Parents My 4 year old might make developmental team with my 6 year old.... ut oh!

[Committed]

wont this be a good thing? you had mentioned wanting their schedules to coincide more.

 

[tooootsie]

As far as scheduling goes... YES that would be awesome!!! And actually her (4 y/o) doing level two class two days a week will be awesome for the summer.. she will be M-W. And 6 y/o is M-W-F.. so YAY!
I am thinking more for my older kid how it might make her feel out shined.

 

[Cosmos]

I don't understand what the rush for a 4 year old is. To do new L4 she'll have to be 7.

As long as the child's gymnastics keeps improving in a pre-team program, is there any reason to rush them into a team setting? If I understand correctly, the new level 3, like the old level 4, can be skipped. I'm not sure about the next level.

 

[OzZee]

I think just go with the flow and see how it pans out.
I think you are right that there will be some jealousy from the older dd but this may just push her forward.
Holding back the younger one won't fix anything. At some point they will have to face these issues if they both decide to stay in the sport.
I'm going through something similar with two of my daughters. And realised that there isn't anything I can do about it. I can't change their skills or what they do, only they can and deal with any jealousy when it arises.

 

[tooootsie]

Cosmos, our gym skips level 3 (not really skips but kids from developmental start competing at 4)... So that is why they want to move her forward, I am assuming. I would rather her not compete until level 4.

 

[emandelsmom]

Been there. Done this. Not good. Older daughter quit. She loved gymnastics but the pressure with jr high got too much. She does cheer and loves it. Went from 8 hrs a week on the gym to 4. Got to go to WDW for nationals. Younger dd is getting up trained for new level 5. She competed level 5..old. This past year. She too loves gymnastics. The half a season they were both level 4s was stressful. Never same age group, but hard. I would not do it again.

 

[Mom2Brats]

We have two sisters on our team, both L8, about 3 yrs apart in age. They are really quite amazing. The younger one is the stronger gymnast but the older one is the better performer so it doesn't always show at meets. Their mom told me that it was something they talked to the girls about early on and they're very supportive of each other. Anyway, I'm sure it's tough in many ways but so are the relationships with many 'friends' on the team who might only remain friendly as long as they are being surpassed. But it can be done.

 

[momofthreegirls]

I have BTDT...

Two years ago my 7.5 year old DD finished pre-team and began competing the old level 4. Meanwhile her 4.5 year old sister was invited to pre-team. I thought they were crazy, as my younger one had no skills, but we gave it a shot. Older DD did well at L4 and my younger DD blossomed on the pre-team. I figured that older DD would move to L5 and that my little one would do a second year of preteam due to age...

When it came time for move-ups, my older DD was missing her kip, so she was held back for a second year of L4. The coaches decided to move her younger sister up to L4, as she had all the skills except for one, and would turn 6 right before the first meet. So I had two L4s, three years apart in age.

They never competed directly against one another because of age, but it was much easier for my younger one to place higher at the meets, as her age group tended to be very small and lower scoring. (A low to mid 8 would land her on the podium, whereas it took a mid to high 9 for the older one to place well.)

Luckily we have a very understanding coach who got that my older DD felt frustrated and bored. She let my older DD uptrain with the L5 group at most practices, which helped a lot. The kip FINALLY came, as well as consistency with the other skills.

Well, a month ago the L4 group finished their season and began uptraining. Little sister is picking up the skills left and right. Things that took older DD nearly a year to learn are taking mere weeks for my younger one. Jealousy is an issue sometimes, but for the most part they are supportive of one another.

I think they will both compete the "new" level 4 next year unless my older one has a skill epiphany over the summer. My DDs are very different personality-wise, and I feel that one day in the near future my younger one will pass her older sister, mostly due to personality differences. (Younger: aggressive, fearless, and very very focused. Older: a bit timid/cautious, and fun-loving.)

The best I can do is be encouraging to both of them and try not to compare them to one another. (And silently rejoice that they will have the same practice schedule and meet travel schedule for another year.)

Good luck with your decision - there are definitely both positives and negatives with having siblings together.

 

[gym law mom]

I think you might be creating a problem where there isn't one. Let them do there classes for now and when/if they end up in the same group and it causes a problem, then address it. If both stay in the sport, it will be hard to do privates for one or the other to keep one a level ahead of the other.