Parents Level 2 - 12 hrs/week training?

[gymmomtoo]

I'd email the coach back and say that 12 hrs is too much at this time with her starting kindergarten in the fall and ask if there are other options. Maybe they'll let her go for shorter days on school days? (I can't imagine keeping my 5 yr old up until 10 p.m. on a school night!)

 

[JoyAvenueMom]

That's a LOT for her age and level...and not necessary. Better to keep her wanting more. Our L2's go about 6 hours per week, and some of them do a 2-hour tops class. It think it's more the late nights that would create concern. If it were 4:30 to 7:30 on 2 school nights, that would be more manageable. If she loves this sport, you will learn to appreciate every moment you have to spend with her, soon enough they will be few and far between! I read on a different CB thread that the only regret some parents had with their kid's "career" was the time they gave up with their child. I am learning that more hours does not always mean more progress, and once I got passed being flattered my kid was invited to team, I realized how much I missed seeing her. (She didn't do 12 hours/wk until she was 8). Now, even at 9 years old, she will occasionally crawl in my lap and tell me how much she just wants to be near me. But, she STILL wants more gym time (at 15 hours currently) Can your dd handle it? Maybe. If you read related posts here, you will see that some can and some can't. I also know It's hard when parents disagree, and dad's tend to get more excited about budding athletic stardom than us mom's do. The best advice I have found here to remember: "It's a marathon, not a sprint."

 

[gracyomalley]

Too much at too low a level - doesn't take near that amount of time to learn L2 skills (many places those are still in rec classes at 2-3 hours a week) and if they are up training huge amounts that's probably not safe or developmentally appropriate at age 5. All day kindergarten is too much for many 5 year olds in the beginning - so I certainly wouldn't think getting to bed at 10 pm would be even conceivable......

I've seen 6 year olds with permanent wrist damage from training too hard too quick, and many on here have seen significant back issues from too much too early. I don't even understand why a program would suggest a 5 year old do this - if they want that kid to last until Level 10...maybe it was the standard letter they send to all kids ready to move up and if you speak with them they will agree to take the hours/progression slower for such a young one...

Both of the gyms my kids attend have had younger kids come through that were too advanced for the usual developmental program for their age but not ready for the "team schedule" - both made allowances for the kids to come in for half practices, or only one day a week, etc...until the kids were more mature...one of those kids is now an 11 year, 5th grade L9 - it didn't slow her down one bit and she still loves gym...and the 6 year old boys training L5/6 skills still leave early sometimes....

Lastly, it wouldn't sit at all well with me as a parent if the only communication I got about this was a letter in DD mail box....is this gym really the "right one"???

 

[Sasha]

Even if your 5 year old does turn out to be one of the young ones who "can handle it and still begs for more", 12 hours just seems unnecessary for Level 2. I could see it if this was for slightly older kids (8-11) trying to catch up a little with focus on uptraining and hopefully skip level 2/3 or something, but L2 is preteam in many places (like our gym) and skills are quite basic. Kids learn L2 skills in rec classes going 1-2 hours per week.

There are a million threads on CB about hours and levels. For reference, ours are:
Preteam (levels 1-3+ skills): 4 hours per week starting / 6 summer & fall
L3: 9 hours per week / 12 summer & comp season
L4: 12 hours per week / 16 summer& comp season

And please assure your husband that if you keep her in preteam another year, that will probably only help, not hinder, her long term prospects for athletic greatness. If it turns into a 'job' at age 5, she may not last long.

20 kids in preteam isn't bad if there are at least 2 coaches that run well-organized practices. If there is only 1 coach, I'd be more skeptical.

Hope it works out!

 

[Midwestmommy]

Any mommy or daddy who convinces a 5 year old kindergartner that doing three four-hour workouts a week at gymnastics is OK, would be an official looney in my book. Unless there is tons of wasted fun/play goof-off time in that twelve hours, in which case you would be wasting money and wasting precious time that could be spent as a family. Just my opinion.. 5 is too young for 12 hours a week.

 

[Ali'sMom]

We're just about to move up to 4 practices 3 hours each for L4...
Way too much for L2, and for a 5 year old.

 

[wgymmom]

Wow, that is a LOT! DD was doing 12.5 hours for new L4!

 

[JMACAZ]

My 7 yr old did L2 last fall and went 2 hours x2 days per week 1 day 3 hours= 7 hours. This spring she was training L3 and went 9 3 days x 3 hours. This summer she will do 12 for L3. 3 days x4 hours per week. She did not practice past 7p and was in bed by 815p. My point way too many too long and too much for a 5 yr old L2

 

[sce]

12 hr does seem like alot for a young level 2. 8:30 also seems like a late end time for that age.

