure you willl be very welcome. Speaking as a brownie leader we can always do with help. Even if you could only commit to outings, holidays and occasional meeting you would be welcome at our unit.

Thought I'd stick my nose in and say hi - I'm popping in to local volunteers' meeting next week. Former Brownie and Guide and have wanted to get involved again, but not sure if my working hours are conducive. At the very least I figure I can help out on an occasional basis and/or behind the scenes.

The scientist happens to be involved with our Gang show which DD's guides leader is as well. I was helping when she visited guides, so asked her to come along.

We had some strawberries before at guides but this time was kiwi fruit.

Groovee that sounds so much fun. Love the idea.Where did you source your scientist?

Groovee, that sounds interesting. I didn't even know a kiwi had dna

Had a scientist visit us, we extracted DNA from a kiwi fruit. Then she told us about her job. We had a great night.

Pancake making next week

Rue wow.

Let me know if you ever fancy a trip with us covets stamina and magical rejuvenating powers

thanks Rue, my youngest regularly calls me either Dad, Nanna, or Miss Rarely Mum!

lucysmam just be prepared - they will wiggle their wobbly teeth at you every sodding week, ask you to tie their shoelaces, need a combination of sympathy and tough love regularly, finish the most complicated activity in about 5 seconds flat and take an entire meeting to do the simple ones, need help with cutting out, reading instructions, writing stuff down. Don't blink when all of them except your own daughter call you mum :o

Rainbows are lovely well, mostly they're lovely. When they're not being horrors...

I've heard back - just waiting for paperwork to be organised

Now, other than stocking up on , what else do I need to know?

I'm sorry, too. If I had scrolled back through the thread I guess I would have seen you're already a leader. In that case, I'm sure your existing uniform will be enough and take whatever bedding makes you most likely to get something approaching a decent night's sleep (I never sleep well on pack holidays). Other usual things to take are a pencil case full of felt pens, sellotape and a stapler and a torch. I'm sure the event leader will have a much longer list, but that's probably coming out of the Brownie cupboard.

Oh and at a quiet few days after, I'm taking my Rainbows on a trip the day after we get back!

Sorry, should have said - am usually a Rainbow leader (so have polos & hoodie) but I'm helping out with the Brownie unit that meets immediately after my Rainbows. Venue is our county campsite, and will be sleeping in huts.

Brownie DD will get a kit list but there isn't one for adults afaik.

Oops. That didn't make sense. I prefer to take a sheet and duvet ...

Maudant cribbed the questions from the centres' pages and also from the wagggs WTD challenges (but picked and chose).

lucysmam you're one of us now stock up on ribena, say farewell to your dining room table and any storage space you may have. At long last, any hoarding recycling tendencies can be justified.

RueDeWakening (great username) Have you got a kit list yet? Ask the leaders if the unit or others in the district have any spares / stuff they'd be prepared to lend you. One tip - it's harder to warm up than.to cool down, especially at night. Take lots of warm clothing and spare socks - plan a low key couple of days afterwards as you will be shattered.

Rue, it will depend on where you are going. Our brownie house has bunk beds for the girls so it's usually a duvet or sleeping bag. Uniform for arrival and leaving and normal clothes in between.

Are you going as a parent helper? If so, you don't need uniform (although there is some you can get if you want to) and will just need warm, washable clothing. I always go for warmth and comfort over elegance on pack holidays (and no doubt it shows). I think most of the places used for pack holidays usually expect you to take your own bedding, unless it's somewhere like PGL. If we're sleeping in proper beds I prefer to take a sheet and sleeping bag, rather than be trussed up in my sleeping bag.

I've been roped into helping on a Brownie holiday over half term - what stuff am I likely to need? Uniform/clothes/sleeping bag/footwear etc wise?

I'll ask the main leader, but she's on holiday till the parents meeting later this week and I'd like an idea beforehand in case I need to order stuff in.

TIA :)

Definitely mention it so she can mention further up the chain so they know if it comes through x

Thanks Mini, I'll have a word when I drop them off next week