Working Parents and Gymnastics

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Pickle's Mom

Hey all-

I’m new here, but I’ve been reading posts since my daughter starting competing L4 this year and I’ve learned so much. I need a pep talk or some sort of acknowledgement from other moms in families where both parents work and the child is in a competitive program.

So far, we’ve been able to make it work (barely) with car pooling and flexible schedules, but the summer is looming and making me crazy. We won’t know what team or level Pickle will be on until the beginning of June. And we won’t know her workout schedule until after that. All her current coach could tell me is that it is likely to be 4 hours x 4 times per week, but not which hours or days. It’s likely to be in the morning or, even worse, mid-day.

Ideally I would pay another mom on team to watch her, but at this point I don’t even know which kids are going to be on her team.

I imagine this will only get harder as she moves up in levels. How do people make this work?
 
It is tough ecspecailly when you do not get meet schedules of when they are competing until last minute. I have been doing this for 3 years and it does not get easier. Carpooling usually helps I always volunteer to drive another child when I can because I never know when I will need them. Summer is also a challenge because my daughter goes 8-12:30 4 days luckily I work nights so I just do not sleep much, but for parents who work during the day this is difficult. Our gym is offering babysitting this year before and after practice which I am sure will help. Good luck!
 
It's the never-ending juggle of childcare, family life, work obligations, etc. So far I have been able to make it work. But, I also know that it could come to an end.

Some ideas--
Are there teens in the program who work out at the same time? Would you be able to hire one of them as a "nanny"? What about another teen in the neighborhood. It would have to be someone who drives I suppose--but you might be able to work something out that way. There will be lots of teens looking for work this summer and not too many jobs. I bet someone would jump at the opportunity.

Are you able to take car-pooling / childcare one or two days a week? If so, can you pair up with another family and set a schedule where they take 2 days a week and you take 2 days a week? My schedule is somewhat flexible so that might be something I could do--don't know if that might work for you.

Have you spoken with another gym mom? Someone might be thrilled to earn a bit of money by taking your daughter for the summer. I would start asking around and seeing if anyone is interested. The schedules might overlap enough that it would work even if they aren't on the same team.

The other thing that might work is sort of piecing together care. So, maybe another gym mom would be willing to take your daughter before practice and to practice and maybe you could hire a babysitter to pick up from practice for the rest of the day. It just might work out well--especially if you have the dreaded mid-day practice time. If you go this route, I would be sure to get back ups.

Are grandparents coming to visit this summer (or other relatives nearby)? Can you piece together care that way?

I don't know if any of this helps--I definitely understand what you are going through. My guess is that everything will fall into place, but not knowing is HARD.
 
In the summer, our gym offers to let the kids stay before and after practice during camp hours. But, they are not allowed to enter the gym or join the camp groups. The kids are free to play quietly or read in the lobby. This really help working parents.

The hardest thing we faced was to find something else to do during the off days when our girls were at a low level. It makes sign up (especially in advance) really difficult. Of course, we can opt to put them in camp at the gym but frankly I much rather have our kids to be playing outside than to be trapped indoors when they were not practicing.
 
Summers are definitely tough as the number of hours usually increases at times that just aren't good for the working parent!! As one poster already said, that part doesn't seem to get any easier. My daughter's gym practices daily from 9 am to 3 pm (right in the middle of commuter traffic both ways!) but what I have done is drop her off early (so I can get back to work) and tell her I'm coming to get her later in the day when i get off work...i tell her to bring a book but the situation is what it is.

My employer has been very accomodating about allowing me to make my schedule around her workout schedules but in the summer I have to work at least a few days so I either have her stay a little extra or my husband can sometimes pick her up or she can go home with a friend and I can get her there. Don't worry though, it'll all work out in the end...
 
Thanks to all that responded. I think it helped just to have people acknowledge that this is difficult. I really like Pickle’s gym, but they make it clear from the beginning that our childcare and transportation issues are not their problem. And I completely understand that, as I understand that we won’t know our team placement until June, it just makes it so hard when you have two working parents.

I have one parent who has agreed to do childcare for me for the summer, but it is likely that our kids won’t be on the same team anymore as of July. I’m just going to have to trust that even if Pickle changes teams, there will be someone (a mom or a HS girl) who works out at the same times as she will who will help make this work.

Thanks again for all your kind words.
 
Some ideas--
Are there teens in the program who work out at the same time? Would you be able to hire one of them as a "nanny"? What about another teen in the neighborhood. It would have to be someone who drives I suppose--but you might be able to work something out that way. There will be lots of teens looking for work this summer and not too many jobs. I bet someone would jump at the opportunity.


I think that this is a great idea...actually, this is what my aunt and uncle do to get my cousins to and from camp all summer. Check with your local high school or college as soon as you can. There is usually somewhere that you can post something like this. It might be good start now by looking for a babysitter for one night a month or so to get to know someone so that you are comfortable. Talk to other gym parents to see if they know anyone (nieces or nephews, friends, etc).
 
Same problem as you. My DD is L5 and last year they practiced afternoons M-Thr but won't find out this years schedule until June. I won't have my nieces around to drive this year so I will probably will work a schedule out with another mom who I became close with and lives in our town. Ask around the gym and get a feel for what other mom's are willing to do :) Also our gym has camp hours that parents can pay seperate from the team workout to help bridge the time gap.
 
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Well both dh and I have always worked since dd was involved in gym. Up until last year she had summer practice 9 to 1, which was really, really hard because neither of us was around to take either way. I asked my Aunt who a 2nd shift job if she could take dd to gym and she was able to help. I then had dd's bff mom take her home with them everyday after practice. I'd pack a lunch for her everyday and then I'd pick her up from her house around 3 when I got out of work.

Last yr, practice changed to 2-6pm, except on Fri it was 9-1. This worked much better for us. My Aunt still took dd to the gym, but at least she got some sleep before doing it and then I'd just pick her up at 6, no problems. On Fridays, I'd leave work for an hr and go home get her and take her to practice, can't really remember how I handled after practice, but she always made it home. I am pretty sure this is how practice is going to be again this yr.

For during school, I am fortunate that I only work to 2:30 so I go to school and get her and take her to practice which starts at 3:30. That is still very early for parents where they both work. I actually pick up 1 girl after I pick dd up from school and bring her to practice since neither of her parents are home early enough to do it.

Gym parents always find a way and we always make it work. I find that most parents are willing to help if you ask them - everyone regardless if they are working or stay at home all understand that gym usually has a crazy schedule.
 
Depending on their age and where you live maybe public transportation?

I couldn't start gymnastics until I was ten because neither of my parents could provide transportation to practice. So I took a bus. At first my grandma would come on the bus with me, but after about a year I had to ride by myself. I had to walk 3 blocks to catch the bus and then 2 blocks downtown to get to the gym. I'll admit I was very nervous at first, but I always sat towards the front of the bus by the driver, they were always friendly. One of them called me Sunshine :) Then my parents would pick me up after practice. The schedule was kinda annoying because practice for me started at 4:30 or 5, and I always got there at 4:45. Most kids I know even now won't take the bus because they're too chicken, but it was the only way for me to be able to do gymnastics at all, so I made it work.
 

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