Private lessons spin off

[aerialriver]

I was meaning to ask this but someone started a thread on privates but I felt this was a bit different and didn't want to hijack.

Our gym starts competition at level 2 and I find it odd but almost every coach in the gym is booked solid with privates all week from little kids in low levels from preschoolers to level 3's. One of them has several privates with 3 year olds that are not even level 1's yet. One example is last week one of them not working specific skills was trying to do a handstand squeeling "weeee" every time, for $50 while her Dad kept yelling at her to take it seriously she is 3.

Most of these privates consist of a few tricks, trampoline or pit play time and a treat at the end, sounds a lot like something you could do for free at your local playground.

I am just curious how normal is this? And if you have the money and time I guess go for it but honestly who can justify paying $50 a week for a private every single week for a toddler? It just strikes me as strange.

And what are your gyms rules on privates. Ours is if you want it you got the cash you got it.

 

[flipper's fan]

I have not seen the same phenomena you descibe ( thankfully) but our gym does privates with whomever wants them. I wish there was a policy that team kids get dibs with team coaches because often I find that the coach we need is all booked up with cheer and rec tumblers.

 

[MaryA]

Wow. I can't even imagine. Basically $50 for babysitting and you don't even get to GO anywhere! Truly, how long will gymnastics be FUN for these kids if the parents take it so seriously that they think their 3-year-old needs a private lesson? Our HC is so down-to-earth. I can't even imagine what she would say if the parent of a 3-year-old (or 4-year-old or 5-year-old) asked for a private lesson!

 

[wallinbl]

One example is last week one of them not working specific skills was trying to do a handstand squeeling "weeee" every time, for $50 while her Dad kept yelling at her to take it seriously she is 3.

Parents aren't allowed to get involved with what's going on in the gym. We also had to sign an agreement saying we'd leaving coaching and pushing to the coaches and we're only allowed to offer encouragement.

 

[JessLW]

That's veering off into crazy gym parent territory imo. My kids are roughly that age and no way would they be getting private lessons for gymnastics or anything else. At 3 years old there's no way those privates are because the kids want them, they're because the parents think little Suzie *needs* to get her handstand or her cartwheel so she'll be put on the pre-team track or somesuch. I understand how, as a parent of young kids, it is easy to get carried away when you see your child enjoying something, but when they're little like that you can easily suck the fun right out of any activity by pushing it too hard.

I'm not sure at what point I'd consider doing privates for my kids but I don't think I'd do for less than a backhandspring, so probably around level 4 or so, maybe 6 or 7 years old?

 

[gymmomtoo]

Jess, I don't think that's just veering, I think that's very much crazy gym parent territory! Privates for a 3 yr old?!?! Seriously?? Do these people have more money than sense or something? I don't know of anyone that does privates on a regular basis at our gym--none of our current optionals do them at all and I've never seen little kids do them. Is this a really hard core gym you're at?

 

[bookworm]

It sounds like a total money maker to me...below level 1 and having privates?! At 50 bucks a pop, they're raking in a lot of cash!!

 

[Natasha]

That's veering off into crazy gym parent territory imo. My kids are roughly that age and no way would they be getting private lessons for gymnastics or anything else. At 3 years old there's no way those privates are because the kids want them, they're because the parents think little Suzie *needs* to get her handstand or her cartwheel so she'll be put on the pre-team track or somesuch. I understand how, as a parent of young kids, it is easy to get carried away when you see your child enjoying something, but when they're little like that you can easily suck the fun right out of any activity by pushing it too hard.

I'm not sure at what point I'd consider doing privates for my kids but I don't think I'd do for less than a backhandspring, so probably around level 4 or so, maybe 6 or 7 years old?

Crazy Gym Parent OR it could be indulgent parent....I know lots of little kids (including mine) that would love to have 1/2 hour with their favorite teacher all to themselves, topped off with playing in the pit and candy at the end. Personally I prefer to indulge my child by taking them to the free playground...and an occasional trip to bouncy house place. My older dd is L7 and we've never done a private, mostly because just the regular gym expenses are a struggle for us at times. She has progressed just fine without privates.

 

[GymnastJoy]

Omg...this is rampant at our gym. Itty bitties are invited to pre-team and parents get starry-eyed. The confirmation of their dd being "talented" transforms them into CGMs. It irks me because 1. little dd is on pre-team and asks why she isn't getting privates and 2. older dd on team doesn't need privates yet but will soon for creating optional floor routine and I hear slots are hard to come by because of all the little ones. And I should add privates are $75.

 

[sportzmomov3]

Can you say, DEFINITELY, ABSOLUTELY, UNDENIABLY CRAAAAAAAAAZY GYM PARENT(S)??!!

Yikes....Really????...Yikes.

 

[Krystan]

Woah! That takes the cake. Privates pre-level 1? 3 year olds? Yikes. Our HC was discouraging L5s from doing privates because she didn't want them to think they had to spend additional money if it wasn't necessary. I can't imagine what she would say if asked to do a private for a 3 year old. Eeek!

 

[CoachGoofy]

I've done private lessons with littler kids (4-6ish) in addition to team kids.

WAIT! I AM NOT A PUSHY COACH! THEIR PARENTS WERE NOT INTENSE!

Some kids really benefit from the activity, but cannot yet function in a group environment, even one as laid back as a preschool gymnastics class should be. I had some private lessons with a Kindergarten-aged girl with hearing loss, & I've had several private/semi private students with autistic spectrum disorders. In this case familiarizing the children with the skills expected before adding the chaos component of class really helped them integrate into classes & enjoy the sport.

I feel that engendering success & confidence for a child who can't necessarily benefit from a group class is a totally legit, non CGP reason to seek private lessons for a young kid. They shouldn't be stressed out from not being able to follow what's going on, you know?

