Parents Hour drive to gym and homework

[hannahsmom]

We are considering a gym change to a gym that is an hour drive away. I'm curious how other parents handle homework when they have a long drive to the gym? My dd would be going M-W-F from 5:30-8:15, so we wouldn't be home until 9:30 or so on those nights. She will be in 2nd or 3rd grade next year (may be skipping 2nd grade next year) and gets out of school at 3:30, so we would only have about an hour to eat dinner, change clothes, do homework and decompress from school. I've considered just leaving for the gym right after school and get there early, eat dinner and do some homework. How do other families handle the long drive? I'm not sure that she would be focused enough to do it in the car, but maybe she would. Thanks!

 

[bogwoppit]

I am sure she could handle the homework in the car, just get her set up well with all that she needs in some kind of storage container. I would be more concerned about that two hour commute to the new gym. Make sure when you leave the old gym the door remains open if you find the driving, and the gas bill, too much.

We drive 45 minute to an hour to our gym, depending on the weather and it can be very tough at times. There are no other gyms closer so it's either drive or stop.

You will get into a routine after a while and she will get used to it.

 

[Shelovesthebars]

Homework can be done effectively in the car. I have to drive my son 3 times a week to dive and he does his homework in the car. It takes a little adjusting to but it can be done. Organization is definately the key. Have school supplies in a bin in the car with paper, tape, scissors, pencils and a sharpener, markers, glue sticks, construction paper, erasers, and a clipboard. Water and and a snack and extra leotards stored in the car are always good because you never know when you might forget some of these. Oh, and don't forget children's motrin and a first aid kit and also spay on conditioner, hair ties and a comb or brush. Hmm... sounds like a lot. Just pack it, leave it in the car and it gets easier. Hope this helps.

 

[ginnymac]

That is a really big time commitment, good luck!

We find that a clipboard with a pen/pencil attached is very handy for car homework. We actually have a clipboard that has a storage bin (not real deep) attached. It holds extra paper/supplies and gives a solid working space.

 

[socko]

We have been doing the hour commute to the gym since my daughter was in 3rd grade and she is now a high school freshman ...I have always kept an extra set of her books in the car (if you ask the school, a lot of times they have an extra set that you can borrow) so when she announced "oh i forgot I had spelling homework", out came the spelling book and the anxiety went away. As she has gotten older we have made adjustments. like getting her a laptop for her homework to be done right there. I also feed her on the way home (pasta, salads, chicken and rice) so that she's ready to get ready for bed when we walk through the door at 9:45 pm.

We have carpooled with as many as 6 others and as few as just us, and all of the other gymnasts were able to do homework in the car, eat their meals on the way home and be ready once they got home. I also carry an extra leo because the "forgotten leo" has happened on numerous occasions and that saves me a trip back for one (I put one of her least favorite ones in a ziplock bag in the car). Another thing I have her do is keep an extra leo in her locker at the gym.

The drive seems overwhelming at first but you will get used to it...I've read many a book waiting for practices to be done!!

 

[Flippers Mom]

We didn't start the nearly hour drive each way until level 8 - she wanted to, but dad and I weren't willing to make that commitment until then. Flipper is very self-disciplined and gets most of her homework done between classes, after lunch, etc. She usually snacks and sleeps in the car on the way to gym and has a light on in the back seat doing homework on the way home. We keep a blanket and pillow, lots of snacks, a change of clothes and a leo in the car at all times. We also have a bag with markers, a glue stick, ruler, scissors, pencils and sharpener - those are the things she forgets to bring in order to do her homework. Flipper goes to gym 5x week, but we skip gym if she just has too much homework or lots of tests to study for. Flipper is only in 5th grade, but is starting to miss social activities with her friend. As a concession, we got her a cell phone that has an internet connection so she can chat with friends, text, instant message, etc. We also bring the laptop when we know she'll need it.

I was talking to my mom about all the hoops we jump through in order to help our kids achieve their dreams in sports. I mentioned that she and my dad would never have done all this for us. She replied, "You were never that good!" . . . Yep, well. . .end of discussion. ;>

 

[Tumblequeensmom]

I don't think I could make this commitment unless my daugther was already an optional gymnast. She's only in first grade, right? I'm just wondering if it's really necessary to switch gyms at this stage of the game? How will this impact other members of the family? All these things must be thought out in advance before you make this kind of commuting commitment.

