Various ramblings by the small hobbit

Yesterday lunch time I had a text from my ex-Brownie leader to ask if I could possibly help out, as she was ill and couldn't make the meeting. I agreed, especially as all that was required was my presence - each unit needs a qualified guider present, and Flamingo hasn't quite finished her qualification (because, in true Brownie fashion, she'd lost her book).

It was good to see several of the Brownies again.  I'd expected not to know a lot of them, but there were only two new girls.  A number of the Brownies I had known had moved up to Guides, but as some had only recently left their places hadn't yet been filled.

As it turned out I led one of the activities.  One of the other leaders couldn't get there until late, which left two, and, naturally, the leader who'd prepared for the evening was the one who couldn't make it, so it was a case of rapidly reading the instructions and then launching straight in.

It was a simple game: each Brownie has the name of an object or person on a label on their back and they have to guess what they are by asking yes/no questions.  Once they've worked out who or what they are they then need to find their pair, so 'bucket and spade', 'Cinderella and Prince Charming'.  And finally they learnt the other Brownie's real name and something about them.  It worked well and they seemed to enjoy it - I occasionally supplied suitable questions to ask when the girls were particularly stuck.

I definitely don't miss the weekly meeting.  It remains hard work getting them together and ready to listen.  They're fine when they are engaged with something, when they will enjoy it, but a lot of time is spent getting them engaged.

Last week I led Brownies for the final time.  One of the things I've always enjoyed doing is running a challenge evening, when the Brownies move round different stations in their sixes, completing a simple challenge at each station, and I had the opportunity of doing that.

It was set in a haunted house, with the challenges in different rooms (or reality different tables in the hall we meet in).  Not quite your usual haunted house, but still.  In one room the skeleton had fallen apart and needed putting back together - paper bones to stick on a piece of cardboard, nothing complicated.  In another room the bats wanted to fly - basic origami bats to make and decorate.  In the third room the ghosts were tired of being white and wanted to be bright colours - a wet wipe tie dyed using felt tips and then opened out, a face drawn in the middle, and with a peg to hold the ghost up.  Successful completion of each challenge was rewarded with a token.

Once they had completed all three challenges I handed out a board to stick the tokens on in the right places.  If the board was correct then that meant they could open the safe, which they all did.  They then each received a prize of lip gloss.  The Brownies definitely enjoyed the evening because this week they were telling Doodles all about it, as she'd not been present at the time.

This week they made paper rockets which were fired from plastic bottles with a bit of hose attached.  They enjoyed that too, and had a competition to see whose rocket went the furthest.

I've recently done some fundraising for the Brownies.  I applied for a grant to the South-West guiding region (along with a large number of other units) and got £100.  Then I wrote to our local city councillor to see if he would allocate some of his charity fund money to us, and we'll receive £250.  So good news.

Other good news is that when I leave my current Brownie unit I shall become a District Guider, which means I can help out with any of the local units if they are short-handed, for example on a trip.

Last Thursday was the last Brownies of the half term, and we did some activities to reflect on the queen's platinum jubilee.  The Brownies enjoyed themselves, but the real excitement was Brownie pack holiday, which began on the Saturday.

I only went for one day - the Sunday - having no wish to sleep over.  This was the day they were visiting Goodrich Castle, so having an extra leader was helpful.  There were 14 Brownies and 6 leaders, which meant we could split into three small groups with two leaders each.  This might seem like overkill, but going up a tower, with a spiral staircase and only a rope rail to hold onto isn't always easy.  Especially when two of the four in the group decide they don't want to go up after all, and I ended up taking the other two.  Who then decided they were not happy about going back down again.  However, they rejected my suggestion that the only other way was if I threw them over the top, and we made our way slowly down, me distracting them as they went.

All the Brownies enjoyed looking round the castle, and I intend to go back another day when I can actually look properly, read the signs and don't have to keep track of four girls going in different directions.  We had packed lunch on some picnic tables and then walked back down the hill to the village hall, which was where they were staying.

The girls then had a rest, some of them falling asleep, others reading, while the leaders had a very welcome cup of tea and prepared for the craft activity - covering a balloon with paper maché.  I wasn't involved, instead helping with preparing the evening meal.  This was a medieval banquet (the theme of the pack holiday was King Arthur), and they had finger food like sausages, chicken drumsticks, chopped up salad, plus loaves of bread which they could tear chunks off.  This was followed by very unmedieval ice cream sundaes, but one needs to be realistic!

They then did another craft activity and I helped clear up from the banquet.  Normally the Brownies do that, but as it had been a feast (and there wasn't too much to do) we did it.  After which I drove home.

