Parents Added Pressure for Young Gymmies

[lilgymmie7]

I wanted to pose a question about adding pressure to young gymnasts. My DD is a 6 yo level 5. Since she was 5 yo, she has trained with the level 5 and 6's at her gym. This means that since she was 5, she has trained for 16 hrs/week. At first, I thought this would be too much and I wasn't sure she would be able to make it. I consulted her teachers at school and asked them what they thought about all of the hrs. etc. We all thought to let her give it a try and see how she reacts. Well she will turn 7 in January ,and she is set to compete level 5 on the week end of her birthday.
Now, we have a new set of worries/concerns. This time they are academic concerns. Presently, she is at a public school in our district. And if you ask me they are not up to challenging those students that need a challenge. I am now trying to decide whether I should leave her at this school, or have her tested to go into a gifted center that is still within the public school system.
If there are any parents of gymnasts who have had to make a similar decision, I would really like to hear how you went about it. The last thing I want to do is add undue pressure on my DD. It seems as though she catches on very quickly. However, I have also noted her making some uncharacteristic mistakes on assignments when she rushes through things. If I tell her to slow down, she gets it 100% of the time. Is it possible that she doesn't feel challenged therefore she just gets things done to get them done? When school started, she was so excited about doing home work. Now, she doesn't seem as excited. She has also made comments that her teacher yells a lot. This is one huge reason why I feel I need to take her out of this environment and place her somewhere that will challenge her.
I am also a teacher; however, I teach 7th and 8th grade. I have seen some of my bright students when not challenged begin to slack. When I do tighten the reigns and present challenges, they become far more motivated. I get great results/outcomes from these students then.
I am sorry that I have been long winded. I realize gymnastics has a benefit of helping to motivate and somehow organize the gymnasts involved along the way. I am presently trying to determine if I am doing the right thing by having her tested, and if she passes placing my young DD in a very challenging arena. This means she will have a busy work load from both school and the gym.
If you have had to make a smilar decision for your DD or DS, how did it work out for you? What other options aside from homeschooling are there? Thank you in advance. I just want to see other varying perspectives, so that I can make the best informed decision for my DD.

 

[NewtoGym]

Wow! I have never heard of a 5-year-old in the gym 16 hours a week! How does she manage everything? Does she get tired? My 5-year-old used to fall asleep exhausted after going to school all day in kindergarten.

My child also rushes her homework and tends to make mistakes sometimes until she slows down like your daughter. Then she does great. Have you talked to her teacher about the gifted program? They are usually the first step in the process.

 

[lilgymmie7]

I was very concerned at first about the time in the gym, but she has done quite well. Kindergarten was a breeze for her even with gym. She actually started the 16 hrs. as a preschooler. If she had fallen apart at any time, I would have rethought the gym situation altogether.
I have approached her teacher with the situation. However this is an 'old school' teacher that she has for the first grade. DD's kindergarten teacher emphasized that DD was exceptionally bright. DD will have report card pick up in a week and I plan to sit and discuss this with her further then. I look at DD's grades electronically regularly however and have noted that she continues to do well. I want to give her all the options possible in life. I don't want to stress her out however. This is a very fine line.

 

[Pickle's Mom]

Pickle trains 13-15 hours a week and is a third grader in the gifted program in our school district.

Her kindergarten teacher was the one who recommended her for testing. I was actually perfectly happy at our local public school (which is in walking distance from our house), but the teacher said that Pickle really needed a different environment and more/different resources.

We almost didn’t make the change even after she tested in because she didn’t want to leave her friends and I didn’t want to drive to school every day, but I’m so happy that we did. The school is a much better fit for her. And there have been at least three competitive gymnasts in the program we know of (all older than her), so her teachers understand the commitment that she has at the gym.

Interestingly, her passion for gymnastics is waning slightly as school gets more interesting. She’s on a nationally ranked math team now (she competes in the fifth grade division) and she does a lot of long-term research projects that fill up her free time. This fulfills some of the needs that she got from gymnastics previously.

