Parents Practice schedule over Thanksgiving??

[CAKE]

I just tell my daughter coach probably won't be cranky about something I say no to forever.



Isn't the reason they are going to the ranch to better develop their gymnastics. It would still be a no.

I dont understand TOPs enough to know what my answer would be... but Id understand being asked.

Of course no single practice is ever necessary. To stretch this to say coaches are asking children to miss Thanksgiving with their grandparents is a bit much. Though it's few and far between, when I have seen coaches hold Thanksgiving practice(or Chirstmas eve) it goes something like this. "I am not going out of town, so will be at the gym from 9am to noon running team practice for any gymnasts who are in town and can attend".

Sounds great! I know many parents would would love to take you up on that offer for a little more time to wrap gifts or prepare dinner.. and the kids like to see their teammates who are kind of like family since they spend so much time with them.

BUT it should be 100% optional with no penalty for not being there. I didnt say coaching was asking kids to miss thanksgiving with their grandparents. Im simply saying that if last thanksgiving we had to be at practice on thanksgiving day or the friday after our family could not have traveled to visit family members. Holidays are important. I run a company where I guarantee 99% uptime of vital financial systems and my employees are all off on Christmas and thanksgiving. I just dont understand asking children to be in a gym away from their families on holidays without very good reasons. Offering optional training, great.. as long as it wont be counted against the kids if they dont do it...

 

[SeaActually]

Last year my girls went to practice on thanksgiving. Their coach- who was also the owner- was there with his three kids because they all wanted to be. Practice was in the morning and didn’t interfere with dinner at all. It was an extra practice and it was free. My kids positively begged to go because their dad was initially against it. He kept harping on how it was a family day- but when pressed he admitted that he planned to watch tv all day while they puttered around the house.. so in the end they won out. My kids love us. The coach loved his family. They all loved being at gym- it was a home away from home. They didn’t do too much working that practice but they had an amazing time that they still talk about to this day.

That sounds like a fun practice, the same way some of us run a turkey day 5K.

 

[sewgood]

One day is not going to make a difference in any kind of gymnastics.

I work the holidays because I have to, unfortunately people continue to get sick and have accidents.

It is simply not necessary in gymnastics.

If a kid practices 4 hours a day for 20 hours a week, 50 weeks a year. One day is a half a percent.
It doesn't matter.

All I’m saying is that there is no need to assume malicious intent on the part of the coach.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

All I’m saying is that there is no need to assume malicious intent on the part of the coach.

What malicious intent?

Don’t care why.

It is simply not necessary.

 

[gymnastmom05]

Our gym is closing for Thursday and Friday. They are also changing the schedule over Christmas and we have a few days after Christmas off (in addition to 24 &25th). It's the first time they haven't had practice starting back up the day after. I feel such a relief knowing that its truly a family period of time. There is no debating or wondering. The choice has been made for us. I am loving it. Friday after Thanksgiving is new as well. We don't normally do much on that day but I am loving the fact that my family doesn't have to make any decisions regarding gym for those few days. It dictates so much of our lives as it is, I am relishing in the freedom to focus solely on what we want to do - no sports, no school, no work. That doesn't happen very often!

 

[e'smum]

it looks like we have thur/fri off. i want to say in past years we only had thursday off.
i'm sure some kids won't show up for wed night practice.

i think thanksgiving is a holiday for family.... and kids need a break so they don't get burnt out. feel free to say no. YOU are paying them. they don't dictate your schedule if you want to do something else.

and like another poster said, one day off isn't going to make a lick of difference. heck, neither will a week off. except the kid will come back refreshed. my gymmie, when forced to take time off some of the higher impact skills/events due to an ankle sprain one year and then a very minor knee injury last year, came back with a stronger vault both times. we joke about it.

eta - if your kid wants to go any of those times and you don't mind, i don't see an issue either. but for me, thanksgiving is family time and a morning to get up and watch parades on tv and relax. some of my best memories as a kid are doing that while my mom cooked and i could smell all the smells

 

[Deleted member D3987]

Our team girls get Wednesday, Thursday (Thanksgiving Day) and Friday off. Just got a text from our coach that they want the 4 HOPES girls to come in for a couple of hours each of those days to practice, including Thanksgiving (in the morning). My husband is adamant that our DD will not be going to the practice Thanksgiving morning, and I have to agree with him. We are planning on sending her to the Wednesday and Friday practices, though she has tickets to see A Christmas Carol with her aunt on Friday at 1:00 pm, so we will have to get her from practice no later than 11:00 am so she can get home and shower and be ready to go to the show. I'm more surprised that they are wanting to come in themselves to coach the girls on Thanksgiving....

a coach does what he's gotta do.

 

[LGnyc]

We FINALLY got our Thx schedule. Nothing TH or FR, regular Saturday, but added Sunday. Not bad because they have their first (word I can't say bc dd is flipping out) the weekend after. Although compared to you guys, ours was insanely late.

 

[Madden3]

I think it all depends on how one looks at Thanksgiving. Obviously not everyone would mind sending their kids to the gym for a few hours on any holiday. On the other hand, I view ALL practices as optional. I try very hard to avoid conflicts, but on the rare occasion something important comes up that my kids would have to miss practice for, they miss practice. It's never a problem. So I guess the issue is if a coach tried to make Thanksgiving a "required" practice. To my mind, there is no such thing. Stuff happens!