Is 7 too young for a Brownies residential trip?

[Greenwriter76]

My DD turned 7 in March and moved up from Rainbows to Brownies. 2 sessions so far and she’s enjoying it. Had an email from Brownies today saying there will be a residential trip 2 days / 3 nights at an activity centre roughly an hour away.
DD has only ever stayed at grandparents overnight without me / us. I feel like she’s too young to stay away alone.
Thoughts?

I’m a cubs leader, so boys and girls of a similar age.

we offer a 2 night camp or trip every year. About 2/3rds of the pack of attend - we never expect everyone to come.

although absolutely everyone is welcome, we don’t expect the newest/youngest to come, as it’s normal for some not to be ready. If they stay with cubs they will have the same opportunity next year and maybe the year after, depending when they move up to scouts (where they’ll have even more opportunity!)

so I would say if she wants to go and you want her to go then she should - she will be fine and will have a brilliant time. But if she or you feel it’s not right for her just now that’s absolutely fine, she can go next time (if she wants!)

As a Guide leader, I’ve had Guides come for just the first night of a residential if it’s their first one, so you could ask the Brownie leaders if that was possible.

I’ve also had nervous guides sign up for just the one night, then had their parents drop off extra kit so they can stay longer.

See how she feels closer to the time but generally speaking not too young.
DS had his first camp with Scouts last autumn when he was 7 and had a blast, even took his turn keeping fire watch during the night (they all slept in a big tent with a wood burner for warmth as it was quite cold). He's going on a big camp with thousands of other Scouts this summer (which I'm a bit anxious about tbh but his sister did the same at the same age and everything was fine apart from coming home with feet totally black with dirt as she went barefoot everywhere)

I was a Brownie leader and took 7 year olds on holiday many times. Maybe you ask if she can go for a day
visit if she’s uncertain and you take her and pick her up. That way she can decide if she would like to go next time. Or ask the leader if they have any single overnight sleepovers coming up.

This. I wouldn’t be satisfied ‘girl’ guiding could ensure my daughters safety.

Of course it's not too young! Why would there be school residentials and cub/brownie camps if it wasn't?!

Your own child may not be ready but that's a different matter and generally it says as much about the parents as the kids in half those cases.

Bit of a weird response…it obviously is too young for some children. And tbh if a parent has concerns these are completely valid too - not sure why you would seemingly dismiss these.

Having been a volunteer leader at my child’s beavers sessions and seen the level of safeguarding firsthand (eg children getting lost in the Forest and missed off a headcount, a child getting pushed fully clothed into a lake) I wouldn’t blindly rush to send my very young child to something like this simply because the beaver leaders have decided it’s appropriate for him to do. It’s all very context dependent.

Not unless I knew the leader fairly well. At my unit, most of the Brownies don’t start doing these sorts of things until 9/10, some wait until Guides for the overnight trips! You don’t usually get 7 year olds unless a younger sister of an older Brownie or know leader fairly well. Could be different in different units of course.

Mine did Beavers camp at 6. It totally depends on the child. He needed some reassurance, but once he was there, he had the best time. But there are 12 year olds to anxious to go on the Y6 residential (also there are 45 year olds too anxious to let their 12 year olds go on the Y6 residential 🙄). They can absolutely be ready, but totally depends on the child. I personally would say that toileting independence and if they are dry at night would be a big deciding factor at that age.

I would let my DD attend if it was just her group, with leaders I trust. Definitely not if numerous other groups with unknown adults.

I don't think its too young.
One of the things Brownies do is teach indepence.

Im another brownie leader and an option we offer for the very young / new ones is just to do one night. You would come and collect just before bed on the second day. As pp have said, its so child dependent, there is no right or wrong answer. Are there any school friends in her group? That's usually another favour in going as if there is a few of them that know each other outside Brownies, it can help to settle any nerves.

My daughter went from she was 5 with rainbows. The leaders did it textbook.

Well they still aren’t complying with the Supreme Court ruling so you can’t be sure men and boys weren’t around your daughter without your knowledge.

https://www.gbnews.com/news/girlguiding-trans-supreme-court-gender-ruling

Actually GG have said all trans must leave by 6th Sept.

I’m well aware. But that’s 17 months after the law was clarified.

Why didn’t guiding want to protect spaces for female children immediately?

the poster claimed ‘textbook’ safeguarding was in place when her daughter went on a residential. If it was within the last 12 months there were policies in place that were not lawful so you can’t argue it was ‘textbook’.

I’ve taken Beavers aged 6 and 7 away regularly in camps staying in tents or indoor accommodation.

95% of them love it and have a wonderful experience.

There occasionally a child who struggles and who we have to send home. They are usually those who’ve never been away from home before.

As long as your child has been fine staying with grandparents then she should be fine.

if she wants to go - let her. She will have the best time.

I remember having same worries

Mine ended up going and loved it!

One forgot a special teddy for bed and another boy had taken 3 and loaned her one of his. Years later she still hasn't forgotten that kindness.

Maybe, but you know what thousands of women give up their time to support girls. And hundreds walked away because of the trans policies.

There's no indication that this girls group has a trans leader or trans girls. The organisation has finally got themselves sorted at the top. And the trip isn't until after the policy change.

So why keep putting the knife in to undo the voluntary work of thousands of women?

BTW I have zero connection to GG past or present, but I don't want to see girls miss out or women be pulled down.

Yes she went 3 month ago and will go again. The leaders do an amazing job with them. And the leaders speak openly about not having boys joing under any name.

It depends on the child, everyone is different. There is nothing wrong with her if she didn't want to go or was nervous about it, and she doesn't need to be railroaded into 'trying' it at 7 years old. If she wants to go, great. Just ask her and see how she feels about it.

7 would be a no from me.

Less brownies here and more pony club camp. under 10 they go for the days and are picked up each evening.

it’s only an hour, I would suggest that.

Then if she’s settled and loving it by the last night see if that’s a possibility

It depends as every parent is completely different but if it was either of my children yes 7 would definitely be too young for that. For you it depends how independent she is and if you really think she will be alright.

Op its only an hour away, I'd let her go but be on standby to collect her if she doesn't settle.
Brownies & Cubs have been doing camps for years for children that young.

It’s a shame it’s not one night. To start the ball rolling