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Original poster

Every other week online at Brownies?

21 replies

OnlineGirlGuides · 16/06/2022 18:37

Due to shortage of leaders apparently.

It will apparently not affect badges or the unit meeting hours.

Basically 1 week there will be a 1.5 hour meeting in the usual meeting, then the next week will be online for 1 hour. Anything they need for badge work will be sent home the week before.

Then at the end of each term they’ll come together along with the Rainbows (who’re having 100% in person meetings) and the guides, rangers and leaders (who are ranging in meetings from once a month with online in between to once per half term with online in between) for badge giving.

Has anyone had this and had it work?

DD is 7 so just about to start Brownies in September, she never coped with the live lessons at school so we never went to them, so I’m worried she’ll struggle with this – she only did a year of Rainbows due to spaces.

So how can I make it easier for DD to adjust to this? I have to be in the room when she’s having an online meeting but I am not allowed to talk.

Apparently as soon as leader numbers pick up again they'll be going back to 100% in person.

OP posts:
2tired2bewitty · 16/06/2022 18:39

If you’ve got to be present for the online meetings anyway, could you volunteer to be a leader/helper to get the numbers up?

Beees · 16/06/2022 18:44

2tired2bewitty · 16/06/2022 18:39

If you’ve got to be present for the online meetings anyway, could you volunteer to be a leader/helper to get the numbers up?

This was exactly what I was going to suggest.

It's the most logical answer.

Original poster
OnlineGirlGuides · 16/06/2022 18:46

2tired2bewitty · 16/06/2022 18:39

If you’ve got to be present for the online meetings anyway, could you volunteer to be a leader/helper to get the numbers up?

@2tired2bewitty I am happy to volunteer in another group/unit but not DDs and as I'm a single parent they won't let me as I have no childcare. If I help in DDs unit it kind of defeats the point of her being independent and having something away from me.

OP posts:

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Notcoolright · 16/06/2022 18:51

It sucks. I would volunteer as I do at other groups my children go to in order for them to continue. Basically somebody has to do it (nobody really wants to) and if you aren't going to do it you can't complain about them not being able to do things because they have too few helpers.

Original poster
OnlineGirlGuides · 16/06/2022 18:52

Notcoolright · 16/06/2022 18:51

It sucks. I would volunteer as I do at other groups my children go to in order for them to continue. Basically somebody has to do it (nobody really wants to) and if you aren't going to do it you can't complain about them not being able to do things because they have too few helpers.

@Notcoolright Not complaining, trying to help my DD adjust, and hoping it's not a disaster for her like live lessons where.

OP posts:
Nomaj · 16/06/2022 18:55

You can still help at the same group your daughter attends, they pretty soon start ignoring you.

All of our Brownies and Guides are led by mums with their own daughters present, it’s not a problem and it means you can help provide face to face meetings for everyone.

balalake · 16/06/2022 18:56

My local group is Guides only because of lack of leaders. Not ideal but I think better than only having a fortnightly meeting or no Brownies at all.

Beees · 16/06/2022 19:08

If I help in DDs unit it kind of defeats the point of her being independent and having something away from me.

She will still have weeks where you're not there though. Surely you being there every other week and the session running in person is better independence wise than her sitting in a room with you every other week?

WaterBottle123 · 16/06/2022 19:10

As a single parent I always found brownies tipped me over the edge mental load wise as there was always a new list of shit to remember each week E.g bring in three twigs and a cereal box. Couldn't do it on top of school nonsense.

For partial online I'd find another activity, seems all the stress and none of the gain

Original poster
OnlineGirlGuides · 16/06/2022 19:14

I would rather withdraw DD completely than help in her unit, i know my DD she will cling to me and not go off and make friends, she's the same at parties, the ones I stay at (family, or like climbing or trampolining where they need 1-1) she just shuts down and refuses to talk to anyone.

OP posts:
budgiegirl · 17/06/2022 11:47

I would rather withdraw DD completely than help in her unit, i know my DD she will cling to me and not go off and make friends

I understand that this would be difficult, but surely it's still better than online? She'd at least get every other week to work on becoming independent.

As far as online goes, could you see if you can find out what the activity is for each online session, and then spend a day or two talking it up beforehand, getting her excited for the session? But at the end of the day, some children just don't like online sessions, and that's fine too. When we were in lockdown, I ran weekly online sessions for my cub pack, but only about 2/3rds attended. Some children just don't cope well with online, and there's no point pushing all the time to get them to join in if they really don't want to.

Summer1912 · 17/06/2022 12:05

Op my dd did brownies from early 2019 to may 2022. So we had the online for all but the last 6months.
It was ok. We did some good stuff, art etc. But dd didnt want to often (though we did always log on).
But coming out of it dd has only ended up with 1! of the hut badges in that almost 2.5years.
Her sister did rainbows from sept 2020-jul22 and she has all the hut ones (1 per topic except one) so has done very well even though a couple jan to.mar 2021 were online.

