WAG Church & Gymnastics

[Becauseisaid]

The revival of an old thread brought this concern to mind again.

How do you handle church obligations and gymnastics? We attend Mass on Saturday evening and I teach 2 CCD classes (Sunday School) on Sunday mornings. Not insurmountable, as our Director of Religious Education knows there may be a couple weeks where I have to have a substitute for CCD.

I generally don't worry if I'm going to miss Mass occasionally; however, DD is coming up on Confirmation. Confirmation in the Catholic church happens in 8th grade and is a HUGE deal. Our diocese requires the kids to have attended CCD for 2 years prior to receiving the sacrament of Confirmation. Unfortunately, CCD changes to Wed evening during 6th grade - next school year for my DD. Wed is also typically a gymnastics practice night. Practice: 5-8:30p; Church: 6-7p. No way to do both.

To my mind, both are very important. I'm wondering how others have handled this sort of thing.

 

[bogwoppit]

Just a point of order. We do not discuss religion or politics here. But as long as this is about time management issues I will leave the thread in place so you can get input as that is a topic that concerns all parents whether it involves church or another sport.

Thanks for understanding.

 

[Becauseisaid]

Understood. Not looking for people's religious convictions, just want to know how people work around time conflicts like this. Quite frankly, this could be a conflict between school and gymnastics as well.

 

[bogwoppit]

Understood. Not looking for people's religious convictions, just want to know how people work around time conflicts like this. Quite frankly, this could be a conflict between school and gymnastics as well.

I agree 100%.

 

[emilykatherine]

Any way you could talk to the coach and see if she could practice a different day?

 

[cbifoja]

We have a couple of religious girls on our team who have a conflict with Wednesday. The way our coach handles it is to let those girls come on another night with a different level. She does the same for girls who have dance class on certain nights of the week.

 

[sce]

For a once in a while thing, like a meet, I have no problem jsut missing. If I have a volunteer commitment then I would obviously make prior arrangements for that to do covered.

For the class, the above suggestions seem like good ones. As well, if the gym won't flex then a couple other options: Is there another parish with class at a different day/time? or Can she get private teaching at a different time?

 

[windydays]

Our coach lets girls come in a different day as well when there is a conflict.

 

[gymmomof1]

Yup same here, t they come in a different day. so let coach know and see what schedule could work in the gym.

 

[bookworm]

We knew a family that "homeschooled" the confirmation training because as the mom said "the CCD teachers are other parents like me" and the kid showed up for things like the weekend retreat. It went fine.

Our confirmation class has always been held on a Sunday evening so early in the year I let the coordinator know that my girls would miss a few due to conflicts with their schedule (if we were traveling for a meet) . Funny thing, when it came time to actually schedule the confirmation, the coordinator called me to make sure we'd be in town so that was nice.

 

[lovethelord]

Like with anything, sometimes you have to make a choice. We choose to not to go to gym on Wed. It's hard to do it all. I think you have to evaluate your situation every year. Right now her Confirmation is important to you. In a couple years, if she is Level 9/10 trying for a college scholarship, it might be important for her to be in gym.

 

[lhmom]

DD started Hebrew this last school year and class was on Wednesday night. We worked it out to have a private tutor teach Hebrew to DD and my son on DD's day off. I know others at her gym sometimes leave early on Wednesdays for church activities. Most gyms are willing to work with you, I think.

 

[ShesAMonkey]

Our church does confirmation classes on Wednesday nights too--for all of 7th grade, all of 8th grade and half of 9th grade! DD is not there yet (she will be in 6th grade this fall) but if and when we have a conflict, we will speak to her coaches. They have been flexible with other families when it comes to religion classes, and allowed girls to come practice on another night.

As for missing occasionally for out-of-town meets (or even in-town meets), I don't worry about it.

 

[Becauseisaid]

It's a small team so I'm not sure if practicing on a different day would be possible. I also have a year before this becomes an issue, so this is all long term speculation at this point. I had wondered about doing the CCD training at a different time.

 

[curlymop]

This is an issue for us as well. Church on Wednesdays with no option to move to a different day. DS is really excited to be old enough to participate in the church program, and I just happen to be the current director. Team (all levels) will only practice M/W/F starting in the fall. This year DS will just go M/F for 6 hours total. He's a 6yo 1st grader, and I think 9 hours would be too much for him anyway, so for now it works out. I don't know how we will deal with it next year...

 

[wsg13]

I used to have this problem we had youth on a Thursday night when I trained. I loved going to both! I went 1 week train 1 week youth.

 

[Gymnastisism]

Is it possible for your DD to make up for CCD training on another night or do some things in the church community to make up for it?

 

[profmom]

I fear we'll be facing this in the fall too. Our religious school just merged with another one, and I have heard that there will be Wednesday Hebrew, which is likely to conflict with DS's practice. And they are very strict about attendance, so only going on Sunday will not cut it. I hope I can get DS in on a different day, though it will likely mean working out with the optional guys, which isn't ideal. I wish they could be more flexible, because DH has actually taught Hebrew several times (he quit because of gymnastics meet conflicts, LOL!), but they feel like if they breach the dam for one exceptional case, they'll never be able to close the floodgates for every other soccer, baseball, dance, etc. kid.

 

[Gymmonkeymomma]

Our CCD classes are Sundays only because we are a small parish. My kids go to as many classes as they can, but if they have to miss a class, we homeschool the lesson(s). One season, DD2 missed nearly the whole year, but she was able to keep up with the program. There are only 2 mandatory retreats for 9th and 10th grade, that she may have to skip a meet but it is only 2 days out of her entire gym career.

For teammates who have religious classes during the week, HC is pretty flexible about leaving early or coming in late. Since we practice 5 days, there are really no opportunities for making up practices.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

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