Too young to leave?

ellabella · 07-02-2008, 10:37 PM

When did you feel like your child was old enough to leave at the gym during practice?

Mine is only 3.5 and I want to leave, but I feel uneasy about it. Since she started going twice a week it's my own gym work-out that has been replaced ( and I need it! ).

I'm scared to leave her because accidents do happen in gymnastics, even at beginner levels. I'd feel horrible if she got hurt and it took me awhile to get there. She's potty trained, but still needs help getting her leotard on and off and I sometimes have to take her to the potty during practice. She's shy and doesn't like to ask. I'll start to notice her standing funny and know she has to go.

I don't think she would notice if I wasn't there. I'm probably shouldn't admit this, but I also find it really boring.

Just curious when the rest of you felt comfortable leaving the little ones.

spokanegymmom · 07-02-2008, 11:28 PM

Even before she was going 2-3 times a week. I think that 3.5 is too young to leave. Especally if she needs help with her leotard.

mariposamama · 07-03-2008, 01:03 AM

I didn't leave A until she moved to team. I still don't like leaving her there. She was 5 years 8 months old (LOL). Before then she was there 2 times a week for 1.5 hours and I always stayed. I talked to the other moms, watched her and played with my toddler. Had I been alone I would have read a book.

I would be even more uncomfortable leaving her if she couldn't go to the bathroom alone and that WAS an issue even at her age because she had a scary potty incident as a toddler and had hated public restrooms until recently. I have a history of ***ual abuse and am not trusting enough to let anyone help my kids go to the bathroom, so luckily she got over her fear of public toilets about a few months before moving up to team.

gymmomntc2e6 · 07-03-2008, 05:38 AM

My daughter will be 8 next week and is on pre-team. She practices 8-10 hours a week (depends of she decides to do tumbling or not - that adds 1-2 hrs). I still stay unless I absolutely cannot. I have run errands put never gone more than 30 min. Her shortest practice is 2 hours. Longest is 3.5.

We live about 15 min from the gym, and like you said if she got hurt I would hate for her to be waiting for me to arrive.

There are a couple younger than her whose parents do not stay. A few of them are in the summer day camp at the gym (converts to that from after school care during the school year - so they are there all day while their parents are at work. but during the day they are not doing gymnastics - other activities are scheduled.

I must admit my DH and I are somewhat over protective. But on the good side it is saving gas $

**bogwoppit** · 07-03-2008, 06:24 AM

I first left my oldest when she was 6 and my youngest when she was 5 as she had the oldest around too. Our gym likes, but doesn't require, parents to hang around when the tinies are in the gym for all the reasons you said. It is hard for a coach to leave the floor for bathroom breaks or for little boo boo's that need a kiss.

That said you know your own child and if she is ready to be without you. The length of the class would be more a deciding factor for me, an hour or under they should be fine, two hours or more might be a challenge.

As for the excercise, I hear ya! There are some gyms that have work out facilities, not ours, you could always jog around the parking lot with free weights in your hands!

Livinatthegym · 07-03-2008, 06:30 AM

When the practices got long enough for me to get something else done while she was there! So, for dd1, like 9? Dd2 was different. She made the developmental team at 4, and practice started at 4. I didn't get off work until 4:30, so dh had to leave work, pick her up at daycare, take her to gym, drop her off, and go back to work. Not ideal, I know. If you do something like this, make sure the coaches know you are not on campus.

Shawn · 07-03-2008, 08:04 AM

My DD is 6 years old and practices 11 hours a week and I still do not leave her alone at the gym. I, too, am always worried that something will happen and I won't be there. But, we also live 40 minutes away so its a lot of time and gas to be running back and forth. I'd rather stay at the gym, watch practice and talk to the other moms than spend and hour and forty minutes in the car driving back and forth.

Monkeygirlsmom · 07-03-2008, 08:21 AM

I think it really depends on a lot of things! main beingyour child and the gym and the coaches

I have just recently left my girls at the gym I go do my errands that are near there (target etc) and then come back and watch the last bit so I am not gone the whole time.
They are 8 and 6 They know my cell number and I tell them where I will be so they know!

momof5 · 07-03-2008, 10:08 AM

I a dealing with the same situation right now. I feel DD #2 is too young to leave by herself. She just turned 4. They just moved her to an advanced class for 1 1/2 hrs 2 days a week. It's in the evening when the gym and lobby is super crowed. I would not feel safe with her leaving the gym and walking by herself to the restroom with all those people. She also struggles with her leo and is the type to walk back into the gym naked holding her leo for her coach to help her. Yikes! And yet I have many small children and that makes it hard to stay every time. Add another DD gym schedule and its too much for my kids. I am hoping that several of the other moms stay and I can get to know them and then ask if they can keep an eye on my dd and help her if she needs help. A couple of moms did that last year in her preschool gym class and it worked out great. I also just got my first cell phone and would give a few perents my cell number so if I was needed they could contact me.

nettyinpa · 07-03-2008, 12:24 PM

I think 3.5 is too young to leave there alone. Like you said, you never know when something will happen. And I think the little ones like when their moms or dads are watching them. You know how many times my dd asked me "did you see me do that, mom?" I would've hated to say no, I'm sorry I missed it. Now it's not such a big deal since she's on the team and with her friends, etc. But, I still like to watch once and a while. I live 30 minutes from our gym so it wouldn't be worth it to run home. But, if I need to do some errands I'll do that. She's there over 20 hours a week right now so no, I don't stay.