Another consideration is how obsessive the kid is. DD5 just started gymnastics this fall, and she is OBSESSED. She is also insanely good at it. I'm uneasy about it, but she's scheduled 4 afternoons a week. I NEVER thought I would schedule my 5-year-old that much, but she loves it.
At the same time, though, I'm keeping one finger hovering over the Eject button. I don't love the whole competitive gymnastics thing. And I really don't love how she's already getting too much of her sense of worth from being better than other kids. (My plan was to put her in gymnastics for a bit to get some tumbling skills, and then transition her to something like dance. Big tactical error.)
But for the moment, she has found her obsession, and I'm not going to stop her. Yet.
