Brownie/Girl Scout Leaders....advice please

[KimRaye]

I've been anxiously awaiting the day when I'd be given the info for DD's class to begin Brownies, and that day was today!

I was also asked if I could help. "Help", yes, but I'm not the least bit creative. Tell me what to do, and I'll do it, but ideas....NOT from me. Organization? Sure, I can do paperwork, numbers, you know the stuff..no problem for me, I can do that. Co-Leader? I don't think you're asking the right person. I don't think the help I'd be giving would be co-Leader title-worthy.

So, what I'm asking, is for any and all advice/opinions on "helping", and what makes a co-Leader? How can I contribute, or help?

TIA!

 

[Pop Daddy]

tell them you cant, your not feeling good

 

[KimRaye]

Thanks Jason , but I want to do this.

 

[clh2]

KimRaye -

Does your troop have a leader? If they do - that's half the battle! A great way to help - with a minimal time commitment is being cookie mom. Things get really busy on 2-different days - when you have to tally the cookie orders; and also when the cookies come in. I was DD's cookie mom for all 3 of her Brownie years. (Now I am the Jr. leader; but I wouldn't do both!)

***I loved being the cookie mom much more than I like being the Jr. leader.***

If the cookie thing doesn't sound like it is your thing to do - are there any try-its you could "lead" for a meeting to give the leader a break?

If your group is wanting to do any overnight camping - our council (outside of Milwaukee) requires someone with CPR certification and First Aid certification. That would be a great way to help!

It looks like you are from the Chicago area - someone who could give the leader ideas for field trips is also very-very helpful. Generally - most councils have a website with ideas for local businesses who do prgrams for Girl Scouts. I always found that I would prefer to do a field trip than to plan a meeting myself. The girls tend to have a better attention span when they are guests somewhere.

Some ideas (north of the border) for fun field trips would be the Jelly Belly factory, in Milwaukee the Pabst Mansion has a Brownie program - the Jr. program was fantastic there!

Other ways to help are to offer to drive on a field trip (which may be an issue to Illinois' booster seat requirements for children), help out with the paperwork, arranging an event etc. Even if you know someone who is really good at "such and such" - getting that person to help out is helpful.

We did a "bowling with dads" last year. All the girls and dads had a great time!

I know this got long - bottom line - your leader will appreciate your help in any capacity and for as much time as you can!

Have fun!

Good luck!

 

[KimRaye]

Thanks so much, clh!

Right now, I think our group is in limbo. From what I was told, we can gather our girls, and join the 3rd graders, or form our own group. If we form ourselves, I'm presuming the Mom that called would be leader. If we join the 3rd graders, they already have an established 'group', but would need more helpers, due to the increase. We're trying to decide if we want to join their evening group, or start our own after school or Saturday group.

I think I could handle cookie-mom. What's a try-it? (Please bare with me, I'm totally new to this, never WAS a brownie or girl scout, either)

The field trips, and driving, and bowling events ALL sound like such fun (well, maybe not driving as fun, but I could DO it - LOL)! Thanks for sharing!!!

 

[clh2]

There is a whole brownie handbook - of which there are many "try-its" My daughter has been out of brownies for a year - so I will probably get this close - instead of exact. Examples of try-its are Manners; Cookie Try-It; Careers, Senses, Earth & Sky; Plants etc.

In my definition - a Try-it is a list of 8 or so activities - of which 4 need to be completed before the try-it is earned. The girls will then get one to put on their sash or vest. All activities in 1 try-it are related. Try-its are exactly that - they want the girls to explore, creat, and try new things. Try-its as well as badges are in several categories. There are badges and try-its for many interests, healthy habits, Girl Scout basics, safety, science, math are types of categories that would have several try-its to work on.


I tried to find a good desciption of stuff on the GS USA website - but they recently changed their site - and right now I couldn't find didly on it.

Some things to consider with joining an established troop of a different age - the 3rd grade girls may be an asset on helping to explain the handshakes, the GS promise, and the GS Laws, and some of the other basics. The downside is - these girls will be moving on to Jrs. next year - and then what happens to your troop? Plus - the new girls may want to do "such and such" but the older girls may want to do this and that. By 3rd grade - our girls were less interested in crafts and much more interested in doing things/going places.

