Parents Do You Share?

[GymDad9.9]

Nobody in real life knows I am here. Like meganliz, I try not to raise suspicion by "knowing" too much. I live in fear of the day when my kid stumbles upon this site and recognizes me. I even came up with a special pseudonym to use for her here that's different from the one I use elsewhere.

My daughter is aware of my presence here as she tends to peek over my shoulder. Hopefully, there will not come a day when she tells one of her gymmie friends or their parents about what I say here. Reminds me to remind her....

 

[mom2newgymnast]

People know I do my own type of 'research' about various things...I like to have some working knowledge (hence what led me to CB in the first place). But not a lot of parents at DD's gym appear to want to understand and look at me funny if I seem to 'know' too much (just my take on it - I could be totally wrong)... I have to walk this fine line between not knowing too much and knowing just enough - LOL. Most of what I have learned here is just for my own knowledge, but sometimes depending on what the other moms are talking about, I feel like I have to chime in a little bit. I have referenced a 'gymnastics site' but that's it... there could be others from our gym on here I guess. I haven't even told my DD or my hubby about CB. My hubby is constantly speculating about certain aspects of this sport; I try to provide some insight when I can, he asks "well how do you know" - and I just tell him because I have looked it up... He would probably think I'm crazy. (but he belongs to various race car message boards, so he can judge away )

This is very much what I am like. I am a "researcher" too. And I like to know and understand different aspects of the sport, but I try not to share too much of what I have learned on here for fear of being considered crazy.

I do not share about this site though. I don't know if anyone is here from dd's gym, but I am not aware of any. I try not to say anything that could be taken as negative, but I admit I would feel strange about posting anything about my dd if I knew that others from her gym were reading.

 

[JumpingBean]

I might say "I read on a forum somewhere..." but I wouldn't get more detailed than that for fear of appearing crazy and over-involved

 

[Iwannabemargo]

I will second making some great friends on here, I have even stayed at one or two of their houses...........

 

[NY Dad]

I'm finding this thread very interesting. Thanks for helping me think through this. I've reorganized some of the responses that apply to me. There are some consistent themes so I'm guessing many people feel the same way. Hopefully I haven't change the meaning as I edited the quotes to fit my situation.

I think the easiest answer is

if they really want to know, they'll figure it out

But for me

I would feel weird, as a total newbie, recommending CB or anything else gym related

Good point, for me that could change down the road if my dd sticks with it

look at me funny if I seem to 'know' too much

I do not wish to go down the road of telling them I am an active member of a gymnastics blog

for fear of being considered crazy.

People look at me like I'm crazy when I bring it up,

I can totally see that thought my knowledge (or my perceived knowledge) would likely do the same.

Perhaps I'm a little selfish or self-serving,

For me it's not that I don't want to share the knowledge so my dd to have an advantage, it's

People can identify me easily and I like a place where I can be me without judgment!

I try not to say anything that could be taken as negative, but I admit I would feel strange about posting anything about my dd if I knew that others from her gym were reading.

Not specifically related but:

My daughter is aware of my presence here

When she broke her elbow I was reading her all the well wishes/vibes that were sent over. I also shared some of the stories with her from others that had similar accidents. While that doesn't worry me for now, it could become an issue for me down the road.

I will second making some great friends on here

I feel like I've made tons of virtual friends.

 

[CuriousCate]

this thread makes me feel much better! I always feel a little crazy if I seem to know "too much" about the sport...like i'm a helicopter mom. truth is that I found CB pretty much every time I ever googled a gym question. My assumption is that many of us actually DO know each other IRL, and just haven't realized it yet.

 

[SeaActually]

this thread makes me feel much better! I always feel a little crazy if I seem to know "too much" about the sport...like i'm a helicopter mom. truth is that I found CB pretty much every time I ever googled a gym question. My assumption is that many of us actually DO know each other IRL, and just haven't realized it yet.

My friend posted on here and I called her out on it.

 

[NY Dad]

My assumption is that many of us actually DO know each other IRL, and just haven't realized it yet.

What if we had some way to identify each other? For example in the upcoming weekend if everyone wears something that could be used to identify each other (but someone who wasn't part of CB wouldn't pick up on it). If only there were a pin or something we all had... Anyway, not sure what it could be but it would be interesting if we did something like that.

I wouldn't be part of the experiment b/c my dd isn't competing yet but it would be fun to hear what happened if we did something like that.

 

[CuriousCate]

What if we had some way to identify each other? For example in the upcoming weekend if everyone wears something that could be used to identify each other (but someone who wasn't part of CB wouldn't pick up on it).

Ha! It would be kind of fun! Although, then I'd blow my cover if there were other parents from our gym on here!

 

[Mrs. Puma]

I don't share, but I also would be totally fine if someone in "real life" said "Hey, aren't you Mrs. Puma?!". Obviously I'm not super concerned with anonymity. Lol I've met nine CBers in "real life", so it's always cool to add to that tally! And I agree with others that I've made some great friends here

 

[Mrs. Puma]

What if we had some way to identify each other? For example in the upcoming weekend if everyone wears something that could be used to identify each other (but someone who wasn't part of CB wouldn't pick up on it). If only there were a pin or something we all had... Anyway, not sure what it could be but it would be interesting if we did something like that.

I wouldn't be part of the experiment b/c my dd isn't competing yet but it would be fun to hear what happened if we did something like that.

There are ChalkBucket pins actually! But I've never worn it.

 

[MILgymFAM]

There are ChalkBucket pins actually! But I've never worn it.

I tried to wear mine! I pinned it to my bag I planned to wear to the Olympic trials. It broke within ten minutes of pinning it to my bag. Boo!

 

[Mrs. Puma]

I tried to wear mine! I pinned it to my bag I planned to wear to the Olympic trials. It broke within ten minutes of pinning it to my bag. Boo!

Oh no! Mine is still in its bag actually! Good to know it's fragile!

 

[NY Dad]

I wasn't sure if they really existed. I never got one.

 

[GymDad9.9]

What if we had some way to identify each other? For example in the upcoming weekend if everyone wears something that could be used to identify each other (but someone who wasn't part of CB wouldn't pick up on it). If only there were a pin or something we all had... Anyway, not sure what it could be but it would be interesting if we did something like that.

I wouldn't be part of the experiment b/c my dd isn't competing yet but it would be fun to hear what happened if we did something like that.

Reminds me of the Seinfeld episode when Lloyd Braun talked Mayor Dinkins into recommending everyone wear name tags to be more friendly.

 

[bogwoppit]

I never got a pin either. You think I would eh.

Sometimes I go to meets and really the last thing I want is for people to know it's me, other times it bothers me less.

 

[raenndrops]

this thread makes me feel much better! I always feel a little crazy if I seem to know "too much" about the sport...like i'm a helicopter mom. truth is that I found CB pretty much every time I ever googled a gym question. My assumption is that many of us actually DO know each other IRL, and just haven't realized it yet.

My brother is NOT on here … but I am. We will be at a meet and he will hear people talking about something they "don't understand" and will "explain it to them" and at the end say that "my sister could explain it better" … so why did he say anything in the first place (he is often wrong, lol).

 

[LindyHopper]

What if we had some way to identify each other? For example in the upcoming weekend if everyone wears something that could be used to identify each other (but someone who wasn't part of CB wouldn't pick up on it)

Perhaps a specific color combo? Red shirt and khaki pants? (Hmmm... then everyone would look like a Target employee)

 

[NY Dad]

Maybe something like holding keys in your hand during the meet or wearing a hat. (just brainstorming here)

 

[dancingimmie]

We could have a special whistle...