Parents Gymnasts Who Homeschool

[bookworm]

Everytime I read posts like these, I thank God for the schools my kids have been in..the teachers and principals have always been so supportive and accomodating that I never had to consider not sending them to school...

To the OP , do you think the private schools in your area might be more accomodating of a modified schedule for your daughter, and that maybe something like that would be an option? If you have 4 other kids at home and 1 you babysit, I'm thinking you're the one who's going to be "go go go" as you say about your daughter now if you decide to homeschool....

 

[Fliptwisttumble]

DD was eight last year doing 16 hours - 4:30 - 8:30 just like yours. It was her second year of that schedule, but we made it work while she attended school in the next City over from the gym.

She got up very early with her daddy in the mornings - by choice. 6:30. It allowed her down time, homework time, her and Daddy time, showering time (we switched to morning showers so she could get to bed early). Given she was getting up regardless of the shower, it made sense to move her to bed earlier.

We ate dinner as a family at 8:45 on gym nights.... so as not to loose that family time as well. We all adjusted. I'm not sure that would work for you, given the other children in your family, but it did work for us.

She was given her homework once a week, and was able to do it on weekends/non-gym nights.

I guess what I'm saying is that it can work while going to school. It is busy, but because your daughter is organized, etc. that will help. She may just need time to get used to it. I agree with others.... when she gets to optionals, if it is more time at the gym, and she is committed, then you can/should reconsider.

 

[Gymdad2]

I agree that to homeschool to facilitate gymnastics for a L4 is probably not in her best interest. Gym will end but her social and academic education is for life. Are any of your other children in school yet? If so, have you considered how homeschooling for dd would affect them?

 

[Natasha]

Every year it takes my dd about 6 weeks to really get adjusted to the school/gym schedule in the fall and every year in September I find myself wondering if the craziness is really worth it! I encourage you to give it some time to see if she can settle into the school year.

 

[munchkin3]

Homeschooling can be really great. I have know many families that home school but usually for different reasons, religion, academics, or because they can. Many VERY succesfully.

We just had a child (not yet 10!) from our team leave for a very intensive program that trains 40+ hours a week. My only question is when would this child have time to do ANY school work??

My child has always managed school with 16 hrs of training. It IS possible, yet everyone must be flexible, INCLUDING the coach!.
Leaving early, and getting homework done on the weekends is very helpful as well.

Just remember that gymnastics will be something your child will look back on with great fondness (hopefully) from her career doing 'whatever'.
She will not be doing competitive gymnastics much past her 20s....that leaves a long time for her to use those things she learned in gymnastics, to apply to life.

I also have known gymnasts that were home schooled, with focus on gymnastics and once they were done, they were not prepared for real school/university/career....

 

[shelovestoflip]

My daughter is 14 training level 9 and loves school and her friends. So, I can't speak to homeschooling directly.

However as a teacher, I would like to say that often times, teachers give homework every night to practice a skill that was worked on that day in class.

So, for a parent to request all the homework at the beginning of the week or over the weekend might not be possible.

They want to do the skill in class first.

I guess if you look at it and think "I could do the HW with them at home" could mean that homeschool might be right for you.

Homeschool has it's benefits, I'm sure. But so does public or private school and if that's what people chose, then we as parents need to buy into the way the system does it and not always expect the system to bend for our convenience.

My two cents (as both parent and teacher!)

 

[Iwannabemargo]

I suppose I don't get the homework every day thing. Must be cultural. At primary ours get at most an hour a week (to age 11) - what don't they do in school that they require that much time out of school ? Mine is in class 9-3.30, taking out breaks that is 5 1/2 hours a day, 5 days a week, 40 weeks a year.

 

[B&M's mom]

I understand where you are coming from. Your daughter sounds a lot like my oldest. I kept her in elementary school as I didn't want her isolated from her friends and I wanted her childhood to be somewhat normal. But I did talk to her teachers and explained that there would be times when her homework was late. No one had a problem with it.

In middle school, she moved to another gym with even more hours and began a modified school/homeschool program. She attends school in the morning and gets as many core classes as possible. We then homeschool the remaining. It's still a challenge and she eats and changes in the car on the way to practice and does homework at breaks. But she still sees non-gymnastics friends and feels part of the community. As she's gotten older, that's become a lot more important than it was when she was younger. She has managed to make it all work.

Things to consider, do you have the time to homeschool? Even with materials, you have to put the time in on a consistent basis. With us, it takes a full year just to do one class. And my daughter was in the gifted program in elementary (no such program in middle school). It's really easy to get off track quickly. Also do you have access to homeschooling materials? Not all districts supply them. Mine doesn't so I'd have to pay for materials. The online courses can be pricey. Fortunately, because she's still enrolled, the middle school has given us the textbook for the class we homeschool in so we can follow their curriculum. Where will your younger kids be during school time? I honestly couldn't have homeschooled with my youngest around, she wants attention all the time! Will your daughter have interaction with other kids her age outside of gymnastics? They give up a lot for this sport, my daughter, though not the most social creature still needs friends to goof off with.

