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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To finish my Rainbow Guide meetings next week and not start again until 14th January?

22 replies

MaureenMLovesmincepies · 07/12/2007 10:39

Because 2 mums at school this morning thought I was! I'm so cross with them! They didn't know I was walking behind them and one said 'we finish Rainbows next week, thats a bit early don't you think?' The other said, 'yes! and they don't go back until 14th Jan - thats half way through the month fgs!'

I didn't let them see me, and I didn't start a row, but I wish I had. I'm taking all 15 of them to Pantomine the following week, WITHOUT the help of either of these parents, one of which doesn't work and doesn't have any other children and the reason I'm going back on 14th Jan, is because I booked a week off for me! I've got jury service for the entire Christmas fortnight, and I'm thinking of my bloody self for a change!

I wonder if she's considered how much I get paid to do this job.

OP posts:

Blandmum · 07/12/2007 10:42

I well remember mothers bitching that the M and T group that I helped to run was closed over the Christmas holiday. I did feel like asking them if they felt like getting up of their arses and running it!

People do see such things as a 'right' and often feel that you have a duty to fit in with their needs all the time.

unknownrebelbang · 07/12/2007 10:45

YANNNNNBU.

If they do say anything to your face, just politely tell them that when THEY run the group THEY can decide when to open and close.

And smile serenely.

grrrr on your behalf.

Marina · 07/12/2007 10:46

at the Jury Service, nice timing Maureen.

Ds is in Cubs and we have Rainbows through to Guides at church and I am often really disgusted at how much the wonderful women (and occasional helpful Scout assistants!) who do all this stuff are treated by some of the parents. The girls are never sent along for church parade (once a month) even though they have all practised stuff at meetings, making doing a rehearsed presentation almost impossible, and you hear a lot of carping about the "demands" made by the Company leaders and helpers (one was for toiletries for Crisis at Christmas gift boxes at ds' Cub Carol Service this week, apparently this was one request too far ).

I don't think people who live in our neck of the woods realise how lucky they are to have a well-established Girlguiding network, Maureen .
Some of us appreciate you and hope you enjoy what's left of your break . and, actually, with all the Other Stuff going on around Christmas, I am very grateful ds does not have to tip up for Cubs on December 20th. One less place to be in simultaneously

jesuswhatnext · 07/12/2007 10:47

take no notice! it twas ever thus!!

it's always the mums who do naff all that moan the most

dmo · 07/12/2007 11:17

our rainbows finish on monday until the 14th jan thought thats what most packs do

my boys go to cubs/scouts and meeting go on until 19th Dec but they cant go next weds due to school concerts etc so i think your doing right closing

anyway rainbows are so little and there is so much going on this time of year you would think parents be gald to have them rest in the eveinings

MamaG · 07/12/2007 11:19

YANBU at all. Moaning minnies!

SantasSmartArse · 07/12/2007 11:20

I think you're a star to do it in the first place. Our Brownies/Guides finished this week and they don't go back until 16th January.

suwoo · 07/12/2007 11:27

Ours finished last Tuesday, but I think they go back on the 8th.

RosaLuxMundi · 07/12/2007 11:28

Ours finished this week. Can't believe the cheek of some people. I would be furious.

JennyWren · 07/12/2007 11:29

YANBU! Heavens - they'd never cope here - I ran my last Guide meeting of term last night and we won't be going back until the 10th of January at the earliest, if not the following week!

Unfortunately, whilst we all have some fabulous parents who do appreciate everything that we (unpaid, volunteer) Guiders do, and tell us so, there are always some flies in the ointment who will never appreciate what they've got until they've lost it.

Please don't take it to heart - but if you want to, you can always start term with a letter home saying how much you hope all the Rainbows are refreshed and looking forward to the long term ahead .

Ellbell · 07/12/2007 11:34

Agree with everyone else, YANBU and you are a star for doing it. My dd2 is a Rainbow (just started this term) and loves it. I work and have another dd so can't help out much, but always try to ensure that they go along to any extra activities (apart from the Body Shop thing which I posted about on here and which I felt was misguided, but hey... still think they were doing their best). DD1 was the only Brownie for her pack who turned up for Church Parade at Harvest Festival and the only one who turned up for the Rembrance Day parade. I was disgusted. They couldn't even parade their flag (or pennant???) at the Remembrance Day parade because they didn't have enough girls for a colour party (or whatever they call it - my memory is going). When I was a Brownie/Guide/Ranger (Rainbows hadn't been invented yet, or I'd have been one of those too!) it was a three-line whip for Remembrance Day and no-one would dare to miss it. (We weren't allowed to wear coats over our uniforms either, but that's another story. Dd1 did have a coat on this Nov. but was still blue with cold by the end of it!)

