I have some questions for other parents of gymnasts who have been there and done that....
We live in a very rural area, and I take my 6 year old son to gymnastics twice a week. This is the closest gym to us with a boys gymnastics program. It's 100 miles each way but the commute takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes each way due to the increased speed limit (it's mostly interstate driving with a higher speed limit due to rural area). There is no traffic either.
He has just been asked to join pre-team. Our gym currently competes in level 5 and above, and the coach usually waits until the boys are 7-8 to allow them to mature a bit more. They may be opening up a level 4 team. Currently pre-team will consist of having a special class for my son and other pre-team boys. It will remain a one hour class twice a week, but be targeting skills they need and not open to recreational gymnasts. Eventually they will increase the practice time to two or three hours, switch to 3 days a week, and then eventually 5 days a week for 3 hours each day plus Saturday open gym.
I think I can handle driving for three days of practice because I'm currently doing 2 days without a problem. Going from 1 hour practices to 3 hour practices wouldn't be a problem either because my kids usually fall asleep on the way home. It would put us home around 10 PM vs 8 PM. I'm pretty sure I'd get burned out doing five evenings a week plus Saturdays. I'm a single mom and work full-time as a teacher. Occasionally, I have meetings after school (once a month or so but some months are busier than others and there might be 2-3) would make getting to every practice difficult if we are talking 5 days a week. Currently, I try to schedule meetings for non gymnastic days, but I can't have them all on those days. I haven't had any luck in finding someone to carpool with.
Because I'm a teacher I would have to have a new job lined up and turn down my current job contract by June if we are going to move to the city where gymnastics is. I can't change mid-year or there are penalties. I also just bought a house a year ago. Sometimes the weather gets in the way of getting to practice if it's snowy or icy out.
How long do kids usually stay with 2-3 day classes before moving to 5 + days of practice?
Should I ask the team coach more about what his plans are for my son's group?
Do you think I should start looking for another job in the city of gymnastics or ride this out by continuing to drive for awhile?
I have a 3 year old daughter also. How can I do my best to make it a good experience for her? Currently, she comes with us and we watch her older brother in the waiting area. I feel a bit sad that she can't be home playing with her toys. Although she is home all day playing with her toys while the babysitter is here. So what can we do during practice to spend time having fun together. When it gets warmer, we can go on walks and to the park, but currently there's not much to do.
We usually pack dinner to eat on the way home from gymnastics and my 6 year old does his homework on the way to gymnastics (currently it's to read a book & if he has trouble with a word he spells the word to me).
Thank You,
Carolyn
We live in a very rural area, and I take my 6 year old son to gymnastics twice a week. This is the closest gym to us with a boys gymnastics program. It's 100 miles each way but the commute takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes each way due to the increased speed limit (it's mostly interstate driving with a higher speed limit due to rural area). There is no traffic either.
He has just been asked to join pre-team. Our gym currently competes in level 5 and above, and the coach usually waits until the boys are 7-8 to allow them to mature a bit more. They may be opening up a level 4 team. Currently pre-team will consist of having a special class for my son and other pre-team boys. It will remain a one hour class twice a week, but be targeting skills they need and not open to recreational gymnasts. Eventually they will increase the practice time to two or three hours, switch to 3 days a week, and then eventually 5 days a week for 3 hours each day plus Saturday open gym.
I think I can handle driving for three days of practice because I'm currently doing 2 days without a problem. Going from 1 hour practices to 3 hour practices wouldn't be a problem either because my kids usually fall asleep on the way home. It would put us home around 10 PM vs 8 PM. I'm pretty sure I'd get burned out doing five evenings a week plus Saturdays. I'm a single mom and work full-time as a teacher. Occasionally, I have meetings after school (once a month or so but some months are busier than others and there might be 2-3) would make getting to every practice difficult if we are talking 5 days a week. Currently, I try to schedule meetings for non gymnastic days, but I can't have them all on those days. I haven't had any luck in finding someone to carpool with.
Because I'm a teacher I would have to have a new job lined up and turn down my current job contract by June if we are going to move to the city where gymnastics is. I can't change mid-year or there are penalties. I also just bought a house a year ago. Sometimes the weather gets in the way of getting to practice if it's snowy or icy out.
How long do kids usually stay with 2-3 day classes before moving to 5 + days of practice?
Should I ask the team coach more about what his plans are for my son's group?
Do you think I should start looking for another job in the city of gymnastics or ride this out by continuing to drive for awhile?
I have a 3 year old daughter also. How can I do my best to make it a good experience for her? Currently, she comes with us and we watch her older brother in the waiting area. I feel a bit sad that she can't be home playing with her toys. Although she is home all day playing with her toys while the babysitter is here. So what can we do during practice to spend time having fun together. When it gets warmer, we can go on walks and to the park, but currently there's not much to do.
We usually pack dinner to eat on the way home from gymnastics and my 6 year old does his homework on the way to gymnastics (currently it's to read a book & if he has trouble with a word he spells the word to me).
Thank You,
Carolyn