Make up classes

Recently my 4 year old had missed a gymnastics class, so we went on a different day for the make up of the missed class. I had said to her, this is a make up class. She didn't ask questions, went right inside, did her stuff (waving at me periodically through the glass). I sat in the "waiting" area of this very popular local gym. I say very popular because it is the ONLY gymnastics joint in wake forest. Is that a bad thing? Not usually, makes you think it would be very nice, because it is usually quite crowded. Well, every time I go there I wonder where all of the stains have come from on the couches that the mom's who are waiting try desperately to sit down on. You see there is room for about 8 people to sit on a couch or chair. Generally there are about 15 people waiting. To get the "seat" is like a game we all play with each other during the "class transition" time. All of us very refined ladies make a mad dash for a seat on a couch that has food stains, crud, crumbs and stains and odd smells from years of other mother's sitting their bums on the same seats.

Once we get into our seats, we try and talk (if you are lucky enough like me to have a dear friend enduring the torture with you - many thanks to Tracy), but invariably there are at least 4 young kids who are roaming the joint. Their mom's looking tired of entertaining their toddler brains for one more minute in the cramped space. So we sit and wait for the hour to be up. We wait, and this year we wait while all of the cheerleaders wait for their class to begin. That is a whole different blog, but let me tell you waiting with the cheerleaders is not all that it is cracked up to be! The teachers in this gym, once you get to the "older" kids (which means 3 years old and up) are high school students. They are as good as they can be dealing with children who are 6 years old and younger. Often times they have a look of utter displeasure on their faces, and they seem much happier once they are done with class. We, the parents, do not get any feedback from the "teachers", we are just happy that it seems like our children are learning something.

We do this, week after week, wondering about the smells, the stains, and the time lost at the gym. Yet, every nine weeks we sign up again, and pay for this experience.

So, back to the topic at hand, make up classes. My sweet Maggie went into her class, performed her gymnastics moves, got her stamps and ran out the door to see me. "Mommy you are NOT going to believe this one" she said very loudly as soon as she got to me. "there was NO make up in that class at all, look at my face, SEE NO MAKE UP". I laughed and laughed and laughed. Although for you people out there who have never experienced this particular place, I am sure you have seen some like it. The make up comment would make you laugh after enduring this place for more than a week.