Parents JO Vacation/attendance policy?

[amiandjim]

Yes, the crazy train definitely showed up here.

VIG - to me every family has it's own needs. I hope your gym will work with you. I know many families that have family in Eurpope or Asia and the only way to see them is a long trip. While it is true that missing that chunk of time will mean she has some catching up to do, many kids do it and with a season that starts in November she has time. Our compulsory seasons tarts in September, so long summer trips are rough, BUT people still take them as there is more to life than a kid's activity.

I do hope you continue to see Chalk Bucket as a place to ask your questions. it makes sense to asses, "what are we getting into?" When committing to competitive gymnastics. It is a commitment. Many activities have a big commitment, but each has it;s own unique quirks and even in gymnastics, different gyms have thair own way of approaching things.

Who you calling asses?? Hahahahahaha

 

[RTT2]

Who you calling asses?? Hahahahahaha

 

[LJL07]

OP here. I guess this thread puts things into perspective for me regarding various aspects - but will admit it was also a bit discouraging from an aspect of supporting each other - as parents of well-rounded human being gymnasts and supporting our kids who work individually but also as a team. As a mom coming into JO and brand new to this forum. To use the word ‘privileged’ because I would like to visit my parents, brother and family in Europe every 2 years and not want to deny my 2 kids of this experience while, yes, thinking “it’ll be fine for my gymnast” is an insult. Clearly no child, Coach, or gym is the same nor are the hours they train so the impact of being away for whatever reason however long is simply not measurable or even predictable in my opinion. Looking at score trends won’t either. Will some become elite gymnasts and need to train more than a new level 4? Sure. I still believe in fun being had and a healthy life outside of the gym (or our work), which absolutely includes having an option to be away at some point in any level for us to make time for a family vacation. I guess the amount of time of what is “reasonable” depends on the individual; their current ability and future goals. And the gym’s policy, sure.

But yes let me please clarify for the sake of “closure” regarding my situation:
- we did XB, then XS and were already given a “thumbs up” that she’d move to Gold. However, we were ALSO invited to JO4, along with wanting to know what questions we may have; which is when I indicated we have a planned vacation and was caught by surprise when the Xcel coach mentioned this could be a problem for JO. This gym’s Xcel program is paid per class in the summer with tons of flexibility, while JO is scheduled all summer with no official break. JO pays monthly all year round and that’s not news to me and wouldn’t expect any change whatsoever to our charges when away.
Somebody mentioned “I would prefer they take a set time off and we would work our time away around that. But they don't. They go year round” - same here, and honestly I would love if they also told us in advance (in the handbook maybe?) when an acceptable time is for a family vacation and we’d definitely schedule it then. And then this question wouldn’t be a question. I didn’t even know or have any indication until now that July is when they learn routines.

- My daughter just turned 8. She is very athletic and conditioning and stretching is part of her daily life as part of her passion and who she is as a person right now. Personally I don’t think she will “lose muscle mass” or “be behind” after missing 2.5 weeks - not to the extent that there will be an impact at her current level/abilities. (I also don’t believe in “behind” as this isn’t about comparing all girls against each other). What she may miss is learning and practicing every step and all dance moves in the compulsory program when these get introduced to the team, which isn’t something she is as used to coming from XS. She has just about all level 4/5 skills at this point and already performed several as part of her XS routines that 3s never competed.
- I don’t know what others consider competition season, but our competitions are roughly between November and April. The vacation we booked is for the last 2 weeks of July and a few days into August. Scheduled ages ago.
- It almost sounds like some responses indicate that their kids are possibly homeschooled; we don’t, so I can’t just take off for 2 weeks in May or even June when it’d be ideal for gymnastics and our gym is busy with year end shows for their rec program, team banquet etc.
- This attendance rule isn’t a fully defined policy. Our handbook simply states that “attendance is monitored in JO”. - We are currently waiting to hear back, but yes, was just surprised by this and curious to hear if this is the “norm”.
- my gymnast is solid and was among the top in our XS team in her division (being 7yo she was in the youngest division at very meet) but we are not on an elite track here. Our current gym wouldn’t even be the right fit if we were on that track right now. She wants to be an Olympic gymnast I won’t lie about that
- short of calling up another local gym in the event of us being denied here after having gottenthr invite, I really just wanted to see if this is possibly the norm across most gyms. But I am also not in denial that the main reason will not be because we aren’t breaking policy we have signed (it’s not defined) but rather that they truly think my daughter would suffer too much from missing 2 weeks of learning routines. All other girls are rising 3s or repeat 4s. It’s hard to imagine that but I’m not her coach and am not pretending to know more. I would hope they’d explained in detail if it comes to that.

