Vacation dilemma - what would you do? -UPDATE post 33

[AnnaS]

This happened to us twice. My daughter was also in a very competitive cheerleading team. It happened when she went into Varsity Elementary (7th/8th/ grade) and again when she made and joined her Varsity High School cheerleading team.

Even though she had been cheering since kindergarten and we knew of summer camps as they got older - there was no way of knowing when they would go any given summer. We had two big vacations booked two years before each one - well at least one was big - our 11 N. Med. cruise. The other one was also a vacation we had booked with two other families. Both coaches understood and were okay with it - we knew for high school not to plan anymore during the August month.

 

[Starr W.]

My DS (almost 13) is a swimmer. Not necessarily by choice...but he simply is not interested in any other sports and we've said "you're gonna do something" and swimming is such good exercise. And at this age it's a bit late to try to pick up a sport that involves a ball!! He's OK at it - not super good but average...he's not real competitive though - he doesn't get into that "zone". We did not get him into year round swimming though until he was almost done with 5th grade and I wish we'd have started a couple years earlier. But he was in Cub Scouts and everything (scouts AND swimming) seemed to both be at 7:00 on Tues. and Thurs. so we waited until we knew he wouldn't be continuing on to Boy Scouts. Swimming now takes a big time commitment (3x a week right now but 1.5 hrs EVERY morning from 7:30-9:00 in the summer). It is not like the seasonal sports - it never ends! I feel like I live at the pool. We ended up putting him in a private club for the winter because he needed the stroke development time and this club has a good kid to lane ratio - but we pay dearly for it. Our county teams are a fraction of the cost but all they're concerned with is speed not technique. If your DS8 is started already then stick with it a little longer if he likes it. It will be a big advantage for him later when it gets even more competitive. I wish DS had an earlier start... If it becomes too much to keep up with then you'll have to drop something...

Anyway, back on topic. Our DS missed a meet in January because we have an annual ski trip that weekend every year and then there is another meet next weekend that he will miss because we're going to FL (I didn't realize there would be a meet over spring break when we booked the trip). Right now the coaches were OK with it...but if he were ever to become really good and the team really NEEDED him to score some points they'd not be so understanding...but when there are 1,500 kids from 6 teams at a meet my DS is NOT going to place in the top 16 (ie he will not make finals) so we will make whatever meets we can and if we miss 1 or 2 then we miss them. He is 12 and is not going for a scholarship and so there's no need to let it run our lives to the point of cancelling trips for it. Summer team runs from Memorial Day weekend thru the end of July so we now vacation in August...

DS8 has two problems, he's fast, they've already have him swimming anchor when they do relays. Last 2 weeks he's gone in behind and ended up winning for his team. That's why they want him to join.

The other is he loves his art classes, his art teacher at school sent me an email when he told her he was taking outside classes. She was happy we were encouraging it, (guess other parents don't?).

I know what's required, as a couple of his long time buddies(soccer kids) have older HS siblings who swim. Yep, the mom lives at the pool. Only good thing it's at the Y and whoever has driving duty can get a workout in.

We'll see.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

I know what you mean!!! I don't want my kids running around playing sports... I want them safe at home in front of the TV... That way they can be FAT like the rest of the kids in their class!

Ok, this statement is a joke, right? Anyway, as the kids get older there are going to be many conflicts, not just with sports. I do think one needs to consider what the child wants.... plenty of time to get back to Disney.

 

[kikiq]

I just want to share some personal experience with club sport played for more years than I want to remember. Both of our DDs played travel softball for 10 years. 10 years of softball vacations in the softball tournament hotspots, like Garland Texas, Marrieta Georgia, St.Louis Mo, Normal Ill, and Oklahoma City.
Too many parents are worried about making the "right" choice for their DD when their DD is young and then they are worried if their DD will make the right choice when they get older. Your DD is 8, there will be times in the future you will have to change or give up your WDW vacations. Take your WDW vacation when you can, before your vacations become soccer vacations. There's time enough to worry about her soccer career.

 

[Starr W.]

Ok, this statement is a joke, right? Anyway, as the kids get older there are going to be many conflicts, not just with sports. I do think one needs to consider what the child wants.... plenty of time to get back to Disney.