My eldest is suspected asd and so i know what you mean re the joining in (mine is also very tricky and worse when im there). I did help at a few things and i dont think it affected dd. But like you say mine wasnt joining in with the other kids as much if i was there.

Could you do scouts instead? The scheme is better as its more varied. There is more outside stuff. Most badges are done in the hut. (The brownies badges are very limited and specific, and my dc couldnt do performing etc due to.anxiety.)

If you are mainly looking for.your kid socialising then online wont help. Tbh if your kid is shy unless they know the kids going then brownies isnt going to help with that.

GettingEnoughMoonshine · 17/06/2022 12:11

What about scouts or St John's Ambulance Badgers instead? Similar sort of things, but perhaps won't be partly online.

Blahdeblahaha · 17/06/2022 12:16

Yes don't feel bad about not volunteering. I don't because I have another dc that I can't leave, but that's not the only reason, I don't share mental/physical load of day to day life with anyone, I don't need any extra pressure. I also use that time that time sorting stuff out for day to day life or spending individual time with other dc that you rarely get if you are a single parent.

mrsfoof · 17/06/2022 12:30

Is another pack a possibility? Or Beavers / Cubs (they take girls now - our local one is 60:40 boys and girls).

teaandtoastwithmarmite · 17/06/2022 14:20

If it helps I help out in my DD's unit. I try to make sure I don't hover over her or spend more time with her. She talks to me but also spends time with her friends there

anotherneutralname · 17/06/2022 14:37

Would you be able to volunteer on a rota? It sounds like they have enough leaders for every other week. So could you offer 1 meeting a month? It might help them get enough of a pool of people altogether to cover those other two evenings, but still give 3 meetings a month where your DD has independence.

I hear what you are saying about the single parent / anxious child (been there, got that t-shirt). I found that DD’s Brownies did lots of things in their “sixes” and I made it clear to DD that the rules were I couldn’t help with her Six. So I was there, helping other groups, but not directly involved with her. Fortunately she was very rule-focused, so accepted that fairly happily.

Original poster
OnlineGirlGuides · 17/06/2022 14:38

My DD has suspected SN, not ASD but something that causes problems with speech so she doesn't speak if she has the option of not, she will literally cling to me. I have meetings with her teacher and she shuts down but in the classroom she talks all the time, she's the same at Rainbows now, the few activities I've helped with she clung to me and refused to talk or join in but the moment I'm not there the leaders can't get her to shut up! So I will not be helping at all, it's her activity.

There isn't another Brownie unit we could easily get to, due to other activities, which help DDs suspected SN. She loves Rainbows, so once she settles at Brownies I hope she'll love it too.

I am happy to help at Rainbows, Guides or Rangers though if that frees up a volunteer for Brownies, so will discuss that with the leaders.

Think I'll see how it goes, and not pin my hopes on her earning as many badges this time around.

OP posts:
GuidingSpirit · 17/06/2022 14:50

Brown Owl here - clearly if the leaders are taking this approach, they will have exhausted lots of their usual recruitment avenues so its a tricky situation. Parent helpers don't have to be parents - they could be aunts, neighbours, older sisters (over 18) etc. If you can't help at meetings, could you help them advertise / spread the word that they need help?

Offering to help at rainbows or guides to free up a leader is extremely kind and if you were a parent in my group, i would be so grateful for you offering this (and bite your hand off). ❤️

The other option is to discuss with the leaders whether your DD doesn't attend the online meetings. I would be happy to offer a reduction in subs if your DD only wanted to attend the in person meeting until new leaders could be found. We would probably send you the activities to have a go at home if you wanted to so she didn't miss out.

We would also be flexible around badge requirements so she didnt miss out by putting reasonable adjustments in place.

ChoiceMummy · 18/06/2022 06:25

OnlineGirlGuides · 17/06/2022 14:38

My DD has suspected SN, not ASD but something that causes problems with speech so she doesn't speak if she has the option of not, she will literally cling to me. I have meetings with her teacher and she shuts down but in the classroom she talks all the time, she's the same at Rainbows now, the few activities I've helped with she clung to me and refused to talk or join in but the moment I'm not there the leaders can't get her to shut up! So I will not be helping at all, it's her activity.

There isn't another Brownie unit we could easily get to, due to other activities, which help DDs suspected SN. She loves Rainbows, so once she settles at Brownies I hope she'll love it too.

I am happy to help at Rainbows, Guides or Rangers though if that frees up a volunteer for Brownies, so will discuss that with the leaders.

Think I'll see how it goes, and not pin my hopes on her earning as many badges this time around.

Have a look to see if there's a Beavers group locally. They tend to have different leaders.

I wouldn't do online and pay for that. But our costs are one of the most expensive subs in the country.

LouLou198 · 18/06/2022 06:39

Brownie leader here. Did zoom with our unit for months during lockdown. Programme was adapted for zoom and all the girls achieved programme badges. We have also utilised it on the odd occasion out of lockdown when we have been short on leaders. Hopefully this will be short term for your daughter, and is preferable to the unit closing.

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