OMG, out of control brownie troop!

[LadyTrampScamp&Angel]

Wow, more great ideas, thanks

DF actually did go over the girl scout promise at the end of the meeting, by then the girls were hardly paying attention. I do think we need to go through it at a "rules" meeting while we're setting up what those rules will be.

I really like the idea of a parent coming to/leading a meeting. I was thinking this morning that we ought to send home a sign up sheet and tell them they need to sign up for one.

I've already had an issue last year with one girl's mom, before I was even a leader, so I'd like to spell everything out carefully for them so it's really clear. Unfortunately this girl is the worst of the group and most often the instigator. I've seen her Mom once in two years, she's an attorney and her mother is the one that drops the child off and picks her up, doesn't hang around at all -but if Mom's not available, the grandmother could take a meeting.

I also love the idea of DF handling my DD and me hers. That's excellent. I was also thinking this morning that we'll have to put our DH's on call. If one of our DD's needs to go home and we need to stay to finish the meeting.

I appreciate all your help so much!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Plenty of suggestions!!!!! BTDT.

#1....Create a KAPER CHART.....

I have found the Kaper Chart to be such a success for handling a rowdy bunch.
Everybody has a "job" to start the meeting. Everyone has a "job" during the meeting.

Your first meetings are really about establishing your routine, learning their jobs, conducting the meeting, etc...
The activity in the meeting takes a backseat.

I even went so far as to type a "script" for the girls to read, like a play. Let me tell you they ALL go for that.
Opening, flag ceremony, promise, law, agenda, closing, snacks, endless Kaper jobs to the meeting on track, etc...

If there is a "chair" that kids sit in, address it to the girls. Say....here are 2 things that need to be done when the rule is broken. Like recite the promise or the law to the group, something like that.
Let them VOTE on it or come up with a punishment. Nothing says don't sit in the chair, with a punishment from your peers.

So establish order first, worry about Try-Its less. Trust me.

 

[clh2]

LadyTS&A - just a couple more thoughts for you - I needed to go pick up my DD last night when I was responding.

Back when I was a Junior leader, the mom of one of my girls had a friend who was a Dietician. The mom SWORE that the dietician would be a fun person to come in and do a badge. We found a special place to have a meeting (on a Saturday so couldn't do it at school). We did the badge that was related to the food pyramid -I can't recall what is was called. The dietician made some modifications on one requirement, based on her experience (it is eaiser to modify one part of your diet at a time, instead of the whole thing) and the mom and I handled the "Girl Scout" part of the meeting and the dietician handled the badge work. The girls had homeowrk to prep for the badge, and they needed to record their fruits/veggies for the week for post-workshop homework. (They didn't get their badge until the food-log was turnied in.)

Granted, these girls were in 4th grade. They had so much respect for this particular person. And, yes, the dietician made this event FUN! She wanted the girls to try some of the more unusual fruits, so she went shopping, the troop reimbursed her, and the girls had a fruit bar for their snack. The dietician also talked about serving sizes, and had "fake food" to represent recommended serving sizes. This was informative for the adults who were there too. (Of course - it was depressing to see the actual serving size of ice cream )

I have an out-of-town sister-in-law who is a very talented artist. I mean REALLY talented. When she was in town, I put her to work with one of the artsy-badges. My SIL had a ball along with the girls. And, all they really discussed was color theory. A topic I could not convey in a million years. My SIL is a great teacher of this topic!

When my DD was in Brownies, I was the cookie mom, so I handled the meetings just before the cookie sales. BTW - Cookie mom is a breeze compared to leader I was cookie mom for all 3 years of Brownies. Personally - I LOVED being cookie mom!

Back to my original point, since the leader has been doing this for a couple of years, the leader has most likely already done the things that she is knowledgable in, now she needs to tap into the hobbies/careers of the other parents. And, it doesn't need to be the actual parent, they can bring in an aunt/uncle etc who has something cool to share. Maybe a mom is a nurse/doctor and can share first aid info, maybe have a career night, where several parents share their careers, maybe a brownie has an older sibling who is involved with sports.

With all due respect for your friend...SHE DESERVES A BREAK from the planning of a meeting. And no, it isn't too much to ask to have a parent help out for 1-meeting a year.

 

[LadyTrampScamp&Angel]

You guys are so smart. Again I just hope I can get DF to buy into this stuff. We don't have another meeting for two weeks and I will talk to her about this in the interim. Will let you know how it turns out. If DF refuses to have some order, the story will probably be we're searching for a new group
She looked pretty stressed by the end of the meeting though so I'm hoping she'll be open to these ideas.

