Guiders Staff Room Part 2

[Groovee]

http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/extracurricularr_activities/715087-Guiders-39-staff-room-tea-wine-chat-and-optional-dancing

Part one above, new thread for when required x

I talked someone into it this morning . And will get someone else to come down next Weds to help me put up a new display board.

Spent the morning exchanging emails with parents of Brownies who are old enough to be Guides...I may have a room full next week & not a single clue what I'm doing . We'll be fine I'm sure...there will be wine in the fridge for when I get home!

I've misplaced Bluebell's diary . It's here...somewhere...I just don't know where

Just about to re-write my list and try to do some printing if the bloody machine co-operates. Need printer paper some point very soon but cba to actually go for it

Starting earlier sounds good, if its do-able for you and the bulk of your parents. The previous leader did the same, gives us a few extra minutes to today up before the yoga lady arrives.

Wish I was closer Lucysmam, I'd walk with you.

First night back. Boy will they be loud! One new starter. Games, holiday planning and a pow wow. With all the faffing and waiting for them to listen that'll be the night!

Had a couple of girls begin picking and choosing which nights they were coming to last term. Gonna pop on my strict owl hat- miss a night, have to make up the badge work or no badge.

It should be do-able I think. Spoke to my AL last night about it...and forgot to float the idea of going up to 15 girls. Need to sound out our new helper if she comes.

Bloody bastard printer is being a fucking arse . God knows what's wrong with it. Stupid machine. It's got nice, new, ink ffs! Only thing I can think of is there's maybe an air bubble in the cartridge (since it started ok) so have bashed it about a bit & will leave it overnight and try again tomorrow.

As well as pack some boxes & sort the paddling pool I kept thinking about doing today.

Aw Lucysmam that happened to me, flaming printer wouldn't work with new ink, next day was fine.

Ah printers hate Guiders. It's a well known fact.

Looks like I will be tootling into town over the next few days..."ink cartridge failed" message displayed on my screen when I went to do my printing this morning They're both new ffs :(

Suppose I'll start packing a few boxes up then

So I've just agreed to open a new Guide unit. I've been a leader for 20 years, so I'm not new to the game, but this is the first time I'll have been on my own - hoping to get a unit helper soon but we'll be working with a parent rota initially. And I've suddenly realised that I'm not sure what I'll need! I'll be working very closely with the leader of the other Guide unit (we've run that unit together for years but Guide numbers are now just too high and we have to split for our sanity as well being able to take in all the Brownies who are coming through). We're going to share all the Guiding resources, and we are lucky to have a District hall so we share a supply of paper and pens etc., just topping up between us as we feel we need stuff. I have a laminator and can print at home, and accounts are straightforward as I've been doing the accounts for the other unit anyway. I have started the ball rolling for opening a bank account and registering the unit on GO. I have initial programme ideas, and plans for the girls to choose patrol names and a necker. But I can't shift the thought that there must be stuff I'm not thinking of!! Any ideas? Or anyone doing the same thing at the moment?

I'm opening a new Guide unit next week.

Haven't got a bloody clue what we're doing yet! It'll all come together...I hope

I think we'll share pens/paper etc with the Rainbows...they're never going to get through the stuff in my cupboard on their own.

No idea about 'stuff'...I sort of have it in the back of my mind that we'll work out what we do and don't need as we go along :)

Hi Lucysmam! Good to 'meet' you! We're not technically speaking opening the new unit until half term. We haven't yet told parents our plan to split the unit, so that will be news to them this week. We're going to continue meeting all together on the usual meeting night until half term, and split from then. The existing unit is so large that the new unit can't take in any more girls, so we're offering the new girls starting this term a 'new unit' space, meeting temporarily alongside the old unit until half term. Alternatively they can go on a waiting list for an 'old unit' place when numbers drop below 24 (currently at 32). We're then hoping that some of the existing Guides will agree to move over - my daughter will be one of them, and there are a few others who have a current clash and arrive late for Guides normally, so I'm hoping that it will be more convenient for them to do the new night, and if those four established Guides move some others might join them. With the four new ones we've got starting this term and another dozen due to move up from Brownies over the rest of the academic year, we should be respectably large in no time.