I guess ultimately my follow-up question for the gym is not really “is it acceptable to be away” but “when is it acceptable to be away during school vacation time” so our family can plan in advance, because this trip is kind of a “must” for me and would therefore need to find a gym that would have a policy that allows for this at some point in the summer.

And with that I’m ok if this thread ends. Thanks for those who understood and who I felt did stand up for me. Sorry for any feelings hurt along the way or frustrated Saturday because of this (I know how you felt).

- FIRST time chalkbucket poster, and mom learning to navigate the world of gymnastics

We took a two week vacation when my daughter was training level 7, and she had no problems. For level 4, she should be fine. We don’t compete though til late fall. I think having family in a foreign country is extenuating circumstances, and I would hope your gym would work with you. This should not be a deal breaker—certainly not for level 4!

 

[sce]

Who you calling asses?? Hahahahahaha

Too funny, one little missing letter. The site froze, and backed up, while I was writing this and I had to finish and post afterwards. I missed that!

 

[raenndrops]

OP here. I guess this thread puts things into perspective for me regarding various aspects - but will admit it was also a bit discouraging from an aspect of supporting each other - as parents of well-rounded human being gymnasts and supporting our kids who work individually but also as a team. As a mom coming into JO and brand new to this forum. To use the word ‘privileged’ because I would like to visit my parents, brother and family in Europe every 2 years and not want to deny my 2 kids of this experience while, yes, thinking “it’ll be fine for my gymnast” is an insult. Clearly no child, Coach, or gym is the same nor are the hours they train so the impact of being away for whatever reason however long is simply not measurable or even predictable in my opinion. Looking at score trends won’t either. Will some become elite gymnasts and need to train more than a new level 4? Sure. I still believe in fun being had and a healthy life outside of the gym (or our work), which absolutely includes having an option to be away at some point in any level for us to make time for a family vacation. I guess the amount of time of what is “reasonable” depends on the individual; their current ability and future goals. And the gym’s policy, sure.

But yes let me please clarify for the sake of “closure” regarding my situation:
- we did XB, then XS and were already given a “thumbs up” that she’d move to Gold. However, we were ALSO invited to JO4, along with wanting to know what questions we may have; which is when I indicated we have a planned vacation and was caught by surprise when the Xcel coach mentioned this could be a problem for JO. This gym’s Xcel program is paid per class in the summer with tons of flexibility, while JO is scheduled all summer with no official break. JO pays monthly all year round and that’s not news to me and wouldn’t expect any change whatsoever to our charges when away.
Somebody mentioned “I would prefer they take a set time off and we would work our time away around that. But they don't. They go year round” - same here, and honestly I would love if they also told us in advance (in the handbook maybe?) when an acceptable time is for a family vacation and we’d definitely schedule it then. And then this question wouldn’t be a question. I didn’t even know or have any indication until now that July is when they learn routines.

- My daughter just turned 8. She is very athletic and conditioning and stretching is part of her daily life as part of her passion and who she is as a person right now. Personally I don’t think she will “lose muscle mass” or “be behind” after missing 2.5 weeks - not to the extent that there will be an impact at her current level/abilities. (I also don’t believe in “behind” as this isn’t about comparing all girls against each other). What she may miss is learning and practicing every step and all dance moves in the compulsory program when these get introduced to the team, which isn’t something she is as used to coming from XS. She has just about all level 4/5 skills at this point and already performed several as part of her XS routines that 3s never competed.
- I don’t know what others consider competition season, but our competitions are roughly between November and April. The vacation we booked is for the last 2 weeks of July and a few days into August. Scheduled ages ago.
- It almost sounds like some responses indicate that their kids are possibly homeschooled; we don’t, so I can’t just take off for 2 weeks in May or even June when it’d be ideal for gymnastics and our gym is busy with year end shows for their rec program, team banquet etc.
- This attendance rule isn’t a fully defined policy. Our handbook simply states that “attendance is monitored in JO”. - We are currently waiting to hear back, but yes, was just surprised by this and curious to hear if this is the “norm”.
- my gymnast is solid and was among the top in our XS team in her division (being 7yo she was in the youngest division at very meet) but we are not on an elite track here. Our current gym wouldn’t even be the right fit if we were on that track right now. She wants to be an Olympic gymnast I won’t lie about that
- short of calling up another local gym in the event of us being denied here after having gottenthr invite, I really just wanted to see if this is possibly the norm across most gyms. But I am also not in denial that the main reason will not be because we aren’t breaking policy we have signed (it’s not defined) but rather that they truly think my daughter would suffer too much from missing 2 weeks of learning routines. All other girls are rising 3s or repeat 4s. It’s hard to imagine that but I’m not her coach and am not pretending to know more. I would hope they’d explained in detail if it comes to that.

