Hello from a brand-new gym mom

[mommyof1]

Hi, everyone! I joined the Chalk Bucket and posted a question a week or so ago, but didn't think to post an introduction until now. My daughter just turned five and has only been taking a recreational gymnastics class for a few months. Although I took gymnastics for a little while as a kid and loved it, I was originally opposed to getting my daughter involved in the sport due to the risk of injury. We eventually signed her up for gymnastics pretty much by accident. Once a week, the after-school program she attends brings in a traveling "gymnastics" program that is really geared more towards preschoolers. She begged us to let her participate, until I finally told her I thought it would be a much better value to pay a few dollars more each week for a real gymnastics class in a real gym. So I took her to the local gym for a trial class, and we were both hooked. She had a blast, and I was amazed to see the instructor convince her to do things I would never be able to get her to try--climbing a ladder way up the wall, climbing onto the high beam by herself (it is taller than she is), jumping off the vault table into the pit. For now, the benefits seem to outweigh the risks. She has declared her intention to be on the team one day, so if it ever comes to that, I guess we will just have to evaluate the gym's safety practices very carefully.

Our biggest challenge right now is that one of her kindergarten buddies just joined her gymnastics class, and the two of them have decided that it's more fun to giggle together than to pay attention to the coach. It's very frustrating to watch, both because she used to focus so well and because I'm embarassed to be the mother of the monkey who is distracting someone else's kid! This week I am going to try getting to the gym a little early so they have a chance to visit and get their giggles out before class, and I am going to ask my daughter not to stand next to her friend in line.

 

[MaryA]

My daughter did one of those bus-full-of-gym-stuff programs when she was in preschool! I often think "If Mr. Chris could see her now!"

Yes, injury is certainly a concern, but I'm amazed at how many gymnasts I see in casts and when I ask what they did to themselves and it turns out that either they a) tripped over a crack in the sidewalk or some other random thing that could happen to anybody or b) hurt themselves doing some sort of gymnastics "trick" outside the gym in a place they shouldn't have been doing it (doing a back walk over and landing on the coffee table or whatever). Also, take a look at the team girls. If it seems like every one of them is wearing multiple braces on every limb, be concerned about the safety practices. My daughter just switched to a gym that practices twice the hours as she did at her old gym (a YMCA) and I see WAY fewer knee braces and ankle braces and wrist guards at the new gym than I saw at the Y, which I attribute to better conditioning, better coaching, and better equipment.

Yes, it's embarassing to be the mom of "that" kid... but it sounds like you have the right idea. Give them a chance to play outside of class, talk to her about what you expect to see her doing in class, remind her that girls who get asked to be on team are the ones who pay attention and do what the coaches ask them to do.

Welcome to Chalk Bucket and the crazy world of gymnastics!

 

[gymmomof1]

Welcome . I so enjoy watching the little ones! Enjoy it cause it goes soooo fast!

 

[mommyof1]

Yes, it's embarassing to be the mom of "that" kid... but it sounds like you have the right idea. Give them a chance to play outside of class, talk to her about what you expect to see her doing in class, remind her that girls who get asked to be on team are the ones who pay attention and do what the coaches ask them to do.

Welcome to Chalk Bucket and the crazy world of gymnastics!

Thanks for the welcome!

One of my daughter's classmates recently moved up to pre-team, and my daughter has asked several times where she went. I always reply that she moved up partly because she was a good listener and a hard worker. Class was last night, and my daughter did a much better job of paying attention this week. It helped that she and her friend were split up into different groups for half of the class, but even when they were grouped together, she wasn't goofing off. She made some nice improvements in a couple of her skills, and seemed to understand that it was directly related to listening and applying corrections. So hopefully she is starting to get the idea...

 

[Deleted member D3987]

Hi, everyone! I joined the Chalk Bucket and posted a question a week or so ago, but didn't think to post an introduction until now. My daughter just turned five and has only been taking a recreational gymnastics class for a few months. Although I took gymnastics for a little while as a kid and loved it, I was originally opposed to getting my daughter involved in the sport due to the risk of injury. We eventually signed her up for gymnastics pretty much by accident. Once a week, the after-school program she attends brings in a traveling "gymnastics" program that is really geared more towards preschoolers. She begged us to let her participate, until I finally told her I thought it would be a much better value to pay a few dollars more each week for a real gymnastics class in a real gym. So I took her to the local gym for a trial class, and we were both hooked. She had a blast, and I was amazed to see the instructor convince her to do things I would never be able to get her to try--climbing a ladder way up the wall, climbing onto the high beam by herself (it is taller than she is), jumping off the vault table into the pit. For now, the benefits seem to outweigh the risks. She has declared her intention to be on the team one day, so if it ever comes to that, I guess we will just have to evaluate the gym's safety practices very carefully.

Our biggest challenge right now is that one of her kindergarten buddies just joined her gymnastics class, and the two of them have decided that it's more fun to giggle together than to pay attention to the coach. It's very frustrating to watch, both because she used to focus so well and because I'm embarassed to be the mother of the monkey who is distracting someone else's kid! This week I am going to try getting to the gym a little early so they have a chance to visit and get their giggles out before class, and I am going to ask my daughter not to stand next to her friend in line.

no. you go to the coach and ask him/her to have a talk with them and let him/her handle it. YOU don't do that. and welcome to CB.

 

[xstitchcarina]

Welcome to this forum. Great that you took your daughter into this lesson and get her acquinted. I guess, yes gymnastics is a sport you get injured in, but I think it is like that with all sports. My daughter has done gymnastics for 7 years now and besides a bit of a sore knee for a few weeks, she hasn't had anything broken or sprained in all that time. Yes, she has knocked her leg or arm or toe a few times and that it sore for a little while, but that can also happen if you just walk somewhere. So don't worry, I am sure she will be fine.

Enjoy being a gym mom. I have and still am.

 

[TXmom]

Welcome to the forum!