It's not just sports is right! DH and I were both on the road Wednesday. I took the 8th grade registration meeting and DH did the Karate/Costco run. I usually do that but he wasn't keen on the school meeting.

If you get into band, I know our HS has a week long band camp in late July/early August.

 

[FindTheMickeys]

My DD29 and DS22 both started Little League at age 8. As you can see, they are 7 years apart and both played until they were 18 and both played in high school. He also bowled and played football for his school. For the summer leagues, the 'regular' season, including City Tournament was over by July 15th allowing for some families to then plan vacations before school started. Both of my kids were graced with enough talent that they made All Stars every year, which took them through the first week of August. Usually their teams got beat out during the District finals and we were able to take a vacation. I knew to never schedule a vacation any other week than the 2nd full week of August, just in case. Three years though, those plans went awry because the kids' teams won their District and went to Regionals. My son's team actually went all the way to the Little League World Series in Taylor, Michigan the year he was 14! What a blessing!! However, that year, we didn't get to take a vacation at all because my kids went to a private school that started back to school usually around the 16-18 of August. In fact that year, DS returned to town on Sunday and started school Monday...

I told my kids at the beginning of every year that if they were going to make a commitment to play then they would be at every game and every practice unless they were deathly ill. The commitment factor was theirs and once they made it, I saw to it that they stuck to it. But THEY had to make that commitment. What I am trying to say is this... If your daughter loves the sport and is good at it, then she will make that commitment. Until that time, enjoy your vacation... The schedule will get worse as she gets older

 

[nickspace]

Go on vacation and don't worry about changing anything! Family time is more important that sports period.

 

[JLitfin]

I have a son that played regular baseball starting at age 5, moving into travel at age 9 and played HS and now is on his college team. He has always been a very good pitcher and loves the sport. Each year we have had vacations planned and up to this coming year, he has always taken the week and vacationed with us, his family. The coaches all untold that our vacations were planned about a year in advance and had no trouble with him missing the week. Now that he's on a college team, he can't miss so he will be staying home this summer while the rest of us spend the week in Cancun, Mexico. He's missed a week each year since age 5, and still was recruited by his college team, so at age 8, I would never rearrange my vacation for an sports team. Good Luck with your decision.

 

[PEANUT1]

wow..you are kind not everyone is obsessed with soccer...even though most soccer moms seem to think they should be.

I didn't say any sport..just soccer. thanks for the sarcasm though, it made my day

I know what you mean!!! I don't want my kids running around playing sports... I want them safe at home in front of the TV... That way they can be FAT like the rest of the kids in their class!

 

[pickles]

the one poster said it best

"Family comes first"

she is just starting, only 8 yrs old and a lot of if's involved. I wouldnt even had made a phone call to see if I could change it.

It could be different if she was already on the team and the team had that week scheduled before you did.

 

[iwrbnd]

Keep your vacation. She's only 8. I have 2 teenagers and believe me working around their schedules at that age is a nightmare! I've changed our summer trip so many times I think MS has red-flagged me!

 

[jjohnson]

Another idea is to book with CRO. They have discounts thru 8/14 40% off at deluxe & 45% off on the villas and save/rent your points for another trip.

 

[Minnie824]

Just wanted to update everyone. Thanks again for all the input! We decided to go ahead and move our vacation. DD really did not want to have to miss the soccer camp (now she just need to make the team. haha) We were able to get 3 nights (because it overlapped what we had) at the BCV 2 bedroom as we had it, at the end of our trip. Then we decided to do the YC club level room for the first 5 nights. Not as much space, but we have the club level and its basically at the same hotel. Then for our flights...because the price actually went down it only cost $400 to change instead of $600. So overall, the only cost to change it was the $400. Not bad. AND, I'm sure I made someone really happy today by helping their waitlist at BCV for the week we were going to originally be there.

 

[Glamis]

There is no way the possibility of a 1 week training camp for an 8 year old is worth the expense, hassle, chaos, disruption, etc. that would impact a vacation for the entire family.

This one is really a no brainer. Keep your vacation as planned.