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Original poster

Brownies? or not?

44 replies

Fran1 · 16/01/2005 23:29

Galaxy's thread just reminded me about something i was wondering.

Is Brownies still the done thing?

DD is only 2 so its not somthing that's happen for a while anyway!! But as i drove past a church the other day, i remember my Brownie days and camps etc and virtually every little girl you knew got sent to Brownies.

How religious are they? I Know we were supposed to go to church once amonth, but don't recall an enormous amount of religious activity at other times.

Me and dp don't practice a religion, but will teach dd as much as we know about various religions and respect her choice if any. So would she be frowned upon for attending Brownies if she wanted to go??

OP posts:
Earlybird · 17/01/2005 00:17

Saw something in the paper about this today. The article said that there is such a huge shortage of leaders, that there are huge waiting lists to join the Brownies. They compared it to trying to get into an oversubscribed school! If that article is to be believed, maybe we both should get our dd's names down immediately just to have the option!

Gwenick · 17/01/2005 00:21

That's probably very true - I want to put DS1 down for Beavers at our church (they do 'ask' them to go to the family service, the church parade, once a month but it's not compulsory) he won't start until next year (when he starts school) BUT I've been told the waiting list is over 1yr!!!

Original poster
Fran1 · 17/01/2005 00:23

wow i didn't expect waiting lists!!

thx u two

OP posts:
Earlybird · 17/01/2005 00:31

Where/how do you sign up? Don't know where to begin really....though I vaguely remember a Girl Guide center in Victoria around the back of Buckingham Palace. Would that be a good place to start?

essbee · 17/01/2005 00:33

Message withdrawn

Linnet · 17/01/2005 00:38

My dd goes to Brownies. She started at Rainbows when she was 6 although they take them from the age of 5. And once she turned 7 she moved up to Brownies. there was a bit of a wait but she didn't have to wait long. Other Brownie packs in our area have huge waiting lists.

WE found out about Brownies through her school, she goes to a catholic school, not sure if this makes a difference or not. She doesn't have to go to church every week to be a member of Brownies and so far she's loving it.

I didn't go to Brownies when I was little so this is a whole new experience for me.

polly28 · 17/01/2005 01:28

I used to run a rainbow group age5-7 before brownies.My dd 13 still attends guides and loves it.They get loads out of it not to mention brownie camp which is great fun and great experience (a weeks childcare for £60 ).i would really recommend it,although some kids don't like this sort of thing,a few of my dd friends prefer not ot join things but on the whole she goes with all her mates from school and gets to know the girls from other years aswell .
It is a christian organisation but not overly so.

Bibiboo · 17/01/2005 09:28

Try this site for information/contacts for your nearest Brownie/Guide clubs.
HTH

Bibiboo · 17/01/2005 09:29

Don't know whay that doesn't work ... use this
www.girlguiding.org.uk/

rickman · 17/01/2005 09:31

Message withdrawn

SoupDragon · 17/01/2005 09:31

Am I the only one who thought this was going to be about chocolate brownies?

Original poster
Fran1 · 17/01/2005 16:34

LOl sorry soupdragon, i did wonder when i posted the message.

OP posts:
nutcracker · 17/01/2005 16:45

My dd and a friend are currently on waiting lists for Rainbows. Several places have very long lists.

Doesn't help that neither wil go without the other so we need to wait for 2 spaces at the same place.

Grommit · 17/01/2005 16:50

I took dd to rainbows for the first time last week. It was quite religious - they had to make 'promises to God' and said prayers. We were also told they have to attend church once per month! I am not really into the church thing so was quite pleased when dd said she did not enjoy the experience and did not want to go back. I was in the brownies and guides and I do not remember it being so religious

Gwenick · 17/01/2005 16:54

Grommit - anyone that's been in the Scouting/Guiding movement since it was founded will have said the 'promise to God' - it's been the same for years!

Church is 'desireable' but no compulsory - and the main reason they go (well at our churcn anyhow) is for the once a month family service where they carry the flags.

I don't think the scouting movement is any more 'religious' than school assemblies are!

Grommit · 17/01/2005 16:56

Gwenick - you are probably right and I have forgotton. I accept that it is a Christian organisation and respect that, which is why I would feel hypocritical sending dd there.

Slinky · 17/01/2005 16:59

DD1 goes to Brownies and DD2 is a Rainbow. As both meetings are held in a Church Hall, the girls are "asked" if they want to attend Church Parade once a month. If they don't want to go, then they don't go - simple as that!

I always remember going to Church Parade when I was a Brownie and always got there early so that I got picked to carry the flag .

I put DD2s name down for Rainbows in May, she turned 5 in October, then started after October half-term. DD1s Brownie Pack is completely full and won't have any spaces until September.

Our pack is quite active - lots of Brownie Camps, activity days and the like. DD1 really enjoys it and I think it's nice for her to have the opportunity to make friends away from school.

Slinky · 17/01/2005 17:01

Grommit

I don't think any of the girls in DD1s Brownie Pack are from a "Christian" family.

Fimbo · 17/01/2005 17:02

My dd (6) is in the Rainbows, where I am there is a very long waiting list, so the sooner you get their names down the better imo. My dd's name was down from 2.5 and was top of the queue by the time it was her 5th birthday and she started not long afterwards. They have never been to Church!!

lowcalCOD · 17/01/2005 17:02

I think thtat you really need to think hard about brownies or beavers if you ae not religious and thay the god part is quite important to the basic set up.
lots of people in our group seem to treat it as a pick and mix leaving soem boys to do all the hard stuff like goign t o parade, whilstt hey just t do the fun stuff

Gwenick · 17/01/2005 17:02

Actually it wasn't set up as a christian organisation - it was started by Baden Powell, a soilder, and his book which started it all was supposed to be a military training manual! Not sure exactly where the Christianity part came up - but certainly not as its 'basis'.

The one thing I was going to say (regardless of the activity) is that I wouldn't just take my child ONE time to something and form let them form an opinion on one visit - even as an adult I usually take 2 or 3 visit/trials of something to see if I'm going to enjoy it.......but that's just my opinoin

lowcalCOD · 17/01/2005 17:03

agree re three tries gwenick
sometime kids need to be told what to do!

pinkmama · 17/01/2005 17:04

I pondered over this one for quite a while, as dd really wanted to go to Rainbows (half her class go), but I am quite anti organised religions and felt it would be hypocritical. In the end I decided that I was being unfair putting my feelings onto her. Therre wasn't a long wait at ours as it is fairly new. She loves it, and I have had no mention of church at all (phew). Also a republican, so promising to serve the queen didn't over excite me, but for the moment she is happy.

lowcalCOD · 17/01/2005 17:04

and yes ds1 loves being picked to carry t he flag

Grommit · 17/01/2005 17:05

Gwenick - if I had really wanted her to join I would have made her go more than once. I was quite glad she did not like it as she has so many other after school activities I was worried it would be too much for her - she really only wanted to go as one of her friends had joined. I personally loved the Brownies and will prob try to encourage her to join that when she is a bit older.