Gym Dilemma

I am torn.

I am stuck between two gyms and if it didn't sound so crazy I would beg my husband to let me join both.

Here is my problem -

My son is 8 going on 31 9 and has been tagging along with me to the CAC gym for the last five or so years. The daycare for the little children (newborn - six) is great but once your child turns seven they are sent upstairs to the kids club. The club is a small little room on one of the top floors of the gym overlooking the racquetball courts.

This room was fun for a while but once the novelty wore off of being a big kid my child hated it. The Wii was broken, board games were missing pieces making them non playable, the toys were sparse and usually fought over. So that only left the handful of big kids watching TV with the "babysitter" or coloring. In the words of my eight year old even I can see that the kids club is lame.

So I ventured out and settled on signing up for the YMCA. The kids club is incredible! Rock climbing wall, ping pong, fooze tables, Wii, XBox 360, arts and crafts, movies, basketball courts, vending machines with healthy choices, and happy running kids - everywhere! C (my son) was finally happy.

I figured I could warm up to it. There were some definite pros but the smile on my child's face kept me from seeing the cons. So I quickly canceled my 5 year love affair with CAC and moved my business an extra 15 to 20 minutes down the road to the local YMCA.

But I am not happy.

I dread going some days.

Here is an easier way to break it down (I'm a list maker). Some pros and cons to both Gyms:

YMCA

Pro:

1. Smaller weight room - doesn't feel so overwhelming

2. Newer, rarely broken down equipment

3. Spin Class - enough said

4. Different classes like power yoga and classes involving serious weights called power lift

5. Personal trainers

6. Pool with water slides and lifeguards

7. Upstairs track

8. Basketball courts

9. Awesome Kids programs

10. Big locker rooms

11. Separate saunas

12. Whirlpool

13. Group training

14. Good parking

Cons:

1. 30 minutes max on each cardio machine - and during peak time the people waiting for the treadmills can not only be sensed but make you feel rushed.

2. Pool is smaller meaning you have to swim around unattended kids

3. No small individual TV's on each piece of cardio equipment - huge bummer

4. Personal trainers are great but not as flexible as promised when it comes to my forced single mom military lifestyle. This has kept me from renewing my once three times a week program.

5. If not an expert at using weight machines or knowing what to do they are rendered useless, hence you need a personal trainer.

6. Crowded

7. I now take a total 30 minute drive to work out.

8. No outdoor pool

9. Group training is an extra cost

10. Not as many times to choose from for classes

CAC

Pro:

1. Friendly staff - who have also become my friends over the years

2. My friends

3. CARDIO CINEMA ROOM with no time limit for machines

4. Individual cardio TV's on each machine

5. Juice Bar

6. LARGE indoor pool

7. Outdoor pool

8. Racquetball court

9. Outdoor sand volleyball

10. HUGE weight room - that you don't need a personal trainer for

11. Great classes taught more frequently

12. Nice locker rooms

13. Individual, private, whirlpools and saunas

14. Group training is free

15. Closer location

Con:

1. Crowded cardio equipment

2. Frequently broken equipment

3. Overwhelming amount of weight equipment

4. No basketball court

5. No spin classes

6. Not the same classes offered in work out room

7. Less than stellar older kids programs

8. No personal trainers

9. No upstairs track

10. Hard to find parking some days

Do you think I would be crazy to ask T if we can be members of both the Y and CAC? Is it strange to pay close to $140 in gym membership fees total? My mom doesn't think so because in my hometown it is not uncommon for just two people to pay $140 for one gym let alone in our town having two family memberships at two separate gyms - seems like a bargain to her. I also have met a lot of people who are members of both as well.  

To help with your opinion I want to point out I love the gym and do/have use/used my memberships daily.