Parents Any advice??

[profmom]

Huh. Both of my gymnasts love PE and wouldn't give it up for the world.

 

[Mrs. Puma]

What a joke. You should be able to at least test out of PE.

I agree. I checked into it and there is no PE waiver nor partial homeschooling in NY. It's nuts. I love our school district and I truely believe my kids are getting an awesome education as well as enjoying other school sponsored activities, but this all or nothing approach is really not good. It's not like my kid is going elite or anything, but I'd love her to have a little more flexibility while doing the best she can in the sport she loves.

 

[Mrs. Puma]

Huh. Both of my gymnasts love PE and wouldn't give it up for the world.

Puma Jr loves PE class too. But I think she'd give it up to get some homework done or maybe be able to go into school late and catch more sleep. Or practice the clarinet she just started...sigh.....lol. I guess my point is that it would be nice to at least have the option.

 

[gracyomalley]

We've been lucky - homeschooled through 7-8th grade and the older kids attend a public charter high school which runs on the college schedule. For my older son that means he got credit for PE through gym and also got credit for his out of school music activities (had to do a write up and log hours, etc). The college model means that for instance AP physics only meets T/TH for 90 minutes, so he can tailor his classes to allow for gym and music. He also can take classes at the local Community college and they pay...lots of high schools have some degree of that these days.

We are super lucky to have stumbled on this school (although it is a 45 minute commute), and I honestly can't imagine how you all make it work in schools that do not allow any flexibility with kids schedules. Also I would cringe at the amount of wasted time...last year DD was at the middle school that feeds into the high school, and took mostly classes at the high school, but boy did she have a lot of down time at school and almost no homework when she was proactive about it during those times. I suspect the gymmies that make it work are very efficient with their time. They don't feel the 20+ hour a week rat race until they are off it a while - I know DD didn't in middle school.

I will say that this fall when DD toyed very briefly with going back to gym (again) the time commitment was part of what she realized she was no longer willing to do - she values her time to see friends, study at starbucks, be with her horses, get enough sleep, volunteer at school, attend homecoming, and generally be a normal 14 year old. My oldest does NOT use his down time efficiently when it shows up - I honestly think he's in a perpetual state of exhaustion - between trying to do at least 12+ hours of gym, 2 nights of symphony rehearsal, one of chamber music and multiple AP classes as a sophomore.

For the kids who choose to stick with gym through middle and high school, I think its because gym is THAT important to them. Its too bad that it becomes such a choice, but really even with JD my older boy will struggle to be safe competing what he wants to compete (L9-10 skills on several events) with so few hours...but its just a sport and school and career planning (for him music) are definitely more important to him.

Take it a year at a time - at level5/7 DD was dreaming of college and high on the podium in the youngest age groups - now she's a 14 year old ex-gymnast. But she did learn a lot in the years she was commited to gym, and letting them pursue dreams at that age is important, there's plenty of chances for life to crush their dreams later!

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Puma Jr loves PE class too. But I think she'd give it up to get some homework done or maybe be able to go into school late and catch more sleep. Or practice the clarinet she just started...sigh.....lol. I guess my point is that it would be nice to at least have the option.

Us too. But yep NY not an option. In fact you go to a state college/university, PE credits are required as well.

Son hated gym, he was one of those kids who would just not go (as in dress and participate). I tried to warn him but he didn't listen. So instead of a few days a week each year. It was 5 days a week and a couple of quarters of multiple times a day senior year or no diploma.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

For the kids who choose to stick with gym through middle and high school, I think its because gym is THAT important to them. Its too bad that it becomes such a choice,

Much of life is about choices and priorities. They pick what is most important to them.

And choices and priorities change over time. life is not static.

 

[GymDad9.9]

Us too. But yep NY not an option. In fact you go to a state college/university, PE credits are required as well.

Son hated gym, he was one of those kids who would just not go (as in dress and participate). I tried to warn him but he didn't listen. So instead of a few days a week each year. It was 5 days a week and a couple of quarters of multiple times a day senior year or no diploma.

I went to a private university in NY and was required to pass a difficult swim test as a condition of graduating.

