Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think my DD should have more Brownies badges by now?

129 replies

UndertheCedartree · 30/10/2021 12:19

My DD joined Brownies when she was 7 and a half. She was there 6 months before Lockdown. Brownies continued online on Zoom but she didn't get on with that. So she only started back in September when they started meetings again. She is 9 and a half now. So to be fair she's not been there that much over the 2 years.

I'm not sure exactly when she would leave Brownies but I think at 10 or 10 and a half. She is therefore keen to get her Gold Award which is the top badge a Brownie can get. We went through all the badges she has and she only had Communication as the only badge that counts towards the Gold Award. I thought she should have more by now?

Just to be clear this is not a dig in any way at the fantastic leaders that run Brownies. I am eternally grateful for these volunteers giving up their own time to run an amazing group and making it really affordable for me. My DD has just come back from Pack holiday (where she got the Communication badge) and she loved it so much. It was a lovely experience for her with clearly so much work having gone in to running it.

Do you think it possible she has just missed being given the badges? Any advice from Guiding insiders would be welcome!

OP posts:
ZZGirl · 30/10/2021 16:53

@BoredZelda

Interest badges are done at home now, they're not aimed at unit meetings.

I’m not sure that’s a new thing. This was also how it was when I was a brownie 40 years ago.

The programme changed a few years ago, before then we were able to work on interest badges at unit meetings as well as them working on them at home
BoredZelda · 30/10/2021 17:04

The programme changed a few years ago, before then we were able to work on interest badges at unit meetings as well as them working on them at home

Which was when my daughter did her gold badge, and was able to work on badges at home to get it.

BoredZelda · 30/10/2021 17:05

*and in the unit.

ZZGirl · 30/10/2021 17:13

@BoredZelda

The programme changed a few years ago, before then we were able to work on interest badges at unit meetings as well as them working on them at home

Which was when my daughter did her gold badge, and was able to work on badges at home to get it.

Every unit will do things a little different For example I have been a lot more flexible with badges because of the pandemic.

If the OP talks to the leader, the leader will be happy to help the Brownie achieve more badges

BoredZelda · 30/10/2021 17:17

Every unit will do things a little different

Of course, but if a brownie works on badges in her own time, the unit can’t refuse to give them the badge.

00100001 · 30/10/2021 17:26

@ColinTheKoala

Not allowing badgework in sessions also seems to discriminate against the kids who don't have engaged parents to help at home. 8-10 year olds aren't very old and most will need at least some guidance or help from adults. I remember working through badges myself but still needed help from adults to arrange testing. What is the reason for this policy?
A lot of units just spend the 20% time off program doing badges,or have badge days for this very reason.
ZZGirl · 30/10/2021 17:27

@BoredZelda

Every unit will do things a little different

Of course, but if a brownie works on badges in her own time, the unit can’t refuse to give them the badge.

Of course not. As long as I see evidence, I'm more than happy to tick clauses off and award the badges but I have to see proof that meets the clause.
TroysMammy · 30/10/2021 17:32

I did my Brownie badges at home 45 years ago except when I went to Brown Owl's house to make a cup of tea for my Hostess badge.

I think these days children do so many after school activities they are wiped out when they get home. When I was a Brownie that was the only activity I did and that my parents could afford.

DockOTheBay · 30/10/2021 17:39

The way the new programme works leaders are no longer allowed to do badges in unit time, they have to be done at home

Incorrect. Only Interest badges are done at home (and recent advice is that they can be started in unit).

Skills builder badges are done at Brownies. Many units also work towards outside badges as well, e.g. we have done a Physicist badge sponsored by the Institute of Physics, parliament week badge, pawprint family badges. We usually do one Skills Builder and one other badge per term.

They need 6 skills builders for the Gold, so in theory could get there in 2 years. But they would also need 6 interest badges and 6 x 3 hours of specific activities done in Brownies (UMAs)

I actually really like the new programme as a leader, but it does take a bit of time to get your head round and clearly many of the parents (on here and elsewhere) do not understand it all.

Long story short OP, if your daughter has missed 18 months of Brownies because she didn't like Zoom, there is very little chance of her getting the Brownie Gold award. The ones in my unit getting the Gold have been there for 3 years and attended almost every meeting. We did skills builders over Zoom.

DockOTheBay · 30/10/2021 17:42

[quote UndertheCedartree]@boredzelda - that's great for your DD but unfortunately my DD hasn't had the support to complete the badges.[/quote]
From you?

DobbyTheHouseElk · 30/10/2021 17:43

There aren’t any sewing or hostess badges on the new program.

Some are quite tricky. Like the “my rights” or “aviation”.

Baking or painting badges are easier, but still need a lot of work for the three clauses.

DockOTheBay · 30/10/2021 17:48

@DobbyTheHouseElk

There aren’t any sewing or hostess badges on the new program.

Some are quite tricky. Like the “my rights” or “aviation”.

Baking or painting badges are easier, but still need a lot of work for the three clauses.