While she loves gymnastics and has had some success, she’s set her sights on being an astrophysicist. When I asked her once, she told me she’d like to keep competing through college, but her first choice college is Stanford (her mentor is a grad student there), so she’d have to get pretty dang good at gymnastics to make the team.

At the end of the day, it’s just elementary school. Sure she does more schoolwork, and she likes the schoolwork she does a lot more, but it doesn’t preclude other activities.

 

[MdGymMom01]

I would be very wary of putting too much pressure on little ones too soon. Believe me, school will get a lot harder as the grades increase. My dd started reading at an early age and was put in an above grade level class from ages Kindergarten through 4th grade. By 5th grade she "leveled off" a bit and went back to on grade level because she started struggling in 4th grade. She is now in 6th grade, with a whole new set of challenges of middle school. She also balances 10 hrs of gym and 5+ hours of ballet and recital rehearsals each week but is 11 years old.

I would check into the GT program at school, but also take a hard look at your dd's study habits. Rushing through assignments and making careless mistakes is a bad habit to get into young. My dd was like that in 3rd grade.

Believe me, the pressures will increase as they get older just on their own. Pressure on young kids is one of the major factors in burnout and fear issues developing. Doc Ali talks about this a LOT in her presentations.

At age 6, I would probably look into off-setting her gym time with some dance or other activity to balance everything out. 16 hrs is a LOT for a 5/6 year old.

 

[bogwoppit]

Be careful not to get too wrapped up in school or gym, elementary school is only so important. The things they learn there are basic and it has been proven that smart kids can pick up the basics really quick. THey learn to socialise, behave according to society's rules, get tasks done on time and face the consequences on not doing so.

I have older kids too, what I know for sure is if your child doesn't finish work well she will suffer tha natural consequences. As in the teacher will get mad with her or she will get a bad grade. The homework is her job, your job is to provide the space, time and to make sure she has the energy to do the work. Parents "doing" homework is a standing joke at our school! You have all seen the science project parents who cannot let their kids work it out!!!

If your kid is bright, and most gymnasts are, then she will do well in school and life. Just try not to push too much to have her "be all that she can be". You can knock to fun right out of life like that. You may need to tweek her gym schedule a bit so that she can do homework at the optimum time.

We do not have gifted programmes here, but my kids are fluently bilingual, so that has always provided a learning challenge for them.

But personally I think homework sucks, and generally it is just a make work project. WIth the amount of time kids are in school the work should be done and kids should be able to move on to home life.

 

[Shelovesthebars]

No way in a million years would I let my 5 year old be in the gym for 16 hours a week. I am not judging you at all. It is just that I not ready to give up that much of my time with her, yet.
If I tried to put my talented gymmie back with kids her own age at the gym, she would get lazy, uninterested and frustrated. So, if your daughter tests as gifted, I would say let her try it. Kids that are talented at gym, school, violin, piano... need to explore their talents in an appropriate environment.
I would consider modifying her gym hours if she is going to go to this new school. It is about smart training, not the hours. My gymmie is 5 going 5 hours a week and she is way ahead of the game.

 

[MdGymMom01]

It is about smart training, not the hours.

I totally agree with this statement. More is not necessarily better and that pertains to ALL areas of life, not just gym. Balance is the key to everything.

 

[emorymom]

How much homework does the new school give? Ideally it should be none -- the whole point of "gifted" is that these children take less practice than more typically developing children to master the learning goals. However in my district the gifted magnet school gives TONS of homework ... I think it's a bit punishing to make gifted kids do MORE work.

Does your gymnastics center have a "gym school" and/or day kids that do a virtual academy together? That might be something to keep in your head for the future, for such a talented gymmie.

