Parents Anyone else not allowed to watch?

[AmandaLynn]

An injury could happen anywhere. On the school bus, on the playground... Anywhere. A kid at DD's school broke their arm the first week of school on the monkey bars.

At our gym, parents are allowed to watch, which is fine. But, the coach in me wishes there was glass between the observation area and the actual gym, just to stop the parents from being a distraction. One way glass would be even better.

 

[skschlag]

An injury could happen anywhere. On the school bus, on the playground... Anywhere. A kid at DD's school broke their arm the first week of school on the monkey bars.

At our gym, parents are allowed to watch, which is fine. But, the coach in me wishes there was glass between the observation area and the actual gym, just to stop the parents from being a distraction. One way glass would be even better.

I love that we have glass. I have been to a few gyms without it for meets, and I can see where that would be a huge problem. I have seen parents yelling at their kids and coaches! :O I was shocked!

 

[skschlag]

when D was a new 4 we were allowed to sit in the gym because we had sustained damage from a tornado (whole town was pretty devastated). I stayed all practice at that time, because he was still pretty freaked out for quite a while!

 

[2G1B]

yeah, we are upstairs from the gym, with glass between us up to the railing. You aren't supposed to sit out in the actual gym. Most of the gyms in our area seem to have a viewing area that is at least somewhat removed from the actual gym. I can only think of one gym that I have seen that doesn't have something separating the viewing area.

I do agree on the injuries can happen anywhere. Last week my DS broke his elbow on the playground at school during recess. (Last spring he broke his ankle on a playground at a park. His coach now says he isn't allowed to play on playgrounds anymore. )

 

[Deleted member D3987]

here is what many of us are doing. please read closely:

http://usagym.org/pages/education/ClubsCare/

 

[Amusibus]

Canadian gym mom, my daughter's teacher would welcome me into her classroom, although not for the purpose of "watching my child learn". She has adhd and asperger's and any class watching would likely revolve around challenges related to those conditions. But I wouldn't watch school for enjoyment, as that would be boring to me. Gymnastics isn't. I don't watch because I need to make sure she is learning, or is safe, or whatever. I watch because I enjoy watching a child I love doing fun stuff that makes her happy. And I'm NOT talking about all the time, but occasionally.

 

[Canadian_gym_mom]

Canadian gym mom, my daughter's teacher would welcome me into her classroom, although not for the purpose of "watching my child learn". She has adhd and asperger's and any class watching would likely revolve around challenges related to those conditions. But I wouldn't watch school for enjoyment, as that would be boring to me. Gymnastics isn't. I don't watch because I need to make sure she is learning, or is safe, or whatever. I watch because I enjoy watching a child I love doing fun stuff that makes her happy. And I'm NOT talking about all the time, but occasionally.

Well here, no one is allowed to step foot inside a classroom without a clear "vulnerable persons" police background check. I would be LIVID if i found out random parents of my kids' classmates were hanging around in the school. And I have never heard of any parent of a special needs child needing to be in the classroom. We have paid and volunteer staff that do that. I am of course strictly speaking of my school district and my own experience with many friends who have special needs kids.

It was mainly the quote about it being your child and having the right to be anywhere watching your child. Could you imagine if every parent at school exercised their "right" to be in the classroom observing on the same day?

The other thing about parents watching practice is that it can negatively impact on the other kids in the group as well, with distracted kids, coaches, etc. I do know there is a group of parents who regularly stay for the whole practice and watch, and if they were I my dd's group I would have an issue.

 

[bogwoppit]

If I walked into the classroom at our school the teachers would not be amused. It disrupts the whole class when someone walks in, even worse when it is mom or dad.

It would be like walking onto the floor when the coach is coaching your kid. I did that once in ten years or so of kids in the gym. It was a family emergency and I needed to pull my kid out then and there. No problem, but I still felt very badly for disrupting the coach and team.

