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Gracesmom
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| Posted: Oct 20 2010 at 1:01pm | IP Logged
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Are there any youth groups in your parish?
My oldest daughter is 5, and I would love her to involved in a "girl guides" type of group, but to be honest it scares me to put her into the sparks group here. I'm really afraid of encouraging her to go and be best friends with non-catholic girls (is that bad???) I'm a convert and come from a very NON religious home, so I know the things that can go on in households that have no religion.
Anyways, I was thinking about starting our own girl group in our parish. I was thinking of having 3 age groups 5-8, 9-12, and 13-18. BUT the task is really large. I was hoping to find a parish that has one established and use their ideas as guidelines, etc.
So do any of you know of a youth group in a parish?
Thanks so much!
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KackyK
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A big one that is getting going in our church is American Heritage Girls. It's basically the Christian equivalent of Girl Scouts. Some friends in our large homeschool group started a group in the past 2 years and it's growing and growing! It includes girls from the parish at large now, not just our homeschool group. Here is the national webpage. There maybe be a group near you!
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KackyK
Mom to 8 - 3 dd, 5ds & 4 babes in heaven
Beginning With the Assumption
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Gracesmom
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KackyK wrote:
| A big one that is getting going in our church is American Heritage Girls. It's basically the Christian equivalent of Girl Scouts. Some friends in our large homeschool group started a group in the past 2 years and it's growing and growing! It includes girls from the parish at large now, not just our homeschool group. Here is the national webpage. There maybe be a group near you! |
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Thank you for this!!! Do you know if you have to be American? I'm in Canada...lol, guess I should have mentioned that!
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mathmama
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What about starting a Little Flowers Girls club? They earn badges like in Girl Scouts, but they earn them by practicing virtues. What could be better than practicing virtues and learning about the saints  I love love love our group 
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Beth, wife to Tom and mommy to 4 beautiful girls:
Therese 11/04
Anna Mary 6/07
Veronica 10/09
Theodora 11/12
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Erin
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Once upon a time against our instincts we gave into pressure and allowed our oldest to join in with a 'youth' group at a Protestant church. When we turned up for awards and they made anti-Catholic jokes, that was the end of that foray. Trust your instincts.
If you decide to start a Little Flowers Club, Jessica has many wonderful ideas that make it seem totally doable.
I'd recommend starting with just the 5-8 group, so you are not dividing your energy, but always opening for others to volunteer to take the older ones. 
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Erin
Faith Filled Days
Seven Little Australians
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Michaela
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I second the Little Flowers suggestion. You can cover a nice age range. There is enough information on the web about it to tailor it to your needs.
Jessica has beautiful and inspiringLittle Flower posts. The activities can include less or no writing.
Our parish does not have a youth group for children under 7th grade, but our homeschool group meets at a neighboring parish. We LOVE it.
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Michaela
Momma to Nicholas 16, Nathan 13, Olivia 13, Teresa 6, & Anthony 3
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Michaela
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| Posted: Oct 20 2010 at 2:33pm | IP Logged
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 Erin and I posted similiar thoughts within seconds. 
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Michaela
Momma to Nicholas 16, Nathan 13, Olivia 13, Teresa 6, & Anthony 3
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SuzanneG
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KackyK wrote:
| A big one that is getting going in our church is American Heritage Girls. It's basically the Christian equivalent of Girl Scouts. Some friends in our large homeschool group started a group in the past 2 years and it's growing and growing! It includes girls from the parish at large now, not just our homeschool group. Here is the national webpage. There maybe be a group near you! |
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We are currently in the process of getting an AHG group set up. All the girls are very excited!
It's very "official" and there are lots of guidelines and things you must do and follow according to national guidelines.....just like Boy Scouts. Our group has a "Catholic identity"....which means that we decided that all board members and unit leaders must be Catholic, but, of course, non-Catholic girls are welcome. We say Catholic prayers, go on Catholic field trips, and our "charter organization" is a Catholic Church.
It's NOT a "youth group"....it's a "scouting oganization," though....so just making the distinction.
We have done Little Flowers in the past too. Everyone liked it very much!
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Suzanne in ID
Wife to Pete
Mom of 7 (Girls - 14, 12, 11, 9, 7 and Boys - 4, 1)
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4Real Forums : Domestic Church
Topic: Youth groups
