Getting to know each other thread...

[MdGymMom01]

I guess it's my turn...

1. How many kids do you have? How old? What grade?
Two kids--Danica, 9 yrs, 4th grade and Julian, 6 yrs, 1st grade

2. How many years has your child(ren) been in gymnastics?
Danica--6 months but did All-Star cheer for 3 years and Julian--6 months

3. What level is your gymnast(s)?
Danica--Level 4 and Julian--beginner boys rec classes. We are hoping that they start a developmental boys team soon. The boys classes are getting popular!

4. Do you work? How do you juggle your job/gymnastics if so?
Yes, I work. They are very flexible with parents' schedules so I am able to get off early on gym days to get them to practices/classes.

5. What do you love about gymnastics/dislike about gymnastics?
I love that they enjoy it and that they have fun! I love the discipline and work ethic that it teaches, the friendships made and the self-confidence that gymnastics builds in the kids.

I don't like the politics of the sport at the higher elite levels.

6. Tell us about YOU!
I am a divorced single mom. I love watching gymnastics as a sport and trying to stay fit and healthy myself. I like walking, yoga, doing gymnastics when I can (still trying to find an adult class somewhere), reading, playing and hanging out with the kids and surfing the net!

[GymnasticsMom]

Okay, I'll take a crack at it

1. How many kids do you have? How old? What grade?
I have four GIRLS:
DD1- 9 years old and just started 4th grade
DD2- 7 years old and is in 2nd grade
DD3- 5 years old and went off to big kid school! (kindergarten)
DD4- 3 years old and goes to a half a day pre-school (M, W, F)

2. How many years has your child(ren) been in gymnastics?
DD1- Since 2 years old, so about 7 years
DD2- She started at 3, so 4 years.
DD3- Started at 2, so 3 years
DD4- Started at 2, only 1 year

3. What level is your gymnast(s)?
DD1- started level 7 this season
DD2- level 5
DD3- Finally got into level 4! Can't compete until she is 6, we are counting down the days
DD4- Advanced pre-school, it's a step below the pre-team. I am in no rush to move her anywhere. She is only 3 But.. she did memorize the level 4 floor routine

4. Do you work? How do you juggle your job/gymnastics if so?
I don't work, I am always out and about doing things (okay, I go shopping every once in a while but don't tell DH) I am home with my 3 year old on Tues and Thurs for half the day.

5. What do you love about gymnastics/dislike about gymnastics?
I love that is it opened to all ages and all levels. I also love what my kids get out of the sport- friendship, teamwork, hard work, etc. And, it is something they can all do together and travel together.
I hate that it is so rushy and the cattiness of the mothers. Just let your child enjoy the time they have. No guarantee that they will become an olympian.

6. Tell us about YOU!
I am a devoted mother. I am married to DH for 9 years. We have a wonderful big ol' black lab named Luke. I love going shopping, spending time with my family, and watching my children grow and become their own.
Fun Fact! I am allergic to peanuts.. actually, not so fun fact

[GymmomOR1127]

Here it is!!

1. How many kids do you have? How old? What grade?
I have 2 kids. My son is 11 and in 6th grade and my daughter wil be 10 on October 28th and is in 4th grade.

2. How many years has your child been in gymnastics?
My daughter has been in gymnastics for 3 years.

3. What level is your gymnast?
She is level 4. She was moved to level 5 last year, but due to merging gyms and all the related stress, she decided to stay on level 4 another year.

4. Do you work? How do you juggle your job/gymnastics if so?
I work full time, so I do a lot of juggling! I live about 20 minutes from town, so I leave work at 4:00, go home & get DD to get her to gym by 4:45. I usually stay for a 1/2 hour or so, then go back home, make dinner and whatever else is calling my name, then go back to gym for the last 45 minutes or so. Sometimes I stay at the gym. She goes 3 days a week, for 3 hours each. I am never bored!!!

5. What do you love about gymnastics/dislike about gymnastics?
I love the "life skills" it has given my daughter, the close relationships she has made, and how physically strong it has made her. It has been a very positive experience for her.
Dislike - The politics and drama! Believe me, when you merge together two gyms you have lots of politics and drama! It has gotten way better though.

6. Tell us about YOU!
My husband and I have been together for 16 years. We live out in the country, and our family likes to ride quads and spend time outdoors. My husband is a truck driver and I work for a builder. I enjoy watching my kids grow up. They are both so outgoing and fun. I was so shy as a kid, so it is cool seeing the other side!

[Granny Smith]

I was very bored this morning and stumbled across this thread and thought that I'd post.