 

[skschlag]

Maybe it is a difference in countries? I know here, we are expected to volunteer, whether in the classroom or out. Our school asks for 2 hours a month per student. I do mine after school because of work, but still. There are parents in and out of classrooms all day. The kids, like they do, get very used to it, know what they are doing, and actually handle it very well. Most of the time it is not distracting at all, and can be very useful help! I even have parents volunteer in the preschool I run

 

[Bajanswife]

We aren't welcome to just walk into the classroom either - it is very distracting to the kids! Parents do volunteer for reading, but that happens on certain days and at certain times, and the kids expect the disruption. Parents do occasionally go to the classroom to pull kids out for appointments or whatnot, but they ask that parents first go to the office to sign the child out, and they want prior notice if possible so that the parent doesn't have to stand there in the classroom explaining to the teacher what is happening.

Gym is slightly more removed - bigger space, parents not so close to the kids, especially if there is a glassed-in viewing area. And with rec kids coming and going from the gym, parents stopping by the pay fees etc., there are tons of distractions already in the gym (good training for a meet really!). So I don't really see school and gym and being exactly the same. Similar maybe, but to different degrees depending on how the gym is set up.

 

[bogwoppit]

Oh I volunteer in the kids schools all the time. I have done that for years and years. But then I am there for a whole class and not just breezing in to sit and watch my kid and the class.

I also did remedial reading for a few years, also a set time with certain kids.

Also went in to give my kids kindy class a few gymnastics classes as part of their phys ed program.

All planned ahead, with school permission.

At our school if you need to pick your child up you go to the entry office, they summon the child, you sign them out and you leave. Nobody is wandering the hallways unchecked, it is just not a secure way to do business.

I also ran a preschool cooperative for years, all volunteer parents.

Gymnastics is not the same for sure. BUt it is someones work place, they are paid to do a job.

One thing in the USA that is very different than the UK or Canada is that coaches do not actually have to have any formal training. There is no required certification or coaching levels. Here you cannot teach rec gym without having completed a lengthy course in class and supervised in a gym. Maybe is coach training was better in the US parents would have more confidence in their coaches.

Though I do get how much fun it is to watch you kid, it is often better where they cannot see you.

 

[skschlag]

OK. I see what you are saying. we do occassionally have parents that need to watch their child, but we usually have them do it via the CC tv cams in the room! But we do have parents in and out all day.

So, what I am hearing is that when I win the lottery and build a gym (LOL) I should use 2 way glass Maybe something that can be "put down" for meets? ROFL! That would be afun thread.....

 

[bogwoppit]

Yup one way glass though!! Do not want the kids to see you. But it must have blinds on the gym side when the coaches get sick of being stared at.

Can you imagine trying to design the dream gym from both a parent and coach perspective?? Now that would be a cool place to go.

 

[Midwestmommy]

I watch a little here and there. But to be perfectly honest, it's kind of embarrassing when the coaches glance over, it makes me feel like I make them uncomfortable. Heck I wouldn't want someone starting in my office through the window all day long. But yet I do fall on the side of, I love to watch my daughter doing what she loves. And a viewing area is a good thing. So I watch maybe an hour a week. I also secretly feel like whenever I watch coaches may be thinking, jeez wish I had that much spare time in my evening. I imaging them thinking, "go outside and take a walk and enjoy this beautiful evening, I wish I could some nights." And even "you look like you could use the exercise yourself instead of just watching your kid excercise" And by then I generally shame myself into finding something to do.... But still at some point again the next week I sneak into the viewing area and catch a 45 to 60 minute peak until I wander out again...

My daughter begs me to come and watch. But I know those days are numbered. Soon I'll be home wishing she would call or text and hoping she is passing the college classes I just paid for. Well not soon but it will surely sneak up on me. So the following week after just dropping off and picking up the first two practices, the third one I sneak in and watch for a a bit again. Until I feel too embarrassed again and wander out.

That's as complicated as it gets for me. I never really think about the abuse issue since I just can't see how it could happen there at our gym with all the policies and procedures they follow.... I do think never watching would be bad, it is a good idea to know how your kid is generally getting treated there.

