Skip to main content

Twist me and turn me and show me the elf...

I look in the mirror and see myself!

First Brownie meeting tomorrow. Am a bit nervous. We have four new girls this year, which means four new moms too. I have to talk to these moms and put them at ease and ask them for money (dues, fees) and time (field trip help, cookie selling help). I -- well, Amy and I, as we are in this together -- have to make sure these girls have a good time and learn something. We have some good plans in place, but I'm still nervous. At a volunteer training session last year, one of the trainers talked about all the great things she learned from her troop leader, what a great role model she was, how she imparted such wisdom and taught their troop things that still resonate with them though lo many years have passed...somehow I can't imagine anyone feeling that way about me, in years to come.

Oh well. I guess I should just focus on keeping them entertained for one hour, every other Thursday. It can't be that hard, can it?

Comments

Chris said…
I worry about these types of things all the time when I teach, and I've come to the conclusion that all you can do is be yourself and do the best you can. You're not there to change lives, but to simply just teach them a thing or two and have fun doing it. If you have a big impact, great. If not, oh well. My Cub Scout leaders didn't change my life; I had a little fun but was mostly miserable all during Scouts. It didn't scar me for life though. Each girl will get out of it what they put into it, all you have to do is relax and just be the kind of leader you'd like if you were a kid. This is volunteerism. No one's paying you, so no one's expecting you to perform to idol worshipping standards. And if they are, they're nuts.
11:40 PM
Anonymous said…
Good luck! I think that people who say that things like Brownies changed their lives may have flawed memories. I agree with Chris - you can only be yourself. You will make an impact on some but not on others. So, relax and have fun with the girls.

Mom
8:50 AM
aimee said…
I agree with Chris and Mom but I have to say to not sell yourself short. Even though Brownies probably did not change me, I do still remember my leader (Peggy) and the fun we had at Brownies meetings. So I say just remember to smile and they'll have fun if they think you are.
Good luck!
1:23 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

I ask you

This is my garden: Or rather, this is the patch of soil that was my garden last summer. It produced millions of tomatoes, dozens of green peppers, a handful of cucumbers, and two puny watermelons. I do not wish to repeat last summer's vegetable bounty, because most of said bounty went to waste. Nor, however, do I want this patch of soil to remain brown and bare throughout the summer, because it's unattractive. So, what do I plant here, in the shrubbery/flowery vein? Keep in mind that I do not have a green thumb. Also, I don't want to spend a lot of money. Also, this area is in full sun most of the day. And it's really hot. And sometimes we get rabbits. Any advice? To thank you in advance, I give you these goofy photos of my children and their homemade parfaits (which Mallory persisted in calling "specialinis").
5 comments
Read more

It's what's for dinner

One of the things that I failed to appreciate about my mom until I left home is that she always made dinner (although I think we called it supper then), by which I mean, something hot, usually involving a vegetable. I don't remember my mom ever saying sheepishly to her hungry spouse and offspring, "I don't feel like cooking, how about a bowl of cereal?" I hate making dinner. Haaate it. It's my least favorite chore. It's not necessarily because I can't cook. I can usually manage to create something edible, although I have yet to perfect the science of getting, say, the chicken and the broccoli and the rice and the rolls all ready at the same time. (There are those among you who may be surprised that I make and serve broccoli. It's true! It's best when roasted: Toss with olive oil and salt, spread on a baking sheet, put in 400 degree oven for about 8 minutes. It's delicious! Delicious as broccoli can be, at least.) It's also not necessarily t...
6 comments
Read more

the closet

Amy has challenged me to list 8 things that are hidden in the back of my closet. I try not to actually look to closely at the back of my closet, so these are my closest guesses: 1. At least three no-longer-needed diaper bags. 2. An outfit that I've been meaning to return to Land's End for at least six months now. 3. One of our wedding pictures, which has a broken frame which I keep meaning to replace. 4. Shoes, shoes, shoes, shoes. 5. Possibly a pair of fuzzy slippers. I miss those fuzzy slippers. Maybe I should brave the mess and go try to find them. 6. Baby blankets. 7. A few small toys that I meant to stick in the girls' Christmas stockings. Maybe next year. 8. And I'm guessing, a bunch of mismatched socks. My closet isn't very interesting, I'm afraid.
1 comment
Read more