Guiders Staff Room Part 3

[Groovee]

Reconvening over here ladies.

My waiting list is longer than the size of my pack. Heard tonight from one of the girls that X isn't coning back. I generally take in at the beginning of each term: now 2 weeks in and have done half an interest badge. Why don't they have the good manners to say in advance? grrrr
Also had one of the Mums whose daughter started at Christmas having a (thankfully not too vociferous) moan that the forms and list for the big camp in June went out before her daughter joined. The flipping camp is full...what does she want me to do? Her precious (and actually lovely) daughter has been one a brownie holiday and will be offered a unit camp in July. The more you offer the more they expect. The girls are amazing but the current parents soooo tiring!
I'm losing my best unit helper in July and am tired of being on my own. I'm the only leader (2 unit helpers: one of whom is intermittent, the other leaving in July) with a unit of 30 Brownies and a parent rota which cannot be relied upon as there are maybe 5 parents who bowl up and the rest just don't show even if I put them on the list....I end up calling my DH to make up numbers if we are out and about and the ratios aren't covered....and I'm nearly 2 years behind on accounts (boxes of receipts but nothing written down except the stand alone residentials). Realistically I am broken and can't go on like this. 4 residentials, 8 interest badges and the programme fulfilled this year, but I do feel the need to stop. Tired. Just tired. Would it be awful if I sent out ads and parent letter saying that unless I get 2 people willing to do LQ next year I'll stop at Christmas? I love it but know it's too much.

I think that would be entirely reasonable ILooked. I'm leaning heavily on low-prep activities this term as I was getting burnt out, and ungrateful parents make it 10 times worse.

ILooked I only had to cancel one meeting at the door without notice before the parent rota got it's act together... :o

Harsh but fair.

Haven't posted on here for a while, thought I'd share how good Brownies and Guides were tonight - 27 Girls at Brownies, and our newish unit helper running a great evening on healthy heart badge, 23 girls at Guides sorting out new patrol names and patrol activities for next week, and a 2 year and 3 year challenge badge awarded at Guides. They really made my day today, makes up for all the emails and admin!

So Snowy Owl turns up at Brownies and produces Fairy Gardens from the GG Scotland Rise to the Challenge Badge. Sleepy Owl asks Snowy Owl what's on the planner for a fortnights time. Snowy Owl Opens the planner and hesitantly says "Erm Fairy Gardens" 🙈😱

Turns out we were meant to be Den making and baking. My head is so not in the game just now!

Poor Snowy Owl!!

I have entered our Cubs into a World Record attempt for the wearing of lifejackets (its' a US thing but coincides with our first day of boating). Sent info to other leaders earlier, to talk about over "Leader's Dinner" tonight, mostly to let them know and ponder if we wanted the other troupes in the group (1 other cub troupe and 2 scout troupes) to get involved.

1 Leader suggested wearing our lifejackets for dinner. I wonder how swimmingly he thinks we are going to be, or how far under the table we are going to be drinking! Especially given we have a Cub meeting in the morning......!

Oh, and I have a reasonable response from parents for the parents roster for helping with boating - about 1/3 have responded positively, 2 have given a specific day they can do it, a handful have given a range of days they are available and another handful have said slot them in anywhere (and a lot of the latter 2 groups have said they'd do more than 1). So I should have most weeks covered.

Although I am disappointed with some families - 1 giving 1 day has other responsibilities at home and already does our food shopping and cooking for residentials, and another is doing a reasonably large admin job organizing the whole Group social event for parents coming up so I am happy to excuse her. 3 parents are already leaders (and I know that at least 1 of the spouses will pitch in at least once, probably all 3 if they're needed). But there are 9 cubs whose families haven't responded at all (possibly 6/7 families).

Am I allowed to ask a question? Not sure if this is allowed as a parent. I just wondered if you could tell me how different Guides is to Brownies? DD needs to decide soon whether to carry on. Her experience of Brownies has been 80% craft - and she has been happy with that, it's not a criticism. But, no camping, no 'thinking about others'/helping others in any sense, no working as groups etc. I'm concerned it might all come as a shock?!

I'm not a guide leader but our guides which run after brownies are always doing a variety of things. A lot of the time the girls organise the nights themselves. Dd learned a lot of independence at guides which was good for her.

All units do run differently. Can she have a visit to guides prior to deciding?

I am Cubs (mixed) rather than Brownies, but I see a big jump for our Cubs going up to Scouts (equivalent jump as Brownies to Guides).

