Parents I hate Summer Gym schedules!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[twinmomma]

Man I hate this time of year in gymnastics. In order to make the summer gym schedule work, my DD has to spend the night at a teammates house two nights in a row every week otherwise I can't get her there. Then, with less than a week's notice, the Monday schedule just got moved to an hour earlier. Look, coach, I get off work at 4:30, getting my daughter to gym by 4:30 is impossible. I am glad we have a bit of a village that can help us, but the summer gym schedule is literally the biggest issue I have to deal with in regards to this sport every, damned year.

/endrant

 

[MuggleMom]

I wish they would ask for *some* parent input. I know they cant accommodate everyone but they did things different this year at our gym and many parents were caught off guard I think and scrambling to adjust summer plans. Luckily we got in the group I wanted to be in but others were not as lucky.

 

[MILgymFAM]

Gah! That really sucks! I have caught myself wishing that our gym switched to a different schedule for the summer, added hours or went to day training, but then I remind myself how badly that would work for many families (including mine, actually- my YDD still dances in the evenings).. and I tell myself to shut up. I’m glad you guys are able to eek out solutions though.

 

[Noideaaboutgym]

Gah! That really sucks! I have caught myself wishing that our gym switched to a different schedule for the summer, added hours or went to day training, but then I remind myself how badly that would work for many families (including mine, actually- my YDD still dances in the evenings).. and I tell myself to shut up. I’m glad you guys are able to eek out solutions though.

Me too, I was wishing DS had daytime training until I thought about the real logistics, at least he can sleep later

 

[skschlag]

I love the morning training! Hate the 5 hour trainings and hate that it is an hour away.....I cannot find enough to do and gas is just tooooooo expensive to drive back and forth....Hopefully DS can drive himself soon, but that 7am time is just tough.

 

[RDTmom]

I wish our times were consistent. Last year they were. Same time every day, just number of days varied by level. This year there are random chunks of time. Some go 9-1, some 12-4, some 4-8 and it’s all mixed up. Like one level is doing Tues and Thurs 12-4 and Fri 9-1, but another level is doing Mon and Fri 9-1 and Wed 12-4, etc.

 

[Madden3]

I usually love the summer schedule, because in the past it has been mostly fairly early morning start time. This summer both my boys are on a mid-day schedule every day and that makes it super hard to do anything else. Yes and the random chunks of time is soooo annoying especially with 2 kids on different schedules! My poor brain cannot hold it all.

 

[raenndrops]

Man I hate this time of year in gymnastics. In order to make the summer gym schedule work, my DD has to spend the night at a teammates house two nights in a row every week otherwise I can't get her there. Then, with less than a week's notice, the Monday schedule just got moved to an hour earlier. Look, coach, I get off work at 4:30, getting my daughter to gym by 4:30 is impossible. I am glad we have a bit of a village that can help us, but the summer gym schedule is literally the biggest issue I have to deal with in regards to this sport every, damned year.

/endrant

Would she HAVE to spend the night both nights? Or could she be dropped off in the morning?
So glad we dont change hours... we could make it work no matter what (my brother works nights and sleeps "around" the gym schedule ... and my sister works in the morning down the road from the gym, so if it was too early for brother to drive us, sister could), but most wouldnt be able to.

 

[twinmomma]

Would she HAVE to spend the night both nights? Or could she be dropped off in the morning?
So glad we dont change hours... we could make it work no matter what (my brother works nights and sleeps "around" the gym schedule ... and my sister works in the morning down the road from the gym, so if it was too early for brother to drive us, sister could), but most wouldnt be able to.

So the gym is almost exactly halfway between our house and her teammate's house. And the gym is over a half hour away, with start time AFTER my work start time. It would take me an hour to get up to the teammates house, so while it's possible, it would mean DD would have to get up at 6 for a 9 o'clock gym start time - super early for no reason. I feel like this is actually healthier for her with regards to sleep. You know?

 

[duyetanh]

Oh I feel so bad, because I LOVE my child's summer schedule, even though it means leaving early in the morning....because we have the rest of the days. It is SO wonderful. Sorry for all of you who are dealing with it unhappily...