 

[Gymmommy71]

We have high school gymnastics league around me, and most local gyms allow their JOs and Xcels to compete in it (in addition to their club training). The club-trained gymnasts usually go to maybe one short practice a week w/ the school team just to run their routines - (which are made up almost exclusively of skills they already have/brought w/ them from club). The meets are really fun (although at the same time scary when you have non-club low hour gymnasts throwing half-baked skills - but that's another thread :/), and the club kids enjoy being able to do their thing "for their school". My DD's district puts them in the yearbook and everything, and I think some schools give them letterman jackets.

I think the availability of this HS system keeps a lot of teen kids in the sport who may have otherwise quit - like they may be just a mediocre L9 or L10 in the JO system, but being a star in the high school system is really cool and makes sticking w/ it worth it.

 

[Mrs. Puma]

I went to a private university in NY and was required to pass a difficult swim test as a condition of graduating.

Wow! No PE at all at Albany College of Pharmacy....lol

 

[profmom]

Wow! No PE at all at Albany College of Pharmacy....lol

They should have had you all doing tricep presses to improve your skills with mortar and pestle!

 

[Mrs. Puma]

They should have had you all doing tricep presses to improve your skills with mortar and pestle!

LOL!!!

 

[Mish]

Yes, NY no flexibility. A lot of club girls do HS gymnastics here, as well. Between their 20+ hours of gym, hs gym practice, no school flexibility, hw, etc. I don't know how they do it. My DD is lv 6 in 4th grade and it's doable now. My non-gymmie 16 y.o gets about 5-6 hours of sleep with virtually no extracurricular activities (rigorous HS classes). Will I have to "dumb down" my gymmie in order for her to make it all work? I'm being facetious (kind of), but I do wonder about this going forward.

 

[munchkin3]

My 8 year old is competing 5 and wants to go 7 in the Spring. For those moms who have already been down this road, any advice?

Right now DD is doing 5 days, and school/homework has been a challenge. She's very committed to maintaining her hours, so we're giving it a few weeks to settle. How do you all manage the homework plus making sure they get enough sleep??

I don't want to hold my gymmie back. She's in love with the sport and has big dreams, which I will always support. I also want to make sure we're making the best choices for her future. Any input from moms who have already done the 5-7 year is appreciated.

Thank you in advance gym moms!!

To be honest, it's better that this is happening in elementary school since the demands are lower. I would start by talking to the teachers and asking for some flexibility with homework. Then, I would make sure there is time for her to relax during the day. Maybe even an hour if possible.
It does get better......for all of us, we are finally getting used to the new demands but it is tiring. The biggest thing I have learned is to try and make all if this craziness as low stress as possible. Try not to let her know you are rushing.
What's her schedule like now?

 

[Seeker]

Huh. Both of my gymnasts love PE and wouldn't give it up for the world.

When my dd went to a regular school, she didn't do PE. School didn't have a real gym and held the class in the basement cafeteria which had 6 large cement poles and many other obstacles. Kids were always getting hurt. She was a reading buddy in the K class during that time.

 

[Flyaway]

Us too. But yep NY not an option. In fact you go to a state college/university, PE credits are required as well.

My dad is a college professor and took a sabbatical to teach at Cornell when I was in 11th grade. I was horrified to learn PE was required at the high school. My saving grace was that we were only going to be there one year and I was going to be graduating from my high school back home in another state, which did NOT require PE. The principal must have been feeling generous because he let me waive PE that year. . I also didn't have to take the Regents exam (another NY specific requirement).

We're ok now with public school and homework. But it will be a new game when dd starts middle school. I know our district allows students to waive PE if they can document at least 90 min a week if organized physical activity. Unfortunately they have to do another elective in its place, so it's not just a free hour.

 

[Flyaway]

Yes, NY no flexibility. A lot of club girls do HS gymnastics here, as well. Between their 20+ hours of gym, hs gym practice, no school flexibility, hw, etc. I don't know how they do it. My DD is lv 6 in 4th grade and it's doable now. My non-gymmie 16 y.o gets about 5-6 hours of sleep with virtually no extracurricular activities (rigorous HS classes). Will I have to "dumb down" my gymmie in order for her to make it all work? I'm being facetious (kind of), but I do wonder about this going forward.

I will add to my story above that the one year I spent in a NY high school was intense. I only took 4 classes (the 4 I needed to graduate back home) and I spent at least 4-5 hours on homework every day. Very rigorous! So I understand your concerns first hand!