Parents 27 Don'ts for Parents of Gymnasts

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#15 is hard for me!
"Don't show any negative emotion while watching your gymnast practice or compete".
Umm, I am a flincher and a trembler. I flinch when she does giants and other scary things on bars. I tremble and shake so bad when she's on beam that I can't take pictures or videotape!
But she can't see me while she's doing this stuff:) whew. Otherwise, she might think I'm recovering from a weird disease!
I just smile and cheer before and after. That's at comps.
At practice, I just gab to my friends, and try not to look at the little girl flipping and spinning ;)
 
I do #17, and what's worse is, I don't really think there's anything wrong with that. My kids are old enough to understand there are sacrifices being made and I expect them to work hard and give it their all. This is not something *I* chose for them to do, this is something they are asking to do and I will do everything in my power to make that happen for them.... But in return, absolutely they are expected to work hard. I don't expect certain results, but I do expect them to TRY. I could care less if they win or are the best in their sport/activity, but they need to put in effort and try to the best of their ability.

Oh, and let me clarify... I do not make them feel guilty about the sacrifices, never. I do however point out that sacrifices are being made. I tell them all the time my love for them has nothing to do with their chosen activity and if they do not love it anymore, I am all for them finding something else to love when their commitments have been completed. No questions asked. I won't allow quitting in the middle of season etc, but other than that, I have no personal vested interest other than loving to watch them do whatever it is they love and it doesn't have to be what they have chosen now. It may be gymnastics this year and basket weaving next year, I don't care. :)
 
Thanks for posting. It's a good reality check. Unfortunately I am guilty of #s 1, 3, 13, 17, and 27. :(.
 
Guilty of #16: Don’t try to make your gymnast talk with you immediately after a gymnastics meet, especially if they performed poorly.
Especially DH. He starts questioning her as soon as we get into the car. So, how do you think it went? How did you feel about it? You need to work harder if you want to do better next time. etc, etc.. Then he gets aggravated that she doesn't respond, but she just DOESN'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT.
 
I do #17, and what's worse is, I don't really think there's anything wrong with that. My kids are old enough to understand there are sacrifices being made and I expect them to work hard and give it their all. This is not something *I* chose for them to do, this is something they are asking to do and I will do everything in my power to make that happen for them.... But in return, absolutely they are expected to work hard. I don't expect certain results, but I do expect them to TRY. I could care less if they win or are the best in their sport/activity, but they need to put in effort and try to the best of their ability.

I totally agree. We are investing tons of money in gymnastics and piano, and I am making a big career sacrifice by working from home in the afternoons so I can pick my daughter up from school and take her to gymnastics. Both of these activities were my daughter's idea. She is well aware that we are happy to support her passions as long as she does her part, which includes practicing the piano every day and putting in full effort at every gymnastics practice. We are not asking for a return on our investment in terms of results, but we do expect her to make at least as much of an investment as we are making.

I don't think it puts too much pressure on a child to let her know in abstract terms that the family takes gymnastics seriously enough to spend a significant amount of time and money on it, and that she is expected to take it just as seriously. This is much different from worrying about specific expenses in front of the child.
 
I don't know; #25 is kind of vague: Don’t ever do or say anything that will cause your gymnast to think less of you. Really? With a teenaged daughter, this could include kissing them goodbye in front of friends, or dancing "embarrassingly" at a party!
 
I disagree with 17 too. My sons also play a very expensive sport too and I work and additional job on top of my full time teaching job to pay for them. I tell all three of them, you must work your hardest all of the time and give it everything you have. It's not about results it's about effort. Playing sports is a privilege and they must know that anything less than their best effort is not acceptable. They know they can have bad days etc, it happens but I expect them to work hard at every practice.
 
Count me in the #17 is okay group. I agree it shouldn't be said to induce guilt, but for a season at my dd's previous gym, she was in a group where the work ethic of the group was rather lacking, and my dd was made well aware that she needed to continue working hard regardless of what her peers were doing because there were much less expensive ways to just hang out with friends. We have since made a gym switch where the culture in terms of work ethic matches my dd's.
 
I am guilty of #17 also. And I don't think that is a problem. I believe in talking openly and honestly with children.
 
Absolutely. I don't make her feel guilty about it, but I also think that she should know that it is a commitment and sacrifice for both of us.
 

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