Parents What’s something only a gym parent would understand?

[glitterrays]

I would say paying a small fortune for leotards, meet fees, and travel—and still buying the meet hoodie, lol!

 

[sharpscorps]

I would say paying a small fortune for leotards, meet fees, and travel—and still buying the meet hoodie, lol!

Id say volunteering at the gym you pay so much money to avoid getting even more fees lol

 

[XCEL_GymMom23]

The stress of watching your daughter compete on beam! My heart rate spikes every time!

 

[Dahlialover]

How you can do the math over and over and come to the conclusion each time that the cost of your child’s sport is eating up an unreasonable chunk of your family’s budget, and then somehow you disregard all logic and keep on paying! Does not compute!

 

[SuperGymBro7]

How you can do the math over and over and come to the conclusion each time that the cost of your child’s sport is eating up an unreasonable chunk of your family’s budget, and then somehow you disregard all logic and keep on paying! Does not compute!

Story of my life!

 

[Lurker]

How you can do the math over and over and come to the conclusion each time that the cost of your child’s sport is eating up an unreasonable chunk of your family’s budget, and then somehow you disregard all logic and keep on paying! Does not compute!

This is applicable to almost any sport these days.

 

[Dahlialover]

This is applicable to almost any sport these days.

My older son does swim team, baseball, flag football, and a variety of school sports. None of it has ever cost more than $100 per month and there are months off between seasons. There is no comparison between typical youth sports and gymnastics, especially now that he is in middle school and school sports, which are almost free, are taking over.

 

[Lurker]

My older son does swim team, baseball, flag football, and a variety of school sports. None of it has ever cost more than $100 per month and there are months off between seasons. There is no comparison between typical youth sports and gymnastics, especially now that he is in middle school and school sports, which are almost free, are taking over.

100% disagree unless it is a rec sport which by definition competitive gymnastics is not. I pay almost as much for a lower level travel soccer team as I do gymnastics fees plus comp fees by time you add in the stay to play for hotel fees at tournaments it bumps it over. Other travel sports are just as bad as gymnastics if not more.

 

[Dahlialover]

I think a big difference is that a kid can be heavily involved in baseball or soccer without having to join one of those expensive travel teams. You don’t have to take the luxury option for your child to be involved. Gymnastics is different because The luxury option is the only option.

 

[Gymnast_13]

How you can do the math over and over and come to the conclusion each time that the cost of your child’s sport is eating up an unreasonable chunk of your family’s budget, and then somehow you disregard all logic and keep on paying! Does not compute!

Whoops there goes this year's groceries

 

[Madden3]

I think a big difference is that a kid can be heavily involved in baseball or soccer without having to join one of those expensive travel teams. You don’t have to take the luxury option for your child to be involved. Gymnastics is different because The luxury option is the only option.

THIS is my "Something only a gym parent understands."

 

[NutterButter]

I think a big difference is that a kid can be heavily involved in baseball or soccer without having to join one of those expensive travel teams. You don’t have to take the luxury option for your child to be involved. Gymnastics is different because The luxury option is the only option.

I get what you are saying but I don't totally agree. Being 'heavily involved' in a sport -- and not being part of a club or travel team -- generally means athletics with your middle/high school. Making varsity (and having the ability to play your sport all 4 years in HS since a lot of high schools won't put seniors on a JV team or lower) for all the major HS sports - basketball, football, soccer, baseball, softball, hockey - all require participation in private off-season camps, clinics, private lessons, etc. This isn't even to be recruited for NCAA...just the ability to be competitive for high school tryouts.

One example - a better than average athletic kid who played park n rec every year since 1st grade tries out for their high school team. They might make a middle school or freshman team but ultimately have trouble progressing fast enough to move up to JV or V. It's not that they are 'bad' at their sport just that they didn't gain the same experience that kids who played on travel teams have. Experience is cumulative.

 

[NutterButter]

My 'something only a gym parent understands' is that since meets only occur every couple of weeks or so (at best), your kid has to wait a long time to try again. If your kid has a bad game in baseball they get to try again, usually within a couple of days or even in the same game. Not so much with gymnastics.

 

[oliver5a5]

I would say paying a small fortune for leotards, meet fees, and travel—and still buying the meet hoodie, lol!

The constant smell of chalk and hairspray everywhere. And let’s not forget the panic of a lost grip right before a meet. It's a whole different world for sure!

 

[Rookie Gym Coach]

The constant smell of chalk and hairspray everywhere. And let’s not forget the panic of a lost grip right before a meet. It's a whole different world for sure!

Or the never ending chalk!