Parents Meets and Gift bags

[berrisweetness]

Aussie what do you all do for your kids especially the young ones that haven't eaten all day.

@ everyone it is not a USA thing it is a parent thing. This is a group of parents that get together and do gift bags for the kids on the level their dd is in. And at this gym all the level parents do it.

I do believe it is a little over the top due to the size of the teams, it gets expensive. And should maybe be done for states but this is what has been done apparently for the last 2 years.

 

[2littlegymnasts]

We don't do snack/goody bags at regular meets either. I don't think I have ever seen any gyms do them. Our kids eat before or immediately after a meet. For State meet we collect money and do a little goody bag as just an extra celebration. Even then I think only the levels with really young girls do it.

 

[Iwannabemargo]

Aussie what do you all do for your kids especially the young ones that haven't eaten all day.

I don't know how your meets are organised, but here we have sessions. P&F's last meet she was afternoon sessions, registration 2.30pm. So we ate, then went to the gym. There is no way my child would not eat all day. Also we have, in most gyms, an "absolutely no eating in the gym" rule. If you want to eat or drink you leave the competition hall and eat elsewhere (cafe, viewing gallery etc) so even the children have to leave the hall to eat or drink. So for us that wouldn't work as they couldn't have them with them anyway.

 

[bogwoppit]

Same here, parents send food for the kids. Kids can eat before the comp, after warms up and after the comp (but before awards). No food in the gym either.

Other parents preparing bags for the gymmies is something I have never heard of in Canada. Goody bags either. Out girls go to the meet, compete and come home. No other hoopla. Once in a while they get a medal or ribbon and are very happy.

 

[berrisweetness]

@ iwannabemargo it is not a meet thing or a country thing, just parents that want to do this for the girls on their level.

They have a section set up for awards it is not a full blown meal just a goody bag it can be anything you want, It does not have to be food . One parent didn't have a Lot of money so she did a snack bag ( after finding out about allergies of course). Some people do little trinkets.

@ Everyone: My comment was not about doing the bags because it is the parents choice, it was about whether to do one for the kids who are attending that particular meet or to do one for all the kids. IMO it was to do one for the kids at that particular meet

 

[Becauseisaid]

Haven't ever seen this before, but everyone's mileage varies.

Personally, I would NOT do bags for those not attending. It sounds like the goodie bag is a small meet memento as well as a "You did a good job" gift. That should go to the gymnasts who actually went to the meet. What are you congratulating the other kids on? The fact that they missed out? Go to the meet - get a goodie bag. Miss the meet - miss the goodie bag.

Edited to add: Instead of bags, how about 1 flower per girl?

 

[Iwannabemargo]

@ iwannabemargo it is not a meet thing or a country thing, just parents that want to do this for the girls on their level.

I do think it is a bit of a country culture thing too.

With absolutely no comment or personal preference on the matter its just something that I have noticed that is different between us. It is pretty much unheard of to get "participation rewards" for want of a better phase, in this country. No goodie bags, no participation ribbons etc, in sport, work or any other walk of life. It just something we don't do. Even party bags are a relatively new thing ( I think an introduction with American television programmes in the 90's).

I'm not saying don't do it, just its not something that would even be considered over here.

back to the original question, if the purpose is a treat for those competing then only competitors on the day, if its a team building thing then I would say everyone so as those unable to compete do not feel left out.

 

[berrisweetness]

LOL @ I wannbemargo : I'm just tired of spending money. Over here when a gym is hosting a meet each participant gets something ie. t- shirt, Leo, pillowcase, etc. Our meet fees depending on what state you live in are expensive, $90 and up ( depending on level).

 

[Iwannabemargo]

Most I've ever paid is £25 (about $41), and that was a big national comp, normally its around £ 10, plus our coaches don't charge for going to meets so as far as meet costs it entrance fee and transport/accommodation only.

 

[skschlag]

The coaches don't get paid to go to meets? That's amazing.

Boys are easier. Really. We just pack stuff in their bags. No gifts needed. In fact, some of the stuff we get is ridiculous. There is one meet that does nice stuff.

Back OT: I would just give it to the ones at the meet. THis is not a team gift, but a meet gift. If that is what you are doing, then it is for the meet. JMO

 

[Aussie_coach]

Aussie what do you all do for your kids especially the young ones that haven't eaten all day.

@ everyone it is not a USA thing it is a parent thing. This is a group of parents that get together and do gift bags for the kids on the level their dd is in. And at this gym all the level parents do it.

I do believe it is a little over the top due to the size of the teams, it gets expensive. And should maybe be done for states but this is what has been done apparently for the last 2 years.

Their competitions don't go all day. A competition would be three hours or so. Kids can go three hours without eating. They have a good meal before and they eat after.

But when it presentation time. They all sit on the floor, I can't see many clubs wanting kids eating on their floor.

I think its a US thing because we often hear of goody bags being given to the kids at competitions, we don't have stuff like this. It is the same line of thought. Me here kids always need to bet getting something.

At our comps most kids get nothing. Divisions can have well over 100 gymnasts in each and they give out 6 places. The rest get nothing.

 

[berrisweetness]

LOL our competitions don't go all day either at the most 3 hours. My older two didn't have that when they were competing. I guess it's just the gym we go to. Our meets vary in size though. Our state we live in is big on gymnastics but the state we compete in is not.

 

[2G1B]

I think that the reason the kids often need a snack is due to the times of the sessions. My kids have been in sessions that they had to be there at 10:30 and finished around 2:00. They are starving by 8:30, so eat breakfast then. They are not ready for a full lunch by 10:00, so you give them a heavy snack. But that is not going to hold them until 2:00. So, they have a snack in their bag. The type of thing is true when they have say a 4:00 session. Especially for the younger kids. Most of the meets that my kids have been to seem to allow the kids to eat a non-messy snack and have some water during awards. They always specify that it has to be a "dry snack". Sometimes awards are on the floor; but often they are in a separate facility like a gym (as in basket ball court) or nearby room.

 

[berrisweetness]

2G1B what state are you in? Thank you, you explained it better then I did.

 

[Quadqueen]

I have never heard of a team doing this....? If my child's session is during a time when she would normally eat, I make sure she eats something decent before and then she eats after. I would not rely on nor expect anyone to give her food.

 

[berrisweetness]

Quadqueen no one is expecting or relying on anyone to bring any child food. This is not about food it is about gift bags. It's just parents volunteering to do gift bags for the children on their child's level. The bags did not have to have food/ snack it could be whatever you want. The ORIGINAL question was should you do the gift bag for the whole team or just the ones that attend that particular meet.

 

[Quadqueen]

ok, sorry, I still have never heard of a team providing gift bags to the their own team competing. At our state meet, DD has received a flower, but no gift bags and not for regular meets. This is a foreign concept to me.

 

[Quadqueen]

Aussie what do you all do for your kids especially the young ones that haven't eaten all day.

This was what I was reacting to....you seem to imply that the kids are provided food because they haven't eaten all day. So, it sounded like you were talking about food to me. ??

 

[berrisweetness]

LOL I didn't take it wrong it was just more added as the thread went on. I am finding that everyone does a lot of things differently and it's interesting to read about it. I just joined this gym a few a couple of months ago. I have two older ones that did gymnastics and we never did this either. I think this is just something this gym started, why I have no idea. I just know it gets expensive. And we have a lot of girls our total team count (all levels) is 72. Our level alone (level 3) has 20 girls.

 

[2G1B]

2G1B what state are you in? Thank you, you explained it better then I did.

we are in Georgia.