Parents Working parents and gym hours

[barcrawler]

Thanks, I'm not sure what the gym camp schedule is for this summer. Last summer, they only had the camp for 3 days of the week (M, W, F) for 3 hours a day.

 

[twinmomma]

Our gym doesn't seem to have a camp geared towards the team kids. Our camp is more just a summer day camp that includes a gymnastic component but my DD would bored spitless to do cartwheels all day. I'd LOVE to see us do a camp geared towards team kids.

 

[Gymmonkeymomma]

We cannot carpool as we live in the opposite direction from everyone else, closest teammate is half way to gym (10 mins) would make no sense for her parents to come out of their way to get my DD. We are fortunate in that I have a very flexible work schedule. I work from home 3 days, and the other 2 days I have modified hours. In the summer, everything changes to accomodate summer training. Most of the other teammates who live near each other carpool.

 

[Bajanswife]

Carpools! Can't live without them.

Me either!

 

[IreneKa]

We cannot carpool as we live in the opposite direction from everyone else, closest teammate is half way to gym (10 mins) would make no sense for her parents to come out of their way to get my DD. We are fortunate in that I have a very flexible work schedule. I work from home 3 days, and the other 2 days I have modified hours. In the summer, everything changes to accomodate summer training. Most of the other teammates who live near each other carpool.

Same story. We live in the opposite direction from everyone else. So, while most everyone else is carpooling, we can't. I work from home full time, so it's not a problem to me (unless I have a conference call at the same time as practice, then I have to call from my cell phone and pretend that I'm listening lol). But if I ever find another job (and I do I want to), I have no idea what we are going to do.

 

[BachFlyer]

But if I ever find another job (and I do I want to), I have no idea what we are going to do.

I'm in the same boat, would love to look for another job but the flexibility where I am at is priceless, and makes up for many other issues, so I soldier on. And I also can't count the number of conference calls I hold in the car (which I put on speaker and my DD listens to, and we make faces during), while we drive to the gym. LOL

 

[mommyof1]

We are struggling with this issue as well. My daughter currently practices two afternoons a week. She goes to an after-school program, and I leave work early one day a week and work from home the other day so I can get her to practice. Next year practice will be three days a week with an earlier start time, and she will have ballet the other two days. We are looking into hiring a nanny who drives, but it is going to be difficult to find someone who is willing to work for only about an hour and a half per day.

The summer will be an even bigger challenge, as she will most likely be doing three morning practices a week. The gym does not have a day camp. We have decided to sacrifice three weeks of gymnastics for enrichment-type camps and sleepaway camp, and the gym is closed one week. I am taking one week off to stay home with her. The remaining weeks I will probably have to beg to be allowed to work from home three days so I can pick her up from practice and take her to day camp in the middle of the day. If I worked closer to home I could pick her up during my lunch hour, but my office is an hour away from home/gym/camp.

When I think of all the summer opportunities she will have to give up in the future (summer school to get ahead in academic subjects, science camps, music camps, being a junior counselor at Girl Scout camp...), I begin to regret our decision to let her pursue this sport. It sure would be a lot easier if summer practices were in the afternoon. At least then the kids could still do summer school and day camps.

 

[SurpriseGymMom]

I'm lucky in that while I do work out of the home, I work at dds gym and only very part time. I go to work after I drop the kids off at school and only work a couple of hours. A few afternoons/evenings a week I also work (at the gym) but it is while dd is there training. We carpool with another family to great advantage for us both: I bring the extra girl to gym straight from school and most nights the other family drives my gymmie home. We live a few blocks from eachother and they attend the same school. My other daughter has a rigorous dance schedule and I have to be at her studio most evenings to pick her up much later, so this works out perfectly for both of our families! I save the other family from having to try to adjust work hours in order to take their dd to gym, they save me from having to drive back and forth even more than I already do and let's gymmie come home and eat at 7.30-8.30 instead of 9-9.30 if she had to come with me to the dance studio... Gymmie practices 4days/week, right after school.
This is the first year we have found anyone in both girls activities that live close to us and it is wonderful!!! My husband works long hours and is unable to do any of this.

 

[LizzieLac]

I'm in the same boat, would love to look for another job but the flexibility where I am at is priceless, and makes up for many other issues, so I soldier on. And I also can't count the number of conference calls I hold in the car (which I put on speaker and my DD listens to, and we make faces during), while we drive to the gym. LOL

Been there!! DD used to say how boring my job sounded!!

 

[Fliptwisttumble]

Our gym doesn't seem to have a camp geared towards the team kids. Our camp is more just a summer day camp that includes a gymnastic component but my DD would bored spitless to do cartwheels all day. I'd LOVE to see us do a camp geared towards team kids.

Last summer I had no choice but to put my then L7/8 daughter into the rec camp 2 days a week, which she left early to go to her training. She was fortunate that a few tines she warmed up with other team kids doing their training, and she was able to work on a few small things because the coaches knew her. Her leaps sure improved!

Not perfect, but the only solution on those days.

 

[Gymmonkeymomma]

(unless I have a conference call at the same time as practice, then I have to call from my cell phone and pretend that I'm listening lol). But if I ever find another job (and I do I want to), I have no idea what we are going to do.

I've become very good at pretending to listen during my conference call drives!

 

[meganliz77]

Thank you all for your insights. They are very helpful.

I have 4 kiddos at home, and my gymnast is the youngest. DD and her elementary school aged brother usually go to full time day camp during the summer months.

I have an adult teenager who drives, and has a car, but she also works full time. No other family close.

My concern is that even if we were to be able to swing getting her to the gym during the day, I would still be paying FT day camp too for the other days/times.

A lot to think about! Thanks again.

Similar issue here!! Just got our team practice schedule and for level 3/4 my 6 yo DD will be practicing M-Th from 8:30 am until 11:30. We live 40+ miles from the gym... Both my hubby and I work full time and operate a farm... 2 other kiddos to juggle. I am not sure what we will do this summer!! I cannot afford to pay day camp and gymnastics plus drive her around town in the middle of my workday!!!


It usually always comes together-- not sure how, but it always does!!!