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

Speak to the unit leader. I took ds with me when I helped at rainbows when dd was in rainbows.

Or perhaps one of the other parents would take DD2 during brownies?

Ask the unit leader! It wouldnt be a problem for me, would just need to take it account into ratios

Hello, I wondered if anyone could advise - I was an assistant leader for about 18 months before my second child was born and my husband moved jobs which made it impossible to get there - no other babysitters. I did some Guides and Brownies. My eldest is now about to start Rainbows at the same unit and I'm very excited for her, I loved Guiding as a child/teen. But I'm also wondering whether I could start getting back into helping, perhaps just as a parent initially. The problem I would have is no one to look after my 3.5 yr old. Is it likely I could bring her if needed. I did bring DD1 when she was a baby if it was an emergency but a 3.5yr old is quite different.

I have been helping with a youth group elsewhere in the meantime which does fit with my husband's commute, although 5-7 yr olds are very different from 11-15 yr olds! I'm also a tad nervous as I had a bad experience with the first leader I worked with and it left my confidence and enthusiasm in tatters. I still hold off from trying to get more involved in the youth work, tending to take a back seat. This meant I didn't get to fill in any of my leadership course booklet or retake my promise in those 18 months so starting again if fine. I do sill have my uniform (and my trefoil and promises badges from my youth).

Welcome Fiona, good luck with being brown owl x

Hi all. I just moved areas and have somehow gone from assistant leader of a Guide unit, to Brown Owl of a Brownie pack.

How different can it be, I thought. I was a Brownie once.

Turns out there's quite a lot too it!

Slightly more balanced thread on one of the other boards...

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/extra_curricular_activities/2463358-Why-do-you-send-your-daughters-to-Brownies

Welcome Oldestcat, first rule of Guiders club: do not talk about leaders' ribena

Ask any and all questions you may have, we've all been there. I spent over a year building up the nerve to ask what a wide game was and suddenly a light dawned on me

Well done Oldest, my unit only still exists as some mums stepped up to help when Brown Owl and her daughter left and I was all alone!

Thank you! Am going to have a cuppa and read through the thread tomorrow

Welcome oldestcat

Hi, can I join please?

I'm a Brownie leader in training (happened accidentally - the leader left DD's Brownie unit so I volunteered to be an assistant to a new leader, but seem to have become a leader by default. Yikes).

The district commissioner is running the unit with me at the moment and is incredibly nice and supportive, but I feel pretty nervous!

Hope to get some tips here.

Welcome to the new term We've got 7 new starters and a new unit helper, so a little bit more nervous than normal.

I have 13 new girls starting on Monday.

I think its going to be a little nuts.

i like to have them join in bunches so we are not constantly trying to find time to go through the becoming a brownie book, but I also want to make them all individually feel welcome. Argh!

Only a guider could understand going through all the bunches of bananas being annoyed they are in bunches of 5 when you need 6!!!!

Good luck rivi. New units are always daunting x

Sounds good groovee.
I'm a bit nervous about starting up again. I've changed units because of work scheduling, so I'll be new to the girls and it's my first time as guider in charge.
Looking forward to it though!

First night back last night. New brownies started. Was good to be back. Only had one new one cry when her dad picked her up!

Went last year. It was a brilliant weekend - really good. Have fun x

Hi I am just introducing myself. I am a Guide Guider, Rainbow Guider and DC. DD is one of my Guides and drives me nuts trying to help with the planning, but is also handy for asking if something is good or bad! Next 10 days are going to get busy as I am taking the girls to Wellies and Wristbands for the first time. Anyone else going?

I saw that thread, Becles. I couldn't post on it but was silently cheering you on.

Woohoo how exciting

We are planning the term and sixes this week and day after I'm doing a mass DBS check at the unit allocation after work event for people we've gulled into thinking it's only an hour a week. DC has faithfully promised that at least one is mine...all mine...all all mine

A not of hysteria there I think

We're back to brownies soon! New leader found, we've got the secret that one leader is having our first unit baby! So exciting. And 3 new brownies starting from rainbows.

Having been the leader on the end of a fuming parent after pack holiday, hopefully the parent will listen to the leaders side.

A lovely Guiding thread on AIBU www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/2443848-To-be-fuming-with-DDs-Guide-leader