I am feeling a little unreasonably sad. My heart feels heavy and I can’t help but wonder what is wrong with me. Jack tried his first Gymnastics class yesterday. He loved it. When it was over and I asked him if he wanted to leave he shook his head “no”. I even asked him a couple times and each time he said no. I had to scoop him up and not give him a choice.
He got to do so many cool things. He did TWO somersaults, with help from the teacher. He went on a trapeze and a zip line swing. He played in a big ball pit. He went down a slide without any help from me. It was a blast. I loved the teachers. I loved how they would help wrangle the kids in when they decided to have an independent streak. Jack has a big one and when we have been at other classes I am always battling with him to participate. When they stepped in his arguments were not the same as with me and he generally listened and let them show him things. It was amazing! We went to our local My Gym. It was just right up Jack’s alley. He is so physical and active that this was a great outlet for him. He was even trying to do some tricks at home yesterday evening.
I am heart heavy because we canceled our Gymboree membership yesterday. We have been going there since Jack was 7 weeks old! I think I mentioned this recently. But he just was incredibly bored with the music class we were in. Their play classes for his level did not work with his awake schedule. He sleeps late in the morning and naps pretty late in the afternoon. He is not like most toddlers his age. I was like this when I was his age, so he is exactly like me. Anyway, Gymboree just wasn’t working for us anymore. Which is why I looked into other options. I love Gymboree. I love the teachers there. Two of them in particular. I am so sad that we are moving on. I feel really attached to that place but I know that Jack needs something else. Something more challenging.
I spoke to my mom about it yesterday. She explained this is all normal. This is not the last time we will have to leave an activity behind. He will be in tball, perhaps, and eventually he will be ready to move on to the next level and it is kind of hard. You’re leaving the baby version of an activity behind. I know that Gymboree has activities up to 5 years old but what we could do now wasn’t working for Jack. I can’t force him to go to a class that he is uninterested in and just throws a fit about. I am going to miss my two favorite teachers. I am going to miss the atmosphere. I really am. I feel like crying. I haven’t, but I just kind of feel like I could.
I definitely can feel that I am leaving a part of our life behind. Change is good. Moving forward is good. That is what we are doing here. But when you have been going somewhere since your son was SEVEN WEEKS old it is hard to just close the door and not think twice. I guess it was my sanity in those earlier days. A solid reason to get out of the house in winter with a newborn baby who wasn’t sleeping at night. It helped me deal with how much he hated tummy time and learning to crawl. I picked up a lot of tips and I also had support to get through screaming fits there. I feel it really strengthened him to learn to crawl and walk. I met some great moms there. I just enjoyed it and myself when I was there. But it isn’t just about me, right? Ha! No it is about him and what he needs to grow and learn. A sport is something he needs. This gymnastics class is perfect.
I do have another month before it is totally canceled, since I already paid for this month. I can swing by for open gym to say bye. Maybe I will, but I am thinking I wont. I think I would cry then! I feel like it is a bit of a break up.
I guess all I have to do when I am feeling sad about this is look at the photos I took at My Gym. There is pure joy on my son’s face.
Have you had to move on to a different program with your children? Were you heart heavy or a bit sad? How did you get over the breakup? Or was it an easy transition? Have there been activities where it was easier to move on than others?
Nicole M. VandeBoom 