Parents Newbie! What have I done?!

[IreneKa]

I'm sure it's fine if you take her to one more rec class. But ask them what you should do before signing up for the next session.

 

[CuriousCate]

I admit, I think I might be crazy and I might have gone over board. My DD started this fall in beginner rec class. She was 3 months shy of being 5. I don't know much about gymnastics, but I watched a pre-team group my DD same age. They were doing strength training stuff that my DD could easily do. I asked around about this pre/team group and I found out it's very secretive. They pull a few kids in it from the preschool classes.

I have always found this initial process of who they choose from the preschool/kindergarten classes to be rather mysterious. And while I feel fortunate now that my kids were chosen, I honestly think that I would never have known any differently had they not been, and perhaps that would have saved us a lot of stress and money!!

I will say this - I do think the coaches have some sort of an algorithm, if only a loose one, that they use to pulls the kids out, especially because very often they are not being hand selected by the head coaches. The sense I got from watching my girls and their groups were that the kids chosen for the developmental pre-teams could all do a rather clean cartwheel, could hold a decent (not pretty) bridge with mostly straight arms and head not touching floor, were pretty close to having a split down, weren't scared to be upside down in a handstand or on a bar, were pretty strong and could pay attention pretty well.

I never see any harm in asking for them to evaluate your child. I think that half of parenting is being brave enough to advocate for your child.

That said, at this point, they are giving her a chance and you shouldn't put any pressure on her to "make the team" or it will backfire. They make it if and only if they are ready and want it for themselves. Look up my post asking for HELP! I'm turning into a CGM! My DD (turned 5 in February) is on pre-team now and can do a lot of stuff but just wasn't performing/trying in practice. I was getting really annoyed because it was likely going to guarantee that she repeated pre-team and did not move up to level 2 competition. Thankfully, other CBers pointed out that it has to be her journey, not mine. And encouraged the consumption of relaxing beverages. I left it alone and feel so much stress gone! I won't know if she makes it for another few weeks, but I honestly will feel fine (almost relieved) if she does not, because it would crush her self-confidence to move to a level that she may not be ready for. This is just one time that you can advocate gently, but really then need to trust the process.

 

[cadybearsmommy]

The rec class is at the same gym as the pre team right? If so, I see no harm whatsoever in her staying in the rec class. They told her she would work out with the pre team until the end of May, more like a tryout right? At the end of May if they offer her to stay on pre team, then drop the rec class of course but I would think it would be wise to keep her in the rec class to hold her spot until you know for sure. As for the tumbling lessons, usually gyms don't like girls taking tumbling classes from another gym, especially if it's more cheer tumbling, they might not care for rec kids but if she does get invited to pre team and eventually team they might be more strict about that then.

 

[Teammom]

Yes, for the month of May. They never mentioned stopping rec class. It's just once a week and her sister takes at that time

 

[duyetanh]

Said kindly....please try and relax....she will make it, whether it is this year or next...and the stress only rises as you keep going.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Said kindly....please try and relax....she will make it, whether it is this year or next...and the stress only rises as you keep going.

I would like to like this a thousand times.

 

[Flyaway]

I would like to like this a thousand times.

Ditto. Reading your post I feel like you're jumping to some conclusions about things. Take a deep breath and enjoy the journey. She sounds like a strong, talented little girl. I think her time with preteam this month will tell a lot about the future the coaches see for her. If you're not satisfied with their conclusion, then there's always the option of having her evaluated at other gyms. Doing so before she's on team is the easiest time.

 

[Teammom]

well, they're keeping her on preteam for the summer!! They'll all get reevaluated in august. They'll either go back to rec or stay in preteam.
I'm just thankful she's getting her chance.

It's 3 days a week for 2 hours a practice. Is 6 hours about normal for preteam?

 

[SMH]

well, they're keeping her on preteam for the summer!! They'll all get reevaluated in august. They'll either go back to rec or stay in preteam.
I'm just thankful she's getting her chance.

It's 3 days a week for 2 hours a practice. Is 6 hours about normal for preteam?

Congrats to your daughter! Sounds like a normal amount of time for pre team. Ours was 4 hrs if I remember correctly, but my daughter goes to a lower hours gym.

 

[notthatmom]

well, they're keeping her on preteam for the summer!! They'll all get reevaluated in august. They'll either go back to rec or stay in preteam.
I'm just thankful she's getting her chance.

It's 3 days a week for 2 hours a practice. Is 6 hours about normal for preteam?

Yep, that's what our preteam was. Congrats to your daughter!

 

[jillc]

Good news for your daughter! My daughter is just finishing up pre-team and she did 5-5.5 hours a week. Seems like pre-team is usually in the 4-6 hour per week range.

 

[CuriousCate]

our pre-team is 4 hours and level 2 (they start competing at our gym after pre-team) they do 7.5 hours (which is new...used to be 6.5). It looks like most of the girls that got moved from pre-team to level 2 are going to be in kindergarten or 1st grade.