If you have a neighbor/friend/co-worker with a Brownie - maybe you could ask to borrow their hand book for an evening - just to check out some of the try-it opportunities.

There are very specific adult/Brownie ratios. I think that for Brownies the ratio is 1 adult for every 5 girls.

 

[KimRaye]

Thanks clh! You've been a wealth of info, in just a short time!!!

Wow, those try-its sound involved, and very interesting!

Your advice on the mixing of age groups is very much appreciated! I will pass this along to the 'leader'. (I am more interested in forming our own group anyway)

I don't think we'll have a problem at all with the ratios, at least in our group, we have a great group of parents! Not speaking poorly of the other group, mind you, since I don't know them at all, just speaking of the Moms I do know.

Thank you again!!!

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

A couple thoughts on this...I'm currently co-leader in what just finished being a "blended troop"--part Junior, part Brownie. We moved the Brownies up in June.

There are many Try-It's in all sorts of areas--we've had "guests" come in and do their area of expertise--the accountant mom did a math one, DH (an EMT) helped with First Aid, and so forth. You don't have to be super creative. This gives the leader a break and you a chance to shine. We found that the girls loved all the stuff, even when the experiments didnt' turn out wuite right--please don't hold back just because you think you might not be perfect!

In addition, we sign all our mom's up as helpers (we haven't gotten going this fall yet, so bear with me on the titles). That allows them to drive to functions and also you have to have 2 leaders at any meeting, so it's nice if you have to split up for any reason. We generally get good mom participation. Some activities we've done:

Halloween party
corn maze
Mother-daughter roller skating
Father-daughter snow tubing
Assorted lock-ins (at the Y--some place where they swim)
Father-daughter trip to the movies
Easter egg hunt
Decorating the library
Memorial Day parade
Cookies--door-to-door and booths
Overnight camping

I could go on and on. Some items are organized by a sponsoring troop (like the lock-in) where they plan everything, and you show up for a modest fee. Troops take turns--we haven't sponsored one yet, it's by lottery.

I don't know that I'd recommend joining another troop, especially of third graders. However, they may be interested in helping you out next year--Juniors can earn a "Junior Aide" patch for assisting a troop and teaching a Try-It. Certainly, I would ask other leaders for ideas.

Sorry this is long, I hope it helped some. There's plenty you can do, even if you aren't creative. We have lots of fun (the moms, I mean). PM me if you have any specific questions I can answer.

 

[Microcell]

As a leader of a first grade troop (I was their leader during the Daisy troop too) I was so relieved whe one of the moms offered to be cookie mom- no having to break arms to get someone! My moms don't know it, the new ones anyway, but I want them all to volunteer to teach a try it! I need to look for a co leader, so I don't look forward to that. You could offer to handle the money if the leader does not want to do that. Ours is set up that my name has to be on the account, so I handle the money in my troop, as I have full accountability, but other troops may not have the leader as the name on the account. Our Service Unit leader wants it that way here. Have fun and enjoy your girls! We make a big impact on the character of alot of girls as a GS volunteer!

 

[dizagain]

Hi! I'm a CoLeader for two troops - one Brownie and one Junior. In both troops, I'm the "show up and help at the meetings" gal - I do whatever is needed from cleaning up to setting up to helping with projects to driving on field trips. I don't really help in the planning and preparing areas with either group. Well, in our older troup, I sort of help in the long-range plannning. Oh yeah. I also attend Leader training and (ugh) camp training.

Our system works for us - both head leaders are SAHM's with school-age kids so they have no problem doing the brunt of the work and just need me to help with actual meetings. We always have two "Cookie Moms" who handle every aspect of cookie sales - they attend an imformation meeting, get materials to the girls, take order forms and process them, pick up the cookies from the warehouse, prepare cookie orders to be picked up by girls, and collect money/turn in money at the end. Also organize booth sales (like in front of Kroger or something).

Another thing we do in both troops..ALL moms join Girl Scouts too. That way there is never a problem finding people who are "allowed" to attend trips, etc. There are SO MANY RULES.

I don't advise mixing age levels in a troup at all if possible. It's too hard to find things for different age girls to do and then some move on while others don't, etc. We do have "sister troops" that are two years older - they earn badges by working with us sometimes. Have fun!