I've agreed to remain on the guiding list so that I can still help out at major activities, which suits me as I didn't want to lose all contact, but didn't want the regular commitment anymore.

Ironically, on the Saturday morning, the following badge arrived in the post.  Sunday definitely didn't feel like a day off!

Last week we did some more activities towards the Brownies Express Myself theme badge, including making a pop up card.  In theory, a number of the girls should soon be awarded the badge, once we have done one more short activity.  However, it does require them to have completed an interest badge at home.  Sometimes we will (although against the rules) do an interest badge in our weekly meeting, but since the three relevant badges are Baking, Painting and Performing they really should be able to do something.  Performing might not be as easy, (although one Brownie videoed herself acting out various short scenes from Harry Potter, so it isn't impossible), and we encourage any of the girls who are singing/dancing/acting either at after school clubs, or other classes, to ask their teachers to sign them off. 

This week they did some activities to earn a badge designed by another Brownie pack, called Feathers and Flamingos.  Naturally, Flamingo led the session, with a quiz, a word search and then making a card parrot which balanced on one finger.  All those present were awarded a badge.

We also gave each of the Brownies an Easter egg at the end, since this was our last meeting before Easter.  We had waited until the meeting to see how many came (we were aware of a school trip happening the same day), and then I walked across the road to the supermarket to buy the eggs.  Of course, as I am walking back carrying 12 Easter eggs, not all of which fitted into the bag I had, the intermittent snow/hail decided to fall on me.  Timing, as they say, is everything.

Because for the last two weeks there's only been two leaders at Brownies.

Last week we did some first aid, which Flamingo ran - she was expecting to be running the activities and so had prepared.  We only had 10 brownies, various illnesses, family commitments etc meaning our numbers were down, so they worked in three teams to apply bandages and put arms in slings, taking it in turns to be casualties.  It worked reasonably well, although one casualty can't tell left from right and so told her teammates she had injured the wrong leg.  Fortunately, in a real situation she could just point!

This week was a bit more of a last minute job.  We were celebrating Thinking Day, so Flamingo ran some activities which she managed to construct for the Brownies.  We began with an introduction to Thinking Day, and I was really pleased that one of the girls remembered the paper dolls we had made last year with different uniforms.  I then ran a quiz - nice and easy multiple choice where they have to run to the corner they think is the right answer.  The 14 Brownies were then split into two competing teams for various challenges - throwing beanbags into a box, magnetic darts onto a dartboard etc.  And then finally I ran a couple of games - Pink Knickers which they had wanted to play the previous week, but we hadn't had time, and Fishes.  After which they all went home, quite tired from all their running around.

We started back at Brownies last night with stricter covid rules in place.  We'd had a discussion about whether we'd be better off going back to Zoom, but the general feeling was that face-to-face is much better.  Our problem stems from having two vulnerable leaders and a group of girls for whom covid is happily spreading without any mitigations in place.

However, I'm not there for the next two weeks and by the end of that time it will be clear how we should go forward.

Yesterday we started the Express Myself theme, as chosen by the Brownies.  We have done this before, but three years ago, so none of the Brownies remember it.  Also last time we used the Communicate Skills Builder and this time is Innovate so there won't be much repitition.  The first activity was to warm up and involved the Brownies being frogs in various situations, and then penguins similarly.  They enjoyed the activity and it got them moving in a constructive way.

After which they did moving postcards, which I remember from last time.  In small groups they had to mime where they had gone on holiday.  It worked reasonably well, although one group had a falling out, which, from what I can gather was due to them failing to agree what they were doing since at least two of them were insisting on doing it their way.

I've definitely decided I shall finish at the end of the summer term.  Part of me would like to say at Easter, but with one of the leaders having a baby at the end of June I can at least provide cover until July.  And at least I won't be defrosting my windscreen before I drive home at that point!

Since my last Brownies report - we went back after half term, but I then missed one week as we'd been away and the following week we were on grandparent duty, so yesterday was only my second meeting of the half term.

The first week back I led the meeting as it was UK Parliament week.  It's an activity we've done for the last few years which encourages the girls to see they can make a difference.  I began by playing a game and then we had a vote with ballot papers and a ballot box (the kit comes complete with ballot box).  We try to choose a subject which the Brownies will want a say in, so this time they had a choice between two of the Guiding Themes for which one we would do next: Express Myself or Be Well.  They looked in their badge book to see what each theme involved and the vote overwhelming went for Express Myself. 

After which we worked on a local issue which the Brownies are concerned about.  We picked up on litter and made a tree with each of the leaves coloured by the Brownies with an anti-littering phrase, including recycle and reuse.



We were also able to use this to gain the Speaking Out badge from our current Take Action theme.

