My new scheduling nightmare

[MamaT]

The coaches at my 11yo dd's gymnastics just told me that dd will move up a level in the fall. Great! The only problem is that practice is from 12:30 to 4:30 every day, and the gym is almost an hour from home.

 

I don't know how to do that. I have three other kids at home who would be missing a teacher, and how is my dd supposed to get her schoolwork done?

 

I know that all the girls at this level are homeschooled and some of them even go to school at the gym (they have a "homeschool" for the gymnasts). I don't want my dd to be away from home all day every day, so school at the gym is out.

 

The only way that it could work is for me to get a ride with a friend who lives nearby whose dd is going at the same time. Maybe exchange her taking them down for me picking them up?

 

I am going to have a talk with dd. She will have to get up and get started about 6:00 a.m. to get most of her schoolwork done before she leaves for gym.

 

How do you other moms with kids in competitive sports manage schedules?

[Samiam]

Um, what's the end goal? Is she trying to go competitive, ie Olympics? Otherwise, I don't see the point of disrupting the ENTIRE family's life for a youth sport.

 

And we are a sports family, and do alot to make sure our boys get to play the sports they love...but we do draw a line.....your situation would be the line :)..unless there's a definate chance for higher competion, ie Olympics, AND this gym has shown a history of getting their girls to that point.

[jenn-]

Those hours are insane. I guess the gym doesn't give parents the choice about their kid's schooling. At our gym we have all the way up to level 9 (the level 10 finished her season and is taking time off). The majority of the girls from 7-9 levels still go to regular school. They have practice from 5-8 M-Th and 4-7 on Fri. As to how those girls get their school work done, I have no clue, but they do. If you want to stay with this gym, I would look into the drop off/pick up option you mentioned.

[katemary63]

I would never do this. I've got a friend who's daughter is very talented in soccer. They spent years dragging all the younger kids to soccer this and soccer that several times a week. Dad is a college athlete and insisted the girl get all the soccer opportunities that she could. She played on several teams including traveling. It was a nightmare for the mom who could barely get everything else done, including homeschool, because of the crazy schedule. She once said to me, "Our entire lives revolve around her soccer."

 

Well, it looks like this girl will get a soccer scholarship some day. I still think it was entirely wrong to put the whole family through that. Entirely wrong. I would never disrupt our family life for the sake of 1 kid's sports. Never.

[MamaT]

Um, what's the end goal? Is she trying to go competitive, ie Olympics? Otherwise, I don't see the point of disrupting the ENTIRE family's life for a youth sport.

 

And we are a sports family, and do alot to make sure our boys get to play the sports they love...but we do draw a line.....your situation would be the line :)..unless there's a definate chance for higher competion, ie Olympics, AND this gym has shown a history of getting their girls to that point.

 

I totally agree with you. She is our sixth child and I would have told you a few years ago that I would never do this. If would be easier if she wasn't so good :001_smile: (2nd place all-around in Regionals, which is 10 states). This gym has a coach who has coached Olympic gold medalists during their Olympic wins, and we have two girls who are alternates for the National team right now. She is passionate about gymnastics and is such a hard worker in everything she does, whether it's gymnastics, schoolwork, or chores. I keep thinking maybe she'll burn out, but I don't see any signs of that.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Our gym has that schedule for the summer but not for the fall. Is this a competitive level? Or is this a separate class for homeschoolers only? Our competitive gym has some homeschoolers but definitely most of the kids go to public school. The gym does not start fall classes until 4 pm.

[Ailaena]

Carpooling will be your new best friend:grouphug: See who else lives anywhere on the way.

 

We were lucky enough to have 4 girls in the semi-same area. It was a bit out of the way to pick everyone up, but it was worth it to drive 3x/wk instead of 12!

 

I have even seen situations where someone will drive their girl to another girl's house who is closer and then pick them up there later.

 

As far as scheduling, can she do any work after practice? Or even during the long car ride?

[MamaT]

Our gym has that schedule for the summer but not for the fall. Is this a competitive level? Or is this a separate class for homeschoolers only? Our competitive gym has some homeschoolers but definitely most of the kids go to public school. The gym does not start fall classes until 4 pm.

 

Yes, this is a competitive level. The gym we went to a couple of years ago only had afternoon/evening classes in the fall too, but this gym is a much more selective/competitive. You can't just pay and go there, you have to try out.

[MamaT]

Carpooling will be your new best friend:grouphug: See who else lives anywhere on the way.

 

We were lucky enough to have 4 girls in the semi-same area. It was a bit out of the way to pick everyone up, but it was worth it to drive 3x/wk instead of 12!

 

I have even seen situations where someone will drive their girl to another girl's house who is closer and then pick them up there later.

 

As far as scheduling, can she do any work after practice? Or even during the long car ride?

 

Yes, I have found another mom who is willing to trade off with me. It will at least make it doable. I talked to dd and told her how early she would have to get up, that she would likely have some homework in the evenings, etc. She said, "Okay, then." :confused:

[Moxie]

It would be easy to sit here and tell you that I would never do this to my family. BUT, if you have a child with the potential to go to the Olympics, how can you say no?? Wouldn't she really resent you later if you took this opportunity from her? I'm not sure what I would do.

[plansrme]

Well, since everyone else chimed in to tell you what they think of your family choices, even though that wasn't your question, I am going to do the same:

Bravo for you for giving your daughter this opportunity and for doing what you can to make it work for your whole family.

 

And congratulations to your daughter on her finish at regionals! That is quite an accomplishment. My daughter won vault at regionals after a dramatic season that involved a mid-season gym change (and by "mid-season," I mean she competed for Gym A on Sunday and started at Gym B on Monday), and I was ready to pop some buttons. So again, way to go, FamilyT!

 

And that's great news on the carpool!

 

Terri

[Dayle in Guatemala]

I think the carpool idea is a good idea as well as doing some reading and things in the car on the way to practice. Also, really working and sticking to a good schedule will help a lot.

 

It's not like if it just isn't working, you can't drop it later! I say, give it a shot if she's willing to make it work and do the commitment, why not? Good for her!