 

[lilgymmie7]

Thank you all for your responses. I truely value all perspectives at all costs. I couldn't do what I do for a living without valueing others thought processes.
We live in a large city and the NCLB national mandate is a REAL issue for us. At the school I teach at, this ridiculus push to NOT leave children behind has actually done just that. Have any of you watched the movie "Waiting for Superman"? This movie has some of the issues we as teachers are dealing with every day. Schools across our city are falling over themselves to come up with ways to keep the gifted/good students at our own schools because if we don't we leave vacant spots that are filled with lower performing students. It is a shame that in our nation test scores is really the basic form of assessing a teachers efforts in the classroom. Low test scores have gotten many teachers fired and many schools closed in our area. Gifted students help to pad a school's test score base.
Meanwhile children like my DD do not get what they need. Presently, her first grade teacher does very little to meet the needs of any of her students. To add insult to injury when school started DD was in a room of 44 first graders. Due to parent complaints, 14 students were removed and sent to a split room. DD is with the brighter bunch, but we are still waiting for 'change'. Due to the economy, parents are pulling their children from private schools which has resulted in large class sizes across the school. My ADD DS has 43 7th graders. He is receiving special services in math and reading only because I took the initiative to have him tested. The school was more than happy to let him struggle. Through testing at a reputable hospital, he was found to have a learning disibility in math and writing. I am dealing with opposite sides of the spectrum.
I don't want to add more pressure to DD, but I am trying to weigh my options. The gym hrs. has not been a problem; the child asks to go to open gym almost every week. She spends most of her time upside down. Her gym has been great with respect to keeping gym fun. I let her go to BD parties and miss gym, etc. I have seen this very young child blossom into such a well rounded little person. The minute I see her getting frazzeled, I have to go to plan B.
Has any parent faced with this taken it upon themselves to challenge at home? If so what did you do? I wish I could quit my job and home school her. But the issue of the economy is real for my family. We need both incomes. Thank you again to all who have responded. Is there anything else you might want to offer me via advice? I am very appreciative. I believe as others on here, "It takes a village to raise a child."

 

[bogwoppit]

Are you serious when you say you have class sizes of over 40? Is that with one teacher. In Quebec we have a limit of 26 kids for the first three grades. 36 is the most in high school.

Enrichment at home can take many forms. I would steer away from formal schooling and lean towards the arts, museums, nature etc. In our family travel is our passion and my kids have learned much through our wanderings, their teachers always comment on how globally minded they are. We also watch and discuss world news daily, BBC. Not America centric news. You can use the fact that she is eager to learn to expose her to new things without having to sit in the house at a table.

Book smart kids are wonderful, but to compete in today's global market they need to know how the world works and why.

Just some thoughts of course, you will find your own way. But I don't think any kid needs more school. If you cannot homeschool then you need to make whatever you choose to enrich with fun and interesting. Encourage the desire to be a life long learner and curious about the world.

 

[lilgymmie7]

Are you serious when you say you have class sizes of over 40? Is that with one teacher. In Quebec we have a limit of 26 kids for the first three grades. 36 is the most in high school.

Enrichment at home can take many forms. I would steer away from formal schooling and lean towards the arts, museums, nature etc. In our family travel is our passion and my kids have learned much through our wanderings, their teachers always comment on how globally minded they are. We also watch and discuss world news daily, BBC. Not America centric news. You can use the fact that she is eager to learn to expose her to new things without having to sit in the house at a table.

Book smart kids are wonderful, but to compete in today's global market they need to know how the world works and why.

Just some thoughts of course, you will find your own way. But I don't think any kid needs more school. If you cannot homeschool then you need to make whatever you choose to enrich with fun and interesting. Encourage the desire to be a life long learner and curious about the world.

I was thinking about what I needed to quote, and well I agree with it all! Yes, unfortunately 35+ is now becoming the norm in schools within our school district. NCLB is a mess! We can not turn away a child, even if it means a large, exploding class size. And yes, again unfortunately it is so with only one teacher. They have aides, but these are parents with no real teaching knowledge.
I agree that adding more school isn't the solution. This child is very inquisitive and eager to learn. I do see the need to teach, but in a non-school way. Thank you for such grounded advice! When I had my first child who is set to graduate HS this year, I did not realize how difficult it is to raise children. With the birth of my last two and their individual needs, I am seeing all that friends and family have said about the difficulties. Every parent strives for the best for their children, but some fall short. I just want to do my best with all my children.

 

[Shelovesthebars]

What about a language at home? My dd will be starting Latin at home in first grade. It is the basics for a lot of the languages. I will be learning it with her. It should be fun. She will eventurally take a chinese languange class at the chinese school too. Does she have any specific interests that you could expand on at home? Mine has a very specific interest. We really support it in providing materials and play options that support it.

