Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Parenting Dilemma - extracurriculars

We just finished dinner, after gymnastics. DD6 commented how gymnastics probably wasn't her sport. She isn't as advanced as two others, younger, who take it twice a week. But we cannot fit it in twice a week. But it was an interesting insight that she feels "not good enough" already because others are making bigger commitments to a sport at this age.

We committed to another semester of gymnastics but we brought up doing more dance, other types of dance, in addition to ballet, next year -- which seemed to be of interest.

I can handle dropping gymnastics.

Ren

As you probably already know, Wren, dance moves very quickly to more than once a week. It is one of the most intense extracurriculars starting earlier than a lot of other activities (I had middle school girls quit my girl scout troop because they had dance every day).

I just had a discussion with a mother of a little girl, 11, who left SAB to join Steps Pre-professional. SAB expects you to commit to the Nutcracker for several months and I think you have to perform every other day. Just saw it last night, we know a girl who is a mouse -- this is her 3rd year in SAB. In Steps pre-professional, you do have to commit to more days of ballet per week, as you progress but the classes do tend towards 5 pm, where you can go to Science and piano still. And you can do performances without the rigors of the NYCB Nutcracker schedule. But it was a lot better than gymnastics. Also, ballet is close by, Gymnastics is 3 miles away (I go by bike -- fastest way around NYC, though brutal with wind chills.)

But academics come first and I want her to well rounded. I told her this. If she chooses to compete in something, you have to commit to the sport. This way, she can do a lot of things and she can start sailing this summer and do more tennis.

Ren