Does your gym require the gymnasts to clean?

[MdGymMom01]

At out gym the girls help move all the mats so that the cleaning people can come in and easily and quickly sweep and mop the floors once a week. The pit is cleaned out 2 times a year, I think. And everyday, the girls go around and collect empty water bottles or trash that may have been left. That's all that I know about.

 

[BlairBob]

At the end of the night, the team kids put mat back or sometimes help set up the toys for the mommy and me class on saturday morning.

I've been at other gyms where I've had some of the kids do chores if they wanted to raid my snack stash ( cheese, veggies, fruits, nuts, etc ). Sometimes parents were expected to do x amount of cleaning per month but had their kids do it instead. Typically though the gym hires a cleaning crew or barters it for trade with a gym family.

Sometimes, the staff is expected to have a daily chore list and the office workers will clean the gym a bit during their slow time ( like windows ). Usually the staff is paid for that time ( if they clock in 15m early and do chores ).

 

[Deleted member 1703]

Our team kids have always had to help in the evenings with the set up for the morning sessions. This usually involves getting out all the equipment for the little kids and putting it all out on the floor. They also had to hoover around the place a bit, take out bin bags etc. This does often seem quite late and it is often getting on for 10pm by the time they leave but I think it is an important part of the whole operation and they should actively contribute to it.

There is a cleaner that comes in twice a week for a couple of hours in the mornings to do a quick once over of the toilets and waiting area.

Also, once a year, the whole gym closes for a long weekend and all the parents and team kids come in. The pit is emptied, cleaned and sometimes the foam is replaced. All the equipment is washed, the hard floors are scrubbed, cupboards unpacked and repacked and everything is given a "once over". Great fun is had by everybody. There is usually a steady supply of bacon rolls etc being made on a barbeque outside by one of the Dads and it usually ends up with all the parents (kids go home to bed!!) in the local pub.

It is hours and hours of hard work but I think this helps hugely with team building and the whole group of parents really feels "pulled together" at the end of it. It is a good way of getting to know the parents of some of the newer team members and the whole gym smells wonderful (unfortunately does not last long enough!)

 

[lil_gymnast_alanna]

We mop and sweep the mag off the mats underneath the bars and sometimes vaccume

 

[CreateMagic]

Cleaning at our gym is done by the staff. Windows, sweeping of the lobby, and trashes are done 2x's a day (once, after the preschool ends their day, and once at the end of gymnastics classes at night). Twice a week, a staff member or two is scheduled to vacuum and clean mats thoroughly. I should say though, that the major cleaning is not arbitrarily assigned--we can ask to do that for more hours a week. Having a full-time job means that this is not something I do.

Pit cleaning is done by way of a sleepover at the gym with the team kids a few times a year. They think its the greatest thing ever.

 

[Panda-girl's Mom]

The team cleans once a week at the end of practice besides puting mats away they wash the trampoline and mats down vacum take out the trash. I think this teaches them responsibility the coaches clean along with The coaches usually clean the bathroom not the girls. I am not sure about the pit cleaning. I quess it is better than having a cleaning service because I am sure that would be tacked onto our gym bill. The only problem I have with the cleaning is that it is usually during the end of practice which is late and it is on a school night.

 

[MdGymMom01]

I actually think the idea of having the team girls help out around the gym cleaning/setting up/breaking down is a good idea. Our gym is very small and family-like and it is more like "chores" that they know they need to do. I agree with one poster that said that it teaches them responsibility and I also think that it helps build pride in their gym. They know that they should want to help keep their gym nice and clean and take part in taking care of it. There is a cleaning crew that does most of the cleaning--mopping and stuff like that but I think helping moving mats and picking up a few stray water bottles is good for the kids--it helps build character!!!

 

[gymjourneymom]

Yes, I agree chores teach responsibility. I have no problem with most chores DD is required to do at the gym & I've never complained. But during the school year practice ends at 9:30pm. Then the chores begin. They are required to move mats, etc., that they've used & clean up gym & lobby area. I'm fine with all of that. But once everything is cleaned up they have to set up obstacle courses for the preschool class in the AM. These are sometimes rather involved. They have to follow the written plans for the next day, find the needed equipment & set it all up perfectly or they are not allowed to leave. It's going on 10pm some nights & these girls still have to get home, take showers & finish homework, before they go to bed. Most get up at 6am to be on the bus 7am. Then they do it all again the next day. There are always a few who get out of it "b/c they live so far away". And the pit cleaning is a biohazard(I'm serious), unless they are wearing masks, goggles & gloves. There is a lot of fine dust in the bottom of the pit(broken down foam bits). I really don't think that is a job for the kids, unless they are supplied with proper protective equipment, as some of the posters have suggested. Thanks for all of your responses! Sounds like we are all pretty much on the same page as far as gym chores go.

 

[hunde2]

Honestly I hated when they used the girls during their gymtime to clean and even if it was just the last half hour.I felt like for the price I pay they should get all the coaching they can get especially right before and during comp season.
I don't mind if they put up their mats etc.
Just my opinion.

 

[Ashley*Gymnast]

at our gym, we have a cleaner that comes sometimes (not sure how often) who comes and vacumes, mops and stuff. also the gymnasts help set up the class obstacle courses... but most of the times we were the ones to take it down and move it. the pit gets cleaned about once a year, and some of the parents get down there and clean it with masks on because there is so much chalk. but the kids come and help with other cleaning jobs while this is happening.

 

[TeamDad]

Last year at IGC they had the girls clean the pit. A bigger girl jumped in and landed on dd's foot (yes, the same one that's always either injured or recovering). She's supposed to tell anyone that she's only allowed to do gymnastics related activities and that they should call her parents if this is a problem. But, once again she didn't, so basically she missed three days of gymnastics camp because of some stupid unnecessary accident.

The year before, she was at IGC playing soccer and some girl kicked her in the foot (yes, the same one that is either always injured or recovering) and we had to pick her up after just two days of camp. This is where our policy as parents started - you are there to do gymnastics. You are not allowed to do anything that is not gymnastics. If anyone has a problem with this, they need to call your parents and we will explain it to them.

Hmmm....I think I need to add a smiley to this post