Cubs - Leaders organize it all, we do use patrols but not very effectively.

Scouts - the Patrols organize most of it, and Leaders are really there for guidance (our Scouts though stay until 18 so Patrol Leaders are pretty experienced).

We do camp every year for 1 weekend, and have 2 separate overnights in hostels. But Scouts start with 2 nights camping at Easter and have a 10 day camp in summer. Sometimes they also have a hostelling trip during the year.

It really does depend a lot though on the group as well, and the leaders involved and the children involved too. Some are far more inclined to do indoors activities and more crafty things, whereas others spend a lot more time outdoors where possible.

When I was a Guide (before Noah built his Ark!), we had a 1 week camp in the summer but no other nights away. We rarely went out on activities - a very occasional hike to the local forest. We occasionally participated in competitions (I remember making a fish pie for 1!) against other groups. But our leaders were much more like the Cub leaders in our pack - organized it all. Patrols existed, and worked on skills together and badges, but there was very little leadership required of PLs and APLs except to line the Guides up straight for drill and collect the weekly subs. Whereas another local group had loads of outdoor activities and PLs were far more involved in planning those so it wasn't such a burden on leaders.

Our Brownies uses sixes quite a bit so the Sixers do get a reasonable chance to lead others and direct things, but there's definitely more of it at Guides - each patrol is responsible for planning their own activities (with support from the leader) on their GFI nights, and also bringing in the stuff they need to complete it. But other nights are planned by the leader, eg they've just done their first aid badge and had St Johns people in to run it.

DD doesn't start till after half term, but that's what I know about Guides so far! :o

Hello ladies, is there room for one more on here? UnderneaththeArcher, does your daughter have the Brownie adventures book? If so ask her Guider if she can try the Brownies Go For it at the back of said book, or do it at home anyway. There is a lot of info there about Guides but nothing beats an actual visit if possible. Most Guide units are happy to have Brownies visit.

I"m place marking so I don't lose you all again!

I don't get as much time to mooch about here or on fb these days & you keep dropping off TIO :(

Hope you're all doing well? (I'll find my last post and catch up after work tomorrow).

I'm having a Rainbows waiting list nightmare...handful of almost 7yo's at the top, 7yo's in unit who don't want to move to our other local unit (minutes up the road, same night and time), no spaces in our Brownies and none due to move on apart from the one with SN who is happy where she is for the moment so everyone's agreed she can just move if/when she is ready to.

Have agreed with DC that until the end of the half term after they turn 7 is reasonable to keep the girls as Rainbows then offer to either hand membership numbers & names to our Brown Owl or to Brown Owl at the other Brownies. Otherwise I'll end up with a Rainbows unit full of 7yo's .

Team player badge with Guides: trying to get them to think about the key parts of being a team and try to identify who would make good PL's. One patrol work very well; the other have the argumentative whingey one, the keep everyone happy one (mine ) , the lazy "I can't do any of it myself one" and the other just sort of gets on and does but I'm not convinced she's leadership material. But then again, maybe she is.

We're off to Lush to tie in with the Glamorama GFI and the cinema to tie in with Lights, Camera, Action; hopefully. Then mod 1 & 4 are done again and I can think about going away license.

New ALiT is keen to get cracking with her LQ and Going Away license. Just waiting on her DBS check, she didn't ring the lady who does them because she thought her one for work would cover it & didn't realise you need one for each thing these days. Bit of a pita but hopefully it'll not take long now.

Thank you for your comments. I do appreciate it's impossible to answer really as every group is different. I suppose I also wonder how my very-young-for-her-age child would get on with girls who are really at a different stage in life (although I appreciate the benefit of doing so). I work with Y9's every day and they are, of course, young women not children.

If she is particularly young for her age why not delay the move for a term if her Brownie unit has space. Ten is only the youngest age they can move up after all

Trying to plan for three different units is a nightmare right now. I need some guiders ribena

