2littlegymmiesmom
Proud Parent
My youngest DD started PreTeam at 4. She started in a rec class just shy of her 4th birthday and after one session in rec was asked to move to the Preteam. I was reluctant being that she was so young and had only done a few weeks of gymnastics ever and that was with me out there too. I chose to move her to a 4year old rec class for one session and see how she did without me out there. She did fine so after that session I agreed to move her to Preteam (at our gym it's really a Pre-pre team). She did that going 6 hours a week over the summer as a 4 year old and then they dropped to 3 hours during the school year. This year as a 5 year old she moved up to official Preteam and trained 8 hours a week over the summer and now 7 during the school year. I definitely have my moments where I think it's an awful lot of hours for someone so young (I think the same for my 7 year old training 16 hours a week) but she's (they) seems to enjoy it and is doing well with it and as long as they are managing the hours I'm
Ok with it as well. Anyone either one tells me it's too much then we will stop or drop back in hours.
I think when they are so young some kids handle the hours and pressure better than others. We have had some girls start and then drop out because it was too much or the kids were not behaving or didn't have the attention span. I know my DD struggled with the 2 hour practices in the beginning as a 4 year old. It was hard and there were days she didn't want to go. Now though she genuinely enjoys it and the little girls on her team are some of her best friends. She looks forward to going to practice and the skills are finally clicking for her.
So to answer your question I don't necessarily think 3 is too young as long as you feel confident your child can handle the hours and as long as there isn't a lot of pressure on them.
Good luck with your decision.
Ok with it as well. Anyone either one tells me it's too much then we will stop or drop back in hours.
I think when they are so young some kids handle the hours and pressure better than others. We have had some girls start and then drop out because it was too much or the kids were not behaving or didn't have the attention span. I know my DD struggled with the 2 hour practices in the beginning as a 4 year old. It was hard and there were days she didn't want to go. Now though she genuinely enjoys it and the little girls on her team are some of her best friends. She looks forward to going to practice and the skills are finally clicking for her.
So to answer your question I don't necessarily think 3 is too young as long as you feel confident your child can handle the hours and as long as there isn't a lot of pressure on them.
Good luck with your decision.