The girls' behaviour was still giving problems, so last week Doodles, the unit leader, had a week on expected behaviour, which certainly seemed to improve things this week, when we were sewing.  I enjoy cross stitch, but sewing with the Brownies is a completely different activity.  They began with a ready threaded needle.  They were sewing a badge onto a blanket, or similar.  Some of them were good at it, some not so good.  We three leaders each had a table with six Brownies and circulated from one to the next sorting out the problems.  By the end they all had achieved something.

It did produce some interesting results as to the girls' attitudes.  I had one who already has a completely negative attitude and 'can't do it'.  She couldn't even tie a knot, so I encouraged her to do so.  It really is as much attitude as ability.  I also had the young Brownie who has additional needs - she's clearly used to having assistance (which she does need for some things) and found it quite hard waiting her turn when her needs in this case were no greater than some of the others.  But the revelation was the Brownie in another six, who the leaders would unanimously vote as being the greatest trial, who sewed on two badges and then helped the others in her six - being confident in her abilities meant she didn't need to show off.

Another couple of weeks at Brownies.

Last week we went for a litter pick around a nearby field in the rain, and in total filled a large black bin bag with rubbish.  This is one area that the Brownies generally feel is an issue, so we are using that as our main theme for the Take Action badge.

This week we followed activities which looked at personal preferences and how you might encourage someone to like the same thing as you do (favourite colour or favourite animal) and also why they might not agree.  We also tried to get them to look at what makes their six unique, but this didn't really work - however some of them put quite a lot of effort in to produce their playlets.

It's still hard work, and I gather we are not the only unit who's finding it difficult.  I can understand that the Brownies have had a difficult eighteen months, but we have a programme to follow and I'm not prepared to turn up simply to babysit.  At one point Flamingo pulled them up short and asked why half the group were being rude and talking instead of watching while the others acted out their playlet.

There are always the odd few who are problems (the ones whose names you learn very quickly) but this is now the majority.

We've had our final Brownie meeting of the term and of our academic year.  Hooray!  Hopefully this will also be our final ever zoom meeting, but no-one's holding their breath.

Flamingo had prepared a fun quiz for them, which they enjoyed, and they all learnt that my favourite fruit is raspberries - no-one guessed that!

Then Doodles presented four Brownie Bronze awards and two Silver awards.  This is done by 'magic', whereby Doodles passes a certificate into her screen and a parent slides an envelope in front of the Brownie, who opens it to find their certificate and badge.  It seems a bit trite, but they all really enjoy the presentation and smile broadly, which shows how much difference even a small personal touch can make.

We go back in September, when things should be easier and we know what we can do.  Hopefully!  Doodles was thinking we should reduce our numbers from 24 to 18, on the basis that if we have to revert to zoom next winter this will be easier.  It also makes spacing a bit simpler.  We talked it over and I suggested we say we'll trial this until half term (at the end of October) by which time things should be a little clearer.  We won't get rid of any of the girls (although there's one we'd all very willingly lose), but not fill spaces.  The other point we shall make is that at least half the pack has joined since the beginning of the first lockdown and has no experience of how we run a face-to-face meeting, so it would help to get them settled first.

I've applied for another grant to help with our annual subs because otherwise we are going to have financial difficulties.

Lastly, here's my Brownie bag with all my badges finally sewn on:

Back after half term and heading for the summer holidays!

Last week we looked at various road signs and pictures of things we can see when going for a walk - paths through the countryside, large puddles across paths, cars parked on pavements and the Brownies got to decide whether they were good or bad.

This week, in an attempt to enable many of the Brownies to qualify for their bronze or silver awards which did an interest badge.  These are supposed to be done by the girls on their own, but that requires parental assistance and/or encouragement and very few get that, which is frustrating.  There are a few who are enthusiastic, and the parent is happy to help, but generally it's disappointing.

So Flamingo taught them all to sing Baa, Baa, Black Sheep in Afrikaans.

We now know we won't be able to meet face-to-face at all this term, as the last restrictions aren't being lifted yet.  We're all disappointed, but accept the inevitable - we could see it coming.  Sadly, one of the families was quite unpleasant about it and insisted we must be able to find a way to do so.  It's noticeable that they're one of the families who do nothing to support their daughters to do anything outside the weekly meeting. 

We held an emergency meeting in Doodles garden to revise our planning for the rest of the term and remind ourselves about the families who are supportive and do appreciate all we're doing.  And hopefully we'll be able to meet come September.

Now, for anyone who's interested:
Baa, baa, swart skaff
Hey je baie wol?
Ja baas, Ja baas,
Drie sake vol
Een vir die nooi
Een vir die baas
Een vir die seuntjie
Wat so baie kan raas