Parents Questions about Tiny Tot

[duyetanh]

I get where you're coming from. My daughter is also 3 and has just started rec and when I watch the classes, I notice a whole lot of waiting around for turns and that this takes longer because the other kids are doing things like rolling around on the floor while my daughter is sitting nicely and listening. And she's heard the term "good listener" in preschool, so I always get a full rundown of who wasn't a good listener. lol.

I'm not, like, worried that my daughter isn't getting enough conditioning, but it's also hard to see her not really have a ton of fun because of all the waiting.

On the other hand, the timing of the classes for this age group are really convenient with big brother's gym schedule, so I'm reluctant to look for alternatives. I don't know if I want to add an extra trip to the gym just for her rec class when we're already there three times a week. So I'm still trying to work that out...

I think you will find that most rec classes with 3 year olds are this way. My child too was a good listener, and it drove both her and I crazy watching the bedlam in the rec classes. She was never so happy when she made preteam and only had girls (sorry boys) to deal with, and even then, there were a few who punked around. But the focus and effort percentages definitely improve as they get older if they are continuing to go down the competitive path.

 

[lilmisssunshine]

I think you will find that most rec classes with 3 year olds are this way. My child too was a good listener, and it drove both her and I crazy watching the bedlam in the rec classes. She was never so happy when she made preteam and only had girls (sorry boys) to deal with, and even then, there were a few who punked around. But the focus and effort percentages definitely improve as they get older if they are continuing to go down the competitive path.

Yeah, I figure. We're new to this. My son started gymnastics in general last spring and he's been on the team since the fall. I've noticed, though, that the girls' side of things seems to be a whole order of magnitude crazier, though, so I hesitate to even ask about getting my daughter into it. Plus, money....

I'm thinking about sticking with this rec class for convenience, and talking to the head coach at the end of this session about the alternatives. DD says she wants to be on the team, but she's also just 3.5 and wants to be like her brother...

 

[klv8]

Found out this week that the coach believes my daughter has the necessary focus/skills/etc., to move up a class!!!! The bad news is, the gym requires 3 sessions of Tiny Tot first and we're 1 session short. Thankfully my daughter didn't hear this. She and I may have to have a discussion when her friends move up and she doesn't....as she is fiercely competitive. But we'll take it as it comes.

 

[klv8]

My 4 exclamation points were WAY excessive......trying to type too quickly and get on to the next thing.

 

[l.c.o]

That's great that your DD is working so hard! I wouldn't worry. If it some point she's been sticking with it and starts thinking team, you can ask about the process, but you have some time before that!

You don't necessarily want to rush her or push her. My DS started tot classes right after his third birthday (I'd refused to do mommy and me because reasons). He started in a co-ed class and he would typically be one of the first to learn 'skills', and would literally lap other kids while working on stations. He had boundless energy and no fear and just wanted to be crazy. OMG bouncing and jumping and running and ooohhhhhh look! A foam pit! And I can tarzan swing into it! Best thing ever! Eventually he wanted to be on team like big sis, who then was really just on preteam, so he really had no idea. Anyway, as he got older, he then started to ask to be with just boys, as the number of boys in the coed classes was decreasing.

They moved him up to boys rec some 6-7 or so months 'early' (age based) after spending three sessions in the highest tot class. And let me tell you, DS HATED it. He was much smaller and younger than the other kids and it was obvious as he needed taller mats, help reaching the bars, etc. And why on earth was there no balance beam rotation?!? You mean I can't climb on the beams anymore? Totally bogus. DS was not super happy, and he took a break after the session. He then bounced around a bit (~six months in rec, then try TKD and spend ~six months out of the gym, repeat with other activities).

Speeding up the story, he did eventually make a conscious decision that his goal was competing team, and he's currently gearing up for his first season of level 4 at age 8.

So, sometimes their bodies are ahead of their maturity. Sometimes it's reversed. And your DD may be nothing like my son (you can only hope). But know your DD will get wherever she's going in time - my son did. For now, I agree that it should be fun. She's getting 'conditioning' when she jumps into the pit, bounces on tramp, and when she does a bear walk across a ladder. If she ends up on the team path it'll get to be 'work' soon enough.