any problem with sisters in the same class??

[Bobby]

My girls aren't that far apart in age. I love the class and coach that the elder one has, and was hoping her little sister will be invited into that class maybe after her birthday (she's still in kindy gym but big sister's invitation-only class in theory allows entry from age 4).
No offer has been made and I'm not sure whether the coaches even view this as a possibility. Before I go asking, I thought I should be clear in my own mind first if it's really a good idea because my elder may well not be moved on/up for a while and there could be several months of crossover.
Does anyone out there have girls in the same class (not counting twins)? - is there a down side?? I wondered if little sisters feel too defeated by big sis's skills to try as hard as if the big girls were strangers? Or do big girls get worried if the little ones progress "too fast"?
I also wondered from a coaching POV if you'd be more likely to promote the elder or not progress the younger to avoid having sibling rivalry within the group??

 

[gymdog]

It depends on the kids I guess. I have two girls a year apart on my team who are the same level and will be for the foreseeable future (started at the same time and have been progressing a level per year). They do okay. My sister is only a year older (14 months) and until she decided to stop doing gymnastics I didn't move up as fast as I could because of that. But that's okay...it's just the way things are.

 

[Optionals United]

At my gym we have two sisters in level 5 who get slong pretty well. They leave most of the sister bickering at home and come to the gym to have a good time and practice and not fight.

Then we have to girls on our optinal team that are sister ones 11( I think) and is training level 8 and the other ones 13 and most likely going to compete 9. They fight sometimes about stupid stuff but then they get over it. It's usally when waiting for turns they stuff that makes the other mad a little or when we are on break. It helps if one of the other optinal girls is there so they can take them back to realilty of what stupid stuff that they are fighting over. ex. your smaller, when we get home you have to leave me alone cause my friends coming over, you cant swim(when its really hot)cause my friends coming over, ect. Most of the time the older one just ignores her and is focused

I guess it really depends on their relationship at home and how focused/concentrated they are at practice. Are they ones to fight all the time and never seem to let stuff go. Or are they ones that fight for a couple minutes and then are over it and moved on. Having them in the same class could be good for them and even their realtionship. Having them in the same class they could help each other and spend more time together.

I hope this answers you question a little.

 

[CreateMagic]

It really depends on the kids. I have had siblings in classes that were fine, and I've had sets of siblings that we've talked to the parents about separating into different classes because they cannot behave together. Some kids feed off of each other's behavior, sometimes older siblings will do all the talking for the younger sibling, slowing both their progress (but particularly the younger one's), sometimes there are jealousy issues. On the other hand, sometimes it really helps on a comfort level for the children. I've had sisters and brothers that would not come into the gym without the other one.

 

[peace.love.gymnast]

Like everyone else said, I do think it depends on the kids. I have sisters that are both in the same age group (2 years apart). The younger is actually a little stronger skill wise but their parents refuse to put them in the same class b/c they are so competitive with each other...with EVERYTHING! We started their first year in the same class & it was very difficult to coach.

 

[Sunobo]

Like others have said it really depends on the kids. My daughters (20 months apart) were in the same gymnastics classes and team level for 5 years. My older daughter has the natural talent but doesn't like to do the work and my younger daughter has to work twice as hard to get the skills but tends to be stonger. Occasionally there would be sibling bickering going on but most of the time they would interact with team friends and not each other. The only issue that we really ran into is that younger dd didn't do as well at meets and therefore didn't win as many medals and trophies. We would encourage her to continue to work to the best of her ability and that as she improves she will be more successful at meets.

 

[emandelsmom]

I have 2 girls who are a level apart. The are 4 years apart in age. The younger one is stronger and the skills come easier. The older one is more dedicated and works harder. They do fine until they work on the same skill. The younger will not listen to the older one. They get along.

 

[NGL780309]

It's a tricky situation. I'm glad my girls are 4 years apart (5 and 1 year). If the younger does decide to do gymnastics there should be a pretty big gap level wise.

My sister and I are only a little over a year apart with me being the youngest. I always wanted to do what she did. I started playing the same instrument as her in junior high and quickly passed her up. I didn't think she cared because I practiced a few hours daily while she never practiced. It turns out (according to her) she secretly resented me and quit trying because that was better than trying and losing to me.

You can only try it and monitor the situation. If it becomes a problem for either of them I'd try to find a different class for each of them.

I don't envy you.

 

[Aussie_coach]

Like others have said it depends very much on the kids. Most sisters actually seem to work quite well being in the same class, the younger one tends to feel safer and at home having the older one there. Some sets of sisters tend to talk and play around together, but its more often the other way.

The little ones are rarely bothered if the older ones are doing better than them, they are used to big sister getting to do everything first and finding things a bit easier. But problems sometimes occur when the little one ends up being better than the older one. When this happens we do our best to find area's where the older ones excels in her own right.

 

[Aussie_coach]

Like others have said it depends very much on the kids. Most sisters actually seem to work quite well being in the same class, the younger one tends to feel safer and at home having the older one there. Some sets of sisters tend to talk and play around together, but its more often the other way.

The little ones are rarely bothered if the older ones are doing better than them, they are used to big sister getting to do everything first and finding things a bit easier. But problems sometimes occur when the little one ends up being better than the older one. When this happens we do our best to find area's where the older ones excels in her own right.

