Parents Non gym parents & Elite question

DON'T LURK... Join The Discussion!

Members see FEWER ads

Avasmom

Proud Parent
How do you handle other parents who shake their heads at the amount of time your child spends in the gym? My daughter is 7 and there 7 hours a week. That seems like such a short amount of time compared to some of your daughters. I just think they assume it's for the parents and not the kids but my daughter comes alive when she does gymnastics.

Just read about forum on a TOPS program that I don't know much about at all that leads to Elite. How do you find out more information in your area? Do the gym coaches recommend it or do you find out yourself? I am in South Carolina so just curious.
 
One way I explain it is to say there are 6 (or 4) events and they work conditioning and flexibility. My ds is in gym 20 hours a week, but most events are only practiced 2-3 times a week. The question often comes up when people hear that practice runs 4 hours. But when you break it down, it's about an hour conditioning, three events for 45 minutes each and the rest warmup and stretching. When you look at it that way, 4 hours doesn't seem as long.
 
I think there will always be people that just don't understand. They aren't really logical either. My dd played T-ball. Her second year there was 2 practices and 2 games per week. That is a lot for that age group (4-6yo), but a lot of parents felt it was a good thing. ("They need the practice"!?! Really? it's T-ball, it's not even scored!)

Somehow those same parents would have an issue with a child doing gymnastics 4 times a week.
 
My 7 year old is also doing 7 hours a week. I agree that it sounds better in days per week than in hours. 3x per week (what my daughter does) sounds reasonable to most people. However my daughter LOVES to tell people that she does gymnastics 7 hours per week. I really hate when she blurts that out.
 
They would flip their lids if they knew my 7 year old did 16 hours/week. However, when people ask her she just says she loves gym and goes there a lot. I don't think she knows, or cares, exactly how many hours it is. When they ask me and I tell them, they think she's going to the olympics. LOL. Hardly. Most people don't have a clue as to how hard young gymnasts work and how great gymnastics is for all of these kids - regardless of how far they get in the sport. It's a gateway to so much more. I just say - "she LOVES it and it's a lot better than watching tv or playing video games."
 
I remember when my son was doing 5 hours per week someone said that they wouldn't do that much unless their kid had a real shot at the Olympics. They would die to hear that his sister is now doing 20 hours per week and has zero chance at the Olympics for gymnastics!
 
I agree with others about using the number of days at the gym instead of hours now that my, soon to be, 7 year old is going 16 hours a week. I also make sure it's clear to people, when they give me that look, that she does absolutely love it and this is her sport. I also make sure people are aware, as is our daughter, that when it's no longer fun for her she can drop hours or find another activity.
 
Here's a little more non-gym perspective...I live across the street from the middle school sports field. In the late summer and fall, the football teams (the young kids ones, not even middle or high school) are there Monday - Friday, 5-8. Then they must have games on the weekends. And most people would think that normal.
 
I used to get those "looks" when DD was 6 and going to gym 3 days a week (9 hours total). I would just shrug and smile and say that she enjoyed it. Now I just say (since she is about to start middle school and goes 20 hours), it keeps her fit and occupied. Most of the parents I know seem to get that since their kids are now on travel sports teams.
 
My 7 year old is there for 19 hours, but she keeps asking for more...my family thinks we are crazy
 
My 8yr. old DD is in the gym this summer 20hrs. a week. During the school year it was 17. When I would be asked how much she is in the gym I would tell them and all they would say is she must be really dedicated. I figure as long she wants to go and doesn't complain about going why not. We do have an open line of communication and I think you have to with gymnastics since it takes so many hours. You have to make sure it is something THEY want to do for themselves and not what they think YOU want.
 
its a funny question because when people ask 'wow, how many hours are they in the gym?!' and I say 12 or 16 or 20 or whatever, I often ask my friends, 'So, what are you doing this weekend? and I get, ' we have 3 games back to back both Saturday and Sunday, starting at 7am" at which point I usually say, 'Wow, we only have about 6 meets per year, and my kids generally don't practice on the weekends."..........silence.......
its all relative....
I would keep talking but we are going to the beach this weekend......sorry.
;)
PS and dont get me started on the kids that SIT in aftercare doing NOTHING for 3-4 per day......
 
I get those looks and DD is in the gym 12 hours a week. Funny thing is we were at an event this last weekend where there was a martial arts demonstration and the parents were talking about the commitment and how they are work 2-3 hours A WEEK (emphasis theirs) to do all of this. DW and I just shook our heads and laughed. It's relative. With DS we have all weekend baseball tournaments, way more than 12 hours LOL.
 
I usually say she loves it and that I am not sure my furniture could survive her going less. I also point out how much it teaches time management to be able to get done the things you have to get done and still be able to do the things you love.
 
People do not understand gymnastics. 7 hours is pretty average for a 7 year old. I have an 8 yr old. I am not even going to say how many hours she is going over the summer, but she is apparently very excited to spend so much time in the gym. (It is less hours during the school year.)

I don't know much about going elite, and I don't think my daughter has that level of talent. There are some parents who might be able to chime in with more info. I *think* that many of the girls who go elite have done the TOPs program, but you don't have to be planning to go elite to do TOPs. It's an intense conditioning program, and the girls are tested on physical abilities and some gymnastics skills. Usually the more talented kids are the ones who are invited to do TOPs.
https://usagym.org/pages/women/pages/overview_tops.html
 
  • Like
Reactions: sce
How do you handle other parents who shake their heads at the amount of time your child spends in the gym? My daughter is 7 and there 7 hours a week. That seems like such a short amount of time compared to some of your daughters. I just think they assume it's for the parents and not the kids but my daughter comes alive when she does gymnastics.

Just read about forum on a TOPS program that I don't know much about at all that leads to Elite. How do you find out more information in your area? Do the gym coaches recommend it or do you find out yourself? I am in South Carolina so just curious.
--- I get this OFTEN from some extended family.. "if meet season is over, why are they still training so much"? -- My response.. "Gymnastics requires a lot of conditioning and continued practice or they will lose their muscle memory.. this is not like baseball where you can just pick up a ball and throw it 6 months later, no big deal..." Most still dont get it and I give up on them :)
 
I just let the doubters talk and doubt...it really isn't their biz anyway...we all have our opinions on different sports. And if I tried to talk my 20 hour a week kid down a day, she would have my head on a platter. So...I don't. :p
 
this is not like baseball where you can just pick up a ball and throw it 6 months later, no big deal..." Most still dont get it and I give up on them :)

I don't think baseball is just playing catch. And good ball players also train all the time, not just during the "season" and not necessarily with their team.
 

New Posts

DON'T LURK... Join The Discussion!

Members see FEWER ads

Gymnaverse :: Recent Activity

College Gym News

New Posts

Back