I guess ultimately my follow-up question for the gym is not really “is it acceptable to be away” but “when is it acceptable to be away during school vacation time” so our family can plan in advance, because this trip is kind of a “must” for me and would therefore need to find a gym that would have a policy that allows for this at some point in the summer.

And with that I’m ok if this thread ends. Thanks for those who understood and who I felt did stand up for me. Sorry for any feelings hurt along the way or frustrated Saturday because of this (I know how you felt).

- FIRST time chalkbucket poster, and mom learning to navigate the world of gymnastics

As others have said, enjoy your vacation.
If it helps, my OG took 2 YEARS off (technically it was 27.5 months off ... with the exception of a few practices and a few open gyms totaling 16 hours over that time) and she came back with ALL her skills, even though she had prepared her coach to expect that she wouldn't have ANY skills. She came back in mid-October and competed a new level (from Xcel Gold to Level 6) in mid-November.

 

[Cheryl]

I don’t know any adults who work 52 weeks a year. I don’t expect my kid to work 52 weeks a year....and with gymnastics plus school the time commitment is close to a full time adult job.

I can’t think of a quicker way to burn a kid out than to take away any sort of non gym fun, or for kids to be “in trouble” because of decisions their parents make. Since it’s an individual sport, it’s not like your vacation impacts the whole team. And if it’s in the off season, a couple weeks vacation won’t kill a kid’s season.

 

[bookworm]

To the OP, please do not be scared away by the one nut job response, and hopefully you are not in that particular gym! We were in the sport with 2 multi year level 10 gymnasts for over 15 years and we always took summer vacations of at least 10 days - 2 weeks and we never set foot in another gym when away and they never missed a beat....oldest went D1 on a full ride gymnastics scholarship and youngest had one too , and then she blew out her knee and that ended that...not a 2 week vacation.

We were at a gym with a "strict attendance policy" but I told the coach right up front that my girls would go to prom, father daughter dances and vacations with their family because in 30,40, 50 years, "never missing a Friday night practice" was not going to be a parental win for me.....and they went and they returned to practice afterwards and guess what? It was fine, the sky wasn't falling and memories were made, period.

So take your vacation and don't look back. Enjoy!

 

[OzZee]

OP I hope it was just that one coach and that the gym as a whole are fine with your holiday.
2 weeks really isn't long, but if it is when they are learning routines that could be a problem.
We are in Australia and pretty much every gym here takes around 2 weeks off over Christmas. Senior (so level 7+ depending on gym sport) season starts around February. Guess what, the kids all compete fine. Probably better after a good break.

 

[Aussie_coach]

I wonder how many absolutely incredibly talented gymnasts never make it to the top because their parents did not put them in team as the initial commitment scared them off. Probably quite a few.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

I’m sorry if a kid can’t learn 4 routines from July to November. And the gym is incapable of teaching it. There are bigger issues then a couple weeks off.

JMO

 

[2gymkids]

Well, that was an interesting read.

To the OP- do what works for your kid and your family. If the gym is saying it may impact placement, then talk to them....all of our gyms have said something along those lines (we strongly encourage you to take vacations during one of the two weeks we're closed, blah blah blah) but the reality has always been that as long as that kid goes and comes back and is able to keep up/catch up with the other kids, it's not an issue. We're raising children here, not just gymnasts. Visiting family abroad is infinitely more important that gymnastics ever will be. I certainly know people who travel and leave their kids home, or don't travel, because of this fear of being held back in gymnastics but that's just not something I can subscribe to. Ask the coaches if there is conditioning/stretching they'd like her to do while she travels.

These kids give up a lot for this sport but family and vacations (without reason- no, you can't miss all summer and expect to move up or whatever) should not be one of them, even if there are "consequences." Life is more important than gymnastics.

 

[tomtnt]

Does the gym have a strict no injury policy too? what will they do when girls have to take months off to rehab injuries?

