WAG gymnasts required to clean gym

[new.optionals.mom]

I am a mom of a gymnasts that is new to optionals. As far as I know and have witnessed, all gyms and all gymnasts use chalk on bars and most on beam, and maybe some on vault on their feet. And we have been in gyms for 5 years now. This year, actually this past week, the gym owners told our optionals that they were required to clean up all of their chalk after each event. First, I had to hear this out in the lobby when I was witnessing and confused as to why my daughter was running a vacuum after bars. I'm sorry I thought I was paying tuition for gymnastics training? While I am against them cleaning behind themselves, I am more disappointed, upset, and out right Peeved that the gym owner did not make any official announcement via email or something in our mail boxes. I just show up one day and see my girl running a vacuum cleaner. Do I have any options to resolve? Do other gyms do this? How have you handled? If your gymnast is required to do this, how were you notified? We came from a gym that was verbally abusive and physically unsafe because they did not know how to spot, etc. So I am already somewhat on guard with things. So I am wondering if I am over reacting. Please give me options!

 

[Seeker]

Cleaning between rotations (the the extent of running a vacuum) is a bit much. Did something happen recently with repeated large messes being made and they're trying to set an example?

 

[coachmolly]

Seems a bit excessive unless the girls are exceptionally messy. Most of our chalk messes come from class kids, not team. But I could see it as a lesson if they had created some kind of chalk storm during their rotation.
Our team girls are expected to put mats away after they have been used and to tidy up the gym after practice, but I would have a hard time asking them to do that during their actual practice time. We are crunched for time as it is!

 

[new.optionals.mom]

Cleaning between rotations (the the extent of running a vacuum) is a bit much. Did something happen recently with repeated large messes being made and they're trying to set an example?

I'm not sure because again there was no communication from the gym owner!

 

[Aussie_coach]

Well, there are times when the kids make a lot of mess, unnecessary mess and waste a lot of chalk. On those occasion I arm my kids with vacuums, mops and dust pans and brushes and have them clean up that mess. It doesn't happen very often, but it does tend to get the message across clearer than telling them not to mess with the chalk.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

No need to yell at the folks here.

Our kids don't clean. But that is because the coach would never allow that kind of mess. Our kids where gymnastic shoes in practice and there is no chalk anywhere but on bars and by the chalk bowl. If there was chalk anywhere else, I have no doubt the girls would be cleaning.

 

[new.optionals.mom]

Well, there are times when the kids make a lot of mess, unnecessary mess and waste a lot of chalk. On those occasion I arm my kids with vacuums, mops and dust pans and brushes and have them clean up that mess. It doesn't happen very often, but it does tend to get the message across clearer than telling them not to mess with the chalk.

Again, there was nothing from the gym owners telling us of a change. in addition, I hear from other parents that our girls have to end their events 10 minutes early EVERY practice to clean up behind themselves.

 

[gymcoach1]

If it was the first time it happened I wouldn't be angry the coach didn't notify the parents. Maybe they made a mess during that specific practice that led to it. What is the coach saying to the girls about why they are doing it? I coach the little ones and have made them sweep up chalk after they were fooling around and making a mess in it.

 

[new.optionals.mom]

If it was the first time it happened I wouldn't be angry the coach didn't notify the parents. Maybe they made a mess during that specific practice that led to it. What is the coach saying to the girls about why they are doing it? I coach the little ones and have made them sweep up chalk after they were fooling around and making a mess in it.

If it was the first time it happened I wouldn't be angry the coach didn't notify the parents. Maybe they made a mess during that specific practice that led to it. What is the coach saying to the girls about why they are doing it? I coach the little ones and have made them sweep up chalk after they were fooling around and making a mess in it.

Again, the parents are told through the child that they have to purchase chalk from the gym, the gym will no longer supply it (no communication to the parents on this one either) I am also being told by other parents that this will be instituted EVERY practice on EVERY event that they use chalk. I had to ask my daughter why she didn't tell me and she said that she doesn't use chalk on anything else but on bars but she is still required to clean up EVERY event not just bars. I do find that as a wrong because you should make any offenders clean up behind themselves if that is the reason why, which again, I don't know the WHY because there was no communication from the gym owner

 

[bogwoppit]

Welcome to the Chalkbucket. I edited your title because using all caps is considered shouting in forums. We prefer that those are not used.

 

[new.optionals.mom]

Welcome to the Chalkbucket. I edited your title because using all caps is considered shouting in forums. We prefer that those are not used.