 

[CanAmGymMum]

I think you need to get her tested to at least see if she qualifies for the gifted program. If she does, explore the gifted program more to see if you think it would be a good fit for your daughter. Gifted children usually do not have a problem in kindergarten. However, as they get older and the classroom becomes more structured, many zone out because the material is way beneath their level of understanding. I've heard many stories of gifted adults who have failed out of college because they haven't been challenged and haven't needed to develop any study habits throughout elementary and highschool. Her education needs to be your first priority here. Just as a level 10 gymnast would not benefit in the least from working on mill circles and dive rolls all day, an exceptionally gifted child will not benefit from being placed in a regular classroom not willing to make any accommodations for her. I say do the testing and see where it takes you. If she tests in the highly gifted range or above, the gifted classroom is probably her best option. Her gymnastics schedule can always be adjusted if need be. She has no choice but to go to school every day for many years to come so this needs to be a good experience for her.

 

[gymjourneymom]

The public schools in my area afford the "gifted students" many more opportunities all through out their schooling years. In elementary school it means more challenging work, actually testing out some levels & skipping ahead in some(such as math). So when they get to middle school they are starting out a year ahead & in 'honors' math. So by highschool they are ready for more honors & AP classes. They also go on way more interesting field trips, in addition to the ones they go on with the rest of the class. Gifted kids here(in elementary school) are in class with the regular kids, but get pulled out to go to "gifted classes" during the day.

Now that my DD is in highschool I see that the "gifted kids" hold all of the class offices, they are prepped to run for office in their gifted classes. They win most of the awards at the end of the school year. My DD notices the "difference" in the type of kids in her honors classes compared to her regular classes. She prefers her honors classes because the kids are focused like her, they are there to learn, not play around & goof off. The gifted program takes public school kids to a whole other level that will follow them throughout their lives. It gives them a whole different focus on their eduacation...they want to do more... because they learn they will have more opportunities if they apply themselves more. Who can argue with that???

In general they are pushed harder & more is expected of them & it gets progressively more difficult each year. They are expected to take part in extra learning opportunities. Such as additional science fairs, etc on top of their regular work load(which is already challenging). Now most of the kids that test as "gifted" are ready to face these challenges & enjoy the program. But it does become stressful for them in highschool. They all push themselves to the max often taking ALL the most difficult classes to up their GPA...fighting to up their class rank. It gets VERY overwheming!

But to be doing 16hrs/wk of gym, which I assume will only increase as she moves up in levels, along with this more challenging work? I think it will eventually be too much for her to keep up with everything somewhere down the line, JMHO. Maybe not this year or next, but by middle school & highschool especially if her gym hours increase anymore(which I assume they will once she gets to optionals). There has to be a pressure release valve somewhere. They can't do it all.

Our optionals do 16-18hrs/wk. And I can tell you the gifted highschool girls are struggling to keep up with everything & most are thinking of giving up gym or going Prep-op. My DD's friends are up until 1am trying to finish honors & AP homework & then getting up at 6a!!!! How long can they keep up that pace??? These are 15yr old girls!!!

Sorry to rant! But all the stress & pressure placed on kids now a days is a pet peeve of mine as you can tell. This is the only childhood these kids will have! I personally think eduacation is the #1 priority and I would jump at the chance for the gifted program. It will open many doors for your DD, IMHO. Gymnastics takes a back seat to education for my family & thankfully DD's HC also agrees with this line of thinking.

I know you are only making plans for a 5yr old, but I think maybe you should look ahead a bit at where your different roads will lead. Education is the 1st priority to me. But your DD loves gymnastics, I get that...really I do!!! So if your DD sticks with gymnastics(at her current gym) & does the gifted program how long will she be able to keep up that pace? And at what cost? How many hours do the optional girls practice? Do they home/gym school or attend public school? Are there gyms in the area that you could switch to that do less hours at some point?

Good luck with your decision. I know it seems like so much to think about!!! As I'm sure you are already thinking...this is her childhood you just want her to enjoy it!