Also, just a thought: my daughter cannot do homework in the car because it makes her carsick!!

Good luck!

 

[gym law mom]

I don't think I could make this commitment unless my daugther was already an optional gymnast. She's only in first grade, right? I'm just wondering if it's really necessary to switch gyms at this stage of the game? How will this impact other members of the family? All these things must be thought out in advance before you make this kind of commuting commitment.

Also, just a thought: my daughter cannot do homework in the car because it makes her carsick!!

Good luck!

I agree with TQM. What does this other gym offer that your current one does not? There are alot of issues other than the drive and homework. Are there other kids in the family? Who watches them and deals with their dinner, homework and activities on those nights because I assume you would be staying at the gym. Then there the issues of bad weather(don't know where you live) and possibly missing practice, child not feeling well after being at gym for and hour or so and you have to turn around and go home etc. I would not expect a young one to be able to do any homework coming home after a busy day of school, then the drive and practice. I think your idea of leaving right after school and giving her some down time at the gym to get work done is the best one. Then there is the issue of Friday night---popular night for b-day parties etc. She would have to choose either practice or a social event and thats alot for a 7-8 yo to handle. Also if you're on team you can bet you'll need to be at the gym at other times to work meets etc., so plan on other drives to/from. Just some food for thought.

We have 1 girl at our gym who comes from over 1 hour away. She drives herself now, but when mom brought her(she was a L7), she would do homework on the way to the gym, mom would heat up some dinner and she would eat in the car on the way home and then straight to bed. Got up early to finish homework not completed the night before.

TQM--My gymmie gets a headache and queasy stomach when trying to read in the car too. Wouldn't work for her at all!

 

[hannahsmom]

I don't think I could make this commitment unless my daugther was already an optional gymnast. She's only in first grade, right? I'm just wondering if it's really necessary to switch gyms at this stage of the game?

I totally agree with you. We've been having some problems with our gym and they haven't gotten better. Unfortunately, we don't have any other even "good" gyms in our area without going at least an hour. Now our dd is really bored and we've had a lot of talks about it. She tells us she loves gymnastics, but is really, really bored with her gym and unfortunately we don't feel like we can talk to our owner/HC about it. In the past, she always resisted the idea of switching to any gym, but she has actually started asking us if there is anywhere else she could go. So, while we have not made any decisions yet, we are sort of at the point where it would be much easier if she just told us she didn't "love" gymnastics and would be content to do something else. So, again, we haven't made any decisions. I'm just trying to get all the facts on things before we make the decision. We may stay where we're at, we may switch to a gym in the area that is a good, safe gym, but one that doesn't really stress fundamentals and good, polished gymnastics, we may go to one of the gyms farther away or we may take a break and see if dd falls in love with any other sport in the meantime. So, again, I'm just trying to get all the facts on each of these options so that when the year ends, we can make an informed decision.

 

[ginnymac]

Sounds like you are on your way to making a good decision that will fit your family! Always good to get ALL of the info before making a decision...again, good luck

 

[cathiann]

We don't have a long drive (ours is 12 min), but I would think doing homework in the car (unless she gets car sick) would be the way to go. Beth does that sometimes if we have running to do before gymnastics and she has homework (rare anyway, but it happens)

 

[sportyfam5]

Good luck! Our gym is only 10-15 minutes away and we already do hw and eat in the car. Sometimes we need to miss gym or leave early and they feel like they have no down time. Just think everything through carefully. If your daughter is truly that interested, now may be the best time to change, while she is young. It also sounds like she must do well in school if she may skip a grade. So hw shouldn't be too much of a problem. Unless skipping a grade becomes too stressful.
Wow you have a lot to consider, best of luck to you.

 

[Granny Smith]

Another point to keep in mind, as she continues through the levels of gymnastics as she gets older it most definitely will mean more days at the gym and probably more time per day.

Right now to me M-W-F isn't really that bad, but when she is up to 5 days a week and probably going at least 4 hrs a day as an optional, that can be a whole other story.