I do like having them all have their responsibilities to do (hey, now that's what scouting is supposed to teach) AND having some specialists come in. Keep the ideas coming!

I'm going out of town for the rest of the weekend so I'll check for more posts when I get back, just to let ya know why I may not respond quickly.

Have a great weekend!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I do like having them all have their responsibilities to do (hey, now that's what scouting is supposed to teach) AND having some specialists come in. Keep the ideas coming!

Yes, yes, yes....you would not believe how much a Kaper Chart can make your meetings a success.

You forget that girls this age are VERY VERY GUNG-HO about doing "their job".

You can rotate the jobs every meeting, or every month. Whatever you decide.

If a girl sits in the chair, the group will speak up and force the offender to "due the punishment". And you know what...kids that are following the rules will feel justification.

I hope your leader will work with you. It is critical for a successful troop.

We made a big "Try IT" and had jobs on it, and then put their names on their job. So they could see what their job was and start the meeting.

They can do it trust me.

 

[Wishing on a star]

Again I just hope I can get DF to buy into this stuff. We don't have another meeting for two weeks and I will talk to her about this in the interim. Will let you know how it turns out. If DF refuses to have some order, the story will probably be we're searching for a new group....

You have just hit the nail on the head!!!!
Based on my experience with my son in Cub Scouts... (And other similar situations.)

1. The leader is the LEADER.... The leaders that I have seen want to be firmly in control, and want nobody to question them... They want an assistant leader to be a 'yes man' (or woman!!!)

2. If she does agree to increase the discipline, it sounds like you will still be the one to implement this... It doesn't sound like she is any kind of disciplinarian, and does not really have a feel for how to go about it. This, then, puts YOU in the position of disciplining HER child, who you acknowledge is out of control because of the mother's lack of discipline.


The two things mentioned above, IMHO, mean probable stress and trouble in your 'friendship' with this leader. So, just take this as a possible warning...

A couple of other thoughts...

If you and the leader do decide to go ahead with increased discipline, then I do think that you need to devote the next following meeting to implementing the new status-quo!!! It needs to be positive (NOT BLAMING OR NEGATIVE) BUT THE GIRLS NEED TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IS EXPECTED OF THEM, AND HOW THEY WILL BE PULLED OUT/ASIDE IF THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO BEHAVE WITH RESPECT.

At this age, they are just kids... this is not a college class... I would devote either the first 15-20 minutes or the last 15-20 minutes of each meeting to something active and fun. At this age, they are there to socialize and have fun... I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT THIS BE THE LAST 15 MINUTES OF THE MEETING.. FIRST, YOU CAN USE THIS AS AN INCENTIVE TO GET THE GIRLS TO BE COOPERATIVE DURING THE OTHER SCOUT ACTIVITIES... SECOND, IT MIGHT BE DOUBLY HARD TO GET THE GIRLS TO SETTLE BACK DOWN ONCE THEY ARE UP RUNNING AROUND PLAYING A GAME AND BEING ACTIVE.

If these girls are in school, then they have sit at desks and worked on stuff all day... they have been subjected to discipline all day... I would not want to make Brownies just another extension of these demands... Just make sure that you and the leaders outlook and expectations are realistic.

 

[overlyspoiled4sure]

Amazing! I guess Cub Scouting is no different. I hated the program back when my now 39 year old son was in & I hated it these past few years when my grandson was in. I've never seen so much disrespect in my life!!

It was the same way as OP described--a free-for-all-play-time-not-listening noisy group. Plus the leader's son was in the midst of it all.

OK, rant over. Now I'll go back & read the rest of the thread...

 

[sha_lyn]

I don't discipline my daughter at all during the meetings- my co-leader deals with any issues with my daughter and I deal with any issues with her daughter so this was we are not yelling at our own child and this way you can't be harder on her than the other kids.

I think that is probably one of the best pieces of advice that the other leader received from her How to Lead with you daughter in the troop class.
I wasn't a leader at the time. The daughter of hte then leader would often end up having a tantrum. Once the other leader took over disiplining her duing meetings the tantrums stopped.

ITA with the Kaper chart suggestion too.

You can search online for girlscout kapers and get lots of cool ideas.
Our is a laundry line. There is a clthes pin with each girls name on it. Each task is written on a shirt made out of card stock. We draw the pins from a bag and hang the task in order on the clothes line.

Which reminds me I need to add the 4 new girls to the pin bag.