 

[raenndrops]

So the gym is almost exactly halfway between our house and her teammate's house. And the gym is over a half hour away, with start time AFTER my work start time. It would take me an hour to get up to the teammates house, so while it's possible, it would mean DD would have to get up at 6 for a 9 o'clock gym start time - super early for no reason. I feel like this is actually healthier for her with regards to sleep. You know?

That makes sense then
YG actually is 10-15 minutes northeast of my house and the gym is 20-25 minutes south of my house. We drive to pick her up and from her house, the gym is 30ish minutes (so our trip is 40-50 minutes from the time we leave the house til we get to the gym. Then we drop her back off after, so 80-95 minute round trip). I can't imagine if they had an early practice and I had to wake up early enough to get her picked up.... when we had a fun day last Saturday at my Dad's Company picnic, we had her spend the night Friday night so we didnt have to get up even earlier to get her

 

[beachgirl]

My daughter moves to a day schedule for summer. Today is the second day and she remarked at dinner, "So, this is what dinner is supposed to be like." I told her not to get used to it.

 

[Gymmonkeymomma]

Every summer, we mark countdown on our calendar to the END of summer schedule. Years ago, it was 9:30 or 10am, which totally mucked up my work schedule. For the past 3-4 years, it has been early morning. My kid drives herself but I still have to listen to the complaining about 7am practice (she normally gets up at 7:15 for school, has to leave house by 6:30 for summer gym) #ourlastsummer

 

[mommyof1]

I hear you. For us the worst was the year they initially told us practice would be in the morning so I registered the kid for afternoon camps, then placement letters came out and my kid was in the only compulsory group practicing in the afternoon so I switched her registrations to morning camp, and then the week before summer schedule started they decided to change back to mornings.

I don't understand how gyms think families will be able to pay their tuition if every family is expected to have one stay-home parent to take the kid to practice.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Yes it completely s&cks for working parents. I am grateful, I am fortunate enough to be able to work part time to work with her summer schedule, with only minimal village participation. It impacts us financially but we can at least manage. It really does take a village.

 

[Mrs. Puma]

I am soooo lucky that I happened to marry a teacher. I feel terrible for families where all adults involved work M-F 9 to 5 type schedules. As is it we often struggle to get the kids where they need to be with our crazy life, but I know many people have it worse! Good luck to all...

 

[SMH]

My daughter moves to a day schedule for summer. Today is the second day and she remarked at dinner, "So, this is what dinner is supposed to be like." I told her not to get used to it.

I’m enjoying daytime summer practice now, because in the fall my kiddo will be at practice late almost every day and she won’t be eating with us. Last season she was out in time for a (late) family dinner most nights.

 

[Flyaway]

I normally love summer practice hours BECAUSE I work 8-5 and don't get home until 5:30. During the school year I see dd for about 30 minutes before school and an hour after practice before bed. At least in the summer we get to spend the whole evening together. It's wonderful. But it only works out for us because my hubby has a flexible work schedule and can run her here and there. Even then we'll have to rely on some college kids home for the summer to help us some. I don't know how we'd make it work otherwise. I feel for those of you in difficult situations!

 

[gymisforeveryone]

I'm sure that some families dislike our summer schedule. The practice starts at 2 pm or 5 pm, occasionally 9 am. I'm sure that those 2 pm starting times are tricky for some. But fortunately all of my girls are 11 or older and are able to take a bus by themselves. And all the girls who live close by and have shorter commute come by bike.

 

[mommyof1]

I'm sure that some families dislike our summer schedule. The practice starts at 2 pm or 5 pm, occasionally 9 am. I'm sure that those 2 pm starting times are tricky for some. But fortunately all of my girls are 11 or older and are able to take a bus by themselves. And all the girls who live close by and have shorter commute come by bike.

In the States, many communities where gyms are located don't have public transit, and even where there is public transit the parent could get in serious trouble for allowing an 11-year-old to take public transit alone.