 

[iamagymbabe]

i do gym at my school once a week and my younger sister started a few months ago. it sounds silly but whenever the coach says that shes doing very well for a beginner i feel threatened by her. before i started gym i did horse riding but i quit for 2 reasons, 1st i wanted to do gym and 2nd that i felt that my sister was becoming better than me and i dont want that to happen at gym. im very competitive and i like to be good at things but thats just part of my personality. i think that some people would get jealous of younger siblings if they got very good very quickly.

 

[gymnut1]

What happened? Did you ask. I have taught twins which was fine but not sisters. If they are the comparing type they will do it even if in separate classes I would think. Hope it works out for the best.

 

[nevertooold]

I also wondered from a coaching POV if you'd be more likely to promote the elder or not progress the younger to avoid having sibling rivalry within the group??

We have multiple sets of sisters on our team, including sets where the younger sister is a higher level gymnast, and sets where the younger is catching the older. We would not promote one just to keep her ahead of her sister, nor hold the other back to spare the olders feelings. We do try to help each see their own strengths.

We haven't had any major issues, minor teasing and squabbles aside, but those are bound to happen among friends as much as sisters. If we have sisters in the same workout group we do try to split them as much as possible, as far as not pairing up as partners at the same station, things like that.

Many gymnasts are just competitive by nature, they look around and they know who is a little better at which skills, who is a little behind, there is no reason to pretend they don't know, but better to just accept it as part of the sport. If both sisters love the sport there is no reason they cannot learn to enjoy and be proud of their own AND their sisters accomplishments.

 

[coachmolly]

I seem to feel my experiences with 2 sisters in the same class/group has been better than when I have 2 brothers or a brother/sister pair. But that could be because I'm overlooking some past experiences. I have some pairs that help each other out and look out for each other, and others who just bicker, hit, fight, and disrupt each other and the class. So, as has been mentioned many times before, it really just depends on the kids.
As far as moving a younger sibling up to the same group, I don't remember a time when that was really a problem. But the only time I recall that happening was when a little sister was moved into the same rec/pre-team type class as her older sister. They weren't given specific levels, so there really was no way to compare if that makes sense. If it came to moving a younger sibling into the same level as an older sibling, I think I would probably talk it over with the parents first just to make sure they are okay with the idea. Some parents are fine with one progressing more quickly than the other and some are not. But I would not intentionally keep a child from progressing because of a sibling unless the parents specifically asked for that.

 

[Bobby]

What happened? Did you ask....

Big sister didn't start in this class 'til she was well past her 5th birthday (we changed gyms for her to be in it). Big sister LOVES gymnastics.
Little sister LOVES big sister and just wants to do whatever she does. I'm not really sure little sister's passion is for gym itself - if that makes sense?
The gym may not even be especially aware of the passing birthday (the coaches look surprised every time I remind tham how old my girls are because they're so short - they easily pass for a year or 2 younger).
If little sister is invited I'll say yes. If she isn't then I think I'll not suggest it myself until next year (and even then of course they may say no). ATM she's reasonably content with a little kindergym class (she plays gymnastics by herself all week but doesn't nag incessantly to do more hours the way my elder did).

 

[gymgurl]

At my gym in my training squad we do have sisters and to be honest its not that much of an issue. With these sisters though, one is in year 5 the other in year 7 (in australia - not sure what it is in american system) Both in the same level. The one in year 5 is very mature and could pass easily as a year 7. There is that sister like rivalry though for instance The younger one has mentioned "its so annoying she can't do anything at training because of back (its fractured) but then goes and comes 2nd all around in comp" but they work well generally and i don't know if there is an issue between them i have no idea as i don't live with them but...i don't think there is because they are quite similar skill wise.

There could be an issue if the younger one surpasses the older one in ability but it depends on the kid.

 

[Shelovesthebars]

My 2 older girls are one year apart. They started gymnastics together and moved along at the same speed, very quickly. They worked well together and were good training partners. They were equally matched skill wise. I don't think they minded being at the same level because they loved gymnastics and where working every day to improve so I think they put aside some of their issues to enjoy a sport they both loved.

 

[bogwoppit]

Mine are three years apart age wise and they have trained together for the last two year and it hasn't been an issue. But I think if when oldest was 7 and youngest was 4 it wouldn't have worked as well. Mind you at that point bigger Bog was competiting and BAby Bog was still 3 years away.

A good coach can handle this easily, it is rare that kids will behave in gym the way they do at home.

I guess as always you will have to cross that bridge when you get to it. Hopefully you have a gym that can mover kids around a bit if it doesn't work for you.

 

[gymnast!!!!]

!!

There are two girls in my group who are a sisters and are only one year apart and most of the time they are fine being in the same group. But there are times when one of them gets jelous cause the other one got her skill before her!

 

[NGL780309]

My 2 older girls are one year apart. They started gymnastics together and moved along at the same speed, very quickly. They worked well together and were good training partners. They were equally matched skill wise. I don't think they minded being at the same level because they loved gymnastics and where working every day to improve so I think they put aside some of their issues to enjoy a sport they both loved.

Do your older girls still do gym, or just your younger?