Parents Questions about 6 year old on L3 team

[GymMomA3R]

Hi everyone,

I am so thankful I stumbled upon this site! It has been super informative as I’ve tried to navigate my way through learning about my daughter’s journey though gymnastics the past few months.

My 6 year old was unexpectedly asked to join the level 3 team that started training this week so I’m scrambling to figure it all out and I would appreciate any advice/insight!!

1. Do I stay the whole practice since she’s so young (just turned 6 in Dec)?

Practice is MWF 5:30-8:30 and I have another child to worry about as well. It would be great if I could just leave her and come back, but she has a new coach and the team is 20 girls (vs preteam of 5 and a coach she’s been with since she started 8 months ago).

2. When do you feed them? If they eat before, isn’t hard to work out when full?

3. Bedtime?

How do you handle a late bedtime like this - we live nearby so we would be home by 8:45 but after eating again (since she’s starving) and bath (since she’s all sweaty) she wouldn’t get in bed till 9:30 at the earliest - which is hard on school nights.

4. How to handle soreness?

She went from 20min of light conditioning 2x a week to 1hr of more intense conditioning 3x a week and was complaining this morning of her stomach hurting (I’m assuming her abs are sore). Any tips on what I could do to help until her body adjusts?

I’m also open to any other advice/words of wisdom! Thanks in advance!

 

[John]

1. This is up to you and your DD, and the rest of your family. I would suggest you determine your comfort level and adjust accordingly. Also taking into account the needs of your other family members.

2. I feed before and after practice. Before is something light that will provide energy for a sustained period of time. After it's protein, DD loves meat.

3. Bedtime. This one is hard. DD and I spoke about it when she started team. It was decided that if she wanted to pursue competitive gymnastics she had to assume some of the responsibility. Managing her time and obligations. Homework is finished before practice, showers are quick and efficient. I assumed the responsibility of driving her to school so she can get an additional half hour of sleep in the morning.

4. Muscle soreness is a by-product of working out, lactic acid. We discussed the cause and ways to help the soreness. Massage, warm baths, stretching, and simply moving the sore muscles. This is inevitable they will be sore.

Just one dad's thoughts on your questions.

 

[raenndrops]

1. As long as you are comfortable with the coach and your daughter is comfortable, you don't need to stay the whole time, but be aware of what occurs and be open to listening to what your daughter tells you.
2. If home is only 15 minutes away and practice starts at 5:30, then give her a "mini-meal" (bigger than a snack but smaller than a full meal) around 4:30-4:45.
3. Talk to the coaches about leaving practice early on Monday and Wednesday, at least until school is out. That will help with the bedtime issue and give her more time to eat dinner.
4. They get used to the conditioning. For now, try a heating pad or even just vicks vaporub.

Good luck. Remember to breathe!

 

[jillc]

1) I would not recommend staying the whole practice every time. Stay enough to get yourself comfortable with the environment. And then work towards reducing that time. My DD is and 8 yr old level 3 with similar hours and I generally only see 15 minutes of practice per session.

2). She eats before, during, and after. A smallish meal before, a few bites of a protein bar or something like that during, and a small meal after. The after meal is mainly during the ride home because she is hangry after practice even with this schedule.

3) For now we skip the bath to get a reasonable bed time. Not sure how long we will be able to do that, but it works right now. The meal on the way home helps as well.

4) no advice on soreness, we didn’t have this.

Remember this is a marathon not a sprint.
Work with the coach, but it is ok if she leaves practice early (or misses completely) a few times as she gets used to the new schedule.

Some coaches are more supportive of this than others, but really, it is ok.

 

[Mrs. Puma]

Welcome! I was in the same spot as you-Puma Jr was put on team as soon as she turned six and I was a little freaked out about leaving her. But with long practices, another child, and a crazy life, I kind of had to. But I wouldn’t have if I didn’t feel very comfortable with the gym and the coaches. And yes, we always feed before and after, and bedtime we do the best we can...we try to plan homework, baths, other activities around gym. And they do get used to the conditioning. If it’s really bad, maybe it’s a little too much. But normal minor soreness is common. Good luck to you! Buckle up for a wild ride....

 

[GymMomA3R]

Thank you all for your responses! I really appreciate it! Between the new schedule, the comp leo/fees/etc and tuition increase, it’s a lot to process in such a short time.

