Parents First team parent meeting- Advice?

[TexasRose]

Ok, so we are new to competitive gymnastics. My DD just started on the L3 team this month. The first parent meeting is this week. I'm a little nervous because I've heard some of the parents talking about it and it seems like there's going to be drama involved- which I have very little tolerance for, lol. The girls practice in 3 hour time blocks each day, the number of days a week depends on their level. One of the moms is going to bring up the argument that the girls don't need a 15 minute dinner break during practice. I totally think that they do, my dd is only 6 and I think that break is very important. She'll usually sit down and eat a whole thing of chef boyardee during that break. But the mom that will be bringing this up has had kids on the team for years. I'm a little nervous about voicing a different opinion. I really don't want to rock the boat, especially since we're new. Any advice? I don't want to come across as confrontational but at the same time I want what I feel is right for my dd.
Thanks!!!

 

[JBS]

I will try to talk as a parent here...

If my 6 year old daughter does not eat during practice...she is useless.

Here's me as a coach and team director (the one who sits down with each set of parents for the meetings)...

The way each club structures their break/snack time during workout can be very different...but it is a very important part of practice. You never know if the gymnasts have had enough to eat or time to eat before workout. We have had instances on our program where I wanted to physically see what certain kids would bring to practice so we could start approaching the topic of nutrition. Whether 15 minutes is too much for a given Mom...who cares.

#1 rule of parent meetings: Don't talk about anyone else or anyone else's kid.

A drama free statement would be, "I really appreciate the 15 snack time you have included in workout for the kids. It's so good to be at a program that knows that a little break time never hurt anyone."

 

[bogwoppit]

Great response JBS< I am in agreement. Never make it about someone elses child and always use the I and we. My kids also benefitted from snack breaks. Over the years they were modified by the HC to keep things less messy and kids were guided in what they could bring. BUt she did provide a fridge and microwaves.

As to the parents meeting, well aren't you lucky! I never had one in 8 years of having kids on team! Listen, ask relevant questions, it is a great way to get the answers to question you have been holding on to. As for the drama, it does't concern you, do not get sucked in by the crazies, know as CGM or D's here!

 

[gym law mom]

Whether its talk about snack time or something else, there will be some drama. Keep the conversation related to the topic. My question would be why do away with the break? What are the coaches concerns with it?
Be ready to propose a settlement. What about a 5-10 minute break for a snack and not a "dinner?" Kids do need to eat.
May the force be with you

 

[bookworm]

I'm the mother you fear ...whose been around forever with their daughter on team but i have a suggestion regarding the whole dinner break issue . For starters, when is the practice ? If things don't go your way in the meeting and say if she's going 3 hours from 4-7, could you give her something before practice to tide her over, and dinner in the car on the way home? My daughter has done this for years and it has worked pretty well, and she has had 4 and 5 hour practices.

I guess I can see where the "no dinner " argument is coming from...they're only there 3 hours and if they're young , they can get distracted with the whole dinner process and before you know it, you've lost a half hour to 45 minutes of your 3 hour practice. I think you might have better luck lobbying for a "snack break" (i.e. granola bar, apple) mid practice as they could snack quickly and stay on track...

 

[TexasRose]

Thanks everyone for the advice! Let me clarify real quick- the coaches want to keep the 15 min break. It's one of the parents that wants to stop it. They practice from 5-8 pm. We do a snack before practice as well. The gym actually has a snack bar with a list of approved snacks for team, which I like. I just don't want to ruffle feathers by voicing a different opinion than one of the other moms. But I guess that's really inevitable because you'll never have every single person feel the same way about something. I really appreciate the advice! I'll let y'all know how it goes

 

[gymgal]

