Parents Parents need to be taught

[davjam]

Oftentimes new parents do not know how to work with their kids or what to expect! What do you think? Sometime i watch parents in parent-child classes with their child and it looks so frustrating and exhausting. I realize it take effort and patience. Please understand one important point. All skills are learned as they are taught. Skills and motor actions are not automatic just because of age! they must be taught and reinforced. Many new parents do not understand that so I hope that coaches (especially those with parent child classes) will teach both the parent and child! What do you think? Thank you

 

[JBS]

I would go 1 step farther than that...I would say in a parent/tot class you should be teaching the parent 90% of the time. Parent's really have no clue what is expected of them. How many times do you see the parent spring into action after little Joey is already half way across the gym? Parent's need to be down on their child's level, anticipating every move, guiding them to success. Not yanking them around by their arms.

 

[littlegymchampsmom]

on that note... we go to a gym that has parent participation classes that you can't help but watch while you are sitting and looking out into the gym and I am always so disappointed to see the parents often spending more time talking and gossiping with the other parents and even the class coach !! then playing and interacting with their kids - the kids are usually just running around in 10 different directions. Then the parents complain their children get nothing out of the class...

btw, I remember those beautiful days like it was yesterday and hope that people realize those moments are gone in a second so enjoy and participate not just for progression but to really learn about your little one

 

[JBS]

Often times preschool teachers are young, inexperienced or both. The parent/tot class is one of the most demanding classes in any gym. We don't allow our coaches to teach these classes until they have over a year of experience. While a 16-18 year old usually has no trouble controlling a group of three year olds....telling a 25-30 year old how to deal with their child is a whole different story.

I have found it much easier to identify with the parents now that I have my own 20 month old daughter. Parents listen to other parents...just a fact.

 

[littlegymchampsmom]

unfortunately this is not the case here... the coaches have been there for years. Now it seems like the younger coaches coming in are actually better at running the show most of the time. This particular gym is completey rec and used to be so much better.. actually it is still great, but I wish the coaches would wake up a little to this one specific problem. It does not affect my daughter at all so I would not feel comfortable saying anything but as I said earlier it is hard to miss.

 

[davjam]

Hello again to all of you. Thanks for the response to my thread. Parents do need to be educated (from JBS-thanks) how their own child responds to instruction and understands locomotor skills. They also need to be shown and taken through the process of getting "hands on" with their children. Have parents actually get on the ground and crawl, run, race with, roll and even bark with their child. It is a special time for great one-on-one bonding and fun. It will remind the parents what it's like to be a child. I always find some way for my parents to realize that it is okay to make mistakes or be silly. Sometime parents will not let themselves just enjoy the moment and laugh out loud or they expect the child to be exact in following the group or doing a circuit just right. They tend to miss the important thing about all of this. We are here to enjoy and learn with the kids. We can establish a very solid baseline for our childrens future through this sport in the formative years.

 

[JBS]

unfortunately this is not the case here... the coaches have been there for years. Now it seems like the younger coaches coming in are actually better at running the show most of the time. This particular gym is completey rec and used to be so much better.. actually it is still great, but I wish the coaches would wake up a little to this one specific problem. It does not affect my daughter at all so I would not feel comfortable saying anything but as I said earlier it is hard to miss.

It takes a very specific type coach to work this kind of class. Also remember...young coaches may be coming to the gym with experience. Young coaches always come with tons of energy and something to prove. Older coaches have already proven themselves....and if they don't want to work the parent tot classes....they will not be very good.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that this is not a fun level to teach for most gymnastics coaches. It is right up the alley of someone that is more of a preschool teacher.

 

[ahs]

Parent-Tot classes are something I have always shyed away from teaching, but I love doing it with my daughter. As a parent in class I really feel sorry for the parents who don't get down on their child's level, and just expect them to do the skills without being taught. They are missing out- it is so much fun to just be able to play with your child and to watch their face when they figure something out for the first time. Parents need to remember what YOU put into the class is what your child will get out of the class. Working in this industry for so long you long how quickly children grow. ENJOY this precious time with your child!