Anonymous wrote:I can’t even with you people who put 1st graders in competitive sports leagues

Does the recreation soccer team you put your 6 year old on play any games? Or do they only have practices where they learn to dribble, shoot, and pass and then never use them?

Club swim is just like that at the 8&Under level.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can’t even with you people who put 1st graders in competitive sports leagues

1st graders?? In our RMSC group, we have 5 and 6 years old who swim 3-4 times a week!!

My kids did that- but just 30 minute (I think?) sessions, which were really fun for them!

Anonymous wrote:I can’t even with you people who put 1st graders in competitive sports leagues

1st graders?? In our RMSC group, we have 5 and 6 years old who swim 3-4 times a week!!

You can look at it from two perspectives - one is to max their potential and therefore put them in as many practices as possible without risking injury. The other perspective is to set your child up for a long happy experience with swimming and limit sessions to a number that allows your child to enjoy other activities and eager to go to swim practice. Kids need to enjoy practice to thrive long term.

At 7, my kids went 2 times a week. At 9/10, they went 3-4 times a week. My younger one is 11 and during soccer season, he goes 3 times a week, but going into the end of short course, he goes 5-6 times a week, and he would do doubles 7 days a week if we let him. My 16 year old goes 6-8 times a week. We let the kids decide which practices to go to and if they don’t want to go, they are free to skip. We encourage them to miss practice if they have a lot of schoolwork. For our family, everyone is happier when the kids drive the bus in terms of swim practice.

I can’t even with you people who put 1st graders in competitive sports leagues

My 8 year-old started club swimming and was told to attend practice 3-4 times a week.