Here's my take ---- 15 minutes often turns into 20-25min. Doesn't sound like much but in only a 3 hr practice, that's half a rotation. my dd has been in gymnastics for 6 yrs and has never had a snack break (3-4 hr practices), nor has she needed one. She eats a mini-dinner before practice 9about 1/2hr before so by the time she actually starts working out, it has been about an hr. and she doesn't feel full) and usually a snack after gym. The girls get water breaks and I know a few get snacks during these times, usually if they didn't eat before practice (coming straight from school through a carpool). But I would be worried about anyone eating an actual dinner item (pasta, pizza, hotdog, burger, etc) in the middle of practice. All that food sitting in your stomach while you are trying to workout can't feel good. And a 15 minute break isn't long enough to start that digestion. Quick, easy to digest snacks would be fine - gives a little bit more energy for the rest of practice but really, 3-4 hrs without food should not be an issue unless the child is really working hard throughout the whole practice (cardio-wise), which typically isn't the case in the lower levels. Or if there is a health issue (diabetes, thyroid, etc), in which case the child should have a special plan in place.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

I'm the mother you fear ...whose been around forever with their daughter on team but i have a suggestion regarding the whole dinner break issue . For starters, when is the practice ? If things don't go your way in the meeting and say if she's going 3 hours from 4-7, could you give her something before practice to tide her over, and dinner in the car on the way home? My daughter has done this for years and it has worked pretty well, and she has had 4 and 5 hour practices.


I guess I can see where the "no dinner " argument is coming from...they're only there 3 hours and if they're young , they can get distracted with the whole dinner process and before you know it, you've lost a half hour to 45 minutes of your 3 hour practice. I think you might have better luck lobbying for a "snack break" (i.e. granola bar, apple) mid practice as they could snack quickly and stay on track...

now there^^^is an experienced parent!

 

[nevertooold]

Hmm... Gym has a snack bar and a list of approved team snacks... I would be curious how many gyms offer a food break during a 3 hr practice. Schools around here do not include snack time and the kids are a good 4 hrs without food during the school day.Our policy is no snack for practices less than 4 hrs. For 4 hr practice they may bring something small, bar or cheese stick or banana and grab a bite between events. Not an actual sit down. Most of the teens don't need to but the growing girls will get hungry.For a 5pm practice I would feed dinner after school and 2nd dinner after practice.

 

[2gymmies]

My 6 year old dd is on Level 4 team this season and their practices are from 4:30 to 8:00 - we leave our house at 3:50 and we have a pretty substantial snack in the car (protein bar and some grapes for example) and she packs her dinner to eat on the way home. Our team girls are not supposed to have any food or drinks in the gym, except water, because of the mess and spill potential, but they let them keep their lunch bags closed in their lockers as long as it isn't left over night. Its just the way it is and she has gotten used to it. One thought, if your dd gets 15 minutes of "dinner" - why not see if they can start practices 15 minutes later or end 15 minutes earlier and she can have a tiny bit more time to eat at home - I say, keep them busy or let me have them home longer!

On a side note, if she is eating at the gym - make sure to give her hand sanitizer for her locker or make sure she washes her hands because eating at the gym seems like a good way to get exposed to lots of germs - my 6 year old wouldn't think to wash her hands before eating after touching the equipment that so many others have touched (really its no wonder they aren't sick all the time, but I digress).

 

[mumoftwogymnasts]

DD 8yrs, three hour practice finishing at 7.00 pm, no snack break.
DS 11yrs, three hour practice finishing at 7.30 pm, no snack break.

They both cope fine, I feed a high protein snack before gym (they eat in the car during the commute).
They have unlimited water breaks.

 

[jasminekayla]

I have never heard or seen a snack break. My daughter is finishing at 830 and we either eat before hand or after. I see how long "potty breaks" take with one or two girls I could never see everyone being done in 15 minutes and still be in the right mind frame to continue. Once they lose that focus esp. after sitting in school all day its done. I know personally I am a better worker during the day then after lunch. Because once that lunch comes around, I have now learned something maybe from a call or email and now I am thinking about that or whatever it could be. Plus I am paying for 3 hours of practice and would only be getting 2 hours and 45 minutes ( maybe)

 

[Deleted member D3987]

My 6 year old dd is on Level 4 team this season and their practices are from 4:30 to 8:00 - we leave our house at 3:50 and we have a pretty substantial snack in the car (protein bar and some grapes for example) and she packs her dinner to eat on the way home. Our team girls are not supposed to have any food or drinks in the gym, except water, because of the mess and spill potential, but they let them keep their lunch bags closed in their lockers as long as it isn't left over night. Its just the way it is and she has gotten used to it. One thought, if your dd gets 15 minutes of "dinner" - why not see if they can start practices 15 minutes later or end 15 minutes earlier and she can have a tiny bit more time to eat at home - I say, keep them busy or let me have them home longer!

