- Apr 29, 2025
- 3
- 0
Hey All!
I have a soon to be 5 year old who has been doing gymnastics since she was 3. Originally we did not take it too seriously and just used it as exercise because we were already at the gym for her big sister. She quickly progressed out of the tots classes and picks up skills with ease. Around 4 years old our previous gym had her start working on level 1 and 2 skills and she was going 4/5 days a week one hour a day where they trained something different each day. We were very happy with their program and she was working towards the competitive track that her big sister is on. She actually thrived in the more structured program and enjoyed it more. When she was in the tots program she would get bored, sit down watch others, roll on the floor so on. As soon as the gym moved her up with bigger kids she started working on skills and paying attention even asking to go to gymnastics more days.
The problem is we moved and do not have the option in our lives to move back at the moment. We found a new gym as soon as we moved. My older daughter made the team and it thriving; she has gotten stronger and learned many new skills. She is 9 years old and practicing 16 hours a week. I honestly think they do a great job with the team. My little one is not thriving; I have tried to express this to the gym in more round about manner and they either are not getting my point or just do not care. I want to be respectful and I do not want to be a pushy mom. However at this point we are getting quite frustrated with the path the little one is on.
She was 4.5 when we moved to the new gym. Her skills were too advanced for tots classes which is what they said her age was. However, they said she was not quite strong enough to make the pre pre-team. She may have just had a bad try out. They put her in rec classes to gain some strength. They wanted her to attend the rec class once a week for an hour. First of all going from 4/5 hours a week to 1 hour a week is not going to make her stronger, she will get weaker! Second, when I expressed the want for more gym time for her they suggested more rec classes. We tried Ninja, it is mostly boys and she is not interested. We tried signing up and paying for a second one of the same class she is in; however it is the same exact lesson plan for the week. Then she ends up doing the same thing twice a week and is bored and still not stronger. Still only two hours a week there; she has a lot of energy and wants to do gymnastics!
She has not really been working new skills or getting the personal attention she got at our old gym and is getting bored. She complains at home that her big sister gets more days at the gym and gets to complete. As a parent I tried suggesting she practice at home for a while so she could improve and move up. She did this happily for a while (probably with bad form!) but then as a 5 year old got tired of it when she did not move up. She already has most all of her level 2 skills at 5 years old and was working towards level 3 skills. She basically goes to the gym twice a week messes around, pulls on the teachers shirt for him to watch her do a skill she has done for 6 months now, he gives her a thumbs up and then she stands there and looks around. She has had at least 5 different teachers for her rec class since we have been here (6 months). I would expect them to at least correct her form or give her a new drill to work on next. I have tried to be supportive of all the teachers as they are young and have big groups of kids to work with. I even bribed my daughter and told her she could have a sticker or whatever at home if when I sat and watched her entire class she worked the whole time on skills even if her teacher was not looking. I watched her go through an entire rotation of bars skills doing about 10 of each skill and looking at me for a thumbs up each time, then rotating. Other kids needed spots and the teacher stopped and helped them. Because my daughter has the skills he just skipped right over her. We have also tried to sign her up for gymnastics holiday camps and clinics and they keep telling us she is not old enough. But how is she supposed to move up to the path she wants to be on if you only take her 1 or 2 hours a week? Besides the fact that this kid has endless amounts of energy.
As parents and athletes ourselves we feel she could be very good at whatever sport we put her in if the coaches pay attention to her. I have seen 6 year olds competing at meets. However, if she is not even on the pre team we are a bit discouraged. Should I be more direct and simply ask why they have not moved her up and tell them we are quite frustrated? Should I look for a different gym just for my little one? But then does this get awkward if the older one wants to stay at this gym? Should we find another sport she loves where the coaches will put the time into her? She really is a natural athlete and enjoys it. Am I overreacting?
Thoughts are much appriciated to put this in perspective! Thank you!
I have a soon to be 5 year old who has been doing gymnastics since she was 3. Originally we did not take it too seriously and just used it as exercise because we were already at the gym for her big sister. She quickly progressed out of the tots classes and picks up skills with ease. Around 4 years old our previous gym had her start working on level 1 and 2 skills and she was going 4/5 days a week one hour a day where they trained something different each day. We were very happy with their program and she was working towards the competitive track that her big sister is on. She actually thrived in the more structured program and enjoyed it more. When she was in the tots program she would get bored, sit down watch others, roll on the floor so on. As soon as the gym moved her up with bigger kids she started working on skills and paying attention even asking to go to gymnastics more days.
The problem is we moved and do not have the option in our lives to move back at the moment. We found a new gym as soon as we moved. My older daughter made the team and it thriving; she has gotten stronger and learned many new skills. She is 9 years old and practicing 16 hours a week. I honestly think they do a great job with the team. My little one is not thriving; I have tried to express this to the gym in more round about manner and they either are not getting my point or just do not care. I want to be respectful and I do not want to be a pushy mom. However at this point we are getting quite frustrated with the path the little one is on.
She was 4.5 when we moved to the new gym. Her skills were too advanced for tots classes which is what they said her age was. However, they said she was not quite strong enough to make the pre pre-team. She may have just had a bad try out. They put her in rec classes to gain some strength. They wanted her to attend the rec class once a week for an hour. First of all going from 4/5 hours a week to 1 hour a week is not going to make her stronger, she will get weaker! Second, when I expressed the want for more gym time for her they suggested more rec classes. We tried Ninja, it is mostly boys and she is not interested. We tried signing up and paying for a second one of the same class she is in; however it is the same exact lesson plan for the week. Then she ends up doing the same thing twice a week and is bored and still not stronger. Still only two hours a week there; she has a lot of energy and wants to do gymnastics!
She has not really been working new skills or getting the personal attention she got at our old gym and is getting bored. She complains at home that her big sister gets more days at the gym and gets to complete. As a parent I tried suggesting she practice at home for a while so she could improve and move up. She did this happily for a while (probably with bad form!) but then as a 5 year old got tired of it when she did not move up. She already has most all of her level 2 skills at 5 years old and was working towards level 3 skills. She basically goes to the gym twice a week messes around, pulls on the teachers shirt for him to watch her do a skill she has done for 6 months now, he gives her a thumbs up and then she stands there and looks around. She has had at least 5 different teachers for her rec class since we have been here (6 months). I would expect them to at least correct her form or give her a new drill to work on next. I have tried to be supportive of all the teachers as they are young and have big groups of kids to work with. I even bribed my daughter and told her she could have a sticker or whatever at home if when I sat and watched her entire class she worked the whole time on skills even if her teacher was not looking. I watched her go through an entire rotation of bars skills doing about 10 of each skill and looking at me for a thumbs up each time, then rotating. Other kids needed spots and the teacher stopped and helped them. Because my daughter has the skills he just skipped right over her. We have also tried to sign her up for gymnastics holiday camps and clinics and they keep telling us she is not old enough. But how is she supposed to move up to the path she wants to be on if you only take her 1 or 2 hours a week? Besides the fact that this kid has endless amounts of energy.
As parents and athletes ourselves we feel she could be very good at whatever sport we put her in if the coaches pay attention to her. I have seen 6 year olds competing at meets. However, if she is not even on the pre team we are a bit discouraged. Should I be more direct and simply ask why they have not moved her up and tell them we are quite frustrated? Should I look for a different gym just for my little one? But then does this get awkward if the older one wants to stay at this gym? Should we find another sport she loves where the coaches will put the time into her? She really is a natural athlete and enjoys it. Am I overreacting?
Thoughts are much appriciated to put this in perspective! Thank you!