I think over the next few practices I’ll get more comfortable leaving her - she’s just so tiny compared to everyone else and they all know each other so I feel like I should be there in case she needs me (though she doesn’t seem to have a problem with holding her own lol). I don’t want to become to be one of those CGMs.

I’ll try feeding her before practice and then again after. She’s always hungry lol. They don’t have a break where she can have a snack but maybe I can make/get her a kids protein shake to drink during one of their many water breaks? Anyone have experience with those?

Skipping the bath sounds tempting... I may try that as she needs all the rest she can get. I don’t know how leaving early regularly until school ends in June would work because from what I saw, she’d be missing an entire apparatus rotation and it looks like it would be the same apparatus (bars) each time which is her favorite. I may just let her sleep in longer in the morning to compensate.

Thanks for the tips on soreness. I’ll definitely try the suggestions including a warm bath/soak on Fridays. I don’t think it’s terribly bad, she just seemed confused as to why parts of her body hurt. I know her body will get used to it over time..

Again thanks for all the help and the reminder to breathe and pace myself because it looks to be a long road ahead!

 

[jillc]

They don’t have a break where she can have a snack but maybe I can make/get her a kids protein shake to drink during one of their many water breaks? Anyone have experience with those?

Yeah, my DD doesn’t have an actual snack break either, so it needs to be something quick she can grab during the water break between rotations.


The gym doesn’t like any non water drinks because they can make a big mess if it gets spilled.

But in addition to protein bars or energy bites, I have heard of people doing things like those applesauce packets, grapes, other fruits.

 

[Flyaway]

Oh, skip the baths/showers as long as you can. Save those for nights she doesn't have practice. A little sweat/chalk dust won't hurt her. And congrats to you and your dd and welcome!

 

[GymMomA3R]

Yeah, my DD doesn’t have an actual snack break either, so it needs to be something quick she can grab during the water break between rotations.


The gym doesn’t like any non water drinks because they can make a big mess if it gets spilled.

But in addition to protein bars or energy bites, I have heard of people doing things like those applesauce packets, grapes, other fruits.

Gotcha.. yeah, she would have to leave it in the kitchen where the rest of the team keeps snacks/food but she may be able to grab a quick bite of a protein bar in during water breaks. Now that you mention it, I could totally see her spilling the protein shake all over her leotard and somehow ending up with a milk mustache (even with using a straw) - she’s not the neatest eater. Lol.

 

[Sk8ermaiden]

1. I would stay occasionally, but there's no need to stay regularly. (I do, but I live too far to go home.)

2. My kid always eats in the car on the way to gymnastics. It has never been an issue. Every kid is different. After late practices, she has a power bar, if she is still hungry when she gets home she'll grab a cheese stick. I've not had to feed her a whole new meal.

3. I don't have a lot of advice on this. I just send mine to bed because at this age I find she's not smelly after practice yet. She showers in the morning.

4. If mine is so sore she can't sleep or it affects her being able to play, I give her a dose of ibuprofen.

 

[Sk8ermaiden]

Gotcha.. yeah, she would have to leave it in the kitchen where the rest of the team keeps snacks/food but she may be able to grab a quick bite of a protein bar in during water breaks. Now that you mention it, I could totally see her spilling the protein shake all over her leotard and somehow ending up with a milk mustache (even with using a straw) - she’s not the neatest eater. Lol.

I use kitchen shears to cut up DD's power bar into bite-size pieces, and then I put in in a small tupperware. It's really easy for her to grab and go and avoids her putting a half-unwrapped power bar with a bite out of it back down in the cubby. Ewwww.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Oh, skip the baths/showers as long as you can. Save those for nights she doesn't have practice. A little sweat/chalk dust won't hurt her. And congrats to you and your dd and welcome!

This

And we did food in the car.

A thermos is a must have for us.

No eating during practice at our gym.

 

[suebee]

Agree with the others: feed before and after. My dd is usually happy to eat dinner really early (at 4 PM) and then eat a snack afterwards.

No shower after practice. At this age, it’s not a necessary.

Definitely sleep in more in the AM to deal with later bedtime.

Stay as long as you need to at practice until you and she feel pretty comfortable with you leaving.

 

[FutureGirls]

Hi everyone,

I am so thankful I stumbled upon this site! It has been super informative as I’ve tried to navigate my way through learning about my daughter’s journey though gymnastics the past few months.

My 6 year old was unexpectedly asked to join the level 3 team that started training this week so I’m scrambling to figure it all out and I would appreciate any advice/insight!!

