Parents Compitition class+commute+young gymnast

[flipnastic]

I am a super early planner LOL! My five-year-old is wanting to compete, and if we to let her, she will switch to the competition class in May. She will be on the level two competition team, which has options to go either Monday and Thursday from 530 to 730 or, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday 530 to 730. Typically, I twill pick her up around four on Mondays and 430 on Thursdays from daycare due to my work schedule. We have a 35 minute commute to the gym. I also have a two-year-old little boy. I know I can take her to the gym, and my husband can pick her up after he gets off of work.

For those of you with this schedule or a similar schedule and a young child, do you take supper and eat it on the way, or just eat out? If we ran home to eat, it would add another 20 minutes to the commute (10 minutes from daycare to home, 10 minutes extra from home to the gym)

I just want to make sure we have all of the logistics worked out before we commit! Thanks!!

 

[Committed]

We have always eaten after gym. My DS doesn't like to eat without his sister, so late family dinners for us!

 

[skschlag]

My ds doesn't get done with gym until 9 now (5:30-9). He eats dinner before gym, and then eats whatever we have after gym. THe rest of us eat while he is there. WHen he was younger, I tried to have it ready right after gym (6:30 or 7:30 depending on the day).

Really, you will just have to figure out what works for you. D eats a TON before gym, so he isn't always too hungry after. But I don't get home from work in time for us to eat before gym. So he eats leftovers or makes his own. When he was younger, I had sandwiches ready to go.

GOod luck!

 

[MomIdidit!]

DD has always eaten her dinner before gym, I have been making meals for her, heating them up in a sectional dinner tupperware since she has been on team. It works out well for her. I make her chicken, broccoli, potatoes, salmon, steak.....really any kind of protein and veggie. I will bring a snack for her ride home, yogurts in the tube, fruits, chocolate milk, nuts, protein bars.

I would suggest not doing take out since it gets expensive and its always best to give your DD food from your kitchen so it's made healthy.

Some of DDs team mates eat after practice but this has always worked out well for DD. It helps that DD isn't a picky eater.

Good luck with the planning!

 

[flipnastic]

Thanks everyone for the advice. Yes, I absolutely hate takeout, and avoided at all cost. It would actually probably be a dealbreaker if this ended up being the solution. I do home health and work out of my car, so a tricky part is being able to keep food cold or warm all day. But, I think maybe a sandwich/fruit would work, and a snack on the way home.

 

[bogwoppit]

We always did food on the way to and from gym, and sometimes at gym. I would just pack a cooler with all kinds of healthy stuff and they, yes two on team, would eat their way through when they were in the car.

On gym nights dinners were always on the go. None gym nights it was around the table and a real meal.

 

[bogwoppit]

DO a search on here, there are tons of threads about healthy snacks, so many great ideas of things that can work well.

choc milk
milk
cheese
boiled eggs
raw veg
fruit
hummus
greek yogourt
nuts
dried fruit
protein balls (lots of recipes online)

 

[MomIdidit!]

Great advice Bog, there really are great posts on this topic. I do remember reading here someone posting she puts food in a thermos to keep warm which I thought was a great idea.

 

[flipnastic]

Yes, I will definitely do a search. Thanks, y'all!

 

[notthatmom]

I posted a similar question recently and lots of people had great suggestions for meals to go that can be eaten in the car (made from home). Right now it looks like your schedule could definitely work for this. You do have to think about what will happen down the road once tour DD gets to higher levels and practice is longer and on more days.
Some of the levels at our gym give the girls a 30 minute break to eat their dinner on break (they bring it in a lunchbox/thermos) so it's definitely doable without ever having to eat take out.
For now, with your current situation, I would have DD eat an energy bar or a protein shake before practice and then a late dinner with the family at home after practice.
Good luck to you, and congrats on your DD making team!

 

[sce]

For us it would be snack before and dinner at home afterwards. Does the daycare have a fridge where you can stash the snack for on the way to gym? Family dinner is important to us so we adjust and eat together if possible.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

My daughter did those hours. She ate small meal before, small meal after.

