Parents I miss my baby girl.....

[Flicfliclay]

Sounds like too many hours but if it works for her and your family great. One less day would give you an extra day with you and her family.

Taking it day by day and night if it begins to look like she needs alternative hours then of course we will do that

 

[sce]

Lol! It's rush rush to get dinner and showered after we get home! Bed around 9:20 up by 6:00.

That does not sound like enough sleep for a 9yo. Even more so, one that is that physically active would need more sleep than average, I would think.

What level is she?

 

[LJL07]

I don't feel like you are raining on my parade. I value all opinions. I will certainly be watching out for my daughter. They have 6 weeks off through the year plus whatever extra time we take. While it is a lot of hours there are other things they do during practice like dance, strength, trampolines etc

Just be really careful, that's all. Our group was homeschooling at gym so we didn't even have the added stress of juggling school elsewhere, and we did have Fridays and Saturdays off. The injuries snuck up on all of us. A seasoned parent on here warned me about the hours in the program, and I figured my daughter was happy and enthusiastic, plus we did have her home at night, but the hours were too much on their growing bodies. Fwiw, we are doing a modified school schedule as well, switched to a new gym, and DD is 10/level 8 and going 21 hours per week. Much better! Good luck, and keep us posted!

 

[Aussie_coach]

At 9 they love to be in the gym and it can seem like all is fine. But it is actually quite a dangerous coaching practice to have kids who are yet to go through puberty train 30 hours per week. The problems will show up later, and by that time it can be too late to do anything about them.

 

[notthatmom]

@Flippincrazy what level is she? Unless I'm confusing you with someone else, I could have sworn your daughter was a fairly new gymnast?

Just wondering.

 

[gymbeam]

It really is inevitable that the overuse injuries will come. With the high hours sometimes the scale tips when they are modifying so much due to injury that they would actually make more progress with fewer hours training with fewer injuries. Does that make sense?

We have a really high hours group at our gym as well and I see it with them and wonder if it's sort of defeating the purpose when, like I said, they are mostly all modifying.

My kid is doing higher hours as well but is 12 and only started gymnastics at 8. I thought that because she had fewer years of pounding as a late starter to the sport that she may not get those overuse injuries as much as the other high hours girls who had been in it 5 years longer. But, nope. As soon as she increased to about 30 hours 1.5 years ago right after turning 11, the aches and pains began. Now we are dealing with lower back issues and Achilles tendinitis. We've already been through severs and an upper hamstring injury all just in the short time after increasing hours.

I know it isn't easy at all to question the coaches plan when you are excited and feel lucky to be chosen for the elite path but man that's rrreally young for 30 hours. Maybe you could at least ask if there will be a point at which her hours can reduce. Sometimes they do. Sometimes they push, push for advancement really young and then are able to cut back some and just maintain. The "other stuff" you say they do- could they cut that out maybe to give her more time for school, rest and being 9?

Has your gym done this with other girls that young? I'd love to know if this is common for them and have proven they have a way to keep these girls healthy.

Oh, and I agree more sleep! 9-11 hours is recommended at that age and with the amount of recovery your kiddo needs after her kind days I'd aim for the high end of 11 hours for her.

 

[Flicfliclay]

That does not sound like enough sleep for a 9yo. Even more so, one that is that physically active would need more sleep than average, I would think.

What level is she?

Level 8 HOPEs/Elite

 

[Flicfliclay]

I want to thank everyone for their concern in my DD hours at the gym. Even though it was merely a post that I assumed a lot of parents could relate to.

Missing their child since they are away for most of the day.

With that being said, My husband and myself keep a very close eye and hyper awareness on her. She has a pediatrician that cares for her health and well being. The gym has a training group that she is in and the ages range from 9-15 and none of the girls are injured. They have a balanced training schedule along with 6 weeks plus off during the year. Her doctor gave us a list of things to look for to make sure she is not unhealthy. Diet and rest are important and we are on top of it. Same with her teachers. I have met with them and asked them to tell me the minute they notice any changes in her. She is a straight A student and is growing perfectly according to her medical charts.

Again, I appreciate all the informations posted by everyone.

 

[Flicfliclay]

@Flippincrazy what level is she? Unless I'm confusing you with someone else, I could have sworn your daughter was a fairly new gymnast?

Just wondering.

Not new, has been in gymnastics since she was 5. She is training Level 8/Hopes/elite

 

[gymbeam]

That's incredible that none of the girls are injured! So jealous! LOL.

I'm also jealous of the 6 weeks off!

I'd love to know what all your doctor put in the list to watch out for. I've never been given that kind of info from ours and am curious what it includes.

Age 9 level 8 kiddo for sure sounds talented so I wish y'all the best!

 

[Nikki4]

I would be right there with you but we switched to homeschool this year. She was at 16 hours last year, went to 25 over the summer and now, 29 hours.
She's 10
Our hopes/elites have no injuries, currently. And I haven't seen anymore than the usual with the higher hours group at our gym. Hopefully it stays that way
Last year was hard. She went to school all day, then straight to gym till 8. By the time she ate dinner, and I got everybody in bed it would be 10 before she was asleep.
I would sneak in extra time where I could. things like eating lunch with her at school or sleeping with her once in awhile.

 

[Flicfliclay]

That's incredible that none of the girls are injured! So jealous! LOL.

I'm also jealous of the 6 weeks off!

I'd love to know what all your doctor put in the list to watch out for. I've never been given that kind of info from ours and am curious what it includes.

Age 9 level 8 kiddo for sure sounds talented so I wish y'all the best!

No injuries yet! But I'm not neive to think that there won't be. Nature of the sport.
Yes the 6 weeks off really are what help my brain feel better about the training hours. And we take a week here and there if the schedules times don't fit into our schedules.
A few of the things to look out for are: dark circles under their eyes, weight loss, falling asleep in class or while doing homework etc.. mood swings etc.. those are all things we were asked to watch out for.
What we feed her seems to have a large impact on these things too.. which I also met with teachers at school saying she needs to eat pretty much all day long! lol good thing we have an expandable lunch bag!
There are so many talented girls in this sport! I i no way think my child is above and beyond any girl trying hard. The moment the fun goes away we call it quits.. so far so good..

 

[mommyof1]

I feel like we see her so little and when we do it is to cram food down her, do homework, or making sure gym bags are packed and ready for the next day. wahhhhh I miss her like crazy!

If it helps, I don't think this feeling is confined to parents with kids doing high hours. Mine was only doing 12 hours last year and we still had exactly one hour at home with her each evening, which was always spent trying to get her to eat, shower, and finish her homework. I would make her come grocery shopping with me on Saturdays just to get some quality time.

 

[Flyaway]

If it helps, I don't think this feeling is confined to parents with kids doing high hours. Mine was only doing 12 hours last year and we still had exactly one hour at home with her each evening, which was always spent trying to get her to eat, shower, and finish her homework. I would make her come grocery shopping with me on Saturdays just to get some quality time.

Agreed. I think parents of team gymnasts grow accustomed to their babies being gone a lot, but it still takes it's toll. This season, dd's schedule is better than it has been, even at 16 hours/week. She has two school nights off a week and instead does a Sat practice. We love that. I spend Sat. during her practice running errands and then we chill together the rest of the day.

 

[JMACAZ]

I hope you get some time with her soon. Sounds like everything is going well

 

[Flicfliclay]

I hope you get some time with her soon. Sounds like everything is going well

We had some time at our vacation home this holiday weekend! Hammocks, reading, long soaking baths and movies! She had never watched Harry Potter until now! She loves them!