The Gang is All Here!

This week was our first meeting together, younger and older girls. We are 30 in total with Shauna, Jenna, Janis and myself.  Our young leaders spent a large chunk of the time mixing the girls up so we could all get to know each other better.  The theme of the evening was getting to know each other but we also spent considerable time talking about rumours and how they get started plus how they make people feel.  Later on, we broke into small groups and discussed the girls mentors in life.  Everyone had a chance to explain who their mentor was and what quality in that person they admired the most.  In my group, friends, mothers and grandmothers were mentioned.  Redeeming qualities included kindness, thoughtfulness, and having the confidence to be true to themselves.  They also really wanted to talk about boys and the rumours that fly around school.  These girls really enjoy having the time to talk about 'their' issues.  

Next week month (which is next week for the youngers), Barbara Brown will be coming in to help the girls design and produce mandalas.  

Patti

New Teen Program Starts

When your girls are ready to graduate from Tween Club, they now have another alternative. Together with Dovercourt, I am starting 4 new month long programs that cover the areas of dance, drama, cooking and self-defence. We're starting with dance - Girls Gotta Dance (for 12-14yr olds). The progam starts this Saturday. Click the link to see the details.

Patti

Younger Girls: Welcome to a new year of Tween Club!

The Younger girls group had a wonderful meeting this evening.  It was great to get to know our new Tweens.  It was especially exciting to see new members who have been watching their older sisters take part in past years and are now Tweens themselves.

Welcome to all our new Tween families, we are so happy that you are joining us in our third year of operations!  We look forward to an exciting year.

The Younger girls met with Patti and I and a lovely alumnus, Kayla, this evening.  We started off with some quick get to know you activities and then quickly turned our attention to more serious matters.  We read a kids' book.  We enjoyed seeing what aspects of our personalities we share with Ian Falconer's Olivia.  She's not afraid to be herself and dream big.  Neither are we.

Journals were distributed and we discussed the Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How of journalling and self-reflecting.

We talked about goals and each started making three for this year's club.  I shared some of mine with the girls:  I want to learn and use each of their names every single meeting; I aim to use the blog more often as a communication tool with them and their families; and I want to use our journals more regularly this year, both in and out of our meetings.  The Tweens who did not finish their goals are encouraged to do so at home.

Tigger from Winnie the Pooh was our example of someone with a good self-image.  Sara sang his song for us:

"The wonderful thing about Tiggers,

Is Tiggers are wonderful things!

Their tops are made out of rubber,

Their bottoms are made out of springs,

They're bouncy, bouncy, bouncy, bouncy,

Fun, fun, fun, fun, fun!

But the most wonderful thing about Tiggers is...

I'm....

The only one!"

We charted out some wonderful things about ourselves.  These were placed in the front of our journals so we can remember these things every time we open them up.  Each girl was encouraged to start with at least four items, and is strongly urged to add to this as she wishes.

As some work at home (not homework) before the next time we meet (Tuesday, October 28th 6:30-8 p.m.), Tweens have been asked to answer the big questions about a role model.  They must choose someone who is a human and a female, someone who they look up to, a personal hero.  They can do some research and reflection to answer Who, What, Where, When, Why and How about their role models.  We will discuss role models more next time we meet.

The girls gave some amazing flying, slipping and leaping high fives before they headed home.

It was a great start to what I'm certain will be an outstanding year.

Youngers, we'll see you on the 28th of October for an activity where we'll gather with the Older Tweens as well.

Older Tweens, see you next week (the 14th of October at 6:30-8 p.m.)

Shauna

The Labyrith Set UP

Thanks to the girls for coming out to help and to their parents for loaning them to us.  Together we filled 1000 bags of sand and placed them in the Labyrinth.  Many hands make light work!