 

[Committed]

That's insane. My L4 1st grader 'only' goes 10.5 hours a week (3.5 hours, 3x a week). She gets out at 7:30, drive home, eat dinner, wind-down and she's in bed at 9pm. By Friday, she's a little worn down, and she's the energizer bunny type.

 

[sjm2b3]

My DD is in 2nd grade and is doing 12 hours a week for level 5. She did compete old level 4 as a kindergartner and went 9 hours a week at that time. Her coach recently explained to me that while 12 hours is low, the risk of stress fractures, burnout etc is so high that taking it slow is the way she is training her. I was very impressed by this.

It has never seemed too much for DD (or DS who also does gym at a similar amount) but I can tell you that they grow up really quick in the gym. They become these mature little things and are very passionate and love what they do. The drawback is that they can have trouble fitting in socially in normal life. DD is incredibly outgoing in the gym and talks and lights up and her best friends are there. She is a completely different person at school--she doesn't seem to fit in this year (different from previous years). I think all the other kids attend fun fairs, play tball or bball for school, etc. and DD has no interest in those things. I try to see it as a positive but I'm just throwing this out as something to think about if you let her do those kind of hours early--it really does change them.

 

[AlexsGymmyMom]

Def too much for a 5 year old or really for Level 2. I know when my DD did level 2 (old L3) she went 6 hours a week.

 

[onebusymama]

I'll go ahead and say it too... IT IS WAY TO MUCH! & 10pm bedtime for a kindergartener is just insane. The poor kid will tire out mid day. How will she be able to keep focus in class & learn? unless she plans on making gymnastics a career which last time I checked it wasn't a career.

 

[happychaos]

Our level 2's train 4 hrs. per week. I simply can't imagine asking a 5 year-old to train 4 hrs per day. That is looong time for kids that age. Their attention span and physical endurance just isn't developed enough yet. Most 5 year-olds will be exhausted after a 2 hour practice. My DD, nearly double the age of your DD, is utterly wiped out after a 4 hour practice, both physically and mentally. Also, as others have said, starting Kindergarten is a BIG transition.

Training 5 year-olds until 8:30 is also a concern. That is just too late.

 

[3LittleGymmies]

My DD is in 2nd grade and is doing 12 hours a week for level 5. She did compete old level 4 as a kindergartner and went 9 hours a week at that time. Her coach recently explained to me that while 12 hours is low, the risk of stress fractures, burnout etc is so high that taking it slow is the way she is training her. I was very impressed by this.

It has never seemed too much for DD (or DS who also does gym at a similar amount) but I can tell you that they grow up really quick in the gym. They become these mature little things and are very passionate and love what they do. The drawback is that they can have trouble fitting in socially in normal life. DD is incredibly outgoing in the gym and talks and lights up and her best friends are there. She is a completely different person at school--she doesn't seem to fit in this year (different from previous years). I think all the other kids attend fun fairs, play tball or bball for school, etc. and DD has no interest in those things. I try to see it as a positive but I'm just throwing this out as something to think about if you let her do those kind of hours early--it really does change them.

I absolutely agree with this. The first year of team, my daughter was still a social butterfly at school. This year, she wants to be homeschooled. She just doesn't seem to want to bother making friends she will never really get to see who just go home and play every day. Something definitely changed in her this year. She's not depressed or anything, just very matter of fact about the whole thing.

 

[3LittleGymmies]

For whatever it is worth, my daughter has three friends who did old 4 in kindy, old five in first grade, and competed 7 this year in 2nd grade. All amazing gymnasts, obviously. Two have had terrible back injuries. One of them missed the whole season and was in a brace for three months. I don't know all of the details of the other one except that she missed half of the season and "almost couldn't walk again". Not worth it.

 

[cbifoja]

Like others...... wow! Mine is another one of those balls of energy but I don't think she could have handled that much at such a young age. She did old L3 as a 7YO and went 9 hours, old L5 as an 8YO and went 12 hours. And each increase of hours does require a small adjustment period especially when school starts back. Thinking of your little one doing 12 hours and school as a 1st grader sounds like a recipe for burning her out.

 

[Gym Gab MP]

This does sound like a lot of hours, but I would contact the gym and invite them to share their vision for this group with you and why they chose this schedule for your daughter. You could also watch the current group of level 2's at this age to get a better idea of how the team is run. Don't be afraid to express your concerns and be proactive in your problem solving. This article might help: http://gymgabblog.com/wednesday-write/ Good luck!

 

[bookworm]

Here's a little perspective for you ...my level 10 goes 20 hours a week, so yeah , 12 hours a week is too much for what is basically preteam...

 

[Natasha]

I just don't understand how 4 hour practices can be beneficial or productive for little ones.