Getting cut in line

roses25

Aiden did awesome in gymnastics tonight with waiting in line, listeniing, following directions, etc. Aiden would be waiting in line (doing exactly what he was supposed to be doing) and the older kids would come a cut right in front of him. Aiden rarely got a turn compared to the other kids because they continuously cut him in line. I tried telling him that if someone cut him in line just go get right back in the spot he was in, but he wouldn't do that (he just let them cut). That's probably not the best solution, but I was getting sick of watching these kids cut my son and one other little boy constantly in line. I think Aiden and this other little boy are the only 3 year olds in class. I think the others are all 4 or 5 yrs. old. One of the little girls told the teacher that Aiden and the other little boy were babies. The teacher explained that they aren't babies that they are just younger than them. So I kind of get the feeling that our two little boys are getting cut in line because of their size. Most of the parents stay and watch the preschool class, and there's nothing more that bugs me than when the parents sit there and just watch their children cut others in line and not step in or even that the teacher isn't doing anything about it.

The class was caotic today if you ask me, and I don't know how you get preschoolers to learn to take their turn and not cut in line, but you would think that would be something they would really work on in gymnastics class and other preschool type classes. I understand it's gymnastics, but where are the rules & discipline that go along with a class setting?...especially with preschool children where they are just learning this stuff.

I did go to talk to the front desk lady as his coaches were quite busy and let her know that the kids were cutting him in line constantly and wanted to know if there's anything the teachers could do to control that a bit better. She was going to talk to the teachers, so I'm hoping next week will be a bit more organized and better for him. I wasn't the first to complain today as another two ladies were in front of me complaining about the class being to large, kids not getting a turn, and one kid being dropped on his head.

What would you do if your kid was constantly getting cut in line at a class like this? Does anyone know if there is a state ratio of how many preschoolers to one coach in gymnastics classes and other classes?

Carolyn

smartycat92

Hopefully talking to the teachers will help... Maybe they just aren't aware or perhaps a friendly reminder will make them take this more seriously. Our class was a zoo today too. It went from 3 kids the first week to 5 last week and a full 8 this week. Our teacher is the woman who owns the place and she is amazing with the little ones and can keep track of who is next in line better than I can. So overall it went pretty well, though each kid definitel didn't get the attention I have seen in the past.

Zen

I think it's par for the course. Usually teachers try to look out for the little ones but if not, you just gently (but firmly) step up as body-guard. I've seen it happen (with Shiloh and other little ones) at places with bounce houses, balloon artists, face painting ... just about anything where kids have to wait or queue up. A group of kids is like a basket of puppies. They all want attention and all want to be first. So when they clamber all over each other, you just keep an eye on the littlest ones to make sure they don't get trampled or lost in the shuffle. On your side, you'll have a much better time if you can treat it as normal while still acting positively to secure Aiden's place

Very happy to hear that Aiden had fun at gymnastics!

annerbones

As a preschool teacher, this is part of life. Keep reinforcing that cutting is not ok. Aiden will either become more assertive or keep the laid back attitude.

Shanny

I hope they can break up the class in to smaller groups - that seems to be the real issue here, not so much kids will be kids and cutting in line. I agree that is just par for the course and you can mention it to the teachers and teach Aiden better manners but it is still going to happen. And someday he won't always be the smallest and it'll be his turn to take a little advantage of that fact and sneak in front of some little one that isn't really interested in sticking up for themselves!

I cannot imagine Kate being in a class that size. I'm watching her as I type in a class of 3 and all I can think is how much I wish I could afford privates for her. She really needs that to get some of the concepts they are working on with her more consistently. I don't know how they'll learn any actual technique with that kind of chaos. Have you inquired with the gym about possibly splitting it in to 2 classes? Perhaps that would help with the large age gap as well.

K&H

Not to beat a dead horse, but I'll just quietly put in my vote for pulling him from the class. Now that he's in preschool in your town... I jus cant imagine driving two hours, in the winter, with a newborn, for a class that sounds not that great.

Shaeley Mae

To K&H's point, I took Lilianna to a ballet class a few months ago. I paid $65 up front, and never went back after the first class. It was chaos. Not worth our time at all. Not the experience I wanted for her. I'll try again later, or when we finally move to another town.

mommylove

I may be unpopular for saying this but to me "getting cut in line" is just one of those things in life...sometimes not everything is fair and just, I want my child to know that and sort of be okay with it. That doesn't mean I don't want him to learn to stand up for himself in cases where he feels slighted, but it is just as important to teach children that some adversity and challenge should be welcomed in life and you have to be strong enough within yourself to know that its okay. We try too hard entirely to shelter our children from this type of thing in life, but how will they ever learn to live in the real world if they don't learn through experience that life simply isn't built to be fair all of the time?!

Ok, stepping off my soap box...having said that, at his age and with the other challenges of this class (ie. driving distance, not getting much gymnastics time, and cost that perhaps doesn't equal worth) I would pull Aiden out for now and wait for something better to come along when he is perhaps a bit older. Especially since he will now have plenty of interaction with other kiddos and fun stuff to do at preschool.

A&J

I'm also going to say that this class doesn't sound worth the time, energy, or money that you are putting into it. It really sseems that you are putting in way more than you are getting out of this whole experience.

As for the cutting, it is part of life and something he will have to get comfortable handling on his own. I think you could certainly discuss ways of handling it, maybe even do some role-playing.

I really hope you can find a better option for an activity or social interaction.

cAtWmN84

i will say a good teacher would catch it and know who's turn it is.i get that it happens sometimes but what you're describing is ridiculous,not fair and you're not getting what you paid for!i pay $120 a month for adri and if this was happening i would be pitching a fit!i'm glad you said something.he may only be 3 but in gymnastics,after preschool gymnastics they go into a boy's team where it starts to get a little more serious.if you want him to continue in this sport he needs the basics and losing most of his turns he isn't gonna get them :mad:

roses25

I'm not willing to drop Aiden from gymnastics, as I'd like him to join the boy's team when he's old enough. Around here if you want to do certain things the fact is you just have to drive and that's life. As a child we lived in a rural area and my parents also drove my sisters and I one hour for gymnastics twice a week as we were on team gymnastics. The weather can be bad, but it melts fast and our deal has been if it's bad weather on the day of gymnastics we simply don't go that week.

After complaining and a few other parents complaining last week's class was made better. This week's was awesome too. They ended up splitting the class up into two classes. Aiden's class now has 6 kids in it including him, and the other preschool class stays in a different area than his preschool class. It helps to not have 13 preschool kids in the small preschool gym all at once, and he's not getting cut in line anymore. Today he participated in the stretching for the first time. He loves gymnastics now, and is doing awesome! It was so worth hanging in there and even worth complaining to the gym.