UnderneaththeArchers As a Guide leader, I'd definitely suggest that you speak with the Guide leader, and also ask if your DD can go for a visit. We automatically issue an invitation to our feeder Brownie units for any girl who will be 10 by the beginning of term to come for a visit near the end of each term. As we have girls from up to four units coming, it gives them the chance to see that there are usually at least a couple coming up at the same time so they're not the only newbie, and often they recognise someone through school or another activity, which helps.
The leaders will be used to incorporating the needs of the just-10 year olds and the older girls. Each Patrol chooses their activities for their own Patrol times according to their own interests, so we adapt for the particular girls we have in that way. It can be a logistical challenge, having four or five different activities going on at the same time, but as each Patrol is organising it, they should all be happy with what they're doing. Whole unit activities - they do them to their own levels.
If you think about it, there is also a huge difference between a just-7 and a 10 year old, and it works at Brownies. I've just taken in two 10 year olds, one of whom is the Brownie leader's daughter. Mum was adamant that her daughter wasn't ready to move so I said she could wait for another term, but still invited her to the visit evening for the earlier opportunity as well. The last of the Guides hadn't even left that meeting before mum was pulled back into the hall by the daughter to tell me that she was ready after all - and could she please start asap.
The Brownie programme is intended to last 3 years and so most girls are ready for the new challenge at 10. Sometimes they just need the chance to try it to feel confident about it. And the Guide programme is designed with 10 years olds in mind as much those pushing 14, so it is actually quite easy to make it work with their needs.

Thank you for your thoughtful response. I certainly wouldn't want to hold her back. I just think she might get a shock if she has to use even just a smidgen of initiative! And I do wonder if the older girls would find her rather tiresome to deal with (although I know they can often 'mother' a younger child). We'll investigate locally.

Don't you love it when a parent is 20 minutes late without a word of apology?

lost you all! Had a lovely evening with my unit, we hiked to the Old Church ruins tonight. Girls all enjoyed it.

Finally heard back from my erratic attendee, she's decided to stop. It's no surprise to us, she struggled as we meet in a large hall, which is quite echo-y and her hearing impairment meant she couldn't hear us very well over the girls general chit chat. This place leaves us in an interesting place. We weren't expecting any to leave this side of half term, and had agreed to not start any until Sept, but with this one it's a bit daft not to start one, there's 10 weeks to go. However the next one as it stands immediately has sen to sufficient degree to leave us concerned about the effect on the other 23 girls. Think another chat with my DC is coming.

Can't remember who asked about Guides... DD1 went up aged 10y 2m, and settled in fine. As mentioned the guide leaders are quite accustomed to balancing the needs of the 10yos against the needs of the older girls. As they outgrow Brownies they become bored, I've currently got 2 just turned 10 and 1 almost 10 who are so ready to move on! As for what they do... as with all groups, it depends on the leader. Dd1's unit isn't as out and abouty/active as I'd like, but she enjoys it, so it's not all bad.

Your situation sounds a nightmare Lucysmam! Totally agree move the rainbows on at 7. Change is hard, but it needs to happen.

Really cross with the village school, they've put their Y5/6 performance on for 2 evenings last week but one of term. performances are on Tuesday and Thursday. yep, brownies is Tues, Guides and cubs Thurs. FFS. Technically neither of us can do that Tues, dd1 is Y6, the other leader's dd Y5. Dp was supposed to be running a fire prep session that night. Gutted dd's been put in the position she feels she has to choose between school and guides/helping at brownies

I've been looking at my list again this morning Inflagrante, almost all my girls will be 7 by the end of January . I'm going with left by the end of the term when they turn 7 for the moment...may need a re-think though, I think I'll end up with 8/12 seven yo's at one point if I do that, and no movement on my list!

Does anyone have any good team work games? Something to fill approx an hour and help the girls work out who the leaders in their patrols are Vs who the followers are iyswim?

I'd like to have picked PL's with them by half term (which is 2 weeks away here).

Finally finished Mod 1 & 4 for Guides...Going Away next (this one scares me a bit )

Dumb ratio question that I don't want to ask on FB because I should know.
Brownie leader takes group to big residential event. We can take 6 girls to one leader. One of the girls potentially going will be her daughter who will be a Brownie by this point. I know if the child was not a Brownie we'd need an extra adult but as she is, are we ok having that leader in charge and the 6 girls? Online handbook is not being massively helpful!!

I'd have said yes, but I'm still feeling my way around ratios. Brownie in unit going on trip, or a different one?

Lucysmam I think waiting lists are a torment! I think I'll be able to fit in all 6 girls eligible in Sept, but there's another 3 for Jan, and I just can't see any of the ones turning 10 in the autumn term leaving!

I'm doing my going away licence in Sept. Got the place booked. Now my other leader has decided she has to attend her niece's hen on the Friday...

When I've taken my daughter out in uniform she's been part of the unit and included in the usual ratios, I've not had to do anything special because we're related iyswim. Even if she's not usually a part of that unit.

So, should be fine!