On a side note, if she is eating at the gym - make sure to give her hand sanitizer for her locker or make sure she washes her hands because eating at the gym seems like a good way to get exposed to lots of germs - my 6 year old wouldn't think to wash her hands before eating after touching the equipment that so many others have touched (really its no wonder they aren't sick all the time, but I digress).

the reason they aren't sick all the time is BECAUSE they must be/are exposed to germs all the time. an abundance of germs make for healthy immune systems!

BUT...you should still wash your hands before you eat.

 

[JBS]

Are we talking about "dinner" breaks or "snack" breaks now?

It seems to me that we have some that are "no" to snack breaks also. It is definitely advised to do some sort of replenishment during a 3 hour workout. If plain "water" is the only thing a team is getting...you could see many young gymnasts "hit the wall".

We do not allow sports drinks during workout because of the sugar...the kids get all goofy...like drinking way too much kool-aid. I'm also not a fan of sports drinks because of this...

Sports Drinks a Hidden Source of Sugar for Kids: Study - ABC News

Shttp://abcnews.go.com/Health/Wellness/sports-drinks-hidden-source-sugar-kids-study/story?id=11721675ince we do not allow sports drinks we encourage and sometimes require simple snacks (such as a banana) for workout.

Bottom line...high performance athletes require fuel. If you are not fueling them around 90 minutes in...look out for the "wall".

 

[TexasRose]

It's a 15 minute break, some kids eat a snack, some eat a meal. So it's a snack/dinner break. My DD will eat a little container of pasta and drink a pediasure usually. Sometimes she's not that hungry and just eats some fruit. She also eats a snack before practice and then a "second dinner" after practice. It's really interesting to see everyone's opinion on snack/dinner breaks during practice. I like it but there have definitely been times when it's lasted longer than 15 minutes and I've gotten frustrated. If it's brought up at the meeting by the parent that said she was going to I will probably just comment that I support the break but would like to see it strictly timed for 15 minutes.

The girls don't eat inside the work-out area. There is a snack bar and booths that they sit in to eat and snack during break. It was really funny to hear the parents last week when the gym posted the list of approved snacks for the team members. So many of them were upset about it, saying that the gym was putting the kids on a diet. Some of the foods approved for the gymnasts was different fresh fruit, oatmeal, granola bar, etc. My dd likes to get the oatmeal. I think it's great and will help the kids to see that healthy eating habits can help them improve their performance. But I'm a nurse so anytime I see kids eating healthy I'm happy. I think that as athletes it's important to learn this early.
Thanks everyone for your advice!!!

 

[bogwoppit]

It's a 15 minute break, some kids eat a snack, some eat a meal. So it's a snack/dinner break. My DD will eat a little container of pasta and drink a pediasure usually.

Watch that Pediasure, it is crammed with sugar and weird ingredients. One bottle has more sugar than fruit loops and milk, and corn maltodextrin (3rd ingredient) is just not good. And WTH is "Short-Chain Fructooligosaccharides", there is just no way a kids needs that!

I hate that it is marketed to parents as a great nutritional supplement when it is so not! A banana and a glass of milk would be a way better choice.

Below is the list of ingredients, they should make your hair stand on end. I tell my kids if they can't read the ingredients, and if there are more than 10, it probably is very bad for you!

