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Extra-curricular activities

Find advice on the best extra curricular activities in secondary schools and primary schools here.

Original poster

Is there a rule about being in BOTH Beavers AND Rainbows?

16 replies

ChippyMinton · 18/04/2010 10:43

DD wants to do both. I have heard on the grapevine that this is frowned upon. Does anyone know if either the Scouts or the Guides have an actual rule?

TIA

OP posts:
CantSupinate · 18/04/2010 13:07

I expect if there is a rule that it's a local thing, not national. I am pretty sure I've heard of girls doing both, though.

Brownies have some pretty funny songs about the scouts, so there's probably some ribaldry both ways you'll find!

Original poster
ChippyMinton · 18/04/2010 21:12

Thanks and bump

OP posts:
cakeywakey · 18/04/2010 21:25

They're separate organisations so there's no official 'frowning' to be done .

What you may find is that, in areas with long waiting lists, group leaders and parents may be a bit about a child having places in both, especially as girls have double the opportunity to join a group. Boys only have the one choice as Girl Guiding is determined to stay solely female.

Original poster
ChippyMinton · 19/04/2010 16:59

I think that may be the root of it - both have waiting lists, which DD has been on.

The only date in the calendar where I can foresee an issue is which group to go with on the remembrance day parade.

OP posts:
EduStudent · 19/04/2010 18:12

Go for it! Definitely no rule (from a Guiding/Scouting background). She waited fairly on both lists.

madwomanintheattic · 19/04/2010 18:19

dd2 is a spark and a beaver. (sparks are what they call rainbows here.)

...and i, to my surprise, am a cub leader (still not entirely sure how that happened).

the beavers have two girls, (dd2 and one other) and the other girl is a brownie as well. we didn't mean it to end up this way, but it hasn't been a problem.

you've highlighted the only drama (apart from paying two lots of annual subs) - which uniform to wear on joint events... dd2 always goes for the sparks uniform, because it's pink lol.

Original poster
ChippyMinton · 19/04/2010 21:26

Thanks all, that's very useful.

OP posts:
TrowelAndError · 19/04/2010 21:30

I'm a Brownie leader. I've never yet had a Brownie who is also a Beaver (very few Beaver units in this area) but we've certainly got no rule against it.

bruffin · 20/04/2010 16:07

DD was a cub and a brownie and there is definitely no rules about it. The brownie leaders really didn't like the fact she was both and tried to tell me it wasn't allowed, but I emailed Guiding HO and they said there was no rules.
We did have a problem with church service but she alternated which she went with, however when she wore her cubs friendship scarf over her brownie uniform to church, brownie leader got very snotty with her.
In DD's case there was no waiting list for cubs. She got invited to join cubs to become their first girl.

My only concern with girls in cubs is if they change the ethos of it. DS has been in scouting since 6 and it is a real release of testosterone for him. Friday night at scouts they get to play a lot of rough games and it would be a shame if it was changed to accomodate the girls. DD never went on to scouts.

howmuchdidyousay · 25/04/2010 19:21

When my mum was a guider a long time ago you couldn't make the brownie/guide promise if you had made the cub/scout one.But i don't know if that still applies today.

madwomanintheattic · 26/04/2010 02:25

nope. dd2 has made both, and so have i.

Waltons · 28/04/2010 13:13

Bruffin, we have had girls in our Group for several years now. They are all far tougher than many of the boys. There is one girl who went to Cub camp at the age of 8 without a care in the world. 12 year old brother (in Scouts) still hasn't spent a night in a tent!

We didn't change a single thing about what we did when we admitted girls.

OP, there is no rule about being in both Scouts and Guides, although there might be the occasional Group or Leader who gets a bit huffy about it (for no good reason, I may add).

lucykate · 28/04/2010 13:18

i would imagine the only frowning that would be done about it may be if you live in an area with a long waiting list for these activities. other parents may be a bit disgruntled if your dd has a place doing both meaning another child doesn't have a place at all. other than that, can't think of any other reason why not.

seeker · 28/04/2010 13:19

My dd's friend is a Guide and a Scout!

If there is a waiting list, then I will stick my neck out ans say that I think it would be very unfair to be both, but if there isn't then go for it!

benandoli · 11/07/2010 23:04

It is very unfair for a girl to do both when there are boys on the waiting list for beavers. Also it gives the girls the wrong message. There are conflicts of interest. What about church parade? To tell them they can choose which uniform to put on is completely the wrong message about commitment.

bruffin · 19/07/2010 13:27

With church parade DD just alternated, went one month with the guides, the next with cubs. Funnily enough now the guides have just started wearing the same scarves as the cubs/beavers/ scout pack!

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