DD wants to do different interest badges at Brownies, but can’t AIBU?

[TheLoveOfBrownies]

DD is 7, started Brownies in September and recently done her promise.

She did Rainbows for a year before that.

The interest badges that are done at home, DD wants to do different ones to the ones offered but Brown Owl keeps saying she can’t, she can only do 1 interest badge per term and she must do the badge suggested by Brown Owl, Rainbows was the same, she was not awarded any interest badge she did that was not the one suggested. So for example she wanted to Animal Lover, Drawing, Fruit and Veg, Nature, Recycling and Book Lover at Rainbows and they made her do Construction, Agility and Family Tree.

It feels really restrictive and not in the spirit of Guiding, especially as I as her mum am giving up time for her to do the badges outside of the meetings.

I’ve offered to pay for the badges and was told they can’t stop me but they won’t be verified or given out in her meetings, I offered to help with the meetings, and was told yes but they have a programme they follow so can’t change the badges they offer, I even offered to have a small group of the girls and do an interest badge with all of them but was told no, it has to be the badge for that term only.

DD loves Brownies so I won’t take her out but it does feel unfair that the interest badges are supposed to be pick and choose and we don’t get that option.

I’ve heard the other Rainbows and Brownies Groups locally are the same and don’t let you choose your interest badge. So changing groups won’t help.

It just feels a bit restrictive, surely she should be able to do 2 badges per term (1 each half term) at least? Especially as we've been told that there will no sleepovers or camps until at least October 2022 so she won't get those badges towards her theme awards either.

AIBU? And are all Guiding groups the same now?

She can do whatever she wants, in whichever way she wants - check out the badge book.

That's the whole point of the programme!

That’s disappointing.

Could it be like that to make sure the children whose parents can’t afford the time (and money if required for drawing or baking etc materials) to do the badges are not left behind as the more affluent ones with sahms or dads who can help them get loads?

@00100001

She can do whatever she wants, in whichever way she wants - check out the badge book.

That's the whole point of the programme!

I have the badge book but been told that the leaders will not verify or award any badge that is not the interest badge for that term, so she can do as many as she likes but they don't count towards her bronze/silver/gold unless verified by the leaders and awarded during her usual meeting and they will not let her do any others other than the one for that term.

It maybe that they're working on a certain theme each term, so she might have to pick badges form that theme - in order to get her theme awards etc. However, she is free to choose whichever badge she wants. You just have to provide evidence that it has been done by your daughter.

Complain to the Division Commissioner if needs be!

@Elieza

That’s disappointing.

Could it be like that to make sure the children whose parents can’t afford the time (and money if required for drawing or baking etc materials) to do the badges are not left behind as the more affluent ones with sahms or dads who can help them get loads?

Possibly I never thought of that, but surely we should at least be able to do the other badge in the theme if we want to?

Brown Owl needs to pipe down!

They're absolutely wrong to say the exact badge she must work on at home.

Fine they can say which Skills Builders etc as they're in unit time and the leaders (usually) plan and run them.

I can get on board with sticking to the theme for picking a badge (makes complete sense), but literally the whole point of the programme - it's supposed to be flexible and GIRL LED.

I don't have girls but my 6 year old DS does beavers and I would be absolutely baffled if they had this rule. What's the point of having all those potential badges if they can't do the ones they are most interested in?! YANBU. How ridiculous.

@00100001

They're absolutely wrong to say the exact badge she must work on at home.

Fine they can say which Skills Builders etc as they're in unit time and the leaders (usually) plan and run them.

I can get on board with sticking to the theme for picking a badge (makes complete sense), but literally the whole point of the programme - it's supposed to be flexible and GIRL LED.

If they'd said stick to the theme each half term I'd have been fine with it, but I'm just told no it must be the badge that they're all doing.

@Elieza

That’s disappointing.

Could it be like that to make sure the children whose parents can’t afford the time (and money if required for drawing or baking etc materials) to do the badges are not left behind as the more affluent ones with sahms or dads who can help them get loads?

it's irrelevant if Brownie A gets 3 prescribed badges, but Brownie B gets 15.

They need a certain amount to get their award - the poiht of the programme is to be Girl led, and they choose their badge and the way they complete it... for example Brownie A might do a vlog of Badge 1, and Brownie B might make a collage for the same badge. as long as the clauses are complete and evidence is there - then they should get the badge!

Wow. Scouts have been really great at pouncing on anything we've done at all as points towards badges. So when we did litter picking at a festival and I posted the weight of litter picked someone who spotted us in the photo realised my child was in scouts and told her scout leader and they then got her doing the rest of a badge at scouts things.

complain to the DC - they leaders are wrong.

