Two Reluctant Gymnasts

Nick and I determined that we lacked the creativity to get us through unstructured winter weekends so we pitched some ideas to the boys about Sunday classes we could sign them up for.  Gymnastics won by a simple majority and I promptly signed them up for 8 weeks of a Sunday morning beginners' class.  I'm almost certain I was more excited than they were as my elation over how tired this would make them and thus how great quiet time on Sundays would be for Nick and me weighed heavy in my mind. 

So, as we have read it's best to do, we started talking up the gymnastics classes leading up to the first class two weeks ago.  Both boys seemed excited and also eager to do a few practice tumbles at home to prepare for class.  Nick and I were cautiously optimistic about these obvious signs of interest.  As you may know, the Manolakos-Loewen children do not seem to have received the "immediately join in the group sports, woo hoo!" gene that their parents have for better or worse. 

We arrive at the gym which is inconveniently located outside the Beltway (sigh), and go in. Rephrase: we sloooooowly walk in, with each step getting slower as get closer to the door and my heart gets that all-too-familiar sinking sensation as I brace myself for the 1,200 pep talks I'm about to give to get these boys to participate in this class.  They are slow to take their shoes off, slow to move from one hallway to the next as we try to figure out where we are supposed to be, and they are even slower to enter the gymnastics equipment and floor area where the class assembles to do warm-ups.  (My goodness, young kids are flexible!)

I resort to what I know best:  bribery.  With the promise of a stuffed animal and McDonald's afterwards (do NOT judge this, please, please, please), I try to lure these kids onto the floor. Maceo has finally reached an age where he can weigh the pleasure of a new toy against his fear of joining, and, lo and behold, my bribery works!  He joins the class of four other girls who are supposedly aged 5-6 over whom he towers, he grumbles a few or ten times about how there are so many girls, and then the boy is sold on gymnastics. He does high beam. He does the trampoline runway thing. He does the rings and the uneven bars!  And somersaults! Oh, the somersaults! 

Sure, Cassius is not yet at this age of rationalization in which he can put aside his fear to gain some tangible rewards but Maceo cashed in on all the bribes and now happily sleeps with his new stuffed devil emoji.  Cassius clung to my leg during the whole session.

Flash forward to week two.  Maceo joins right into the warm-up and Cassius clings to my leg. My bribes still stand for Cassius and he assures me he will join after the warm-up.  And, he did! He jumped right into the group of shorter 6 year old girls and one tall Maceo and I slowly backed out of the gymnastics area to the parent viewing area where I should have been all along.  And, below, oh below!, is the proof of their participation.