Not allowed to watch pre school acrobatics

[Howdidido]

Took DD to a new trail acrobatics class for 3 and 4 year olds. Was a bit confused when I was shown to a tiny room. Turns out they expected me to wait in this weird ante room while DD went to the class on her own.
Was in a village hall but run by a dance school I could only find on Facebook. There were only 3 kids in the class. The other two looked like they attend other dance classes with the school.
I said I'd rather watch and very reluctantly they said I could but I'd have to leave after 10 minutes. In the end I stayed for the whole class. DD (and other kids) weren't distracted at all by me. In fact the teacher was the one who asked me if I thought they were doing well. So i answered "amazing" and went back to sitting quietly trying not to be involved at all. The teacher at the end said she'd have to ask her boss if I could stay. I explained it's my one day with DD and I'd want to watch if we came back. Her boss approached me at the end and said they dont let anyone watch. So I said we wouldn't be able to come back sadly. Cos DD loved it.

It's quite a touchy class- e.g. with the teacher holding their hips at times
Is it weird? It feels off to me. Plus I want to see what shes doing. She does other classes with her dad and hes allowed to watch those..

As a former gym teacher and mother of a dance teacher I would say it totally depends on the school/teacher. Some always allow parents to stay and some do not after the age a child would typically be at nursery/school.

If you do not like this class for what ever reason - just go somewhere else - its no big deal.

Parents have never been allowed in any of the gymnastics classes that my DC attended (starting in ye1)

This was on safety grounds. They want the pupils paying attention to the class and the instructors, not looking at parents.

Parents were never allowed in the gymnastic classes my kids were in but in fairness, it was a big place and you could see them through the glass.

I think I'm uncomfortable because I don't know who they are apart from FB. And my DD is just 4.

Its fine- I'll find another class. But her e.g. martial arts class is supervised and everyone stays. In fact I dont think you're allowed to leave them there

I would be on another floor from them.
The head teacher said it would be for the teachers sake not the kids. Just thought it was unusual for a class of 3 and 4 year olds.

I wouldn’t leave my 3 year old in a class like that. I’d want to be there to see what they could do. Personal preferences

I’ve always had to sit outside at gym and dance classes. Never thought to mind, it means I can read my book in peace and the dc weren’t distracted and running over to mum/dad all the time. Then they do an end of term show and it’s all very lovely to see.
I run a Brownie unit and avoid having parents there as much as possible for exactly this reason, the behaviour is always far worse.
The staff should have dbs anyway, but if you aren’t happy then don’t go to that class. If it’s anything like round here, there are many places for dance and gym, but staying out is my experience.

I always find it a bit wierd if classes don't let parents watch. But I've never came across one that wouldn't let a parent watch during their child's first class.

My DS used to do Tumble Tots - great fun and we both enjoyed it. When he went into the 3+ class it changed to parents not allowed to be part of it. We were meant to sit in this small room during the class. Like you I joined the group for something my DS and I could do together. I had no interest in wasting my time sitting in this room. My DS wasn't ready to be left alone either and was only happy if I sat in the room and watched but this was highly discouraged. So many of the other toddlers were crying and asking where their mum was - it was horrible. (This wasn't just when I was in there I also watched through the window). If they had just let the parents in it would have been a much happier class. We left the class soon after.

My DS does karate and they let parents watch every class. It has never been a problem (DC always pay attention to instructors) so I always find it a bit suspicious if classes are funny about parents being in the room except for reasons of space.

my kids have always done gym and dance and after the age of 3 they have always asked the parents to leave. completely normal

Dance and gym teachers do need to be able to physically position children during training, so there's nothing odd about that.

There's also nothing odd about the parents not watching rule, it's totally normal.

If you don't like it and do want to watch, then fair enough - how about finding another place that does allow it?

Ok. Good to know
It's a shame as I think shed enjoy gymnastics but if that's the norm I'm not comfortable with that until shes older.
Teacher did not seem comfortable with such young kids. E.g moved them instead of asking them to move. So its probably not the class for us.

As in " stand here"

Some of DSs activities allow a parent in the room. Others don't.

I actually really enjoy his gymnastics classes - I sit in the next room with a book and then once a term parents are invited to "watching week" and are permitted in the room. It's lovely to see how much he has progressed each term. I definitely wouldn't notice the progress if I was in the room.

This is what we experienced at ballet too. It seemed strange at first but DD settled soon and loved it. I would say its for child protection, so that no child is photographed or videoed, you know all the parents will whip their phone out and for child safety too, the last thing you want is a Mum or Dad or aupair rocking up with a stroppy toddler or a belligerent 6 to 10 year old who may want to make a sudden break for the football s/he has spotted in the diametrically opposed corner.

Try swimming? Your usually allowed to watch from the side

Watching isn't common in gymnastics, dance and those sorts of classes. Distracting for the children, and everything runs much better if the kids are just left to get on with it.

My DC’s class was “parents watch from outside” from when they moved into the age 3/4 class after their 3rd birthday. But the gym is set up in such a way that you can still watch the class, you just don’t go into the gym with them (watching through glass). I must admit, I wouldn’t be comfortable not being able to see my child at all at that age.

The one my kids go to, I could stay for the 2-3y ballet class, but not the 4+ one.

There's no way I'd take my boys to a (usually very expensive) class without being able to watch. I want to see what I'm paying for - and the best part is watching!

My 7yr old does swimming and I watch the whole session - from quite far away so as not to distract him. It's awesome seeing him enjoy it.

I would have hated my mother gawping while I was doing ballet or tap. Parents waited in the car.

It's a shame your dd won't be allowed to do something she enjoys. Could you reframe it and use it as a bit of time to do your online shop / life admin etc? It's only a half hour or so out of your day with her. Classes normally put on shows or viewings termly which are delightful to watch

My parents never stayed in when I did dance and gymnastics. It's not really the norm.

I had to stay in another room when both my DDs did ballet from age 3. And gymnastics. Same age. It is perfectly normal. But the issue is you are not comfortable with it. That’s also fine. Best find somewhere else; as you have indicated. But check first as many places will have this rule.

I wouldn't have been comfortable with this when my children were 3 either but I wouldn't have minded watching through a glass window, which I did for my DDs gymnastics classes from around age 4. I think it's more common in dance classes not to be allowed to watch at all so you might find a regular gymnastics class more suitable.