On Friday, I shared with you what I was going to do with my Junior troop as we met for the first time this year.
Gathering them together in the front of the office, I could sense the excitement, and that made me feel good about it. The fifth grade teachers were telling me how brave I was to meet with them right after school on a Friday, but I told them this is when we always met and it worked for us. The other teachers smiled and said they couldn’t believe we were still together after all these years.
Our new girl finally arrived and she seemed excited and not nervous at all. She is a sweetheart and with her being there, I saw a side of my one girl who does not attend our school that I have never seen before. She was talkative when she was usually more quiet. I was glad she had a school pal with her and was only sorry I had not known that she had been looking for a troop years ago.
Besides getting taller (two of my girls are my height now, and I am only 5′ 1″), I noticed another change in my troop.
Talking! Non-stop talking!
That is the nature of fifth grade girls, and it is something we will have to work on.
We discussed many things that were off topic as I tried to steer them to the business of the day. I showed them the Journey book we were using and why I chose it-there are lots of fun activities to do!
I then brought up the Bronze Award and asked them for ideas. Two that were popular were dong something for a no-kill animal shelter and a talent show. I had a Guest Blogger share her Talent Show Bronze Award project and I am going to use that as a guide if that is voted upon.
I did tell the girls that we are doing ONE project and it will be majority rules (with 11 girls, that will be easy). If it is not what they want to do, they will have to live with it, much like the person who loses a Presidential election lives with not living in the White House.
We worked on the keychain craft and then it was time to go.
I was tired, but it was a good kind of tired!
We will not be meeting again in two weeks as my family and I are visiting our older daughter in college for the weekend. That give me a month to prepare for our Journey.
How did your first meetings of the year go? Please share!
I can sure relate to the talking!! I have 8th grade cadettes and it is still a problem. We have only met twice this year and I think it may be better this year. Our first meeting was a disaster because we meet in a church and it was double booked with a boy scout troop so we had to move spaces. the 2nd meeting was good. I found a idea on Pinterest to make a list of all badges and ideas for crafts, trips, crafts, etc, put them on post it notes. stick them all around the room and let the girls put stars on the ones they want to do. I was missing 3 girls so the 4 that were there planned our whole year calendar with the ideas that had 4 stars, 3stars and so on. I am excited now that the calendar is done we will all know what we are doing for each meeting and I can plan our trips and excursions in advance.
I like that idea of the sticky notes and letting them choose! How did the girls who were not there react to not having a say in the troop activities?
We haven’t met again yet, that will be this Monday. My daughter didn’t seem to mind. I don’t think it will be a issue but I do plan to go over some of the ideas that didn’t make it on the list to see if I get any response from the missing girls. I think it is time they start taking responsibility for being at the meetings on time and prepared.
Pam
Pam, you are right, they need to be responsible for their attendance unless there is a conflict that cannot be helped. I guess because at this age, I wouldn’t be surprised if someone said ‘It’s not fair.” Please keep us posted!