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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I was a competitive gymnast as a kid, but even at its most time intensive I think it was only 3 days a week for 2 hours each. What you're describing sounds like an unusual amount of practice to me. [/quote]

12 hours is pretty standard for the beginner competitive levels, particularly in this area. 6 hours a week just isn't going to cut it. Not unusual for middle schooelrs to be putting in 18-25 hours a week in the gym on top of full-time school.

So, for OP mom: if he loves it, excels at it, is devoted to it, go for it. He can always decide to quit. You will probably be shocked at how well your son balances school and gymnastics. Most gymnasts I know are naturally driven, disciplined kids. They figure out how to make it work. They take great pride in the hours (weeks...months....) it takes to learn a new skill, and that translates to school--they're not likely to give up on learning, say, algebra. I never desired to do another sport. I did not care one bit that I was "missing" the classic school experience of football games and dances. I wanted to master that darn vault and win states, go to regionals, qualify for the next level. But always always always with the expectation that my grades would be kept up.

[quote]No, I don't believe at that age anything should have that much of a time commitment. He can love gymnastics and be involved to a lesser level. He should be a kid too.[/quote]

I heard this ALL THE TIME. I recall my 5th grade teacher calling my mother to say he was concerned about me, because I was so serious in school and never laughed--and he was convinced this was the result of my parents "pushing" being to be a gymnast. My mom invited him to watch me at a competition and you know what? I was an entirely different kid there. I went to school because I had to, not because I wanted to (and wanted As because I'm a perfectionist). Gymnastics was my element. Gymnastics was, in a way, my safe place. And I was very very very good at it. Keeping up grades at school was simply something I had to endure so I could stay in gymnastics.

And, bluntly, no, you're wrong. One cannot be involved "at a lesser level" and be competitive even at the lowest levels, let alone advance. Gymnastics is like any other skill, but it is a particularly demanding one that requires lots of practice and dedication.[/quote]

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