Squirrel Scout

[MotherNutkin]

If you have a young one in Squirrels, what is their drey like? What do they get up to?

If you volunteer for Scouts, is it great?

I have a four year old who I think would really enjoy Squirrels, she has been on the waiting list for a little while now and a space is opening up for her.

The email mentioned about parents volunteering too. I'll be speaking to the leader sometime soon, but if you're involved in scouts (and Squirrels), I'd really appreciate an honest evaluation.

I’ve been involved with scouting since my son started in Beavers, no squirrels back then, as a parent helper.

I’ve loved being involved and was mainly involved with catering at camps as well as helping at weekly meetings. I did meal planning, shopping, cooking etc at camp which was great fun and worked with fab people. I didn’t become a leader as didn’t want the stress but happy to be a helper. Both my dc have been through it and it’s been great for both of them and dh and I as we have made good friends through helping.

Dc are both adults now and still involved and dh is on the exec committee.

we did squirrels for a year and now moved to beavers. He loved it. Have a look at the badges to get an idea of activities they might do, we did walks round local area, crafts, simple science experiments, planting seeds, make musical instruments (think rice and toilet rolls etc), day trip to local farm etc every session ended with a story and a biscuit. They also did a sleepover in the hut once or twice a year - which some kids love and others aren’t so keen on which is fine.

parent volunteering was usually once per half term and just helping with whatever activity they were doing (they have a website where you can see what the program is and which sessions need extra help).

I started as an occasional helper at Beavers 10 years ago... now I am an Explorer Scout leader.

Scouting is what the leaders make it. I've largely enjoyed it, but it gets very wearing when you don't get the support /help you need. As DS has got older, I'm trying to help out less. I'm quite aware that his experience of scouting is different to many others as his mum has always been there.

My 5 year old squirrel loves it. The drey is lovely and the helpers are really dedicated. They do some really lovely activities too.

I've been a Cub leader for nearly 7 years now. I love it... most of the time. DH has been a Scout leader since Baden Powell (joking... he started as a Beaver and never left)

Others disagree... but I actually think being your own child's leader is the not good for them or you. Doing it for other peoples kids is brilliant. My younger DD actually left our Scouts last year to go to a neighbouring one as she didn't like being the leaders kid (or the Patrol leaders sister...). There was a timetable clash that forced the issue but it has been the best thing for her!

They learn so much and they get out of it what they want to. That goes for adults too.

Thank you.

@PuttingDownRoots really good food for thought about being your own child's leader. Appreciated.

I can manage once per half term. I used to be in the guides, only for a couple of terms. I was almost torn between rainbows and squirrels for her.

I was my child's squirrel leader, it was absolutely fine, unless people know your child they can't say. Our beaver leader had the same outdated views, until she saw us together in the drey and realised he was fully independent in the sessions and it really built his confidence.

I was then moved to be a a beaver leader, he then moved into, all at the beaver leaders request.

It's a great movement to get into for the kids and for the parents if they want to.

It had a negative effect on my child. Its not outdated to say that. It was fine when she was younger, it was Cubs and above it became a problem.

Dc2 has just moved up to Beavers. She loved Squirrels. We did all sorts of things, a family camp, a beach trip, cooking outside, crafts, planting things and talks from the emergency services.

I helped when needed but on an ad hoc basis and I think helping out as a parent is totally different to being a leader (and a lot less stressful). I'm a bit fan of Scouting in general and am on our Scout Group's board of Trustees so I think it's definitely worth while. My kids have benefitted so much from Scouting, they've been camping, sailing, climbing and hiking.

It had a negative effect on my child. Its not outdated to say that. It was fine when she was younger, it was Cubs and above it became a problem.

You said but I actually think being your own child's leader is the not good for them or you it a very general sweeping outdated view, obviously it's fine to say it didn't work out for you.

But as general term to say that it's not good for kids, is incorrect.

We will just have to disagree then.

But I encourage patents to get involved... just not directly with their own children if possible.

Yes probably, as we deal with it in a case by case basis and see how the child behaves and the child's need rather than blanket sweeping advice. Especially with the little ones.

