Parents 2 competitive gym athletes...dolla dolla Bill ya'll

[blueredzone]

recently my son was invited to pre team. Which is great in itself but he is also to young technically for his class now. However he would be able to compete as a lvl 4 this season as they have hinted. He loves it and wants some more of it.

The problem... We already have a lvl 3 dd on team.

Basically saying everything goes up double. Uniforms, competitive camp, comp fees, everything.....

Any parents out there that have 2 gymies in the sport? How do you manage meets in different states? How do you manage only 1 day away from the gym? Can I buy stock in the gym if it's a sole proprietorship? Lol

 

[bookworm]

We've always had 2 in gym and it just always seemed to work out...if they had meets in different places, we lucked out with them being on different days in the weekend...the cost for everything was double and that was the more dreadful part of it all..

 

[MILgymFAM]

Last year it just worked itself out for us. Their meets were rarely the same weekend and even then, they always ended up opposite days. This year they are both L6- one in JO and one in t&t. They have five meets in conflict and I have no idea what I'm gonna do. I can say that between them, gym has completely overtaken our lives. For me it's a no brainer though- if one can pursue competitive gym then they both can- that's just how I run the family in general. I do it all alone- do you have a support network?

 

[GymnastMomX2]

Luckily my two are 7 years apart... Although the 5 year old is in pre-pre team now, so I'll be in your situation in a couple years. (Assuming older gymmie doesn't quit)

 

[sce]

I have a boy and girl, both in gym. For now, their seasons don't overlap. As well, the only out of state meets are ds' regional meet. We already have conflicts with varying activities on the same weekend at times, it means only one parent goes to the meet.

 

[kayjaybe]

We have one family in gym with 4 kids on the team!! I have no freakin' idea how they do it.

 

[gymdoc]

I have 2 DD in gym. Yesterday YDD had a meet in one city and ODD had a training camp in another at the same time! DH and I will often divide and conquer and we rely on our other gym moms a TON! Don't be afraid to ask for help from the other gym parents - they probably can use the help too.

 

[lilmisssunshine]

haha. I feel your pain. My 3yo has recently started Tiny Tumblers, and she is having fun. Yesterday, there was a party at the gym and she was all about the chalk bucket. Afterwards, she started talking about her upcoming birthday. I asked what she thought that a 4yo could do that a 3yo can't. I wasn't thinking about gymnastics at all, but she replied, "I think I'll be able to do a handstand. And probably a ... double twist!" It was the cutest thing ever. But I need to step up my money earning if it continues.

 

[Canadian_gym_mom]

Well just dd in gym but DS is in rep (or what USA refers to as travel team) baseball.

Luckily most of his stuff obviously is in the summer, but he does have some overlap with tournament until mid September, plus they start before gym season is done around April.

They do have practices twice a week through the winter, indoors obviously. Other than the cost, i think it would be glorious to have them both practicing their sports in the same location. As it stands now they are generally in complete opposite ends of the city, and his games are in cities about an hour away, weeknights.

I think that is the biggest difference in gymnastics to other sports. Gymnasts practice almost every day for just a few meets per year. Baseball, hockey, etc. they practice about the same amount as they play, with multiple games a week.

 

[cbifoja]

A lady at our gym has twin optionals. They are literally why she has to work. She says as soon as they quit, she's back to being a SAHM!

We have another woman who has two girls on team and another on pre-team. It's a financial burden for her family and they are trying to figure out how to handle it. The most talented one doesn't it love it the most and the least talented one is the most passionate. Then there is the little one she will eventually have to consider too. Not sure what they are going to do.

I know that I couldn't swing two kids in this sport because I've already sacrificed as much as I am willing. You might have more financial flexibility than I do so maybe you can make it work!

 

[cbifoja]

As far as meets (sorry, forgot that issue)....

