After school activity timings

[Hammyfan]

DD’s Brownie pack are starting up next week. They didn’t meet last half term.

She did rainbows and loved it. However timings are a bit dodgy for Brownies. It would mean:

3pm: 20 min school pick up
5pm: 40 min Brownie drop off and pick Ds up from nursery
6.30pm: 30 min Brownie pick up with preschool ds in tow

This would all be walking as don’t drive due to disability. It would be down quiet paths past an industrial estate for some of the walk so a little creepy in the dark.

Not thrilled about doing this, especially in winter. This will be midweek on one of my working days and ds will have been in nursery from 8.15am so we’ll all be tired. Dh would help if he could but can’t because of work. No-one else I can ask to help. Already spend £££ on taxis so not really willing to take on another weekly journey.

Dd is lucky enough to have several other activities she does so is not short on stuff to do. I just feel a bit sad about her not doing Brownies as I think she would probably get to do lots of things with Brownies she wouldn’t necessarily do otherwise and it’s nice for her to be in a group of just girls, as she gets fed up with the boys in her class at school.

Am I going to regret it if I agree for her to do Brownies and I’m stuck doing this trek every week? The day after is also a working day so ds will have another early start.

Thanks for any advice...

Can you ask if someone could drop her home? Or could DH try to pick her up?

Could you get a bike with a trailer if you can't drive?

Is there a different pack she could join that meet at a more suitable time? Or similar time but better location?

Chat to your brown owl and ask. We moved Dd 2 for logistical reasons. This was several years ago but I assume there’s options to switch still.

5-630 is early for a lot of units. Many would be 6-730 I know many units would struggle getting leaders from work ready to be there by 430.

I wouldn’t fancy doing a 40m walk in winter with a toddler in cold and rain. Could you ask if she could start in spring/Easter maybe? Then your preschool will be older and better able to walk/stay awake and not so difficult with dark and weather.

Or suggest she can do brownies but has given up activity on another day. Sounds like she does lots so don’t beat yourself up or can’t do it all.

Dd is lucky enough to have several other activities she does so is not short on stuff to do.

There's your answer.
I think a good Brownie Pack can be great BUT, it doesn't work, logistically for you as a family, so it doesn't happen.

As suggested, you could presumably find out if there is another pack either nearer, or that meets at a different time, so your dh could be involved......or see if there is a friend that could drop off if you take them.....or perhaps look at something else, but it seems like she is already doing things so she will be fine.

This sounds like a really good reason to move to a different pack.
If you did decide to do the journey above, a nice warm buggy for DS would be a must, I’d presume?

It's a question of balance. It seems a big commitment for you and DS when she already has plenty of activities on. Sometimes you just can't do it all, and there are positives to having the odd night off, opportunity to invite friends round perhaps etc.

I might do it if it were her only activity, but for a third or fourth? Probably not.

Thanks everyone, really useful comments.
Ds hasn’t used a buggy since lockdown 1 so he would be walking or using a little trike. It wouldn’t be so bad if I could woosh him round in a nice cosy buggy but I think we are too far gone for that. Also, he is massive so not sure he would even fit in it anymore.
I think there are other units but similarly tricky with getting there.
Maybe I’ll email Brown Owl, explain situation and suggest starting at say Feb half term and reviewing the situation then.
A bike is a good suggestion I hadn’t thought of. I would need an adult trike so would take a bit of saving up but could be a good solution for the future.

I would check if there are any other packs in the area. DD's Brownie group started at 6pm, that was the same for several others.

You could also check for Cubs, most do mix gender groups and she may also enjoy them. I think our pack also has a 6pm start.

That would give you more time in the afternoon and only one way for you if your DH could do the pick up.

I am reluctant to always rely on other parents unless you can take turns. We had a WhatsApp group for Scouts with 4 parents and it worked but only because we all took turns doing the driving.

Maybe I’ll email Brown Owl, explain situation and suggest starting at say Feb half term and reviewing the situation then.

It's very unlikely she will be able to hold a place that long, especially if she has a waiting list. Could you email Brown Owl and ask if there are any other packs which meet at a different location or time.

Brown owl might be also able to let you know if there are others in your area .. we used to share with 3 others. They would all come over after school once a month and I would take them and DH would get home early to stay with my younger two.

Has the pack got a Facebook group? Some of the parents at my Cubs share lifts home to avoid toddler bed times

Thanks, have emailed Brown Owl now. I don’t think there are any other suitable local groups sadly. And the Facebook group for this pack is dead, not sure why.

My next challenge is to explain the situation to dd. She is lucky enough that she has been able to do everything she wants until now so may be in for a disappointment - a good life lesson though, that sometimes the rest of the family’s needs take priority to your own wants.