1. Do I stay the whole practice since she’s so young (just turned 6 in Dec)?

Practice is MWF 5:30-8:30 and I have another child to worry about as well. It would be great if I could just leave her and come back, but she has a new coach and the team is 20 girls (vs preteam of 5 and a coach she’s been with since she started 8 months ago).

2. When do you feed them? If they eat before, isn’t hard to work out when full?

3. Bedtime?

How do you handle a late bedtime like this - we live nearby so we would be home by 8:45 but after eating again (since she’s starving) and bath (since she’s all sweaty) she wouldn’t get in bed till 9:30 at the earliest - which is hard on school nights.

4. How to handle soreness?

She went from 20min of light conditioning 2x a week to 1hr of more intense conditioning 3x a week and was complaining this morning of her stomach hurting (I’m assuming her abs are sore). Any tips on what I could do to help until her body adjusts?

I’m also open to any other advice/words of wisdom! Thanks in advance!

 

[FutureGirls]

One of my daughters is also a young 6 and is competing level 3 this year.

When she was first on team I did stay. But now I do not. Please stay as long as you or your daughter need.

My girls eat dinner when Home from school. So yes their bellies are full but that’s always worked for them. Then on the way home they tend to eat a pbj, fruit, zbar of some sort.

We don’t do showers or baths when getting home that late. Kids get right into bed.

Soreness: we do a lot of Epsom salt baths and that helps. Also stretching on days not in the gym.

There are always some
Nights we leave early . You could always ask to leave early on school
Nights. I have to say they do learn to adjust but these next few weeks/months may be hard as she adjusts to being sore and tired.

Enjoy the new adventure!!

 

[GymMomA3R]

Thanks for all the great advice!

I spoke with DD about whether she would like me to stay or leave and she asked me to stay during practice until she gets more comfortable with her new teammates/coach and then she said she’d be okay if I leave once she gets used to it.

She likes the idea of cut up zbars that she can grab at each waterbreak and I can have a PBJ + protein shake waiting for her to eat in her car se

 

[GymMomA3R]

Lol - my phone posted before I was done typing

But yes, I’m gonna do my best to incorporate the suggestions and hopefully it helps her not be “starving” in her words. I know it’s a short ride home, but that’s still 15 minutes I can shave off eating after practice so I’ll definitely feed her in the car - maybe it will be possible to get her in bed before 9 and then just wake her up at 7:30 (I’m being very optimistic )

Thankfully she’s not stinky (yet) so its reassuring I can just give her a bath on non workout days.

Whew... all the advice is totally helping me feel like we can take this on.

 

[Jennifer Rainwaters]

My dd is also 6 competing level 3. I used to stay, but she has an older sister there, so I often leave for awhile. My girls eat a snack on the way to Gym, then have dinner after. I work and have no time to prepare dinner beforehand. (They eat in the car) We don’t do baths/showers after practice. They go straight to bed. My older dd will take a shower in the am if she thinks it is necessary.

 

[Gymanna]

It’s a shame practice starts that late. 4pm start seems far more appropriate for that age. My daughter is 10 and would struggle with those times!! Definitely invest in a thermos and eat in the car so it’s one less thing to do. You could also pack pyjamas so she could get changed in car so if she’s sleepy when you get home all you have to do is plonk her into bed. Or even better she falls asleep in the car!!!

 

[GymMomA3R]

Who hoo! Cut up zbar and blueberries in a small Tupperware next to her waterbottle for her to easily snack on, plus eating before and after in the car seemed to agree with her last night! Plus it had the added benefit of making her drink more water than she’s normally inclined to.

She had so much energy throughout practice (maybe even too much lol?!) that even a couple parents commented on it.

We did a warm epson bath and massage last night and we’ll see how she feels when she wakes up.

It’s a shame practice starts that late. 4pm start seems far more appropriate for that age. My daughter is 10 and would struggle with those times!! Definitely invest in a thermos and eat in the car so it’s one less thing to do. You could also pack pyjamas so she could get changed in car so if she’s sleepy when you get home all you have to do is plonk her into bed. Or even better she falls asleep in the car!!!

Yeah, many of us parents wish practice started at 4! - however, my DD likes the later start time because she has time to decompress from school before getting into gym mode. She hated her 4pm preteam start time because it meant we went from school to gym directly. She often fell asleep on the car ride there and was cranky when I woke her up.

Pjs sound like a great idea but she’s a messy eater and with dinner on the car ride home, I’d likely have to change her again anyway lol.