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YMCA Guides & Princesses Program
Strengthening the Father-Child Relationship
Dads, are you looking to strengthen your relationship with your son or daughter?
No gift that a father gives their son or daughter will mean as much as the time spend with them.
The YMCA of the Triangle is proud to have the largest parent-child program in the country with the Y-Guides & Princesses program, which serves more than 13,000 dads and children throughout Wake, Durham, Johnston, and Lee counties. Collectively, these tribes form the Arapahoe Nation, which has served over 26,000 families since it's inception in 1968. In 2008 alone, we added more than 150 new tribes with over 1,500 first year participants.
Check out some recent articles about the YMCA Guides & Princesses program in Raleigh's Midtown Magazine and the Triangle's kids sports and activities magazine Active Alex. Don't forget to click on any of the pictures on the right to see fun scenes of dads and kids in the program.
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Attention Dads in Wake, Durham and Johnston Counties!
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Dads! Do you live in Wake, Johnston or Durham county and have 1st grade son or daughter (or 1st or 2nd graders in Durham)? It's not too late to join in 2009! Contact the YMCA Guides and Princesses program office to join by calling Matt Strickland at (919) 719-9691. It's fun to pull together several dads from work, church, or the neighborhood, who have similarly aged children to form your tribe. If it's only you and your child, we will find a new tribe near you. Call today!
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How Much Does It Cost to Participate in the Guides & Princesses Program?
The 2009-2010 dues for the program is $91 per pair for non-members of the YMCA, $73 per pair for members of the YMCA. Each additional child in the program costs $27 for YMCA members and $33 for non-YMCA members.
Help Spread the Word about YMCA Guides & Princesses Program!
Help the YMCA spread the word about the Guides and Princesses program! Make sure to talk with other dads from work, church or in the the neighborhood, who have with 1st graders (or 1st or 2nd graders in Durham) about the program. E-mail a flyer or print and give them a hardcopy so they'll know about the Dads Orientation Meeting. Post a program flyer on a bulletin board at work or post the information to your company's intranet. See if you can add it to your neighborhood newsletter or email list.
How does the YMCA Guides & Princess Program Differ from Scouting?
This is a common question. Many times, scouting is a "drop off" program. A father's involvement with their child in scouting is optional and likely rare with girls. The YMCA Guides & Princesses program focuses on strengthening the father-child relationship through activities that allow fathers to spend quality, one-on-one time with their children. It is through these shared experiences together that both father and child grow closer, forming memories that will last a lifetime. At Spring Outing, dads and kids are told that a father's ticket to an activity is their child, and a child's ticket to an activity is their dad. There is also no selling or door-to-door fundraising involved within the YMCA Guides & Princesses program, as there is in scouting (i.e. cookies, popcorn).
What is the YMCA Guides & Princess Program?
The YMCA Guides & Princesses program has a long history of providing elementary school age children and their parents with opportunities for fun times, learning, and mutual understanding.
The YMCA Guides & Princesses program is for fathers that want quality, planned, one-on-one time with their children. Membership is open to every parent with a child in first through third grade, or fourth and beyond for in the Trailblazers program.
Participation in activities for the father and child is a vital part of the YMCA Guides & Princesses program. Father and child share in events, games, crafts, outings, and campouts. The father observes their child's relationship in the group, and see the child's strengths and needs, affording a basis for helping the child to grow. Likewise, the child observes the parent in action with other parents and kids. This provides the child with an important role model.
What Do the YMCA Guides & Princesses Do?
The YMCA Guides & Princesses program is ACTION-ORIENTED! Fathers and their children form tribes. Tribes contain anywhere from 7-to-10 fathers and their sons or daughters. One father is selected as tribal chief, and the various tribal positions are delegated to the fathers. The tribes meet twice a month in a member's home with fun activities including: games, crafts, stories and tricks. The tribes also organize monthly outings such as: camping, horseback riding, community service projects, hiking, and cookouts. Father and child attendance together is mandatory for participation in activities.
In addition to the activities of the tribe, the tribes of the Arapahoe Nation participate in various Nation events throughout the year. Nation events include a Fall Outing/Initiation at Camp Kanata in Wake Forest, Winter Inning show at Memorial Auditorium, Polar Bear swims at local YMCAs, Kite Day, and Park Clean-up Day, and the highlight, Spring Outing weekend at Camps Sea Gull and Seafarer in Arapahoe, NC, complete with activities such as archery, riflery, zipline, searching for sharks teeth, scavenger hunts, swimming, eating with 500 of your closest friends in the mess hall and much more! And don't forget about a great evening campfire with songs, a ghost story and other fun surprises!
But best of all, the YMCA Guides & Princesses program is just plain fun for both father and child!
What Are the Benefits in Participating in the Guides & Princesses Program?
Through the Guides & Princesses program, the YMCA provides the following benefits to both father and child:
- Foster companionship and understanding and set a foundation for positive, lifelong relationships between father and child
- Build a sense of self-esteem and personal worth
- Expand awareness of body, mind, and spirit
- Provide a framework to meet a mutual need of spending enjoyable, constructive, and quality time together
- Enhance the quality of family time
- Emphasize the vital role that parents play in the growth and development of their children
- Offer an important and unique opportunity to develop and enjoy volunteer leadership skills
- Opportunity to meet other families with children the same age
The Fun Continues with Trailblazers!
The YMCA Trailblazers program is a continuation for older children of the Guides & Princesses programs. YMCA Trailblazers offers children, fourth grade and beyond, more challenging and varied experiences, while teaching leadership and responsibility. Service to the community and the YMCA is an important aspect of the YMCA Trailblazers program. Some dads and children actually stay in the program long enough for the child to drive their dads to camp!
Popular outings for the YMCA Trailblazers is the the Fall weekend to Camp Rockmont in Black Mountain, NC, the winter ski trip to Wintergreen Ski Resort and more. Through all of these activities and events, YMCA Trailblazers continue to help strengthen the family and foster the relationship between father and child.
Have Questions? Let Us Help!
If you have any questions about the YMCA Guides & Princesses program, dues, program structure, the Dads Orientation meeting or anything else with this program, please Matt Strickland, the Guides & Princesses Program Director at matt.strickland@ymcatriangle.org or call (919) 719-9691.
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