 

[socko]

I actually think that at 3 days a week, it might be a good time to try out the hour commute to gym...if she can't handle it at her level (which from the practice schedule I'm guessing is a compulsory level) with tthe 3 days , they you'll need to adjust your game plan. I don't think you need a high powered gym at the lower levels so if you can't make the change yet, don't worry about it...my daughter was an AWFUL compulsory (highest score in compulsories was 32 even!) but she has been a fantastic optional (has been to JO Nationals multiple times) so don't think the die is cast at 7 years old.

We didn't start the commute until she was a Level 8 (she was in 3rd grade) so she was going 5 days a week but it has worked out well for us. She has missed social things and made a lot of schedule adjustments (in elementary school , she was dismissed an hour early to be able to come home, change and eat before leaving for gym so it wasn't such a mad dash every day. I thank God for her elementary school and their ability to work with us on her schedule..she was always on the Honor Roll and was proactive with her work so it was never an issue). Her friends actually would plan things around her schedule so she always felt included. I think it's all a work in progress...even now in high school, we still keep up the pace and I ask her if she has any regrets and she always says no so we plug along.

 

[Empowered]

My daughter is only 8 and we made the move last year from our laid back local gym (1 mintue from the house literally - 5 minute walk) to one "over the hill" about 45 minutes away. Her old Team Coordinator at her old gym told me she felt it was ridiculous to commute an 8 year but my daughter assured me she was ready and this was what she wanted. She said it was her first big girl decision and she was right, she's a completely different athlete now and this was undoubtedly the right decision.

I have to say the commute hasn't been bad at all. Since my daughter gets car sick and doing homework in the car wasn't an option we talked to her teacher and she now gives her the weekly homework assignments on Friday so she can work on them over the weekend. If she needs extra time, she brings her work to the gym and does it before her workouts start. I've found that in an effort to never be late and rushing the commute it works better for us to aim to have her there about 30 minutes early.

We are now up to commuting this drive 4 times a week, T, W, Th and Sat and it doesn't phase my daughter at all. She brings her iPod in the car to entertain herself and usually eats a snack going to gym and dinner on the way home. The hardest thing really is occupying myself during the 4 hour classes. What I have done is used this time to run errands, shop for non-perishable food items, get a mani/pedi

I should honestly note though that while we have no regrets, our life now does revolve around gymnastics and this schedule. And the one thing I never thought about that can be even more tricky than practices is competing meets. When you are driving an hour to the gym, you may (as we do) end up driving double what everyone else on your team drives to get to meets. When it's an hour away from the gym, it will likely be 2 hours away from you and with young ones who often end up in the 8:00am sessions, traveling can be hard. Just some food for thought and good luck to you!

 

[gymmomof1]

My gymmie is 8yr and in 2nd grade and is at the gym Mon 4-6, Tue 5-9, Thr 5-9 & Sat 12-3) So I pick her up from school on M, T, & Th that way I can feed her and get in some homework since she doesn't get home until 9:45. The gym is 1/2 hour away she sometimes does homework in the car or before school. This is our schedule this year since she moved gyms last Feb. Her first gym was 5 min. away so it was a big adjustment at first but very worth it since she is blossoming at her new gym Wish you the best and hope it works out for her (and you).

 

[bogwoppit]

And the one thing I never thought about that can be even more tricky than practices is competing meets. When you are driving an hour to the gym, you may (as we do) end up driving double what everyone else on your team drives to get to meets. When it's an hour away from the gym, it will likely be 2 hours away from you and with young ones who often end up in the 8:00am sessions, traveling can be hard. Just some food for thought and good luck to you!

This is the issue I have. Most of the girls in the gym live close by, with our commute driving to most meets is at least an extra hour away. Which often means a hotel room by ourselves as other families live way closer.

The finding things to do during training used to drive me nuts, but then the girls started school in the gym town and so now we just go to pick them up on school nights (the school bus has a drop off at the gym). On Saturdays hubby drops off and then I pick up. Spending 4 hours in a town got expensive as I always ended up spending on something, I decided it was worth the gas money to drive home and back!

