Parents Hours in the gym...

[gymmutti]

I'm a single parent trying to juggle a full time job and two kids in gymnastics. The second just started this June and we are going to see if we can make it work. I started my youngest in the summer in hopes that she would adjust to the hours now and then adjust to kindergarten in August. I am very thankful that my manager and my job allow me some flexibility as to where I work - because this summer it has been in the gym for a big part of the week. We also live a little over 30 min from the gym (longer if you attempt to get here during rush hour). My oldest is now at 12 hours but I think she'll move to 16 in January. Up until now we've managed dinners thanks to a crockpot, sandwiches, etc. However, due to school times changing - looks like I may have to start having dinner in a cooler/thermos for kids on the way home from gym. Like others, we don't have the luxury of time at home between school and gym. The girls will leave for school at 7:15am and be at the gym by 3:45 and then leave gym by 8:30 and home by 9pm. I've been able to get help with carpools in the past - but I fear that it may not work this year and I'm going to have to find a way to drive from work to the school and to the gym (using my lunch hour) and then work from the gym. Thank goodness for noise cancelling headphones and my gym's WiFi!!!! I plan to have a lot more grazing take place this year rather than big meals for dinner as I can't imagine eating big at 8 or 9pm at night. I'll have pajamas in the car and assume my youngest will fall asleep on the way home (we'll also bring a toothbrush so she can be all done with nighttime prep). Older daughter will do homework in the car and at the gym. Her HC is great and has told the kids that if they have a lot of homework, she'd rather they get that done and be late to practice than hurt their schooling. Hoping this year works out (and really hoping that somehow we find a carpool with other families)!

 

[htimcj]

At our gym L4, 5, 6 train 11 hours a week, two 4 hour practices and one 3 hour practice. Our optionals have to go days a week for a total 15 hours a week but can also do the friday 3 hour practice. During the competion season, there is an optional Saturday practice mainly for our 8-10 but it is open to all.

 

[Natasha]

My daughter only trained 7 hours in level 5 as well. Our gym was in a transition year. Last year at L6 she doubled her hours to 14. It was a bit of a transition, I was very nervous about her handling the hours and getting enough sleep. She had late practices that ended at 8:30 or 9pm. We live 25 minutes from the gym and from her school, so she did lots of homework and studying in the car. She became very good at being disciplined with her time and getting her homework done as soon as I picked her up from school. She would usually eat two small dinners-one before practice and one after practice. This year she will have 18 hours and I am nervous all over again!
I will say that at L5 her gym held their own even with the limited hours. I also noticed she seemed to be much more focused in practice when she only had 7 hours a week, vs. now with 18. The 7 hours were quality hours, which made a difference. Our situation was very similar to what you are in now, as a new gym opened up in our area at the beginning of her L5 season. About 1/2 of the L5 girls left to go to the new gym to train 12 hours a week. In meets however, our girls consistently scored higher.
Good luck with your decision, I know it is not easy trying to make these kinds of decisions.