Parents Session times and frustration

[twinmomma]

I'm so frustrated. Our first meet is over an hour and a half away and our session is at 6pm on a Sunday, with awards not scheduled until 8:30. So my 8 year old will be up until midnight on a school night. Do gyms think of these things at all???? I'd rather have the meet start on a Friday night than have her up until midnight on a Sunday.

 

[Quadqueen]

Yup - it happens. Usually more than once every season for us.

 

[gymgal]

That's certainly not ideal, but it's really not too bad. She can sleep in the car and if need be, she can go into school a little late. Chances are it will only be 1 or 2 times in the season. We have had Thursday travel meet sessions. Now that really stinks....

 

[gwenmom]

Yep. There is also the fun 7:45 Saturday morning session in a time zone an hour ahead. That one was fun. :$

 

[htimcj]

Happens a lot. Our meets go Friday/Saturday so we tend to miss a lot of Fridays at school.

 

[cbifoja]

Last year we had a Friday 8AM session time in a town 3 hours away. Our L2s had a late Sunday meet at the same place. We don't sweat it because DD is still in elementary school and let's be honest....nothing they can't make up pretty easily.

 

[Aussie_coach]

But this is just how the competition world goes. Many meets are so big that they actually need the kids to be in sessions from Friday afternoon to Sunday nights. Someone has to be first and someone has to be last.

Also a lot of parents complain about Friday meets because it means they have to pull their kids from school early or for the whole, also it may mean they miss a day of work and a day of income.

 

[my4buffaloes]

It happens, doesn't make it fun, but I guess you get used to it. What I didn't like was when my 9 year old didn't even start the competition until 8:30 one night. That was her bedtime!

 

[Pea'sMom]

We've been fairly lucky and haven't had any horrible scheduling. But as other said, it's common! Maybe you can have your daughter nap, or relax (TV, movie?) later in the afternoon so she won't be as tired. It will help giver her something to do other then get anxious about the meet

 

[SignHere]

I know! I remember, 2 years ago, DD's level seemed to be scheduled to compete on Sunday nights in EVERY meet! So, they would start at 6:30 pm or so... Once, she started her last rotation at 10:30 pm! (Vaulting... it was her worse score of the season. She must have been exhausted.) We didn't get home until something like 2 AM. It was ridiculous.

 

[MeetDirector]

I know it sucks to get a late session, but as I have said before, building a meet schedule is all about the numbers. Some group has to be in the last session of the day; here's to hoping it stays on schedule. I would count your blessings; a meet starting at 6:30 that is going to have awards 2 hours later is outstanding! I would never block only 2 hours for a session, so here's to hoping the meet director didn't get overly optimistic.

 

[SurpriseGymMom]

Meh, it happens. It would be great to get the 12pm session every time, but that's not going to happen. Hopefully you'll get luckier for the next meet. If meet directors tried to please everyone and not give anyone "undesirable" slots, then soon we would have meets running from wed-sun instead of sat-sun, perhaps Friday..

My gymmies very first dance recital (years ago obviously) had her class scheduled next to last. A whole class of 3yos, after a long day of rehearsals and performances, at 8:30pm. It wasn't pretty, LOL, but memorable.

 

[Ali'sMom]

As a mom, that would be my worst choice.
As a tween, DDs worst was a 7:30pm Saturday night session when all of her friends were going to the drive-in

 

[oplei]

Yup, Watching a 7 year old on the beam at 9:00 at night (past her bedtime) is painful. Add on the 2 hour drive and complaining/whining siblings and you start to question your sanity. Don't worry, we have all been there or are going there. So, yes, nobody likes it but we do accept it is part of the schedule lottery. BUT you better believe I complain loudly to my sympathetic family and friends (you, know, people who can't do anything about it but nod and remind me how much my kiddo loves it).

 

[twinmomma]

Oh I get it's part of it. My bigger frustration is that there is a meet IN TOWN that same weekend, so I'm still wondering why we're going an hour and a half out.

Last season, DD was in an 8 am session EVERY meet but one. It became a running joke. Waking her at 5am for the meet 2 hours away was fun. Probably her worst meet, too.

 

[Tbrov]

And then there's when you have two gym kids, and one has the 8:00am session, and the other the 7:00pm one. And of course they want to stay for the in between sessions to watch their teammates. There are days when we didn't see the sun and lived on nachos. Yep - I can commiserate!

 

[raenndiva2009]

Oh man when I'm at a meet and my sister competes after me and I have to stay is when I question my sanity. Especially since the meets are 4 hours longer or more. So it results in me staying out until about 10:00 at night lol So don't worry everyone's been there, done that

 

[Momof2]

We have been very lucky so far and no late meets yet but we have had the opposite. Waking up at 5 am putting the kids in the car in there pjs and hoping they stay asleep for the 2 1/2 car ride. 10 min after leaving the house I hear laughing coming from the back. Those are not the best meets either lol.

 

[raenndrops]

At least your meet is starting at 6pm and not 6:30 (if it goes as scheduled)... or awards wouldnt be starting til 9pm and you wouldnt be getting home til even later.

Last 2 seasons, most meets had YG in the first session and OG in the last session. Which isn't bad for ME, since i need to be there for scores and placements and everything anyways... but it made for long days for them (out the door by 530- 6am and not home til after midnight... and OF COURSE, they have trouble sleeping the night before). Luckily, they are both "car babies" and will often sleep for part of the ride there and MOST of the ride back.