Missing school?

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I was just reading in the parent forum how often some parents let their kids miss school for practice or meets. My parents would not have let me leave school for gymnastics, but there was never the need for it either. I do gymnastics through the YMCA, so they always made sure it didn't interfere with school. The one time I might have had to miss for a meet was this year because a meet was friday night but it was homecoming week at my school and I didn't want to miss the game and stuff like that.

I think that if I had to miss school for gymnastics they wouldn't have let me because that would send the message that gymnastics is more important than school. According to my parents gymnastics isn't a life long sport, and going to school consistently prepares us for the real world because in the real world at work you can't just take a day off when you need it. It has always made sense to me. I'm rather surprised at how often these young gymnasts are getting out of school for practice. Did this fly with your parents when you were in elementary/middle school?
 
I'm not exactly sure what elementary/ middle school is, but I'm going to say it's from 4-11 years?

Not for me. But we only had practiseat night during term time, or at weekends. And any homework had to be done first as well.
 
I miss school for gymnastics, I just fiinished my level 10 season and am now moving into elite season this summer. I am in 8th grade and go to school from 7:50 to about 12:30. My schedule is different from everyone elses because I don't eat lunch at school to maximize learning time. I get in about 6 classes everyday. And because of gymnastics I get my P.E. credit. The classes I do are the required math, social studies, science, and language arts. Plus I take band and french. Band is every other day so on the days I don't have it I go and I have time to talk to my teachers and make up work and get some extra help if I need it.

At 12:30 my mom picks me up from school (bringing me something to eat) and takes me to gymnastics for 7 hours. I get to gymnastics at about 1 and stay until 8. After gymnastics I go home, do homework, shower, eat dinner, and go to sleep around 9:30 or 10 each night. Just to add I am an honors student who has had a 4.0 all year. I don't get behind in school and my teachers treat me the same as the treat every other student. Yes, I know my life is very hectic but I don't like homeschooling and this is the only other way.

At first my parents thought the idea of leaving school was crazy but they try to support me in the descisions I make. I didn't start leaving school until I got involved with the HOPES program and going to Karolyi's camps which was about a year ago. Some kids from school sometimes ask me how I put up with this lifestyle and how hard it is to manage everything. But like everything you get used to it. If anybody has questions I can try to answer as best as I can.
 
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As a compulsory gymnast (training 12 hrs/week), I have never had to miss school for practice. I figure that school will last you longer than gymnastics will - it's the priority. If you're going to regularly miss school for gymnastics, then you need to get your priorities straight. However, occasionally missing school for a meet is okay. I missed a day of school for state because it was a 4 hr drive and my meet ended at 8:00 PM during a snowstorm. So we had to leave the next morning, roads were still icy, I missed school.
 
When I was a compulsory gymnast up until around level 9 I only missed for competitions.. and that was just a Thursday or Friday. Around level 9 or 10 I was homeschooled for a year and I was diving as well (went back to public school my freshman year after training 7 hours a day).

When I stopped gymnastics and put my focus on diving I still never really missed school except for the usual doctors appointments and a little bit for meets. But when I made the Junior National Team right before starting my Senior year of high school I was missing a week or two of school at a time. I missed two weeks for Junior Worlds and this past semester I missed a week for the world selection camp... and then three weeks of school for Nationals and two International competitions that I had to fly from one to the other. I also made the Senior National team this year so I go to camps as well (sort of like the Ranch for gymnastics) so I miss school for that.

A lot of teachers and parents would frown upon it, but I kept up with my school work and got everything done that I needed to. I managed to graduate and am currently a freshman in college taking a class and doing really well. I mean sure I should have maybe been to school more, but the fact that my parents have given me the opportunity to compete in competitions to help fulfill one of my dreams was definitely more rewarding. My parents were definitely hesitant in letting me miss so much school, but as long as I knew that I had to keep up in school to go then I was given the go ahead.

gym4life915- I completely agree with you about budgeting your time... it is extremely hard but it prepares you for when you do have to go to work everyday. I wish you the best of luck as an Elite! Follow your dreams :)
 
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For most people I don't think missing school is a good idea. School is more important than gym, because it is what will prepare you for your future. But if you are like an elite gymnast then I think there is really no choice. But in order to get to elite, you have to be extremely dedicated, just like you have to be if you miss school, so I think you are better prepared for missing school because you are an elite gymnast.

Gym4life915...good luck with your elite gym stuff. You sound like a pretty amazing gymnast :).
 
No I don't miss school for gymnastics. The only people who miss school for gymnastics at our gym are higher levels. I think its pointless to miss school unless you plan on going elite. Yes, gymnastics is fun, but you can't plan on doing it for the rest of your life and gymnasts need to focus on school to prepare them for what the future holds for them.
 
Thank you guys so much! Every since I was little, I dreamed of becoming elite and now it has become a reality at age 13. Follow your dreams and you can accomplish anthing you set your mind to. As much as I wanted to stay in school all day, there was just no way to do so with 7 hours of gymnastics every day. Dream big and never give up! :)
 
thats great gym4life!!!! congrats!

my parents are't big on the idea of missing school for gymnastics, but if its a comp or something they dont mind. They dont mind if i miss school occasionally coz i get good grades (lucky me) so they just say 'as long as your grades are good, you can do gym'.
Personally, I dont think missing half an hour-one hour is that bad coz you can catch up on work
 
I am not a very high level (7) so i neever miss school for practice although i have been dismissed about an hour early once or twice because of a meet on a friday afternoon.
 
Missing School...

I've missed school for gymnastics around 3 to 4 times. The meets have either been on a Friday, or far away that we needed to drive a long time to.My parents were fine with it and my teachers just told me good luck and to have fun- everyone seem okay with it.... I love it though:D This was in 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, and upcoming 8th grade years.
 
it is okay to miss a day or two of school for a meet, but not for practice. school is surely more important than gym, so try to not miss school for gym.
 

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