Parents 4 Year Old Gymnast Advice

[Dahlialover]

Would there be any reason or incentive for the gym to push her up to the next level if they didn't truly think she was ready?

When they say that she is “ready” they mean that she is physically and behaviorally capable of meeting the demands of the program. Just because she is capable of doing a thing doesn’t mean that it is the best thing for her as a growing child! Many coaches fail to consider the social, emotional, and development needs of young gymnasts. They see talented young gymnasts as a resource to exploit rather than as children to raise. Your job as a parent is to protect your child from people who want to exploit them. Going with the flow and trusting the coach can be very dangerous in this sport.

Any coach trying to put a 4-year-old in a 4 hour practice is not knowledgeable about child development. Pushing gymnasts to train too many hours too young is a common mistake in the gymnastics industry. It harms children and rarely yields good results in terms of performance. What you are describing here is an extreme version of this problem.

Are you really looking at your child and thinking “What this kid needs right now is 4 hour gymnastics training sessions”. If not, why do it?

 

[LittleGymnastDad]

When they say that she is “ready” they mean that she is physically and behaviorally capable of meeting the demands of the program. Just because she is capable of doing a thing doesn’t mean that it is the best thing for her as a growing child! Many coaches fail to consider the social, emotional, and development needs of young gymnasts. They see talented young gymnasts as a resource to exploit rather than as children to raise. Your job as a parent is to protect your child from people who want to exploit them. Going with the flow and trusting the coach can be very dangerous in this sport.

Any coach trying to put a 4-year-old in a 4 hour practice is not knowledgeable about child development. Pushing gymnasts to train too many hours too young is a common mistake in the gymnastics industry. It harms children and rarely yields good results in terms of performance. What you are describing here is an extreme version of this problem.

Are you really looking at your child and thinking “What this kid needs right now is 4 hour gymnastics training sessions”. If not, why do it?

Well she does come home from school and does gymnastics for about an hour before we go, then goes for an hour, and then comes home and does it for another hour or two. She loves it. We aren't forcing her to anything.

I am trying to protect her. Which is why I came here to ask about it, because I don't know how normal this is.

We're going to see how she does with it. If she hates it, we'll move back down. If she loves it, then great!

My concern is that she is getting bored with the classes she is currently in. She has learned the skills and is instead trying to do her own thing to push her self. I am worried that her learning the more advanced skills by herself, she is going to hurt herself. My other concern is that if we continue at the level she's at and not being challenged, she will lose interest.

So, while I agree that the 4 hour practice is too long, I don't see any harm in trying it and adjusting the schedule to something that makes sense, if it's too much. Who knows, she may love it! But we won't know if we don't try.

 

[GymDadWA]

I am trying to protect her. Which is why I came here to ask about it, because I don't know how normal this is.

So, while I agree that the 4 hour practice is too long, I don't see any harm in trying it and adjusting the schedule to something that makes sense, if it's too much. Who knows, she may love it! But we won't know if we don't try.

Did you want our advice or our approval?

What the gym wants to do is not normal, long term physical and mental harm are the risks.

Sounds like your mind is made up anyways so good luck.

 

[LittleGymnastDad]

Did you want our advice or our approval?

What the gym wants to do is not normal, long term physical and mental harm are the risks.

Sounds like your mind is made up anyways so good luck.

That seemed a bit unnecessary.

I took advice, including from you earlier in the forum, and went back and talked to the gym manager about my concerns. We talked it through and came up with an action plan.

I appreciate the advice. I took the advice and made a decision. I came back on here to give an update, just in case anybody else was going through a similar situation.

 

[Dahlialover]

If the rec/pre-team program at this gym is too easy and the team program is too many hours, then perhaps you should shop around for a gym that has a better pre-team program. There are plenty of gyms that offer pre-team programs that would be the right level and the right number of hours for your daughter. Many gyms don’t offer level 2 as a competitive level. Level 2 is traditionally pre-team, which is usually about 4 hours per week. That’s normal. Having a 4-year-old train 9 hours per week is both abnormal and highly frowned upon. The fact that this gym is encouraging such a dubious plan is a huge red flag and a good reason to shop around.