Having Brownie pamper evenings

[Fluffyowll27]

Felt I had to defend our Pamper evening after reading previous threads complaining about such inappropriate activities for Brownies. Rather than a beauty night, it's more a relax, calm down, take stock evening following a hectic term. We have - built tents from newspapers, completed a science investigator badge, investigated how to navigate outside in the dark, had treasure hunts, made biscuits, been to a theme park, made paper poppies etc etc now we will have a fun evening with scented candles, bubbly foot baths (own towels brought to prevent cross infection!!) cucumber face packs, oatmeal moisturiser the girls can make and to complete some background music of Tibetan gongs and maybe a few whale calls for good measure. We do this yearly and the Brownies love it, the hall smells gorgeous and when the girls are collected its noticeable how calm they are. We leaders however then spend half an hour cleaning up and go home shattered to prepare for work the next day!!! But it's worth it.

Meh.

I can't get worked up about this one way or another.

I fail to understand why so many people are up in arms about this!! as a brownie leader I have run many such an evening over the years (although never with make up) to incorporate different parts of the adventure program as well as badge work.

we looked at things that were in the kitchen cupboards as part of one evening, porridge oats and yoghurt for example. it wasn't done as partner a relaxation or beauty evening but as part of historical practices.

Dug it up because it's to make a point that variety in activities carried out in Brownies is important there's absolutely no makeup involved and as in one thread, if the porridge oats go flying that's fine, or if the cucumber gets eaten that's fine, before it goes on the face of course. The following week we will be going star gazing, minus tiaras and candles, brownie hats and torches and no, we don't use tiaras anyway. Must go and start making the lavender oil now, oh and I have the Whale to record

Isn't the guiding movement supposed to have a moderately, dare I say it, feminist agenda?

In which case, how can it be right to teach 7-year-old girls that to look socially acceptable they need to put frikkin' porridge on their face?

OP I think you are confusing issues here. Not wanting a 7 year old to get involved in 'beauty' in whatever form it takes because there are many years later on for that has absolutely nothing to do with me appreciating the effort leaders of groups put in.

I am a parent helper at two other organisations and have helped at Brownies whenever they have asked for help.

The two issues are completely separate - after turning up on the evening (after missing two weeks) and realising the first one was happening we will simply not go to any other pamper evenings - not what we want for DD.

For me a relaxation evening could be about candles and a few yoga type stretches/relaxing/appropriate music and a related story - pampering is something else entirely.

Not bothered about the PamperinG but objecting to the candles unless they are well out of brownie reach. A girl at my own brownies set fire to her hair on a candle.

Bravo to all brown owls and helpers for doing a great job.

Lavender oil play-dough always works really well for a bit of a treat ??

I was going to say that we do pamper evenings in Brownies, but actually, I don't think we do really. We call it a pamper evening, but in actual fact they are more crafting evenings - we make soap, bath bombs, bubble bath, etc.

I think 'pampering' is probably the biggest fucking con perpetrated on women outside the slimming industry and religion. Having a wash is not a 'treat'.
Having said that, though, mucking about making bubble baths and doing relaxation exercises doesn't sound that bad. Boring, sure, but (having been a Brownie and a Guide) there are always some evenings/activities that are a lot less fun than others, and you have to put up with it and hope that next week will bring something you like. I always resented the sodding talk-to-the-maginary friend bits.

after turning up on the evening ... and realising the first one was happening we will simply not go to any other pamper evenings - not what we want for DD.

And what does your DD think about it? The programme at Brownies is drawn up taking account of the girls' ideas and preferences. Obviously, the leadership team may need to steer it a bit (and I would certainly not do anything with make-up, however much the Brownies asked for it) but I am guessing that, at your pack, the Brownies were keen to have a pamper session and that is why it ended up on the term's programme.

And arf at a Hygiene/Look A Bit Smarter/Comb Your Hair For Crying Out Loud Badge or Gelling Your Hair Badges!

"a Hygiene/Look A Bit Smarter/Comb Your Hair For Crying Out Loud Badge"

You've met my DS, then?

DD would have rolled her eyes and refused to go to a Brownie pamper evening, but each to their own - she moved on to Scouts rather than Guides because it was more to her taste.

DS's Explorer group had a onesie party yesterday. He didn't go.

Oakmaiden's craft evening sounds much more fun.

Having a wash is not a 'treat'

This. A million times this.

Sure do a bit of yoga, a hand massage, loll around on some cushions with some nice smells, but there is just no need for facepacks and the likes.

Unless Training to be a good little Consumer is now a badge?

I don't really care what a seven year old thinks about make up and covering herself in smelly lotion tbh.

The programme at Brownies is drawn up taking account of the girls' ideas and preferences - I expect age appropriate activities and I don't consider make up age/pampering appropriate for a 7 year old.

As a parent I have a right to veto something I don't consider appropriate.

Yes, that is your prerogative.

Sounds lovely, my dd 7.5 years has just started Brownies, I don't object to that, sounds like a lot of thought went went into it. After all as another poster has said you can wash it off afterwards

I love the idea of cubs having a hair gelling badge.
I'm totally on the fence with this. Relaxation, music, candles, hand massage all sound great. Make up and face masks less so.

I'd be horrified.

Age 7, and being trained into wanting/needing/expecting make up and face packs to make yourself look better? What rot.

Yes to yoga, massage, and so e aromatherapy, if a relaxation evening is on the agenda.

But no to candles. Accidents are too easy to happen (appreciate that's a personal view, but it is one born of experience as a family friend has been horribly disabled after an accident involving candles)

As a Guide leader, I'm normally first onto these threads to defend Brown Owl etc. But I think in this case I disagree with you.

Girls have these images of beauty pushed at them from every angle, and I like to think that for at least an hour a week, they can get away from them.

The closet we've come this term to anything like that, was making fake wounds with special effects gum and face paint. (Which I would totally recommend by the way, the girls love it, and it fits in quite well if you're going to do a First Aid badge).

ds is 7 I can not imagine they shall be having any how to make yourself smell and look nicer days soon thankfully

three are plenty of other ways to relax what about a film night

its sad that we are pandering to the beauty industry and allowing little girls to be influenced by the use of beauty products

Don't like the sound of little girls putting on face masks etc!

I never wanted to be a Brownie or a Guide, I have to admit.

I'd be very annoyed.

Chill out evening, fine. They could have a pyjama party, or maybe try out some yoga or meditation, or even a film night. But face packs and moisturiser? Totally inappropriate for this age group. And so unnecessary.

As far as I know, showing a film to a hall full of Brownies counts as a public performance and is expressly forbidden by the small print that appears at the start of every dvd (and even that presupposes that you can find a film that is short enough to fit into a Brownie meeting).

Could they maybe make bath products as Christmas presents for both sexes?