So a lot of the records will be already on GO and there should be fairly little admin to do I hope!

I don't think I will have much admin at the mo, one of the mums of the Brownies old enough to move on seems to have been elected spokesperson & passing info to the others.

I'm quite nervous . Rainbows are easily pleased...I have no idea what to expect from older ones

Hopefully I can sort of 'steer' these ones to their own decisions though and then as new girls join they won't need much input from me.

That's the plan anyway after much discussion with our DC and DivCom who do Guides together.

Guides are much easier than Brownies, I always think - they're more self-sufficient in general. The programme is designed to be girl led - although I have to admit that we often give them an edited selection of Go For Its to choose from rather than free reign, often based around the practicalities at the time - for example, we tend to weed out any that need lots of space in the winter as we have a fairly small hall and the weather isn't reliable enough for them to spend too much time outdoors.

This term we are focussing on finishing up the Mission Spectacular as a Patrol challenge instead of a GFI, but next term I'm going to specify that both/all (I'm hoping we'll have three by then) Patrols do GFI Teamwork. If they're all doing the same GFI they can choose their own clauses but I'll be able to keep a better handle on it all. Certainly I think that while the unit is small and until I have a regular unit helper I might get them to vote as a unit for a GFI and then for them to all do that GFI in their Patrols. I've got some planning templates that they can use which are designed so that I get a copy as well - I could can and print but if they do the work I don't have to!

See I like brownie age. Guides daunt me as most are taller than me.

I expect most will be taller than me too, Groovee,or it won't be long until they are if my own 9yo is anything to judge by.

But the tears!!! Brownies seem to be forever bursting into tears! Or is that just when I'm around

Jenny that must just be you lol. Mine rarely cry.

Must be you Jenny. Mine squeal, chat, short, giggle, but rarely cry.

Yesterday went really well. Games, brownie holiday prep (colouring to create a placemat, will use for crafts in meetings for all the girls) a couple of me games from a wee book bought on fb, and a screaming race... They loved it, although one said she was going to take her ears (cochlea's) off!

You're brave with Guides. Although that's my long term ambition, to open a unit in the village. But right now my dc need me more as a taxi driver on all other nights! And there's no way I'd give up band... That's my indulgence . In time, I guess.

I don't know what I did, but when I tried to open the accounts spreadsheet today it wouldn't without a password. I've ended up creating a new one. Lot of tea, swearing, and going through my paper records, which fortunately told me everything I need to know. My printer seems to understand the pc angst and is behaving!

I don't think I've seen any of our Brownies cry (but they run at the same time as I do Rainbows so different room).

At least someone's printer is behaving InFlagrante! Sounds a proper pain in the arse with the accounts spreadsheet though . Wonder why it did that.

I used to do Brownies and I never had them cry either! Well, the odd bit of homesickness on holiday.

The tesco crates I acquired yesterday for the cupboard make handy home office storage that's still reasonably accessible.

To do list is mainly printing now. Going to nip in Tesco when I go to see a house tonight for ink & return the dodgy ones at the weekend when I go for the odd bits for next Tuesday

Yay! Printer is....printing nicely

Is anyone else not able to log in to Go?

I've been on and off it all day & it's been ok :)

Changing browser has fixed it, phew.

Technology has it in for us

Used half an ink cartridge today nearly . Am printed up for a good number of activities though.

Need laminating pouches now for selfie props though. I printed a load of hats/'taches/glasses/bow ties etc. Can't find anything specifically 'Hollywood' themed out there.

Want to make a Hollywood sign but lacking motivation atm & run out of decent sized boxes. Plus no glitter here. Might raid the cupboard next week maybe & see Post Office Shop lady for a box specifically for it.

First meeting last night. Seven new 7 year olds, one of whom didn't want to sit on the floor in case she got her designer leggings dusty, didn't like this game and 'can we stop', 'can we go to the skate park with our bikes', she can ask her mum they live just round the corner, 'can we go outside', 'I don't like anybody', 'I'm bored', 'you're boring', 'this is crap' (!). Sigh, Our 'challenging' Brownie left in the summer and I was hoping for an easier term.
I've had an email from the mum saying she loved it and will be back
Onward and upward!