3LittleGymmies
Proud Parent
I know that this can be a bit controversial.. but I wanted to ask for some advice. My daughter was a Level 4 last year and she is doing the "new" Level 4 this year (what was Level 5). She is an advanced practice group that does an extra day in addition to the regular Level 4 schedule, so she is at the gym 16 hours/week now. She is 8 and just started 3rd grade. She loves school, but she also loves gymnastics... and she has been feeling very conflicted and upset because she is "go go go" most days. By nature, she is very organized and responsible, almost to a fault. She is always thinking about what she needs to do, where she needs to be, what she needs to bring, when, etc. So I think her busy schedule must get her stressed out a bit. Her school day ends at 3:30, but the school dismisses bus riders before the children who are picked up, so even if I pick her up from school.. we end up getting home right when the bus would be coming anyway. The bus gets to our house at 4:00-4:10 and her practice (which is 10-15 minutes away) starts at 4:30. So I need to get everyone else in the car quickly while she races to change and inhales something to eat on the way to gym. And then she is there until 8:30 most days and still needs to do homework, shower, eat dinner, etc. I agree that it's a lot for an 8 year old, but she truly loves gymnastics and the skills she is able to do now compared to just a few months ago are amazing. We moved to a new state a few months back and to a new gym. Her old gym started a home school program right when we were moving (although they only have two girls doing it right now), but her new gym does not have one (I think it's because of the area we live in.. many children go to private schools, so perhaps home school wouldn't have an appeal here). She has been asking to home school, even though she loves school/being social because she doesn't want to have to rush rush rush every day. Which I can understand. She is also "gifted", and I can see how home school may be a benefit in that area, as well. But we have other small children at home and I am not so sure that I could home school her myself. If you home school your gymnast, when did you start? Do you do it yourself or do you use tutors? Does anyone use an online curriculum? How has your experience been? Did it put a lot of breathing room in your gymnast's day so that they could "just be kids"?