Maybe the advice from both of us is then...
See how your child feels.
If they don't mind... carry on.
If they become over clingy, or don't want to be there because you are... reconsider.

My mum was my leader. It really changed my experience but there was no way I could have said anything or changed anything. But it definitely made me feel much less free. Even at times when she wasn't there, I knew that she would soon be chatting to the leaders that were, and every detail gone over and anything I had done/said would have been mentioned. I was very very shy and averse to being observed and discussed at the best of times.

A parent volunteering a couple of times a term is very different, though. Or in aanother unit. That's great for all the children I think.

I ended up being a Brownie leader for a while, which I enjoyed, but also appreciated the parent volunteers who would give up time or resources to help out (one parent did all the photocopying and posting and so on from her work, (with permission) rather than at meetings, for example). And for others, helping out at meetings works better - there are times and activities when no-one wants to help, and we definitely appreciate the parents who did those and not just the 'fun' weekends. We also recognised that some parents had family situations or similar that meant they couldn't volunteer at meetings, but there were other ways to help, even if it was just moral support!!

Hope your little one enjoys it.

Rather than be a leader just volunteer to help. Ours don't need leaders but ask for a certain amount of parents to help if they are off site like a park or scavenger hunt .

As a kid I was the leaders neice in scouts I was bullied so bad as they thought I'd be the favourite ' teachers pet'

My squirrel is now a beaver . And loved squirrels.

Yeah that's how we do it and it does seem to work, especially with the littler ones.

But it's great to be involved however they can isn't it, it think it can be hard work if you have lots of meeting and their is lots of planning to do, but if you are in the parent rota, it's nice to just drop in. I'm not sure about other districts, but we always appreciate another pair of hands on deck.

Really handy to see the discussion. I'll absolutely keep an eye on how DD is feeling about it/how she seems.

I'm not sure she'll be ready for a night camp soon, but I'm hoping she'll fit until the group really well.

I'm not sure she'll be ready for a night camp soon, but I'm hoping she'll fit until the group really well

We still haven't managed to do a night camp with our squirrels since it was set up, I'm not sure the powers that be think we should, but you really don't have to agree to anything you are not comfortable with.

If you go on the parent rota, get them to DBS check you and offer to stay at the overnight with your DD, to ease her on gently - squires are still so young to be staying overnight without parents.

I am dc2's beaver leader, and I was dc1's cub leader. I don't think either mind. In our group as a whole 1 out of 11 leaders isn't a current parent.
Squirrels do need a lot of parent input, not only are the squirrels just little ones, but the adult to squirrel ratio is 1 to 4.
We don't have squirrels yet (because my co beaver and cub leader and I don't need a third section to run), but I'd suppose they do similar to beavers. Mostly learning through play sort of things.

So that's why Duggee calls them Squirrels.....

Both DW and I volunteer at Scouts. We are both leaders in Beavers and Squirrels. We also volunteer for a large county event every year. She has never left Scouting and I've been back in Scouting for 10 years.
It's brilliant, we get loads out of it.
We were our older DS leaders in Beavers and have been our younger DS leader in Squirrels and now Beavers.
We have lots of leaders so don't really interact with him in sessions. He is super excited to go every week.
With the older one, I'm on camps with him but again I leave it up to other leaders to deal with him.
What do we do in Squirrels, we have done fire lighting, cooking, experiments, pond dipping, hikes, shelter building, tomahawk throwing, planting, a community growing project.
I'm biased but I think it's great, we are both still friends with people we went to Scouts with. You get to do things you wouldn't normally do.

I'm a Brownie leader and for the most part there were no issues with having my own DD in my unit. She adored having me as her leader, so much so that she has continued to help at Brownies since she left and now she is 18 she's working towards becoming a qualified adult leader. My assistant leader had her DD in Brownies at the same time so we used to put our DDs in each others groups on days out and camps.

Thank you - great advice about the DBS check.

It sounds like lots of people get lots from it. I certainly did at Guides. I'll look forward to it! Thanks all.