 

[Billy]

My DD homeschools for a lot of the reasons you describe. She went back to public school for the end of 2nd grade last year and was sadly disillusioned. She was placed in the "highest" class in the school (this was a K-2 primary school) and was still "far ahead" of the rest of the class (according to her teacher). She was reading almost four grade levels ahead of everyone else, had the highest reading level in the school and, consequently, the library did not have any books for her to read (this came to my attention when her teacher complained that she wasn't earning any AR points; well, duh! They had nothing for her to read!). She could write in cursive but wasn't allowed to because the rest of the children couldn't yet. Her spelling words were a joke to her. She didn't get enough writing exercises and wanted to do more reports, too. She was in gifted math and gifted reading but it was still really easy for her. So, she was ready to go back to homeschooling by the end of the year and she's much happier and more challenged now.

Edit: Our school system does not have any type of "gifted" schools. But even if they did, we both love homeschooling and wouldn't have it any other way.

 

[Megley]

My 9 yo 3rd grader tested into the gifted program, but we are lucky to have a gifted cluster class in her regular school. We chose not to send her to the magnet school due to the long bus ride that would entail getting up very early to get on the bus and getting home from school quite late, making it difficult to make it to gym and still get homework done. Getting up that early would also be difficult for my dd. She is in the gym 20 hours a week and we just felt like that much gym plus the magnet school would be too much. She is doing well in her gifted cluster class, seems challenged by school and homework, and yet is handling the work load of gym and school well.

I would check out your options for gifted education, see how much of a schedule change would be involved in attending the gifted school and whether it could work for your dd. You might speak to parents of some of the children who attend and see whether the homework load is greater than what she now does. If the schedule works, I would go for it.

 

[LizzieLac]

I think there are options for challening your DD intellectually on your own, and there are national programs as well. On your own you can have her read more challenging books, learn about subjects that interest her that might not be covered in her current greade/school.

I can tell you that in my state the kids have to take a state test and based on those results the children her score in the top 5% are eligible to take the Johns Hopkins University Gifted and Talented Program test. If you score at a certain level on that test you can take courses and enroll in programs offered through that program. My DD will be taking the Johns Hopkins test, but honestly if she does well enough I am not sure we will take advantage of the programs (at least right now).

The reason is that my DD is much better than I am at making sure she has balance. As much as she loves gym and school/learning/reading, etc. she like to play with her friends, her toys, and have sleepovers. So, I guess if I could just caution you, while your DD it obviously telents, smart, and a high achiever, she is still just a kid. Make sure she has time to play and act her age. They will be in HS and college before you know it and the freedoms they have now will be gone.

Also, I can tell you school gets harder ast they older. My DD just started 5th grade and she has quite a bit of homework. Good luck with what you decide!

 

[Mariainlv]

I think that there is no harm in trying the gifted program and seeing where things go. Your DD sounds like a very driven, motivated kid and I think will do really well. As a teacher, you are in a superb position to see the red flags and adjust accordingly. Add to that the fact that you have raised other children, I think your decision will be best for your family.

I have no direct experience but last night at the gym some parents were discussing just this. The kids in question were upper level gymnasts and in honors classes in 6th grade. They are doing excellent and were in gifted classes in elementary school.

I may be in the minority, but I think driven kids need challenge and should be pushed accordingly.

 

[3stars]

My daughter isn't in the gym as much as yours (although she would be if given the option) but sounds very similar academically. She is 6 (will be 7 in January) and is reading on a fourth/fifth grade level and can do math at the third grade level. We made the choice to pull her from our local public school and put her in a local private school. Yesterday was her first day actually. She was starting to hate school, frequently asking when were they going to learn something and started doing sloppy work. Her writing samples from school were maybe 3 or 4 sentences compared to writing she did at home which fills page upon page. My husband and I decided to put her in private school for a more structured environment which would fit her personality better. She is excited about having weekly spelling tests. Yes, the words are too easy for her right now, but she will get a grade on them vs a star or smiley face (old school didn't believe in spelling tests). She is also excited by nightly homework,something she has never had before. I think it will be a much better fit for her. Good luck with your decision! I know it's not an easy one.