 

[RTT2]

On the flip side of this, our head JO coaches take a couple of vacations a year. The gym is still open while other coaches run practice, but the training is a little different while they are away. Obviously, I don't begrudge the coaches their need for vacation- in fact, knowing how grueling the demands are on coaches, I would much rather they get some downtime and come back recharged and ready to coach. I have no doubt it makes them better coaches if they aren't burned out. And, I expect a good gym understands that children need a break from time to time as well, and that may not always fit in the very small window that the gym is closed each year.

 

[MILgymFAM]

On the flip side of this, our head JO coaches take a couple of vacations a year. The gym is still open while other coaches run practice, but the training is a little different while they are away. Obviously, I don't begrudge the coaches their need for vacation- in fact, knowing how grueling the demands are on coaches, I would much rather they get some downtime and come back recharged and ready to coach. I have no doubt it makes them better coaches if they aren't burned out. And, I expect a good gym understands that children need a break from time to time as well, and that may not always fit in the very small window that the gym is closed each year.

Good for your coaches!

 

[stillhoping]

To the OP:
We had a similar situation at a gym with similar policies. They made an exception for the type of trip you’re describing. The coaches provided a conditioning list that the gymnast could do while traveling. When they returned, the gymnast did private lessons to learn the routines.

If your dd stays in Gymnastics, you may be able to time your trips home to fit her schedule a bit better. Right after the season ends would be a good time. For us, in compulsories, that would have been Thanksgiving or Christmas. For optionals, depending on level, it would be about now.

 

[CLgym]

all of our gyms have said something along those lines (we strongly encourage you to take vacations during one of the two weeks we're closed, blah blah blah) but the reality has always been that as long as that kid goes and comes back and is able to keep up/catch up with the other kids, it's not an issue

^^ This has been our experience too. The "rules" discourage vacations (or at least lengthy ones), but in reality the kids with the skills move up (regardless of vacation time).

 

[Flyaway]

What did I just read?

OP, good luck with what you choose. But yeah, L4, family vacations take precedence. Enjoy your trip!

 

[twinmomma]

HOLY thread batman. Wow. I honestly had to keep reading to see if the crazy would continue. It honestly did feel very troll like. To the OP, I think it's worth having a conversation with the HC about your daughter's skill set and if you can find a way to do some privates during the summer to make up for missing routines. That said - my DD had to switch gyms a month before the new gym started L4 competitions (but old gym would have had another month due to scheduling) and therefore she was severely lacking on the routine knowledge. By the time she got settled she had about 3 weeks to learn floor and beam. Guess what? She qualified for state that year. Sure, don't take vacations during season - everyone knows that. But a gym that actively excludes kids for having a well-rounded life is not a gym I'd want to be at. So if the gym is hardnosed on this with you I hope you have alternatives.

 

[gymmom41]

To OP: I agree with the moms who state family vacations are an important part of childhood and are very important to prioritize. My DD has taken off 2 weeks each summer (unconnected) for non-gymnastics camp and family vacation and 1 week each winter. She has gone from Level 1- 7 in 3 years. She has never lost any major skills including kip, tumbling, cast handstand, FHS vault etc... after time off. She is usually a little rusty and I will say she has noticed a decrease in strength after a week off. But just in how fast her rope climb is and how many press handstands she can do. Our gym also has a strict attendance policy and likely don't love when she's off but she works hard the other 49 weeks a year so I think understand? I also encourage you to email or talk to the coach, as it's very likely if she is a hard worker the rest of the time, they will work with you. If she's not ready, she's not ready... but likely she will be despite the vacation. Technically could Youtube the Level 4 routines and learn them ahead of time?

 

[Flippin'A]

Wow. I came back from a long weekend away with DD (during which she missed two whole practices. Gasp!) to find this. Thanks to all who kept working to defend against the crazy. This thread reminded me of a part in Aly's book. I don't have it in front of my, but the gist was that she had already planned and scheduled a family vacation for the summer she started at Brestyan's, which apparently had a very strict attendance policy. They weren't overjoyed, but she had scheduled the trip before she knew the policy so they let her go. Didn't seem to negatively impact her overall career . The trip is scheduled and plane tickets are purchased, so if they have any decency they won't give you too hard a time about going. In the future, work with them to pick the best time, but seeing extended family is part of growing up. Our gymnasts are young humans first and athletes second. It's really easy to get sucked into the gym world and lose perspective (this thread is proof of that!)