s/o: working ftoh moms, gym daycare, yay or nay?

[AnnieW625]

My girls are almost 9, and almost 5 and they have never been to gym daycare. I think I am probably in the minority on this one, but when DD1 was 5 months old and I went back to work full time I felt incredibly guilty about the idea of picking her up from full time daycare and then dropping her off at another daycare so I could go work out for an hour; so DH and I started switching nights, but then I eventually started going at lunch and he started going after work. I guess I might feel differently if my kids had a nanny that came and stayed at our house, but just the thought of one daycare to another daycare multiple times a week didn't sit well with me. Does anyone else feel the same way?

[SnuggleBuggles]

I'm a SAHM but the best gym classes at my gym are offered at dinner time. About 5 through 8 years ago, DH and I would both take a class at 6 while the kids went to gym daycare then all have dinner together. It actually worked well for us. Somewhere along the way I decided it wasn't fair to drag them out, especially bc I could work out while the kids are at school. Truthfully though, I think I'm being a bit silly. They really like babysitting at the gym!!

[daisysmom]

My dd (now 8) never did gym daycare. We had a a nanny, and I never had the nanny babysit for my gym time either. I felt guilty too. When dd was a baby through about 4 or so, I ran with her in the jog stroller pretty regulatory or did Jillian Michael workouts at home. I also have a good home exercise bike. Sometimes I woukd workout at a gym next to work at lunch too. Now I go when she's asleep and come back by the time she wakes up in the morning. Or go sfter I drop her off st school.

[azzeps]

Yeah, I felt like this, too. I'm only part time, but the thought of getting DD off the school bus and just having picked up DS from preschool, and putting them both in the car to drag them to a gym just felt not great. Maybe they would like it there, who knows? But I thought it would just lead to a struggle every day after school for them to have to go to gym daycare. So I bought a BeachBody program and I do it after school after I get them their snacks, or I do it in the evening when they're in bed asleep, or if I can manage (or we have afterschool activities) then I get up early and do it. It's only a half hour, so I can squeeze it in somewhere.

My SIL is a SAHM and she takes the kids to the gym daycare a lot and says they love it there. She says she felt guilty at first but got over it. I guess they do have a lot of the rest of the day together, though. It's a tough one.

[army_mom]

I feel the same way as OP. My DD would be very upset at being taken to another place after being in daycare all day. She is a homebody though. Sometimes we have a sitter come to the house almost right after we get home and she doesn't mind that since the sitter has all sorts of energy to play with her! I definitely feel guilty so I keep as much evening time free with her as possible so I've always done morning workouts as it creates less stress for both of us. If I stayed home with her all day and she only spent an hour or so in daycare for me to work out, I wouldn't think twice of taking her to gym daycare.

[rlu]

DS didn't care for the daycare at our local Y. He was much younger back then and the only time he enjoyed it was when they let him play in the sandbox. I think your 9yo might be bored. For that reason alone, I'd not do it.

[basil]

I've used it on weekends. My DH works a lot of weekends and it's a necessary break for me to be away from them for 45 minutes sometimes. But I haven't done it on weeknights for reasons other people mentioned.

ETA I have no problem leaving them at their regular daycare for an extra hour while I work out and pick them up after. That seems different to me somehow!

[vonfirmath]

My girls are almost 9, and almost 5 and they have never been to gym daycare. I think I am probably in the minority on this one, but when DD1 was 5 months old and I went back to work full time I felt incredibly guilty about the idea of picking her up from full time daycare and then dropping her off at another daycare so I could go work out for an hour; so DH and I started switching nights, but then I eventually started going at lunch and he started going after work. I guess I might feel differently if my kids had a nanny that came and stayed at our house, but just the thought of one daycare to another daycare multiple times a week didn't sit well with me. Does anyone else feel the same way?

YES. its why I don't gym or any other really regular activity. I have a once a month book club and a once a month ladies night and if both end up in the same week I don't do both.

[niccig]

I'd be like you, not wanting to pick them up from day care to take to the gym daycare. My DS wouldn't like it either. When I have late classes, I get a babysitter to pick DS up from aftercare, take him home and do dinner, and she takes him to any sports practices, as they always fall on days I have classes. I don't mind doing this as it's the same person whose has sat for us for over 6 years, DS reallly knows her and we trust her. DS would prefer me to get him, but I must do these classes to graduate, so someone else has to get him. For a workout though, I would arrange another time to go to the gym.

[Melaine]

our ymca has open playtime for older kids (maybe 6 and up) in the indoor playplace while the parents workout. It's more fun than dropping off in regular childcare so you might want to see if something like that is available.

[essnce629]

I'm a SAHM, so not in this situation, but aren't the gym childcare centers geared towards younger kids? I joined LA Fitness last year (I went twice to use the jacuzzi and sauna so have since cancelled my membership!) but when I checked out the kids center I felt like it was geared towards kids 4 and under. I think even DS2, who will be 6 in May, would be extremely bored. I now have a ballet class that I go to on Tuesday nights, but it's not till 8pm, which is my kids' bedtime. If DH isn't working from home that day then I have our babysitter come watch them. I'm gone from 7:30-9:30pm.

[SnuggleBuggles]

I'm a SAHM, so not in this situation, but aren't the gym childcare centers geared towards younger kids? I joined LA Fitness last year (I went twice to use the jacuzzi and sauna so have since cancelled my membership!) but when I checked out the kids center I felt like it was geared towards kids 4 and under. I think even DS2, who will be 6 in May, would be extremely bored. I now have a ballet class that I go to on Tuesday nights, but it's not till 8pm, which is my kids' bedtime. If DH isn't working from home that day then I have our babysitter come watch them. I'm gone from 7:30-9:30pm.

Kind of. My big kid can usually find something to but often brings a book or electronic.

[pb&j]

One of my kids loooooooved gym daycare, and still asks to go back. The other one did not love it. FWIW, my gym is really small, and the gym daycare is just one big room, and we go way back with most of the sitters who work there.