Welcome to the Chalkbucket. I edited your title because using all caps is considered shouting in forums. We prefer that those are not used.

Thank you, as I didn't know.

 

[profmom]

Your first step here should be to have a chat with the coaches and/or the owners to see what's going on. If this is about kids overusing chalk or throwing it around, I could totally see our coaches requiring them to clean up for a few practices afterward and threatening to make the parents pay for it. My son's practice group once had to spend a good bit of time during a pbars rotation cleaning up some mats on which they spilled Karo that someone had carelessly left out. In my years in this, I've found that things that may sound outrageous when reported by kids often turn out to be much ado about nothing, or at most very little.

 

[GymDad9.9]

I could understand your frustration and anger to see your child operating a vacuum in the gym and you not being kept in the loop about it. However, kids need to learn to respect the gym, the equipment, and their surroundings. I don't get the sense the gym owner is getting kids to clean the gym because he/she is looking to save money. It's a learning moment of sorts perhaps not expressed in the best of ways.

 

[new.optionals.mom]

Your first step here should be to have a chat with the coaches and/or the owners to see what's going on. If this is about kids overusing chalk or throwing it around, I could totally see our coaches requiring them to clean up for a few practices afterward and threatening to make the parents pay for it. My son's practice group once had to spend a good bit of time during a pbars rotation cleaning up some mats on which they spilled Karo that someone had carelessly left out. In my years in this, I've found that things that may sound outrageous when reported by kids often turn out to be much ado about nothing, or at most very little.

I've emailed the gym owner 3x in the past 2 weeks with no response. I was nice. All my email said was that I heard about a new chalk policy in the lobby fromother parents and that I wanted to get the facts from the gym owner as to what my child is responsible for etc so I know as a parent what to do or to expect.

 

[new.optionals.mom]

I don't like hearing things from other people or my child because things can get lost in translation than I look fhte fool. I would not have a problem with some changes if I was told by the gym in a professional manner to disseminate the information to the parents.

 

[LizzieLac]

Our girls do "some" cleaning. They fluff the pit once a month or so and 1-2 times per year they do a big chalk sweep. I have not problem with this - it is their gym too and they need to maintain it like they would maintain the home they share with their siblings and parents.

We have also had a bar cleaning episode that reminds me of what you are describing. It was irritating to parents because it was taking from workout time. Turned out the girls were having an issue about some using too much water on the bars and others using too much chalk. It became messy and he wanted to teach the girls a lesson in moderation and respecting the different preferences for using the equipment. It didn't last and we haven't heard any more about this since.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Not saying it's right but my experience with gyms (based on the 2 we have been at and from reading here). Communication with parents is not a high priority or a regular occurrence at many gyms.

For me I have learned to deal with quirks of my kids coaches. Although every once in a while I have to have a hissy fit and have a meeting. So I know when is a better time to contact and when it's just a plain bad idea. I know now the 2 weeks before states is never a good time for anything but life or death type stuff. Save it for after states. Things like that.

I will say our coaches will respond to emails though.

 

[duyetanh]

At my dd's gym, all levels clean up after bars, but not with vaccuums....and it takes less than 5 min. Heck even the boys clean up. Its not that big a deal. That is the only event they clean up on though. But it is their gym too, and it teaches them responsibility, so I have no problem with it. Now paying for chalk? That would be a problem.

 

[GymDad9.9]

Not saying it's right but my experience with gyms (based on the 2 we have been at and from reading here). Communication with parents is not a high priority or a regular occurrence at many gyms.

For me I have learned to deal with quirks of my kids coaches. Although every once in a while I have to have a hissy fit and have a meeting. So I know when is a better time to contact and when it's just a plain bad idea. I know now the 2 weeks before states is never a good time for anything but life or death type stuff. Save it for after states. Things like that.

I will say our coaches will respond to emails though.

Just to add, I would say every gym is run differently so I would suggest to get a better idea how the gym is run, how the owner relates to parents and what the best methods of communication are. In our gym, the owner is very accessible and I would say the preferred method of communication is in person. I have sent the owner emails in the past that never get answered or answered three weeks later, but he is always available for a face to face, which I find greatly effective.

 

[new.optionals.mom]

Thank you for all of your responses. I feel better a bit because other gyms do this and my knee jerk response is to be upset because it is new to us, but I still don't like that it was not officially communicated to the parents. I don't ask for a talk or a meeting, maybe an email or a note in their mailboxes.