That's harsh.

I used to volunteer at Brownies for 10+ years and if a girl wanted to do a special badge at home, we encouraged it and checked over her 'work' and got the badge for her.

@3scape

Wow. Scouts have been really great at pouncing on anything we've done at all as points towards badges. So when we did litter picking at a festival and I posted the weight of litter picked someone who spotted us in the photo realised my child was in scouts and told her scout leader and they then got her doing the rest of a badge at scouts things.

Thats my point, I have a pet cat, why shouldn't we use her (the cat) to get a badge when DD already helps with daily care anyway? It just seems that DDs being punished because I have the time and/or resources to do it.

Thats why I offered to have a group of girls for half term and we all do an interest badge but they said no, it has to be the one they've chosen for us.

*similarly at an outdoor festival there was a paddle board competition team down a member and they did a tannoy announcement "any scouts here?" My daughter joined the team and completed two badges that day (one for paddle boarding one was something to do with supporting other scouts towards being a scout leader).

This is not the way it is supposed to be run. Exactly the opposite actually, Leaders are not supposed to dictate which interest badge are done it should be entirely the girls choice. And they can choose to do none if they want.

Ask for, or find, the details of the division commissioner and let her know what is going on. Meanwhile look for another Brownie group.

@00100001

complain to the DC - they leaders are wrong.

It's the same in all local groups from talking to other parents with DDs in other Rainbow and Brownie groups so assume the DC knows it's happening and is fine with it.

Long time ago, but we had this issue too. The badges were always done as a group and picked on the ability of the who group to succeed at a certain task. No-one was allowed to go "rogue". If someone was good at music or dance, they weren't allowed to do those badges as it would make others who couldn't do those, feel sad. DD gave up, she found it utterly frustrating.

That's crazy - I'm a leader with Scouts and we actively encourage any badgework that the children want to do outside our meetings. The younger ones love having armfuls of badges on their uniform and at 60p per badge our group are more than willing to subsidise anyone willing to put in the effort.

@00100001

It maybe that they're working on a certain theme each term, so she might have to pick badges form that theme - in order to get her theme awards etc. However, she is free to choose whichever badge she wants. You just have to provide evidence that it has been done by your daughter.

Complain to the Division Commissioner if needs be!

The theme awards are designed to be done over a number of years. It doesn't matter if they do the interest badge one term and then the skills builder 2 years later, if they've met the requirements during their time at Brownies they get the theme award.

In fact it is actively discouraged to choose "one theme per term" as it goes against the idea of a broad and balanced programme.

I think you have to remember that this is run by volunteers who are giving up a lot to run the group. Have you actually asked why this isn't possible?? If it is common to groups in the area and Rainbows then I'm assuming it's not just down to a control freak leader.

Why don't you just ask and then you'll know if there's a way around it. Personally I would imagine it's because it takes huge amounts of time and effort to organise and verify these things so to then have to do that for each individual who all want to their own thing is just too much for a volunteer. To keep it simple they stick to certain badges and that's that to avoid things getting complicated as it's difficult to verify things that happen outside the group.

The other huge issue I'd imagine is that everyone involved needs to be CRB checked - you can't just rock up and offer to work with a group of kids as a volunteer.

The DC possibly knows, but they're wrong.

Go to County level and complain - they're running the program incorrectly. Part of the reason the program was overhauled was to ensure a consistent experience across the country. So if you moved to a different area and joined a different unit, your daughter would be following the same programme and all members have the same opportunities etc.

It's supposed to be flexible. and point out the girl led aspect which is the over arching aim of GG.

@BigWoollyJumpers

Long time ago, but we had this issue too. The badges were always done as a group and picked on the ability of the who group to succeed at a certain task. No-one was allowed to go "rogue". If someone was good at music or dance, they weren't allowed to do those badges as it would make others who couldn't do those, feel sad. DD gave up, she found it utterly frustrating.

I suspect DD will eventually get fed up, we have the badge book and she goes through and says "I want to do these ones" and it turns out she can't. We do the ones we're told to but it's not as fun.

It doesn't take a long time! We have their parents tick off what they do if they can't show us, and then we issue it.

It's only a piece of fabric after all!

Personally I would imagine it's because it takes huge amounts of time and effort to organise and verify these things so to then have to do that for each individual who all want to their own thing is just too much for a volunteer.
They don't have to organise anything, these badges are done at home. The verification might take a few minutes but really is not a lot of effort.