Anyway, I digress. Ignore the miserable moos Maureen and accept a little round of applause from the MN mums who think you do a fab job! Hooray!

Original poster

MaureenMLovesmincepies · 07/12/2007 11:36

Ooops, sorry, forgot about this thread having got wrapped up making mince pies with my mindees! Thanks everyone, I was begining to think I was taking the micky not going back until 14th, its not like they're being charged before then. Some people just seem to think I turn up on the night, do my hour and go home again. Not so, I've already sorted out the carol service for tonight, before my mindees arrived this morning, made a list of the resources I need for next term and printed letters for new ones starting in Jan. And parents get all this childcare for £1.50per hour per week. I, on the other hand could be earning £4.50 per hour, if I looked after them in my home as a childminder!

OP posts:

tarantula · 07/12/2007 11:38

YANBU at all. Think these 2 mums need a reality check. Do they realise that you are all voluntary?
We had a mum complaining about one of the face painting people at our school fair being too slow and she hadn't actually realised that it was a mum who had given up her morning to do it. She thought that the school were paying her. People are really strange like that.

SlubbersRingAreYouListening · 07/12/2007 11:39

Of course YANBU.

HONESTLY SOME PEOPLE grrrrrrr

I can't help out at my Rainbow pack atm as DH's hours have changed and I have no one to look after the dds. The look on some people faces when I explain why I can't be there, and I get "well can't you put them into nursery then".

Absolutely, I'll pay for someone else to look after my children while I look after yours for free then shall I?

Sorry to hear that you are doing jury duty and not having a nice well earned rest and holiday.

grendel · 07/12/2007 12:32

YANBU!
Brownies here finishes on the 11th and they don't start again until the middle of January. That's fine with me, we're so busy with Christmas stuff anyway.

It is always like this. It's those that don't help that expect everything to be laid on for their convenience and complain when it is not!

Original poster

MaureenMLovesmincepies · 07/12/2007 16:44

Just to add insult to piggin' injury, I have just had another txt from a parent saying their dd can't attend tonights carol service for one reason or another! So, so now. This means there is a strong possibilty it will be me and 1 out of 15 girls in church representing Rainbows tonight! Its a good job I haven't got a life, eh? Not happy now, a strongly worded letter will be sent over the Christmas period, to their homes, to make sure that 'get' what I do here!

OP posts:

Orinoco · 07/12/2007 16:50

Message withdrawn

Orinoco · 07/12/2007 16:51

Message withdrawn

jesuswhatnext · 07/12/2007 16:53

you may well have to send strong letter - my dd is much older now but i was so embarassed so often when it was always the same very few girls who were sent to church parade etc. i always felt the leaders were let down badly, also, to my mind it does no harm for kids to learn that having fun also leads to responsibility ie. attending church, helping at fund raisers etc

AMerryScot · 07/12/2007 16:55

Our groups finished this week, and go back on the 7th - so the same break as yours.

Instead of a meeting this week, the guiders are getting together to plan next terms' activities, so we are duly occupied.

I don't think parents are too bothered - it's nice to have the break from taxi duty.

When I run a M&T, we did have parents who were miffed that we only met inside term time, and not during the holidays. I don't think they would be too happy if we had our school aged kids knocking over their little darlings though - and no one came forward to lead a summer version.

Original poster

MaureenMLovesmincepies · 07/12/2007 16:59

Oh god! Olivia! One of the Rainbows that isn't coming took her home iwth her last week! I'll have to nip nextdoor and see if they've got one! I wouldn't mind, but this is the fun carol service. Its the whole division and all organised with just the girls in mind. We were going to be using 3 Rainbows to help read out Twas The Night Before Chirstmas, looks like I'll have todo it now!

OP posts:

claricebeansmum · 07/12/2007 16:59

It's the same the world over!

The same old faces turn up to help out, support the events etc. And it is always the same ones who complain or don't pay subs...always an excuse.

I don't particularly like large groups of children so I hope out with admin and stuff like that for our troop.

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