My dream gym would have a workout room for parents where we could work out and watch a movie. Treadmills and stationary bikes and weights. I'd pay an extra $30 a month for that..... And heck on bad weather days when I don't want to go all the way there and back twice, am to broke to shop, or really any day for that matte-- I'd be happy to wipe down mats or vacuum or do something constructive. But I definitely would not stay after practice to do that, we have precious little time for meals, homework, family time, friends and worship already..... I'd be happy to volunteer sometimes during practice time though, but it doesn't seem to happen that much except for special party prep, etc.

 

[Quadqueen]

At our school if you need to pick your child up you go to the entry office, they summon the child, you sign them out and you leave. Nobody is wandering the hallways unchecked, it is just not a secure way to do business.


Though I do get how much fun it is to watch you kid, it is often better where they cannot see you.

Parents in the U.S. can't wander around schools unchecked either, especially after Newtown. There is a sign out procedure as well...no going down to your kid's classroom and handling that yourself. I also volunteer (although it is not required, nor is there any guideline for how many hours per week or month), and if I wanted to stay after I helped with reading, writing or whatever, the teacher would welcome it. Teachers are so grateful for the help, most would not mind at all if parents wanted to stay and watch something (not under the premise of, "I just want to make sure you're teaching my child appropriately".)

 

[Seeker]

I love that we have glass. I have been to a few gyms without it for meets, and I can see where that would be a huge problem. I have seen parents yelling at their kids and coaches! :O I was shocked!

We don't have glass...just a waiting area for both team and rec families. However, I have NEVER seen a team parent 'coach' their child from the side or interfere in any way. I have seen rec parents get a bit over-zealous a few times, but our team families seem to not cross that line. I'm not saying it has never happened, but I've never seen or heard about it in the time we have been there. Our coaches are excellent and I am grateful for their knowledge. I wouldn't dream of attempting to correct them!

 

[happychaos]

here is what many of us are doing. please read closely:

http://usagym.org/pages/education/ClubsCare/

I am thankful that this clears up some of the misconceptions that have been stated (repeatedly) on this thread.

I appreciate the strongly worded documents. I would prefer that USAG REQUIRED it's clubs to obtain a background check and training for all their employees, as opposed to just recommending it. Until USAG requires it (and imposes a penalty for non-compliance) some clubs just won't go to the trouble (it's only like $20). It is not as difficult to enforce as it might seem at first glance. But, I LOVE that USAG is letting gyms know that they could be sued by parents if something happens and it is discovered the club did not do a background check.


So, in one of the documents it said:

"Parents/guardians should always be encouraged to drop in anytime to observe"

I wonder if this will change the minds of some coaches who forbid it. If I were a parent at a gym that DIDN'T allow viewing, and I received this material from USAG, I might be a little perturbed.

 

[Natalia]

I'm just very grateful that coaches aren't allowed to drop in at any time in my home to ensure that I'm creating a safe and healthy environment for their gymnast .

In my imperfect little world I have some bad mommy moments.

Just the other night my 8 year old asked me:
-What are we having fo dinner tonight?
-You can choose between apples or bananas
-But we had fruit last night
-Fruit is good for you
-When is dad going to start cooking us dinner again?
-When he gets over his midlife crisis
-What's that?
-It's when men buy expensive toys to forget they're loosing their hair and getting fat
-Why don't you get a fun car like daddy
-Because I'm not loosing my hair
-But you always complain you're fat
-That's why we're having fruit....

Boy am I glad I'm not constantly being judged for being a bad cook,a disgruntled wife,a cynical mother.No big glass windows looking in to every moment of my imperfect life.

Go fix all the little uglies in your own lives,let your kids and their coaches work through their own little uglies.

 

[cbifoja]

I don't want to start anything with this but what do either of you think her school teacher would say if you were to plant yourself in the back of her classroom to watch your child learn?

I am a teacher and I know this is allowed. As a teacher, I think it would be awesome for a parent to do this. I would lose my job if I told a parent they couldn't access their child while in my room.

 

[AmandaLynn]

It is crazy to me that parents are allowed to just decide to enter the classroom on a whim. At my daughter's school, all parents that wish to volunteer in the classroom must first pass a background check.