Good luck.

 

[maryRS]

I would not consider homeschooling because of gymnastics a child that age. I would try to deal with the schedule by trying to make it as easy and stress free as possible. I would also consider dropping the extra day, if the stress continued. An 8 year old should not be stressed and feeling like she is going too much. 5 years from now if she is still in the sport, dropping that extra day won't mean a whole lot, but making a decision to homeschool does change things. I'm not anti homeschool at all, I am not even against doing it just for a sport. I just think that if you make the decision to do it for a sport, the child should be older and have more years into it.

 

[emorymom]

We homeschool. 4th grade this year. They start at 9am unless they want to be done earlier. School is generally done by 1:30 with some short breaks (they can set a timer for 10 min if they need a break between items). There may be 30 or 45 minutes left to do before bed some days. Training in various things starts as early as 2pm. Today DS accepted a small part in a sketch comedy video, so he is done with school and on set at 1pm. By 3pm we will be done (is the plan) and on the way to gym. Dd will be at her music school today from 2:30 to about 5:30.

Homeschooling allows them to do more and that includes plenty of stuff that supports social development. It is just more flexible.

 

[Seeker]

We just had a child (not yet 10!) from our team leave for a very intensive program that trains 40+ hours a week. My only question is when would this child have time to do ANY school work?

40+ hours? Holy moly. I just can't even imagine that...

 

[Jenny]

40+ hours? Holy moly. I just can't even imagine that...

I am sure her body will not that her for that when she is older.

 

[munchkin3]

I cant imagine either.....personally I think it is irresponsible.
They SAY, they do some school during gym hours but I was told by firsthand accounts that that was not true.

 

[wgymmom]

I'll go back and read the posts, but we've homeschooled from the start for reasons other than gymnastics. However, homeschooling really helps now that she is at the gym for more hours. Our gym is 40 minutes away, so that eats up a lot of extra time, and given the times that the bus goes by our house, I have no idea how she'd fit it all in if she were in public school. My gymmie has a younger sister, but they're only 2 years apart, so no little ones underfoot. Plenty of moms homeschool with lots of kids around though! I'm happy to answer any questions at all, just let me know.

 

[munchkin3]

Please know I have nothing bad to say about HS, I have many good friends that home school very successfully! I myself considered it for my ADHD son.
BUT it is not for the sole purpose of getting to the Olympics in a sport.
My issue is sacrificing one for the other. But to each his own, I am certainly no one to judge anything.

 

[SignHere]

We have a lot of homeschoolers in our area - religious, political, and other reasons. I personally know of 1 child who homeschooled through high school and is now doing her residency in pulmonary and critical care medicine! ( yes! An MD ) I know probably 10 children who have transitioned from elementary school HS to traditional middle or High School. And I know at least 5 other children who successfully graduated HS and went onto college after homeschool.

So it can be done, and successfully, too. Also, there are homeschool art classes, track teams, etc. Our area even has homeschool co-ops where your child can do astronomy, etc with other homeschool children.

You will make the decision that is best for your family. Good luck. By the way - Calvert homeschool is very popular with a lot of our gymnast families.

 

[3LittleGymmies]

I really appreciate everyone's input so much! Lots to think about. Thank you!

 

[LemonLime]

Please be sure to check the NCAA Eligibility Center for accreditation if your gymnast is in grades 9-12. 2/3 of the high schools mentioned in this thread are unacceptable for NCAA Clearinghouse purposes. https://web1.ncaa.org/hsportal/exec/hsAction

 

[3LittleGymmies]

Thankfully, my daughter is only in 3rd grade.

 

[gymjunkie]

Homeschooling was the best decision we could have made for our kids (some are gymnasts, some not). Because I teach both in the homeschool community (at our homeschool co-op) and in the traditionally-schooled community (coaching gymnastics, teaching Sunday school), I get to compare the differences in the kids, and it is nothing short of remarkable. The homeschooled kids are much more mature, socially confident, more willing to participate and share ideas, etc (this is supported by studies as well, but it's amazing when you see it with your own eyes). I do think that a lot of that comes from getting to experience low-stress childhoods. My kids get their required work done in 2-3 hours/day, so they have lots of time for play and/or hobbies. They can also sleep in if they need to (growth spurts, fighting illness, etc.) without getting behind. I don't like boxed curriculum or on-line programs myself. I mix and match, until I find what best fits their learning style. It's amazing how different they are as students. One of my kids needed phonics to read successfully, the other could read just because she was read to. Another has never practiced a day of spelling, because she has a photographic memory and doesn't need to (so why waste her time?). In addition to full time training/coaching (my oldest "retired" from gym early and now coaches too), they are able to do several hobbies, be involved at church, learn to cook, etc. I would talk to someone in your homeschool community to find out how it works in your state and what resources are available and then go for it!