1. How many kids do you have? How old? What grade?I have 2 kids, dd is 12 and in 7th grade; ds is 7 and in 2nd grade.
2. How many years has your child(ren) been in gymnastics?Only dd does gymnastics and she has been doing it for 8 yrs now, she started when she was 4.
3. What level is your gymnast(s)?She will be competing level 8.
4. Do you work? How do you juggle your job/gymnastics if so?Yes, I do work full-time. I am an inventory planner for an automotive company. Both dh and I work full-time. I have arranged my schedule so that I work 6:30-2:30. I can be at dd's school for 3pm. She goes to gym for 4:30 and she is there 20 hrs a week. (M, W, Th, F and Sat)
5. What do you love about gymnastics/dislike about gymnastics?I love everything gymnastics. I did it growing up and I an exciting that dd is persuing the same interest. The one thing I hate is the cost.
6. Tell us about YOU! Well, let me see. I'm 38 and I've been married for 13 yrs. In addition to gymnastics, our family is really big into soccer. Ds plays (travel, first yr U8) and I love to watch his games. Dd is still a part of a travel team, but doesn't play that often, usually only for tournaments (she can do this because Dh is the coach, still!) As someone else said, I love reality tv and what I love even more is my Tivo, which allows me to watch my shows when I want. I am a big Disney person. For the person who asked before, I am a Dis'er and have been for quite a few yrs. I go by a different name on Dis, but I do go on the Gym thread on the Community Board. We own DVC and go to Disney at least once a yr - just came back in September and will be heading back down in December.

Thanks for letting me share!

[Tim_Dad]

1. How many kids do you have? How old? What grade?

Two.

Nikita, my 19 yr old son, is now studying at the Culinary Institute of America in New York to eventually become an Executive Chef. He qualified for a scholorship at Northwestern...but Noooooo he decided to be a cook. Ah Kids! ) ;D He exceled at acedemics, and competition Swimming while in HS and graduated 5th in his class of 320.

Then there is Nastia (Anastasia). Shes a bouncy 8 yr old in 3rd grade and very much daddies little princess. She's been in Gymnastics since she was 3, but became more and more interested and serious in the last two years. She's L3 now, and very much looking forward to L4. Her HC tells us that she has that spark... so we're gonna try to blow on it to see if it erupts into something. And if not... that's OK too. Acedemics is NOT Nastia's thing, irrespective of LOML's efforts. She's a hands-on girl. Loves arts and crafts, and has a great imagination. She's constantly improving her "fairy village" she has setup in our back woods. Everything is contructed from anything found in nature. We live in a fairly secluded sub-division so friends are sparse, and are normally imported from other areas on arranged 'play dates'.


6. Tell us about YOU!

I work as a Sr. Systems Architect for MasterCard. (yup, the one and only). I moved to MO back in 2002 after I was laidoff from my previous employer (Enron) in Houston TX. While I enjoy what I do, It's honestly ONLY a means to an end. I consider it something I need to do until my Powerball ticket comes in. Eventually...dammit!

To help make the ends meet, pay for college for DS, and Gymnastics for DD, I also work as a "Woodworker for hire". In general, I create custom furniture & cabinetry, and hand-mill period trim and mouldings for older homes. I limit my work to contractors, so the work is somewhat steady, and the expectations are reliable. Other then my family, spending time in my shop is MY moment of pause. Creating period funiture reproductions (specifically Federal) is my goal for retirement income. I love to study history, and read creative writings of past authors. There is something about a writer that uses adjectives well that gives me goose-bumps.

LOML is a "home maker", and mathematics tutor for HS and college-bound students, as well as home-schoolers. She holds a Masters in Engineering from St. Petersburg Polytechnic, which is the Russian equiv. of MIT here in the states. She's from Russia, (hence the Russian named of our kids),came to the U.S. in 1999, and has since become a full U.S. Citizen. in fact, yesterday was her very first election where she could partisipate. She's an enthusiastic gardener, but like any homemaker, time for getting her hands dirty is limited. She can rattle off the latin names of plants, and knows growing conditions, and soil PH requirements sometimes better then the 'experts.' Since I refer to everything simply as a "Fern" or "Begonia", I'm the muscle in the garden and she's the designer. She's also my firecest critic when it comes to quality control in Woodworking. If a piece passes her muster, it's usually pretty darn good. Little gets by her hawk eyes.

[Carolinagirls]

1. How many kids do you have? How old? What grade? 19 college 11(6th grade) 7 (1st grade) All girls

2. How many years has your child(ren) been in gymnastics? 11 yo has been in gymnastics for 5 yrs, 7 for 2 years

3. What level is your gymnast(s)? 11-L5 7 L4 (almost, at our gym, they don't start team till L4)

4. Do you work? How do you juggle your job/gymnastics if so? I do not work

5. What do you love about gymnastics/dislike about gymnastics? I love how strong it is making my girls, the friends they have made, and the cool trips we get to take to competitions. I hate the money we spend on gymnastics!

6. Tell us about YOU! I've been a SAHM for a year now. I love to read, crafts, and I'm on the computer a lot.