Miss 4 loves gymnastics. She was glued to the Olympics and just adored the tricks and tumbles. She's been doing a kinder gym-fun class this year which she enjoys, sort of, but spends most of the class staring at the "real gymnastics". On the way home, she tells me she wants to be 5 so she can join the big kids class.

So we've been trying different gym classes this week to see if there's any difference between them. Most offer fun-gym type programs until 5 when things step up a little. Unfortunately, she's a long way from 5 - next May!

I wonder if it's worth advocating for her to get her into a class with older kids. I suspect I'll have less of a fight in term 1 next year because she'll be in grade 1 school through acceleration. But it begs the question from mums/dads who have been on this journey longer than me... are you always advocating for your children? Do you find yourself advocating for your child outside of school?

jojo

Hi - in our experience with the gymnastics club, the teacher hasn't really cared about the specific age of the child, if they're within a year of the other kids in the early classes. DS4 has been the youngest in some classes. Our gymnastics teacher (who is wonderful), has kids try harder stuff if they want to or if she thinks/knows they can. The classes are usually very small, so this is easy for her to do.

I would talk to the teacher and ask. It seems that with sports, if your kid has an interest in doing more challenging things, the coaches and teachers are all for acceleration (in contrast to academics).

I know nothing about gymnastics. But in general, I guess my concern in moving a child up would be if she is needing to learn fundamental skills in the current class before moving up.

What I thought of when I read your post was how much DS wanted to play the violin when he started taking lessons at 5. But he needed to learn to care for his violin, how to hold it, and how to hold the bow before he could start playing. He did not want to learn those things--he wanted to play. But obviously, he needed to know those things before he could learn to play. If the gymn class is play based and is focused on exposure rather than skills then I can see that moving up might be OK, but if they are really working on fundamental skills, then it seems like a better idea to have her master the skills before moving her up.

Ah, yes, I concur with acs in that the child must be physically able to do the harder stuff, and that usually means having the fundamentals down. Kids can't start out doing the stuff they see the olympians doing!

Problem solved I've just found a gym school that has a beginners class for 4-8 year olds. I've not seen this age grouping before, but we'll go along and see what it's like. If the class sizes are OK, it might be a solution for us. But it still begs the larger question of - are you always advocating for your child, in and out of school?

DD's gym does an individual assessment on each kid and places them accordingly. It is large enough that there are classes of several skills levels for each age group.

Well, I can only answer as a parent of a 4yo, who's only been in preschool. My answer is "yes." But I don't think it's any different if your child is not gifted - advocacy goes along with parenting. You will (hopefully) come across some situations where your child fits in fine without extra advocacy. So far, I've tried to get DS4 into academic classes for older kids that I know he'd love, and i've been successful only sometimes. I've also advocated for exemptions because of some of DS's sensitivities (e.g., no itchy swim belt in swim class). I think perhaps because I'm now aware that DS has some differences, I will be more likely to advocate in areas in addition to academics.

I doubt that I do any more advocating for DS than most parents. As SPG says, advocacy goes along with parenting and all kids end up in situations that are not well suited to them and need adjustments.

I had a mother who advocated for me a lot and it was a big help. But in retrospect, I really wish she had let me find my own voice and stand up for myself more. I didn't really learn how to do these things until college. I have spent much more time coaching DS in how to stand up for himself and ask for what he needs than actually advocating for him. He has a temperment that responded well to the coaching and these days he pretty much gets what he needs from school and outside of school without much help from me.

our son is pysically delay slightly. At 5 he was like a 4.5 year old, he wanted to learn Tae Kwondo.

There were 2 classes that started kids out one for 4 to 6 year old and one for kids 6-14.

They gave him a accessement test and at first they put him in the big kids class, because they were impressed with him, he could read the Oath, he could count and follow directions well. He was very smart.

After a short time it because apparent to us he needed to be in the little kids class, he couldn't keep up. We had to go to them and ask that he be moved down. He was happy... they were puzzled, it's a big honor to go to the big kids class, but it wasn't right for him.

He's in the big kids class now and has a blue belt, but picked up bad habits in the little kids class and will very often be very 'goofy' in class: grabbing his foot over and over, rolling around on the mats when he should be sitting up listening.

So my advice............... observe both classes. she where she'll fit before you place her and think about where she is going and who she will grow into.

I would think it would depends on the teacher's assessment?

My DS joins Tae Kwon Do (TKD) too. For one semester, he has to be held back in the same class even though he has acquired the blue belt because of his size. The teacher explained to me that the next class has bigger sized kids (will be a problem when they need to get a partner for sparring) and they will do exercises which would be more demanding. One boy (same age as DS) dropped out when he was promoted to the next class as he found that he couldn't do some of the actions and told his mom he wanted out .
I agreed with the master's suggestion then (as I see it as a lesson learned for her too...ie. the need to consider each child's promotion) . Now DS8 has progressed to the next class and he is happy.

Hello. I am new to the message boards and just signed up today.

I have a DD14 who has been in gymnastics since she was 3. She has been in community programs, clubs and YMCA's in two different states. All have offered different styles and commitments. I think you need to find the program or class that fits the needs of your child. One good thing we have always done is to let it be her thing. We have talked about issues at home, but it is up to her to act on or ask for what she wants. In gymnastics, most coaches will identify "talent" and ability by level, not by age, once they are 5 or 6 years of age. Then the progression will usually take care of itself.

Well, I've had very little to do with DS12 in school this year, as the fit is pretty good, but as I don't really ever expect him to be 'regular,'or need exactly what 'regular kids' need, I do expect to be advocating for many many more years.

But, it does get easier with practice.

Smiles,
Grinity