Water, Sugar (Sucrose), Corn Maltodextrin, Milk Protein Concentrate, High Oleic Safflower Oil, Soy Oil, Whey Protein Concentrate, Medium-Chain Triglycerides. Less than 0.5% of the Following: Soy Protein Isolate, Short-Chain Fructooligosaccharides, Natural & Artificial Flavors, Cellulose Gel, Magnesium Phosphate, Potassium Citrate, Potassium Chloride, Calcium Phosphate, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Phosphate, Salt (Sodium Chloride), Cellulose Gum, Choline Chloride, Ascorbic Acid, Soy Lecithin, Monoglycerides, C. Cohnii Oil, m-Inositol, Potassium Hydroxide, Carrageenan, Taurine, Ferrous Sulfate, dl-Alpha-Tocopheryl Acetate, L-Carnitine, Zinc Sulfate, Calcium Pantothenate, Niacinamide, Manganese Sulfate, Thiamine Chloride Hydrochloride, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Cupric Sulfate, Vitamin A Palmitate, Folic Acid, Chromium Chloride, Biotin, Potassium Iodide, Sodium Selenate, Sodium Molybdate, Phylloquinone, Cyanocobalamin, and Vitamin D3.

 

[my4buffaloes]

My girls have a 10 minute snack break. My older goes 4 hours, my younger 3 hours. I think they start breaks if a practice is more than 3 hours. I have never seen a problem with the kids not getting back on track quickly after a break. Even though the youngers practiceis shorter, she would not be able to make it 3 hours working out like that without a snack. She would melt down. Hunger does her in quickly, she just can't handle it. But all kids are different and I do think they should have a short break.

 

[Gymmonkeymomma]

When my girls were practicing from 5 to 8, there were no snack breaks - they were used to having a small meal around 4:15, then dinner at 8:15. Now that practices are from 4 to 8, (summer 9:30-2pm), they do have a 'light' snack break- 5-10 mins. Most days it's a few pretzels, crackers w/cheese, fruit, or granola bar. Some days, my little one just sits and opts not to eat. I can't imagine having a container of pasta or sandwich, and being able to get back in the gym for another 1.5-2 hrs of strenuous workout.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

Watch that Pediasure, it is crammed with sugar and weird ingredients. One bottle has more sugar than fruit loops and milk, and corn maltodextrin (3rd ingredient) is just not good. And WTH is "Short-Chain Fructooligosaccharides", there is just no way a kids needs that!

I hate that it is marketed to parents as a great nutritional supplement when it is so not! A banana and a glass of milk would be a way better choice.

Below is the list of ingredients, they should make your hair stand on end. I tell my kids if they can't read the ingredients, and if there are more than 10, it probably is very bad for you!

Water, Sugar (Sucrose), Corn Maltodextrin, Milk Protein Concentrate, High Oleic Safflower Oil, Soy Oil, Whey Protein Concentrate, Medium-Chain Triglycerides. Less than 0.5% of the Following: Soy Protein Isolate, Short-Chain Fructooligosaccharides, Natural & Artificial Flavors, Cellulose Gel, Magnesium Phosphate, Potassium Citrate, Potassium Chloride, Calcium Phosphate, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Phosphate, Salt (Sodium Chloride), Cellulose Gum, Choline Chloride, Ascorbic Acid, Soy Lecithin, Monoglycerides, C. Cohnii Oil, m-Inositol, Potassium Hydroxide, Carrageenan, Taurine, Ferrous Sulfate, dl-Alpha-Tocopheryl Acetate, L-Carnitine, Zinc Sulfate, Calcium Pantothenate, Niacinamide, Manganese Sulfate, Thiamine Chloride Hydrochloride, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Cupric Sulfate, Vitamin A Palmitate, Folic Acid, Chromium Chloride, Biotin, Potassium Iodide, Sodium Selenate, Sodium Molybdate, Phylloquinone, Cyanocobalamin, and Vitamin D3.

wow Bog! thats a wholelotta typing.

 

[bogwoppit]

A wholelotta copy and pasting more like. The ingredients are listed on the product website. Not like I had a bottle in my house eh?! ; p