Lots of things in thermos. Things easy to eat in the car, and I would usually plan a meal that could easily be eaten in the car.

So she had her mini meal before and what we had for dinner, after.

Things like mac, cheese and broccoli
Quiche
Potstickers
Raviolli
Pierogis
Vegetable pancakes
Burgers
Pasta and Meat sauce
California rolls
Beans and Franks
Beans and rice
Tacos
Chicken Fingers
Sliced fruit, veggies
Hard boiled egg white, with hummus
PBJ
Ground beef or turkey with veggie, mushrooms, gravy and noodles
Fried Rice
Shrimp
Cheese sticks
Yougurt
Wraps
Subs
Smoothies.

Really anything that can go in a thermos and not be too messy to eat. Or anything that can be eaten with hands

 

[Deleted member 18037]

I would also add and this JMO. We also had this choice schedule for L2 and L3.

We opted to do 2 days for L2 and the third day for L3. Family dinner for us is a priority.

We are fortunate that now that she is a bit older (so her bedtime is a bit later) and her practice has changed to 4-7, we just have dinner a little later.

I work perdiem nights , we try as a family not to miss dinner together more then 3 nights a week.

If your child sticks with gymnastics there will be plenty of practice time. Plenty of missed dinners, free time and other activities. Grab the free time while you still have the option. Again JMO.

 

[flipnastic]

I'm definately not doing more than 2 days right now..I just can't imagine how she could function well with three! Especially starting kindergarten next school year. We also prioritize evening family dinners, and I feel that it's important to establish this when they are young. There will be plenty of time for busyness in the future but we aren't ready for it yet! It's just not worth sacrificing that much family time.

Thanks so much for the suggestions!!! These are great!!

 

[AmarisDad]

We have about the exact same schedule now. DD has 2 meets left this season for lvl 2. But My DD has little bit more time to let food settle. IMO especially when you are on short time restrictions it's important to ensure her diet is properly maintained from breakfast to dinner. It could be a bad mix to be bouncing around on recently filled tummy. I would pack her a high carb lunch. And after school on the way to practice fruits and or vegetables. I also go the extra mile and DD drinks a half of kids high protein ensure shake. After practice she get the other half of ensure and eats another healthy snack crackers, carrots,yogurt, fruit ect... Very important to replace proteins and rehydrate IMMEDIATELY after practice. Then she eats a well balanced healthy meal when she gets home.

With the increase in activity her appetite might increase don't be afraid to feed her but feed her the right food. My DD is 5 and eats atleast 6-7times a day. As a bodybuilder it took me a long time to figure out what works. I applied the same healthy eating habits to my DD and it's amazing when you put the right fuel in a rocket. People are amazed at not just her talent but strength and physical appearance. Good luck. Feel free to PM if you need more help.

 

[CTMOM]

We do a snack before and dinner after.

 

[l.c.o]

For my DD, we usually do a light dinner before + heavy, healthy snack after practice. Occasionally, we'll do the opposite.

My DS has one day where he goes straight from school to practice; he eats cashews, yogurt, and a fruit on the way, and he'll often eat almost a full dinner after practicing 90 minutes.

It works out that one day per week we do not eat together as a family, but we managed to eat something together the remaining days.

 

[mamaplum]

Lil is 8 (lvl 3) and has practice from 5-8 mwf. I also have a 5yo and a Husband who works swing shifts. Nightly dinner as a whole family happens maybe once a week. Sometimes 4 times a week. (this was before gymnastics was our life too) And we do one night of takeout or to go out and eat.

Lil eats a snack before gym because she gets sick if she has a full stomach, plus we have to leave the house at 420 to get to gym with traffic. Usually its some sort of fruit, crackers, and/or a cheese stick. Sometimes she eats a meal replacement bar (from aldi's) or a Lara bar. Afterwards it only takes us about 15 min to get home so I make her something small. Or she makes herself a sandwich or frozen mac and cheese with a veggie. Just really depends on the night. Honestly its a go with the flow kinda thing so i make sure she has several options. She also takes pretzels or chezits with her to grab a bite during water breaks.