Brownies Promise Celebration, what is it?

Oldernotwiser

hermanmunster wrote: »

mmm sounds like it has got a bit PC .... I like the old one, definitley flowed better

It depends how old you mean. I'm pretty sure that mine ended "to help other people at all times, especially those at home."

I always assume that wasn't part of the cub promise.

Zziggi

annaangeluk wrote: »

Well done for remembering it but unfortunately it's changed now!

"I promise that I will do my best
To love my God
To serve the Queen and my Country
To help other people
And to keep the Brownie guide law."

I prefer the old one! It rhymed better!! :rotfl:

I thought the Brownie organisation had no religious affiliation. If so why must each new Brownie promise "to love my god"?

Genuine question....

GlasweJen

When they say love my god, that can be any god at all or none.

And to the parent asking about the £26, that will probably cover the cost of the annual insurance fee, you'd be best asking the leader about this.

kerri_gt

Oh wow! This post has just bought back a lot of memories, I remember making my promise, looking into the mirror, being swung over the toadstall (prob not allowed these days due to health and safety etc etc).

Regarding the £26, I would talk to 'Brown Owl' about this to find out a little more. I do recall that each week we had to make a payment/donation which helped towards equipment etc, perhaps these days they ask for a one off payment rather than a weekly fee due to kids constantly forgetting their money?

Plans_all_plans

She will be asked to say her Promise, the Law and the Motto. the Promise has been outlined elsewhere in the thread.

The Law is 'A Brownie Guide thinks of others before herself and does a good turn everyday' and the Motto is 'Lend a Hand'. The leaders will be preparing her for this and she should be trying to learn it at home as well.

It is not a crazy big ceremony. Just at the end of the meeting she will be taken round the circle by her Sixer and then into the middle of the circle of Brownies. The Sixer will say "twist me and turn me and show me the elf, I looked in the pool and I saw..." and your DD will say "myself".

The Brownies were set up at a time when almost everyone was a practising Christian and I feel this is still reflected in many of today's Brownie troops, particularly if the groups are linked to a Church school etc. They will quite often have Church parades once a month when the girls may read etc.

Ettenna

I am a Barn Owl

I would speak to Brown Owl in your Unit to find out exactly what the £26 covers. Some Units collect their census money in annually, some collect it in over a year. It may cover subs that are payable each term. I would not be happy for any of my Brownie's parents to be paying for something they don't know what it's for The census money pays for insurance, training of leaders, upkeep of local and national Guiding and also goes towards giving grants to girls who may not be able to participate without financial help. There will be an amount that goes to Girlguiding UK, an amount for Division and an amount for District.

As for uniform, the parents usually go and buy it themselves. We have a local depot that everyone used. This way the money goes back into local Guiding, rather than getting uniform from somewhere like National Schoolwear where it goes straight back into their profits. Brownies are not expected to wear uniform straight away. We have had numerous incidents where parents have gone and spent a small fortune and the girl has decided that she doesn't like it after a couple of weeks. Once you know your daughter is definitely staying and has been given an enrolment date, that is the best time to get uniform Ask Brown Owl what she recommends uniform-wise. Sashes are a PITA and always get lost or fall off and you can't sew that many badges on. The gilets are great - you can buy them quite big and they should stay fitting till your daughter leaves at 10/11.

As for religion, most Units are not affiliated to any church or religion. Girlguiding is not a Christian organisation. The God can be any God. We have had many, many arguments on a Guiders forum about religion. In my Unit the only time we go to a church service is for Remembrance Day. We parade the Unit flag and lay a wreath, along with other uniformed organisations and the local parish council. We cannot make girls attend, that is against our rules. Attendance is voluntary but we find that the majority of them do attend.

We still do a fairly traditional enrolment ceremony, with the toadstool, pond (mirror), promise and law, and then the existing Brownies welcoming the new ones in. Girlguiding have tried to make it totally girl-led - meaning that the Brownie can chose when and where she makes her promise. This could be at a swimming pool, on a rollercoaster or in the local park. We have given them a choice and all the girls we have enrolled in the last couple of years have gone for the traditional ceremony with their parents there. We have a number of Brownies doing their Hostess badge on the night and they have a great time. It gets a bit hairy watching little Brownies carrying cups of tea across the hall though :eek:

Please think seriously about volunteering - it is great fun, very rewarding and very useful to Units. You do not have to volunteer every week - every little helps. Units often need specific help such as help doing the accounts, help with fundraising, organising events and many other jobs Units have to close because there are not enough volunteers to help. There are just not enough Leaders to go around. In my District we had to close a Guide Unit because of lack of Leaders.

I hope your daughter enjoys Brownies. My daughters were all Brownies and one is now a Young Leader herself.

That turned into rather a long piece

KiKi

Ettenna wrote: »

I am a Barn Owl

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Sorry, I just love the idea that you announce yourself as a Barn Owl! I had a Brown Owl, Tawny Owl (she was awesome), Snowy Owl and Barn Owl.

Reading this has reminded me of the Elf words - I'd forgotten those! I remember jumping over the toadstool and walking around the circle, and the mirror. I remember the promise...my one was:

"I promise that I will do my best, to do my duty to God.
To serve the Queen and help other people
And keep the Brownie Guide law."

That would have been around 1985 or so.

I was a Gnome, too - they were the worst. I was a Seconder and Sixer. And I got badges! Hostess (easiest!), First Aider, Cook, some others that I can't remember...

I do remember seeing a badge called the "Conservationist Badge" and thinking it was a misprint and was actually the "Conversationalist Badge." I asked Brown Owl because I thought I'd be AWESOME at that.

And yes, that flippin' purse. We had to sit in our packs and lay out the contents of our purse each week. I always forgot the 10p. String, safety pin...what else was there? I never understood the point of the purse. It was only useful if you wore your Brownie uniform all the time - and no-one did.

I detested the monthly church service I had to go to; it was really frowned upon if you didn't go. But it was a traditional church, and I already went to a church anyway (a happy clappy one) so I didn't see why I should have to attend theirs! My parents eventually withdrew me from the Sunday service and told Brown Owl that as I already went to church every week there was no need to go theirs. I was so grateful!

KiKi

GlasweJen

I was a sprite, I was a seconder then a sixer and I had so many badges they covered the back and front of my sash and I had to put my others on the sleeve of my jumper - best of it is I can't remember doing an exceptional amount of work for them.

ailuro2

Here were are the jolly elves, helping others not ourselves.

Here we come the jolly pixies helping others in their fixes.

anyone else??

I was a seconder and a sixer then went up to guides and became a chaffinch.;)

I had the crossed over and pinned yellow tie, but still the same sacklike uniform that we had to wear our school skirts under once they started to get too short for us. That was MSE seventies style.:money:

Emmzi

Ettenna wrote: »

As for religion, most Units are not affiliated to any church or religion. Girlguiding is not a Christian organisation. The God can be any God.

Then why mention it at all, would be my question. It def. puts me off from volunteering.