MAG Think my little guy has decided to quit gymnastics. :(

[mamaoftwo]

Not sure if this is where I should post this?

Anyway, my DS will be 5 in late winter. He has been in gymnastics since he turned 3 (after watching DD's classes for two straight years and begging to try it, too).

He loved his preschool classes. He adored his instructors. My little guy has lots of energy and has difficulty containing it when excited, so he was often a bit unfocused. I think he drove his instructors nuts, to be honest. He was lapping his classmates, and not exactly doing the rotations precisely. He was the kid that would run off and bounce on the tramp a few times while waiting for a classmate to finish up his/her station.

Anyhow, the tot director (also then his instructor) moved him up to the boys rec program 6 months early - usually they're supposed to be 5. The thought was that it's more structured and it would force some focus, plus DS does have some natural ability and strength. Well, DS does not like it. Not one little bit. He had bonded so well with his preschool instructors and now has a new (and I mean NEW!) guy. He apparently misses "playing on the trapeze bar and landing in the pit" and "running on the balance beam". The past few weeks his arguments have been getting stronger, so we're finally "giving in". He'll finish this session (only 2 weeks left), then we'll let him move on to other interests.

The downer? He is a bundle of energy! And during his actual class? He has the brightest smile in the group - he is laughing and smiling constantly. At home, all he does are forward and backward rolls, "flips" on the couch, handstands, etc. He is very much seems as obsessed with gymnastics as his sister does. Also, he has nonstop ('til now) talked about being on boys team, and should he realize he misses it, he'll definitely miss this years tryouts as they occur during the next session (not thinking actual team yet, he's so little, but a new pre-team group will form them, too).

So, moving forward, I am clueless as to how I am going to harness his energy in a productive way. Winter here is brutal, so I'll need to find some indoor activity to try to wear him out. Think maybe we'll switch to attending open gyms, so he can still jump in that pit and use the trapeze. Any other suggestions out there?

Thanks for reading,
A somewhat sad, but supportive mamaoftwo.

 

[emorymom]

Oh, the quit might be temporary if the blue mats are his calling. Is getting on boy's preteam really hard there?

 

[Faith]

Can he not go back to his other class for a while? Get the fun back for a few months.

Otherwise open gym sounds like a good way to burn some energy and keep in the gym environment. From what you say it could be just a matter of keeping his interest until messing about gets biting and he wants to learn the good stuff!

Other activities- a dance class? Ice skating, swimming?

 

[gymnut1]

martial arts are good for boys with lots of energy. He is so young he has plenty of time to come back to gym when he is older - so keeping up with open gym is a good idea.

 

[gymmomntc2e6]

do they have indoor soccer in your area? that may use some energy. maybe switching him back to the preschool classwould be the best solution if the gym will allow it.

 

[profmom]

I'd look into switching him back to the preschool class. My little guy didn't start preteam until he was almost seven because he really wasn't emotionally ready for it. Now he's on the team and he's clearly the most focused one in his group.

Preteam should be fun, but it's very directed and purposeful fun, which may not work very well for kids under six.

 

[mamaoftwo]

Thanks, everyone for your comments!

Boys pre-team is not exceptionally difficult to get on, but they are pretty strict that you join in spring. It's progressive in nature, so they frown on later-ads. A kid would need to be pretty exceptional to be put on pre-team once the first couple of months have passed. While I may think he is exceptional, I am not sure that my DS fits their description of that word.

They do not want him back in the preschool classes. I spoke with the director a few weeks ago about this (when DS started to really complain) and he pretty much said my DS just needs time to adjust. While I agree that my son IS the type that needs some time to adjust, it's hard to force your kid to do something they don't want to do - plus, it's getting worse over time, not better. Little guy is only 4!

There is another gym has a "kinder-kids" class for boys-only that goes on through kindergarten. We may consider that for him after a break and see what he thinks. It's a bigger decision - it's a much longer drive and not to mention, DD is on L3 preteam at our current gym. But it may be worth checking out if he seems to miss it. He really just may not be "ready" emotionally for the demands of really learning these skills. I can let him stay little for a little bit longer. To be honest, we also are not in the most "fun" gym around, so I don't think that helps my DS. Maybe something more laid back would be a better fit should he want to try again.

Indoor, winter soccer usually is just a continuation of the fall/spring teams, so it would be tough to get him on right now. But, we may attempt micro soccer and/or T-ball in the spring, depending on when those seasons actually fall. We may try swimming, and/or our YMCA also has indoor basketball starting in January. Combined with open gyms, it may be enough to help with his surplus energy!

Thanks again! Happy Thanksgiving!
mamaoftwo

 

[profmom]

I may not know a lot about gymnastics, but I do know that making a child do a sport is a great way to cultivate her/his hatred for the sport. I don't know how long your sessions are, but if he's been at it now for 4-6 weeks, I think your gym director is out to lunch with the idea that your son needs to adjust. I also don't know why the heck they wouldn't just want to switch him back to the preschool class and give him a little time to mature. Sounds like you at least have your priorities straight! Good luck finding ways to burn off that energy.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

tennis..............

 

[BlairBob]

Our head coach likes to joke to the kids sometimes, "Have you considered Chess or Soccer?"

Honestly, just another lil boy that falls out of love of gym when he hits that rec class program. I used to see this pretty often when my boys would come into my program.

Generally, I tried to keep them in the kinder program as long as possible unless they were clamoring to be with the big boys. Some boys prefer being in the coed classes and don't cut it in the boys only 5 year old classes. This is why I like when a gym has 5yo classes that can still be coed or boys only. I steer the ones who might have more of a gymnastics career into the 5yo boys only and let the other ones play. However, I tend to expose 5yo girls and boys to a lot of the mens equipment when I coach 5yo kinder classes unless it's predevelopment class.

 

[emorymom]

Well, I'd pull him out completely like you are but try him when it's time for pre-team enrollment.

Also the pre-team coach SHOULD structure the program so that the little boys are getting to have some fun. For example, he should reward focus during the practice with a small block of free time.

 

[mamaoftwo]

Well, I have to say that I am actually kind-of relieved to hear that this is common among boys! It helps reinforce that it's right to give him a break (whether permanent or temporary). Though we may let him do the tot/mini class in another gym that goes all the way through kindergarten. Even if he quits when he outgrows it, he'll have fun during the class.

Dunno - that's a bit ironic as he did a tot's tennis class this summer (just through our rec dept) and tennis is what he is begging to do at the moment. It's too cold here for any type of outdoor rec tennis at the moment, but we may consider letting him try a session of indoor classes at the local tennis club.

Thanks again, everyone!