 

[hannahsmom]

Thanks to everyone for their great input! You have no idea how helpful it has been and I have to admit, much more positive feedback than I expected. I was expecting a lot of "we do that and we hate it; don't start commuting if at all possible!" haha I know that the schedule will only get crazier as she advances, so I'm keeping that in mind. I also had thought that maybe I would find a gym in the area and use that time for my personal workout time or there is a major university in the city as well, so I was thinking that maybe I could take a class one night a week or something. I already get tired of sitting for 1 1/2 hours, so I'll have to think of something good to do or I'll end up broke or even fatter than I already am! haha

Thanks again to everyone and if anyone else has any more input or advise, keep it coming!

 

[cathiann]

Thanks to everyone for their great input! You have no idea how helpful it has been and I have to admit, much more positive feedback than I expected. I was expecting a lot of "we do that and we hate it; don't start commuting if at all possible!" haha I know that the schedule will only get crazier as she advances, so I'm keeping that in mind. I also had thought that maybe I would find a gym in the area and use that time for my personal workout time or there is a major university in the city as well, so I was thinking that maybe I could take a class one night a week or something. I already get tired of sitting for 1 1/2 hours, so I'll have to think of something good to do or I'll end up broke or even fatter than I already am! haha

Thanks again to everyone and if anyone else has any more input or advise, keep it coming!

We dont' have a drive, so I could easily go home, but sometimes while Beth's at practice (4 hrs long), I go exercise at the health club--or in the summer take a nice long walk outside. Beats spending money or sitting in the gym for hours--and I LOVE your idea of taking a night class. Hope you find something that works for you, if you decide to go this route.

 

[greyhoundrescue]

We don't have a crazy commute for gym, but this year we've started having a long one twice a week for diving with the boys.

We found those organizers that attach to the back of the seat and set them up as homework stations. Pencils, pens, colored pencils, crayons, extra paper, calculator, ruler, anything else they might need. Unless your car has them built-in, don't forget booklights and spare batteries!

We bought Taby trays (I think that's what they're called), so they have stable work surfaces. DH created a removeable cover out of clear plastic so the kids can decorate they trays without damaging them and can change them at will (like a desk pad?).

We found an organizer that fits between their seats (we have an SUV and they like the third row) to store books, workbooks, etc.

We made the same for the girls. Since they sit in the second row, which is two separate seats, we found a stand up car trash can that was big enough to hold any books. It attaches to the floor with Velcro.

I also turned baby wipes containers into "spare time" kits. They have activity books, small games, crayons, and other non-noisy things to help kill extra time.

We use a timer to break up the commute into set segments for each subject and free time as well.

Our car has those headrest screens and a dvd player. DH records programs for the kids to watch only in the car---think those PBS afterschool educational shows. Or, Discovery Channel/History Channel programs that relate to something the kids are interested in or studying. Each kid has color coded headphones at their seat, but I control the DVD player.

I invested in a cooler that charges from the car. We keep it stocked with healthy snacks and drinks, as well as medications and a first aid kit.

In the back end, we have activity bags packed with spare uniforms, gear, first aid equipment, and emergency information for each of our kids. Each kid has a color (blue, red, purple, and pink).

I found drawstring backpacks in each color for the activities. Whenever possible, we buy gear and supplies in the different colors. We also label everything--name, birthdate, phone number, and allergies. The pockets of the duffel bags are filled with the gear and supplies that any of the kids could use.

I used cloth diapers with the kids as babies, so I have a bunch of those ditty bags--oilcloth bags designed to store dirty or wet clothes---on hand.

It takes remembering to keep the bags stocked (and to wash anything that might get stinky) but the system works.

I found one of those portable office organizers and use it in the front seat (or front floorboard if DH is in the car). When I pick up the kids from school, they know they have to immediately hand me their daily folders. I spend five minutes in the parking lot (after moving out of the line of traffic) checking their folders and doling out their afternoon snack--usually cheese and turkey cubes or something else high in protein. We then hit the road, either to home or practice. While they are in their activities, I check their homework, sign important papers, and the like. That way we still have time later to talk about or fix anything.

I find that a schedule is really helpful. Sticking to it can be hard, but once you get used to it, it helps everything run smoothly.

Whew! Sorry for the long winded post.