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

Honey, I'm not in UK at mo, but all parents sign a code of conduct on behalf of their daughters (and we introduce code of conduct activities at each section in an age appropriate way).
For brownies, we wouldn't pull out code of conduct violations, but we would definitely do some repair work at unit level - getting the girls themselves to identify desirable behaviours (and the converse) and getting their opinions on how adverse behaviours should be treated. They can make a unit 'code of conduct' for their notice board. We also have a specific challenge called 'Girls United' which has games and activities for each section - it's essentially a tool to build teamwork and try to alter disruptive behaviour etc (especially bullying). It's probably online. or pm me if you are interested.
If the parents are supportive, and you are at the point where you need an additional leader to manage the behaviour of these girls (or one in particular) I would be sitting down with the parents and explaining that while GG is an inclusive environment, we can't tolerate disruption to this level, and in order for the dd to remain within the unit as it stands, you will need them to sign up as a parent helper for the next term, or until the behaviour subsides. (I am also the DC - I wouldn't raise this to the next level unless there was a specific incident that needed reporting anyway). Our guiders do occasionally call for this sort of support.

We don't have any other units close enough to make a switch out though... You could offer this as an alternative if the parent is unwilling to provide additional adult support to the unit that is required because of her dd

I have only ever moved one girl because of a code of conduct violation, and she was senior section. She is now one of my best junior leaders and will be transitioning to adult leadership next year. It was all done very smoothly with much discussion. On that occasion we did involve the next level up, due to the seriousness of the incident, but three years later and her mum still thanks me every time she sees me. it doesn't have to be a bad thing, and these girls mature and often become the most responsible and trustworthy kids on the block if you treat them appropriately.

Good luck!

Albus well you have 18 places and it's first come, first served (I assume she'd miss out because she was late with payment, or latER), and sorry but lots of mums work.

Sadly not first come first served, but done by fewest previous camps, then age.

If I count her as having come to the most recent camp she misses out, if I count her as not having come, another girl misses out, who is always beautifully behaved, and may not get another chance due to age

Albus, I agree with drsspouse: go with your current list, put the correct girl on the waiting list, and be very firm about payment dates. Then if any payments are late drop that girl and take the reserve.
You can't exclude a child based on the fact that their mother is disorganised, or even that the child isn't likeable: sometimes the most challenging girls are the ones who need GG the most.

Have you advertised your exact criteria? Would age, then fewest previous camps, be possible instead?
I've never had an issue with spaces on camps but I always do age, alone, for outings that are likely to be popular.

Yes already published criteria.

But the girl was signed up to go on the last camp, and dropped out so late my reserve for that couldnt go.

Feeding back on the mini Christmas cakes. It was tough. It took the full 1.5 hours to double line the tins, make the batter and spoon it into the tins. This was with a responsible adult per six and a runner and everything weighed out in advance..

Another group uses the hall after us and we need to be out on time. Everything got washed up but nothing put away into boxes for storage and we ended up bunging everything into my car to be sorted at home.

We have 30 girls. I had sent detailed descriptions and even photos of the required tin size home. I also took 6 spares as I had thought we could make up a spare 6 cakes in case of mishaps. Several brought no tin, several brought the wrong size. I had to send the YL to the corner shop to buy another tin and we never got to make the extra batch.

Two girls cut their fingers while greasing their tins in spite of very detailed verbal instructions and an adult watching like a hawk. One girl cut her finger on her tin in the car on the way to Brownies and didn't mention it until half way through the evening when the blood started dripping onto the table.

One of the Mums who said she's take a batch home to cook didn't. UH and I split the extra batch between us so cooked 9 each. Baking, cooling, feeding and double wrapping the cakes at home took me until almost midnight. If I'd attempted to do all 30 it would have been an all nighter I think.

It would have been much less stressful if we'd had 20 minutes to sort things out after the girls left. It would have been less dangerous if we hadn't used bean tins. The cakes look and smell amazing. At the moment I'm in two minds if we'll ever do it again (with modifications), but will update on the end results in two week's time.

momb, that sounds like a stressful evening!

wow momb for you!

Eek that sounds stressful. Guides use the hall after us but they would have been fine about us tidying on the stage.

