I'm a Rainbow (British Daisies) Guider and, though we don't do much badgework, I feel very strongly about girls actually *earning* their badges. IMO that's what Guiding and Scouting is all about. If parents complain, perhaps you could explain exactly why their daughters didn't get their badges--in short, easy-to-understand sentences if need be. :D Reminding parents that you're doing this voluntarily, giving up your time and talents for the benefit of their daughters, may also help (it's amazing how many parents think I get paid for what I do!). I understand your fear of losing girls but I really feel that handing out badges when they've not been earned goes against the whole Guiding principle.
I agree with Macloudt. For one thing, it sets a precedent for the rest of your time as leader; these girls will always assume they will get Try-Its for not doing all the work and will want to know why they aren't getting them if you put your foot down in future. Furthermore, those girls who genuinely did earn their patches will see it as unfair that others didn't put in the same effort but are getting the same reward.
I had only about half my girls ever show up to a meeting, and I intermixed various Try-It activities into the meetings. The girls said at the beginning of the year that they wanted to earn them, so that's what our focus was. As a troop they voted on about 5 they liked, and so if every girl had gone to ever meeting, all the girls would have ended up with 5 Try-It's.
However.
Only 2 girls got a total of 1 Try-It each, because that's how horrible attendance was.
I ended up making a list about halfway through the year, with the attendance records of all the girls and what activity we worked on that night, and even spelled it out for the parents: "If you want to ensure that your child earns this Try-It, then please do the activity listed on page such-and-such and then get your troop leader to check it off."
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I hope my ramblings help! Best of luck.
PS Love your Calvin!
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I had only about half my girls ever show up to a meeting, and I intermixed various Try-It activities into the meetings. The girls said at the beginning of the year that they wanted to earn them, so that's what our focus was. As a troop they voted on about 5 they liked, and so if every girl had gone to ever meeting, all the girls would have ended up with 5 Try-It's.
However.
Only 2 girls got a total of 1 Try-It each, because that's how horrible attendance was.
I ended up making a list about halfway through the year, with the attendance records of all the girls and what activity we worked on that night, and even spelled it out for the parents: "If you want to ensure that your child earns this Try-It, then please do the activity listed on page such-and-such and then get your troop leader to check it off."
No one took advantage of that either.
Sucked for the girls.
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