Parents Vacation

[Tmacs]

I echo what people are saying about a stress fracture. Do not mess around with backs!
Also, my dd took 8 weeks off for an overseas trip and did not lose a single skill. She loves using Anna mcnulty stretch videos.

 

[twocurlygirlz]

Yes it does! I mainly want her to have fun but I do think stopping at a gym for open gym (maybe even once) wouldn't hurt. We are going to saint Augustine. Is there any you would recommend?

Try Florida Elite- we are in South Florida so we haven't physically visited there but we compete against them all the time- smaller gym- high quality gymnastics! https://floridaelitegym.com/rec-2/

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Food for thought.

A kid who doesn’t want time off from gym is likely to be less then honest about their pain level.
And unaware of the long term implication.

Gymnastics is not forever. She is however going to need her back forever. Her back healing needs to be the priority.

 

[Happyfeet]

Take the vacation as a vacation. There seems to be a narrative that taking time off from gymnastics is a bad thing. When I was young I did competitive figure skating which I feel has lots of parallels to gymnastics. Every year we got six weeks off (the entire month of April, last week of summer and first week of the school year). It was mandatory whether you were an 8yr old in the first level or a member of the national team you did not skate in April. No one lost any skills that I ever remember and the rationale was:
1) At the end of the season you need time off to decide to recommit to another season.
2) Heal injuries
3) Spend time trying other activites- no should've, would've, could've
4) Family vacations
5) Catch up with non-skating friends
6) Catch up/get ahead in school
7) Miss figure skating and get excited to return

Often not only did people not lose skills the break gave a reset and people came back stronger.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

If The Covid taught us nothing it should of at least taught us you can take time off.,

 

[caitydid]

Definitely just let her enjoy the vacation, especially with a stress fracture. Help ease her anxieties of missing out and loosing skills as best you can, but it sounds like she could use a break.

 

[Katie]

No matter how much you love something you can get burnout. I think it’s better to miss something for a little bit it can really make you enjoy it more when you come back. If she wants to do cartwheels on the beach or something easy like that could be fun and ok, but going nonstop isn’t good for anyone. The only skill I’ve ever lost from time off is a back handspring and I’ve never gotten them solid so much easier to lose (than a level 4-5 who has probably had it 2-3 years)

 

[Leo7]

Hello all!
So after my DDs state meet (which is tomorrow) she has a 3 week vacation.
She is 16 and is very committed and lives/breathes gymnastics. If she is not at gym practicing, she's at home practicing. I think that vacation will be good for her; let her clear her head mentally and just experience life outside gymnastics. This is supposed to be a fun family vacation to see her grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc. I asked her if she was excited and she simply said kind of... She's worried she will lose skills, strength, flexibility (you know all the gymnastics things). I told her not to worry and to just enjoy the vacation. I guess what I am asking is, is 3 weeks to long? She is a level 4 (wanting to move up to level 5) so its not like she's doing fulls, yurchenkos, or any of that kind of stuff. She is just really nervous about missing out on class and not progressing how she wants to. I understand because I know how much time she has put into this, and I know how upsetting it would be if she lost skills. Another option I was thinking of was maybe letting her stop by some gyms in Florida and letting her do open gym there. What do you all usually do for vacation?
Thanks for reading if you have made it this far!

We have always had our DD take 3 weeks off to be with extended family in the summer. When she was going into Level 10 we found a nearby gym where they let her practice with the team on days she could make it. We did maybe a day of open gym in years before that. No problems and she is a successful young Level 10 now. I think family is most important!