Got someone coming in to dance tonight. should be fun!

We had our MP playing twister.. (Outs self).
She came to talk to the Brownies and Guides about the Girls Matter resource but they clammed up a bit so I moved on to the game I'd planned.

We're doing yet more Christmas this week...cards this time

I love Christmas but not really this much.

Need to find myself a quick ish back up to put in my file too - can't really see them taking that long.

The dance lady was awesome, she has danced on x factor and strictly so had instant street cred with the girls.

Poor Lucysmam, I would be fed up of xmas by the beginning of December!

Cakes sound stressful! Our brown owl has announced she expects to be moving to a new country in 10-12 weeks. No pressure to complete our LQs then! In her head she's already gone, last night she sent out an email asking parents whether to meet at the hall or do the planned activity, and asking for parent helpers. I'm off to the safe space training with other leader in training, and she's known we're going for the past month, but it all feels a bit disorganised. Part of me looks forward to taking the pack on!

Did you ever resolve the camp dilemma, Albus?

I managed to get an extra space, unit will make up the shortfall

Delicto you can run a unit without your LQ, so long as you are working towards it and your DC is happy that you're confident and know what you're doing, and you have your First Aid.

I ran my Rainbows unit for nearly 2 years doing that! Finished LQ in the end, having had a term off for maternity leave along the way :)

I'm off to renew my First Response this evening. Lucky, lucky me... :o

Christmas cards tonight turned into a bit of a free-for-all with card, stencils, stickers and colouring pens/pencils.

I need to do something other than crafty stuff after Christmas

Argh Dear Rainbow leader *who feeds into 3 Brownie units) when I asked you by email in May whether you had any girls coming up in September or after Christmas, do you possibly think I was looking at balancing my Join Us and potential Rainbows?

When you didn't respond to my follow up emails and voicemails in July and September, I assumed that meant I just had new members to worry about.

Then came the district meeting the day after I offer one of my two places in January and just before I offer the other.

As I stack the chairs you helpfully inform me that the twins will be joining my unit after Christmas What twins?

I chase you for the promised details two weeks later. No response, but I notice that you were quick off the mark when I offered a load of spare resources to the district.

Do I send an email letting her know that if no name or details for me to contact the parents the single place will go to the girl who's been on my list since she was 3 because there are no rainbow places and the twins will end up waiting for my Easter Guide transitions?

So not happy

Yes, and when the parents are unhappy, refer them back to the Rainbow leader.

That sounds a nightmare! I have 4 on the list, 2 rainbows and 2 others and only 2/3 places! I'd definitely go with the email her one last time and then offer to the new starter.

Brown owl texted myself and Wise owl (doing lq with me) yesterday to say she's definitely standing down end of term, but will continue to help if needed. WO and myself had lots to talk about on the journey to safe space training last night! I think our DC will be happy to let us loose, first aid is on the 10th Jan, so if all goes to plan we'll have that sorted before we return

Looking ahead- that was a jolly useful journey- we're planning to visit a church and go bell ringing, plus looking at one of the challenge badges. The girls want to play a game in the dark after the night hike- I was thinking glow stick rounders. We have Christmas to plan...

I have three new leaders! Yay! (Well, I will have - I've interviewed one and am setting up interviews for the other two next week). This means that after Christmas I can quietly creep out from one unit and let them get on with it, hooray! Sadly, today is the day I fill in the forms to close two other units officially (managed to sort other places for girls) but I have no doubt they will rally again in a year or two. It's all cyclical. I am finally making some headway in realizing that I cannot possibly just continue to take on all the jobs that no one else will do.

And today I had an email welcoming our patrol to program selection for the national jamboree - woo hoo!

Bell ringing sounds fab, delicto. It's reading stuff like that that makes me very homesick!

terrified for brownies tonight, 40 people coming for girls to do their hostess badge

variou "entertainments" the girls have prepared I havent vetted

so much can go wrong!

Good luck Albus!

We're making button art calendars this week - they're going to take two weeks according to our LiC but I'm not convinced (how long can it take to glue buttons and a calendar tab to a canvas!) so need a back up plan for next week just in case.

Hope the hostess night went well.

We're finished for the year! Time to rest and recharge.