Help me feel better about spending £60 on one gymnastics lesson

[PickledElectricity]

Perhaps with stories of when your precious darlings cost you money 🫠

I took 29 month old DS to a trial gymnastics session which he LOVED so I signed up for 4 lessons (they seem to be sold in singles or fours) and had to buy a membership for the year.

Given he's like a ping pong ball and won't sit still and loves climbing I thought it was the perfect activity for him. I thought WRONG.

We go back the second week and he refuses to engage and cries until I take him home. He then broke out in a temperature at home so I thought he was just poorly.

However, the following week, same issue. Crying his eyes out and trying to run away, refusing to engage.

Tomorrow is the last lesson that I've paid for and I really don't want to go if it's going to be the same story. It's a bit of a trek for me on the bus with a double pram and it's early ish in the morning.

I asked if I could transfer the lessons to next year when he was a bit older and hopefully able to engage more and got a big fat no. I think I need to write the money off mentally but I'm struggling because it's obviously not a small amount.

I hate to let you know that they don't necessarily grow out of it - my biggest loss was the bike that was definately going to be ridden to secondary school, but walking with friends was more fun, and nearly as quick, as no need to get bike out of the shed and locking it up at school.

I think it went in on first day of each year, so book bags and sports kit could be hung off the handlebars, while they, of course, walked to school.

Under three is very young for a lesson. I’d write it off as a well intentioned but bad idea.

When your child is old enough to ask to go, that’s when I’d try again

Do you think so? They offer lessons from 12 months, so I thought I was a bit late to the game. My SIL sent hers off at 18 months and one of them competes professionally now.

I'm not chasing competitions etc I just wanted him to have fun and burn off some energy seeing as I can't take him to soft play while I have a baby in tow.

Write it off and learn your lesson - don't spend money on any kind of organised classes for your toddler.

Soft play is nice. Playgrounds are nice. Jumping off the couch is nice. All are unscheduled and some are free.

I feel really sorry for you schlepping him on the bus with the pram and coming away disappointed.

Offering gymnastics lessons from 12 months (when babies are incapable of understanding instructions or motivated to follow them, and have their own definite ideas about what they want to do) and refusing a refund if the baby wont engage/ hates it, etc, sounds like sharp practice on the part of the gym.

There's a gym near me (US) that offers open gym sessions where a caregiver goes with the toddler and the idea is to have fun bouncing, climbing, etc. Some toddlers love it. Some hate it. You pay per session. They don't allow anyone under 18 months to participate.