There is a gymnast at our gym who has a sibling who competes for another gym in another city. What that family does blows my mind. They obviously do the divide and conquer but both of them are willing to drive ridiculous amounts to hit both meets. One month they went back and forth between cities in the Chicago-Indy-Louisville-Knoxville-Atlanta-Orlando corridor at a pace that still stuns me today.

They would record video and send to the missing parent along with scores and placement so each parent was aware of how the gymnast they weren't with was doing.

 

[2G1B]

I have 3 on team, 2 girls, 1 boy. I have had to have DH go to one meet and I go to the other one if times conflict. Sundays are the only day none of my kids have practice. This is our 3rd year with them all on team, so we are just kind of used to it.

 

[profmom]

Two here as well, both of whom will compete L8 this year. So far the meet schedule has two weekends where both will be competing. My best guess is that one will be a problem and one will be a mere inconvenience. As other parents do, we just divide and conquer and take lots of pictures and videos. We've occasionally brought another child along with the traveling parent if that child's family has had a conflict. Our third child plays soccer but thankfully our neighbor's son is on the same team and will usually get him to practice if it doesn't work because DH and I are traveling in opposite directions.

Actually, once they get to the optional level, handling the practice schedule is way more of a hassle than dealing with the occasional meet conflicts. We are so fortunate this year as to have them both on just about the same schedule. Last year, someone was in the gym every day of the week but Sunday (when DS would often go to open gym anyway). Having Thursday nights off is heavenly! But I did tell them that I would really appreciate at least a brief period where all ten events are going well and no one has any nagging injuries or pain. They refuse to deliver . . .

DD is older. She has been a great mentor to DS over the years.

 

[2littlegymmiesmom]

Same here, 2 DD in gym. It's definitely a financial and time strain, no doubt. We recently made a gym switch because old gym was double the price (over $500 a month for both girls!!). New gym is much better financially in many ways which helps a lot. I am lucky enough to be a SAHM so between myself and carpooling it's not to bad despite the fact we are there nearly every day. This is the first year they will both compete so we will see how that goes. We have some meets the same and others that only one child is attending. Don't yet have the schedules for all of them to see what the overlap will be. Hoping it all works out because DH works crazy hours and can't just take time off for meets unless we know the Schedule way in advance and he can put in for vacation. I'm anxious to see how it all plays out but one way or another we will make it work. Good luck to you!

 

[BPD304]

I have 2 girls in gym ( level 3 and 4) and I'm dropping off at the gym 5 days of the week! Our first meet is next weekend and they of course are different days each at 8am and the venue is 2 hours from home. My youngest goes 13 hours and oldest 16. We will see how the rest of the year goes...

 

[skschlag]

It really isn't any different than having 2 kids in 2 different activities. You are just n the same place. I know D has practice 5 days a week, A has practices 5 days a week...different locations, different sports. you kinda just make it work! LOL!

 

[2G1B]

It really isn't any different than having 2 kids in 2 different activities. You are just n the same place. I know D has practice 5 days a week, A has practices 5 days a week...different locations, different sports. you kinda just make it work! LOL!

This was the conclusion that I came to. I'm either driving to different places, juggling different sports or doing what I'm doing now. This might actually be easier. ;-) (though more expensive than some other sports. But it is less than some, the other two sports my 11 yo says that she would consider are figure skating and horse back riding. I offer to get her a new Leo to change the subject. LOL)

 

[tooootsie]

I have two on JO3 team.. repeating this year. 7 and 9 year olds. I am fortunate that they are in the same level. I don't know how we would juggle practice times, meets etc otherwise. Financially it's a struggle, but they both love it.

 

[seoulmama]

Your post headline cracked me up, yo!

 

[Firefly]

I have two gymnasts. It is a big strain on our budget. Hoping an upcoming promotion will ease the pain a little. At least, though, I don't feel like I'm being unfair by pouring so much of our family's time and resources into the sport of one child. They both benefit from the sacrifices we make to the gymnastics gods. This year they're both compulsories, L3 and L5. So our meet schedule and training days are the same. Next year they will practice on opposite days and will compete at different meets. And I will need a body double.