Aviation badge is one of the easiest, have a look at what is actually required. Far easier than sewing.
user1487194234 · 30/10/2021 18:36

I gave up being a Brownie leader 1 year ago
The main reason being the new programme
Far too much like school work
And being asked to collect subs when we were unable to meet

DobbyTheHouseElk · 30/10/2021 18:39

@DockOTheBay thank you. My DD has got that badge. Lots in her unit have found it tricky. Might be Brown owls interpretation of the clauses though. I actually think I meant space. We made a pin hole camera which was fun.

liveforsummer · 30/10/2021 18:50

The new brownies programme is a hugely at home based system for badges. They do some in brownies but most needs done at home and the evidence submitted then they will issue the badge. Dd1 got her gold award during the first lockdown - many badges were done before the system changed over thigh we did out in a lot of graft at home to get her to the award at the end. Dd2 never will never get hers as we just don't have the time or energy to devote

DockOTheBay · 30/10/2021 18:59

@liveforsummer

The new brownies programme is a hugely at home based system for badges. They do some in brownies but most needs done at home and the evidence submitted then they will issue the badge. Dd1 got her gold award during the first lockdown - many badges were done before the system changed over thigh we did out in a lot of graft at home to get her to the award at the end. Dd2 never will never get hers as we just don't have the time or energy to devote
They have to do 6 badges at home, and they're optional. Only have to be done if you want to get the gold award. Six badges doesn't seem like much over 3 years of Brownies, and many can be done in a pretty short time.
00100001 · 30/10/2021 19:02

The ', new' program is crap. Designed by teachers, kids complaining it's too much like school etc

Whinge · 30/10/2021 19:03

@00100001

The ', new' program is crap. Designed by teachers, kids complaining it's too much like school etc
Are you sure it was designed by teachers? A lot of the leaders I know are teachers or school staff, and they also dislike it.
Beamur · 30/10/2021 19:05

My DD loved Brownies and got some badges but never any awards, I don't think that the Leaders particularly chased it and kept activities fun and enjoyable. In Guides however she has recently got her Gold award and it has taken 3 years + of solid attendance and quite a lot of her own time and motivation. It's not meant to be easy to get.
I doubt your DD will have time to get beyond a bronze award, but that's still an excellent achievement.
Talk of interest badges/skill builders etc is a bit confusing but it is explained in the handbook.
Hope your DD continues to enjoy her time with Brownies and Guides

capercaillie · 30/10/2021 19:16

I love the new programme. Just to provide a bit of balance to other comments…

We’ve had 1 silver award and lots of Bronze awards - tend to go the girls who attend regularly and stuck with zoom. Hasn’t been difficult for them to get to that point. We think the new programme works brilliantly and have had some fun doing it. There’s enough in there to provide variety and meet girls interests.

InflagranteDelicto · 30/10/2021 19:19

Another Brownie (and Guide) leader here!

I like the new programme- I know the range of badges is a lot narrower but there is scope for her to do badges on her own, I've had Brownies bring me badge work that very clearly hasn't had an adult any where near and others that have had a lot of support. All earned their badges in my opinion.

Get her looking at the aviation badge- that's quite an easy & fun one. For the "high" clause, get a tube of effervescent vitamins and have her experiment with water quantities (use the empty tube as a rocket, water plus vitamin, lid on quick and place lid down on the ground, stand back!)

Her leaders should be covering the hexagonal SB badges and meeting hours but if she's missed meetings she may have missed the badge work night. You could always ask them if they could share what she's missed.

All of the girls in my unit have a chance of Gold. For most, it's lack of interest badges that holds them back. For a couple, the ones that miss several meetings a term, they'll never get enough Skill Builders which is sad, but once I'm sure it's not down to ill health/ other circumstances (of themselves or at home) then I accept that they enjoy what they have.

Original poster
UndertheCedartree · 30/10/2021 19:22

@BoredZelda - from me. As I stated in my OP I have been very unwell so not able to support her. I actually had no idea this was required anyway as my Ds did his all at group.

OP posts:
Original poster
UndertheCedartree · 30/10/2021 19:26

@Looneytune253 - well, partly. As I said the skill builders are meant to be done at group. I had no idea she had to do the interest badges at home, but as I said in my OP I've been very unwell so not able to help.

@ZZGirl - no, I didn't know she had to and I've been very unwell so not able to help her. She has only got one skills builder.

OP posts:
DobbyTheHouseElk · 30/10/2021 19:32

To be honest. It’s highly unlikely that your DD will get Gold. Why not try for Bronze.

You need two themes. Which skills builders had she got? Try an interest badge from that theme.

You can go online and check how many minutes of UMAs your daughter has done. You’ll need to ask your unit leader for help to log in.

Original poster
UndertheCedartree · 30/10/2021 19:34

@DampSquidGames

If I did a day out with my parents or did another activity I’d think how I could use the experience to help get a badge
I remember when I was young there being loads of badges but there seem a lot less and they are quite prescriptive and need lots of resources so I would say it is harder to get a badge now especially if your parents can't help you. I remember doing lots of badges in group too.
OP posts: