A Small Rant

This is a small rant in light of other things going on but it was the last straw of annoyances in the last few weeks.

Isabella is a cheerleader. She loves it. Love, love, loves it. She can't get enough. The cheerleading season is from July until well, it depends. Last year it went until December. She loves her squad and has made many friends. Part of cheerleading is tumbing. Again, she loves this part. There are really only two choices of where to take her to learn the cheer tumbling or cheernastics. One is expensive and really a gymnastics facility with cheer tumbling classes and no one that she knows goes there. The other is strictly cheerleading, expensive and everyone she knows goes there. She is learning a lot and if she wants to continue to cheer, these are the things she needs to learn to do. From fall until spring, she takes a class that meets once a week. In the summer they offer a flex pass so you can drop off your daughter whenever you want. To get your money's worth, it adds up to going once or twice a week. In theory, this sounds great but this summer, it was anything but great for us. Last year I always took Belle there for one or two hours on Fridays. So, after our vacation and a bout of several illnesses in the house, I took her there on a Friday. I was met with the head of the place (he is a very nice guy who I think bit off more than he could chew and this is not a rant against him) who informed me that they were closed on Fridays this summer. I was extremely bummed and he replied, "Well, the numbers from last summer showed a low number of kids who came on Fridays so we decided not to open on Fridays this summer. I thought we were pretty clear about this and even sent home a flier." I couldn't help myself and said, I have 4 kids, three of which are involved in a million things and a toddler. I didn't even know a flier came home." I didn't add that the reason I took her on Fridays is BECAUSE the numbers were low. It was never crowded!! This is the last week to use flex pass hours and they are open from 1:00-7:00. My good friend brought a group of girls on Monday at 1:00 and was met with, "It's really crowded. Can you come back at 3:00?" Ummm...no. She had half her neighborhood in her car and what is the point of a flex pass if you can't go when you want? I can't take her at 1:00 because that is when Gia is napping and Nico is rarely home in the afternoons (since he doesn't wake up until 11:00 most mornings) to watch her. Yesterday, the only time I could get her there was at 4 and I was going to have her stay until 6. I schlepped Belle and Gia over there, got Gia out of the car to find out how many hours Belle still has, only to find out they are closed from 4-5. It was totally my fault for not looking at the damn sheet that came home but since it is the last week we can use our hours, you'd think that they would open it from 4-5. I have a feeling that there is a lot of money to be made at this gym because like every other sport, you are told your kids HAVE to know how to do this, this and this. As parents, we panic and start looking for programs to help our kids improve in what they love to do. If she wants to be a cheerleader, she has to know how to do flips. I can't teach her that. I'm glad there is a facility around to help and Belle has really learned a lot. I just wish that they would go back to classes in the summer so that you don't have to worry about crowded gyms, gym closings or paying money for gym time not used. Again, I take full blame for not being on the ball and having other obstacles in the way of getting her there often. Just wish flex pass meant flexibile.