smallhobbit | It's just a matter of drawing a picture

This week the Unit Leader couldn't come, as she's got covid. (I had it last week, but was symptom free and wasn't due to go anyway, since I should have been in London). Which meant we had to run the meeting without her. Fortunately, she had been able to send us the instructions for the activity, and Flamingo took charge.

We were looking at how paintings can tell a story, and I had found some postcards of art by Goncharova, plus a larger picture in an Art Quarterly magazine, so Flamingo could use them to illustrate the idea. Then the Brownies were told to draw their own picture which told a story. And we had a very peaceful 45 minutes as they all happily chatted and drew. It's so obvious that they rarely get the opportunity to do so - school artwork is very exact - and we had some good pictures. They showed their pictures at the end, and we asked what the story was - some of them simply said 'it's my imagination' which was great - why else would there be night and day and a flying wedding cake?

There's one Brownie who we all find very difficult - she makes silly comments and is constantly interrupting, so that she's the centre of attention. Yesterday she made a lot of noise about what they'd done, then refused to show her drawing. We accept that some don't want to share, and the other girls are in general good about this, but in this particular case they tried to force her, and she got upset. I tried to explain that in part she had brought it on herself, but she seemed unable to understand that certain actions will have reactions. While this might be reasonable for one of the younger girls just starting Brownies, she's almost ten and I would have expected more.

I've now written to give formal 'notice' that I shall be finishing at the end of the summer term. In some ways I wouldn't mind staying in contact, but I really don't want the commitment of the weekly meeting.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I'm sorry to hear you had covid but glad to hear you were symptom free. ♥

Weekly meetings and the work associated with them are a big commitment so I can see why you'd like to finish after lots of years of service.

It was annoying rather than anything else - I had great plans for the week!

I've got to the point where there are other things which I would like to be doing. And if I hadn't given a definite date it would have carried on.

Sorry to hear that you have had COVID, but good, that it was not too bad.

If my husband hadn't tested positive I would probably never have known.

As has been said, I'm sorry to hearyou had Covid, and it must have been a nuisance to have to change your plans, but at least you hadn't had to suffer the symptoms. I hope that the rest of the time you spend with the Brownies is more enjoyable than not.

Thank you - yes, it was disappointing to miss out on things, but it could have been worse. And knowing that I'm definitely finishing will remove some of the frustrations.

I'm sorry you had COVID, but I'm glad you were symptom-free. :-)

Your latest Brownie activity sounds like it was a great success. I would have loved it when I was a Brownie because I was drawing all the time when I was that age.

It sucks that you have to deal with that one very difficult Brownie. She really is at an age where she should realize that her actions have consequences. Saying that, I'm tutoring a 12-year-old boy (online) who withholds information from me about work he needs to do for school and will outright lie if I ask him if he finished and submitted a particular assignment. I then get bombarded with emails from his mother when the boy's teachers tell her that he has failed to submit his work. Thankfully, I won't be tutoring this boy for much longer.

Yes, it's seems almost inevitable now.

We're always surprised at how much they do enjoy quite simple activities which allow them to be creative.

The boy you are tutoring sounds really difficult - and there's not really much you can do. It's the same with this Brownie - we don't think the parents are aware, which they should be because it will cause more problems as she gets older.

The boy you are tutoring sounds really difficult - and there's not really much you can do. It's the same with this Brownie - we don't think the parents are aware, which they should be because it will cause more problems as she gets older.

To be honest, the whole situation is difficult. Both parents are very busy with work, so everything that the boy needs to do for school is pushed to his different tutoring sessions. He doesn't seem to do any work outside of the session. I'm supposed to be helping him with "study skills," but I end up trying to cram in studying for tests or completing assignments in one or two-hour tutoring sessions. It's a system that really doesn't work, and the mother is not doing her son any favours.

In the case of that Brownie, it's quite possible that the parents aren't aware of her behaviour. I've been pretty frank about this boy's behaviour because I write detailed reports to his mother, but I can't do anything beyond that. It's not as if I can accuse the boy of lying or call him out on his behaviour. That's something his parents need to be doing. As you pointed out, such behaviour is going to cause even more problems as a child grows older.

Sorry to hear you got the plague, but glad it's been symptom free:D

Dealing with kids can be difficult, especially when they have issues, but then the rest of the group does help make up for the awkward ones.

Thank you. Yes, some of them are lovely which helps a lot.

We will miss your accounts of activities but I can understand the burnout. It's been particularly hard during lockdown. It sounds as if the difficult Brownie needs professional help, either at school or via her doctor, but unless her parents and teachers realise that, there's nothing you can do.

I shall miss them too, but it's becoming a struggle to go, with the thought of 'what will it be like this week'. We've had no indication that the parents are aware of any problems, and how much notice the school are taking that she needs help is anyone's guess.

You have done really well with brownie commitments throughout the lockdowns and such, and can “retire” with a job well done. A shame about the girl’s behaviour, you have done all you can:-)

Thank you. It does feel like it's time to stop.

It's just a matter of drawing a picture

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