Parents Too young to leave?

[Blackie6]

LOL about all the talk about the toilets w/auto flush. My DD also is scared her tushie will be sucked down into the bodily function never never land! I have to admit a couple times even I was scared when the thing would flush automatically and I wasn't done yet! Thankfully our gym doesn't have one of those!

 

[Gymnasticsgirl521]

When DD was under 5 I would only leave for very short time frames. Just long enough to pick something up at Target. Now that she his 5 and I am working I have to send her without me. I did purchase her a cell phone and her coaches and all the moms have my numbers. With us going 4 days a week for 4 hours a day we can not be there 100% of the time. It isn't fair to DS. So I work on one of the days and I make it for the last hour of practice. The other days I go and watch but may leave for an hour here or there.

At 3.5 I don't think I would ever leave. Well let me stand corrected she DD was almost 4 I left to go pick up her birthday present. That was it. You know your child best and you know yourself. You have to do what works for your family.

 

[TheSister]

On this topic I just had to tell this story-- my little brother is 3.5 and I had to use the bathroom for almost the entire class, but hate public restrooms and was trying to wait. The what I thought was a 45-min. class was running to 50, and I thought perhaps I had the time wrong and had the ten minutes to run to the bathroom. Even if the class had ended right that second, I would have at least a few minutes because of little brother's "ladies first" stamp and water policy. I left my keys in his cubby with his shoes so he knew I'd be coming back, and headed for the bathroom.

Between finding the bathroom at the new gym/sport complex thing and the broken toilet causing a little line, I must have taken longer than I planned to. When I got back, I found my brother sitting at a table in the snack area, shoes on, "reading" his handout. When I sat down at the table with him, he informed me that I had "forgotten" my keys in his cubby. And "Can I have a pretzel I was listening today!" If I had taken any longer he probably would have used the keys to drive home!

After a slight coronary from considering what could have happened to this little boy in a public place by himself, I figured that while he was probably ready to be left during class time, I sure wasn't ready to leave him.

 

[Billy]

This story is kind of off-topic but kind of not. At our old gym, the parents' viewing area was upstairs from the main gym. My DD was trying on a new leo in the downstairs bathroom so I sent my 3-year-old son upstairs to the tv/ playroom and told him I would be in the bathroom for a couple of minutes. So, DD finished with the leo, she went in to practice and I headed upstairs. I looked in on my son and then sat down to watch the practice. A little while later, another mom walks out in the middle of the gym floor with my son! She turned to the parents upstairs and asked who he belonged to. I was already up and calling to her that I'd be right down. I was so embarrassed!!! Apparently my son thought I was still in the bathroom after all that time and went in looking for me. When I wasn't there, he asked the lady who was in there to help him find me!

 

[Deleted member 1703]

Between finding the bathroom at the new gym/sport complex thing and the broken toilet causing a little line, I must have taken longer than I planned to. When I got back, I found my brother sitting at a table in the snack area, shoes on, "reading" his handout.

I am amazed that his coach just allowed a 3.5 year old to leave unaccompanied like that.

We have been at several gyms in the UK and at each of them the under 8's have had to be handed over to a parent/guardian at the end of the session. If the parent is not present at the end of the session, the child will go back into the gym and sit with a coach until they are collected.

 

[TheSister]

Yeah, they just kind of let the kids wander out at this gym, which is strange because they pay so much attention to them in class! I just needed to change to view it as my responsibility to be there at the end of class to catch him as he comes hurtling out. The snack area is just outside the gym lobby, but the snack area is also front door/parking lot adjacent.

 

[Gymnasticsgirl521]

I have to say I don't think there is a set age when it is OK magically. I think you have to see what works for each parent and child. Parents of the new pre-team were talking last night. I had to laugh they were complaining of the 4 hours a week they are at the gym and how they just don't know if they can do it. Mind you their girls were 5,6,7. I suggested to leave for part of the time and watch for about an hour a time or car pooling since they were friends. They looked at me HORRIFIED. They were compalining about the time they were going to have to spend there. I explained I was in the same position last year and toward the middle of the year I felt more confortable to run errands and such for a short while. Now I am there for about 75% of her practices. I of course have parents that look out for DD and all the coaches have my cell phone programed in thier phones and DD has her own cell.

I think you need to find each of your confort zones. It is scary but it does get easier. DD now looks forward to when I arrive after work on her one practice night. Good luck.

 

[Monkeygirlsmom]

I am laughinga at the automatic toilets cause my 6 yr old still freaks out by those!!

I actually leave part of the time and do errands during that and come back (Id go home longer but gas pricces cchanged that!)

 

[Deleted member 1703]

You guys all have me wondering what an automatic toilet actually is.

I have a mental picture but am not sure if it is right!!

 

[Billy]

An automatic toilet is like a regular toilet but it has a light sensor on it. When you're seated, you block the light. When you stand, the sensor recognizes and automatically flushes the toilet. The problem with many young kids is that they aren't big enough to really block the light effectively so the sensor gets "confused" and can flush while they're still up there. These things can be pretty startling and loud, too.

 

[Deleted member 1703]

My word - that would scare me witless!!

 

[Billy]

LOL.... it definitely can if you're not ready for it! Now my DD checks when she goes in so she can prepare herself for it. But she loves the automatic water faucets, soap dispensers and towel dispensers. Those are great fun. She thinks they're magic!

 

[beam girl]

You answered your own question when you said you were uneasy about leaving her there. Those feelings are there for a reason and you need to trust those instincts. I wouldn't have lef t mine at that age either and for the same reasons that you stated. If you are bored, bring a book or your bills that need to be paid. You'll get creative as you go and find ways to pass the time and still have the peace of mind of being there with your baby. Good Luck!

 

[Aussie_coach]

I think 3.5 is too young, kids this age still have many quirks that are often familiar only to the parents. Sometimes something inocent can spark a major temper tantrum, or they decide that they just arent going to listen today. It is helpful to have a parent near by just in case.

By 5 most kids are fine, the bathroom thing isn't too big a deal because most gyms will have experienced coaches available to help out. And yes, litttle kids do sometimes run naked through the gym for someone to help them. It doesn't happen very often but on the rare occaision it can.

 

[gymmomntc2e6]

An automatic toilet is like a regular toilet but it has a light sensor on it. When you're seated, you block the light. When you stand, the sensor recognizes and automatically flushes the toilet. The problem with many young kids is that they aren't big enough to really block the light effectively so the sensor gets "confused" and can flush while they're still up there. These things can be pretty startling and loud, too.

I know this is off topic - but my DD HATES these. I have to block the sensor w/ my hand and I am not "allowed" to move it until she is out of the stall / or bathroom same goes for manual flush. She hates the flushing.

 

[flippymonkeysmom]

I don't think I started leaving my dd until she was about 6 (truthfully it might have been 7) - but she started a little older so she didn't start on preteam until 7. Once the practices became longer I would leave.

Sorry - no funny toilet stories to share - but if any wants to talk about how an 11 year old reverts back to being about 2 when it's time for a shot - that one I could join in on