(Disclaimer: these are my absolute FAVORITE kids most of the time).

 

[aerialriver]

I've done private lessons with littler kids (4-6ish) in addition to team kids.

WAIT! I AM NOT A PUSHY COACH! THEIR PARENTS WERE NOT INTENSE!

Some kids really benefit from the activity, but cannot yet function in a group environment, even one as laid back as a preschool gymnastics class should be. I had some private lessons with a Kindergarten-aged girl with hearing loss, & I've had several private/semi private students with autistic spectrum disorders. In this case familiarizing the children with the skills expected before adding the chaos component of class really helped them integrate into classes & enjoy the sport.

I feel that engendering success & confidence for a child who can't necessarily benefit from a group class is a totally legit, non CGP reason to seek private lessons for a young kid. They shouldn't be stressed out from not being able to follow what's going on, you know?

(Disclaimer: these are my absolute FAVORITE kids most of the time).

I couldn't agree more. We have 1 autistic kid that does weekly privates because he cannot handle a class setting. He has grown leaps and bounds. The kids I am refering to all take regular class as well and do fine. I don't know why it bothers me so much but it does. Personally for $50 I would need it to be for a specific reason and I'd expect intense coaching not a play hour. And what is funny is we aren't an intense gym but we did recently start a "super stars" class for pre school age children who afe more advanced but not ready for level 2 and or actual competition. I do see a conection as those are mainly the kids doing the privates. Just can't wrap my head around it.

 

[Kiwi]

Our gym has a strict 'no privates' policy.

 

[Aussie_coach]

Yes, it happens. We often do privates for kids as young as 4.

I don't think it is that the parents are crazy, I don't think the dad yelling at her 3 year old is crazy either. It is just that parents don't really understand the sport a lot of the time.

They think the kids need privates, or that they should do it, they think their three year old is being naughty when they are not paying attention. If it is their first 3 year old they often don't know what to expect and think their child should be doing more than is normal for a 3 year old.

Gymnastics privates are also common for kids involved in other activities like dancing, martial arts, cheerleading and pageants. In all these activities gymnastics skills are highly sought after and being able to do a cartwheel can mean the difference between winning or losing a competition. Of course parents will pay to give their kid the edge.

 

[Tumblequeensmom]

If I understand the OP's comment, these are not special needs kids, or those who can't focus in a group. Anyway, the usual tot classes are smaller in size anyway (or at least should be). I'm getting the feeling that these are definitely "starry eyed" parents who think that privates are necessary in order for their children to get ahead. I don't care what anyone says... that's just plain over the top crazy. What a money maker for that gym!!!!

A Level 1, 3 year old needs to just be going to class and having a great time!!

 

[CoachValk]

For the dad to be expecting the 3 yr old to take it seriously, perhaps someone should chat with dad about the realities of that. I have done one private in 6 yrs of coaching for a beginning level gymnast, and it was because she did not want to be in the class structure because it intimidated her, but she wanted to do gymnastics. So instead of taking class I did lessons per instructions from my boss. I have also seen as was mentioned above, kids that LOVE the sport but are SO lost in the mix that even at the pre-school level, a private is necessary. However, this is not the norm, nor is it wrong. It just needs to go on a case by case basis. However from your description it would appear that your gym is going beyond what I am describing and making it into something that it does not need to be.

 

[sportzmomov3]

Privates may have their place, but I'm with posters who are seeing this scenario as unusual and/or unnecessary. At 3 yo, if your child isn't able to handle a class situation, then maybe it's not the right activity for them at that age. Why do parents these days seem to think that a kid has to excel in everything they are doing?? Fact is, a particular sport may not be for your child - either at a certain age, or ever. Maybe a different sport is more their thing. Maybe it isn't sports at all. And any of these is OK! There is far too much pressure on kids these days, and parental expectations are probably the biggest one they face. Let kids be kids for crying out loud! If your kid has "it" they will excel, but let it be on their own terms, in their own time. Sorry, but when my kids were 3, they were enjoying being TODDLERS. Each one had his/her time to try out different things. If they didn't like it, we moved on. Now, they all have their own thing, and they each enjoy it and excel in what they are doing. Neither my husband or me have expectations other than they will do their best, learn life lessons they can take with them, and most of all, ENJOY what they are engaged in, because it's the thing they spend the most time on outside of school. The fact that they have seen success is all them, not us (other than the chauffeuring and banker duties we have provided).

 

[BlairBob]

I don't really see the need for privates for kids these young. I'd rather see them in another class if they were just rec.


If they were developmental levels, I'd rather see them pair up with another teammate, maybe even up to 3 of them at a time. It is more of a chore arranging this, but parents appreciate it as they pay 1/2 to a 1/3 of the cost. I've done this with tumblers as well and it works so long as their levels are roughly the same, but gets way trickier if they are not and one needs a lot of hands-on time (when learning BHS).

I also take issue when PL are this expensive, because mainly I want to make sure I'm not getting shafted as a coach on my %. I've seen some gyms charge one flat rate that is 50-75/hr with the coach making only 25/hr. That gets old fast and makes my desire to do them dwindle.

That being said, I don't like doing them a lot since I prefer to choose which privates I can do since they take a lot out of me and working with kids with the right mindset in the first place. So, I get picky seeing as I'm not likely to make a lot of money off them anyways.

 

[Faith]

I have never come across private lessons here in the uk, in any of the clubs I have been involved in over the last *cough* 35 years or so.

It just wouldn't occur to anyone, parents or coach. Little kids don't need them, and as they go up the levels the drop out rate usually means the gymnast:coach ratio lessens so you're not really in a group environment anyway. And if a gymnast needs a bit of one to one, the coach will do it during lesson time while an assistant works with the rest of the class.

So from my pov, privates seem unecessary and more about making money...