Preschool training

[Megley]

Hi, I just saw your post and wanted to reiterate what was said before about gymnastics being fun, especially at this age. My DD is close in age to yours (she turned 5 on Oct. 2nd) and I am constantly trying to remind myself that it needs to be fun. At our gym, we are in the unfortunate position of not having a class that really "fits" for my daughter. She is in a class now with kids who are a year or more older than she is and it seems to work most of the time but it is also easy to forget just how young she is. It sounds like your DD really enjoys her current gym but you have concerns that she could be learning more? I have to agree to talk to them first about your expectations before just moving her. They may be open to moving her within the gym to another class that perhaps has more hours and where she would learn slightly more advanced skills. Best of luck!

[just4fun]

Thanks for the input. Please let me know how your dd (is that dtr?) progresses. I enjoy reading about how others are doing! My dtrs dance teacher tonight told me she is doing great, so I am just going to enjoy watching her have fun for now. She is in an older tumbling class (7-8) and sometimes I have to remind myself she just turned 5, because when I watch the class she seems 'behind' the older girls. I really just want her to have fun! It is so amazing to watch the kids try and try and then one day do it - that smile is priceless!

[Megley]

Hi! Yes "DD" stands for "dear daughter." I am so used to using it now that I forget sometimes that people might not know what that means! It sounds like your daughter is doing really well and it's great that she is taking dance. I have thought about dance for Lily but she is in gymnastics 6 hours a week now and I don't know when we would fit it in. She is progressing really well and, despite being younger, is pretty much doing what the other girls are doing. She did her first decent back walkovers last night and was so thrilled. I agree that it is great to see how happy they are when they get a skill. I hope to hear more about how your daughter is doing!

[just4fun]

that must have been so exciting to watch - your dd (backwalkovers!) I haven't done one in years - so the other day after dance class (I also take dance) I got out the mats and tried - something I would not recommend, and the mental block to let your body go backwards is crazy! So to face that fear and conquer it is great! I am back to walking down a wall! The progress kids can make at this age is incredible - my dtrs friend, who is an older five (turned 5 in march) has gotten her back/front limbers, walkovers, ect and is now working on back flips! I also have to comment, this week at my dtrs gymnastic class they took half the class to the big equipment and started working on the bars! Keep me informed of your dds progress!

[Megley]

It's great to hear that your DD is starting to work on the big bars. I think someone else here commented that they can learn pretty much the whole Level 4 routine on the small bar because they don't even go to the high bar until Level 5. My DD loves bars - it's her favorite event - and she seems to really "get" it. Her coaches say she is very close to her front hip circle, which is apparently a tough one to learn.

How neat that your friend's daughter is working on back flips already! Lily has her front limber, back limber, tick tock and now back walkover but they are nowhere near flips yet. I think next up will be back handsprings on their own on the super soft mats or tramp (they only do them with heavy spotting now). I have never done a backwalkover myself (my DD does not get her gymnastic ability from my side of the family) but I can imagine the fear of going backward. I am sure it will be some time before Lily can bring herself to actully throw herself backward onto her hands for a back handspring!

Let me know how your DD likes the big bars! I'm betting she is having a great time there.

[just4fun]

My dtr likes the "big beam" the best. With the bars, she does not want to flip over forward - she says it hurts the tops of her legs, she will go over backwards. (excuse the terminology I really do not know what any of these moves are called) I cannot get her to stop 'practicing" around the house - it is getting quite dangerous. I hate to tell her to stop, but it gets a bit crazy!

[JBS]

We were outside today playing with my 17 month old daughter, Maggie. We were having fun playing with a big ball. I asked her to roll me the ball and all of the sudden she did a forward roll on the concrete. She was not happy after that...just proves that things can happen even when your right there.

[just4fun]

I hope your daughter is okay! (especially her head and face!) Remember if she ever needs any facial lacerations fixed to ask for a plastic surgeon. Don't settle for the ED doc - you have a right to choose -even for lacs on legs, arms etc. Hopefully you never need that piece of advice! And your right, most things happen right when you are just that extra second away. I see it ALL the time! Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy your little tumbling bundle of joy! With her parental lineage it seems like it will only be a matter of time before she is rolling and flipping all the time!

[JBS]

She's OK...thanks for the advice. It doesn't matter if she's a gymnasts or not to us...we just want her to have fun.

[Megley]

My DD will not stop practicing around the house either so we bought a mat and I make her use that for the stuff that makes me more nervous. She won't stop doing handstands, though, on every surface from concrete to hardwood to tile so I am constantly telling her to be careful. It is important to try to keep them safe at home, although I understand you can only do so much. A little girl in my DD's class broke her arm trying to do back handsprings in her back yard. She thought since she could do them on the tramp, she'd have no problem in the grass. The result was 6 weeks in a cast and missing out on a lot of gymnastics classes. I'm constantly worried about my DD hurting herself at home or at school, though to her credit she will not try skills at home that she isn't completely sure of (i.e., back walkovers or back handsprings).