My daughter is five (six in April) and in a class with mostly 6 and 7-year-olds. The kids are much more mature than she is, and even for a five-year-old, she's quite behind in social development.
The class is demanding for her, three hours a week, but she loves it. She loves gymnastics. She loves her coach. And she really wants to make the team.
The only problem is that she really doesn't seem to understand that she has to do the best she can while in the gym. She kind of flits and floats around, and every once in a while, puts all her effort in.
She's not connecting the concept of improving and working hard with moving up. She really doesn't seem to get it. As it is now, I don't think she'll be moving up in the summer. She'll be very upset. But she doesn't get that she has to work harder to get it. She's got great abilities, but she feels like she doesn't have to really try. What do you do?
I really need some suggestions for CAREFULLY encouraging her to really do her best in the gym. I want this to be her activity, not mine, but I know that she's just too young to really motivate herself right now.
Would it be terrible to offer a treat after classes that she has worked hard in? I'm not talking about gaining a skill or being better than classmates--I'm talking about her just really staying focused and trying to do the best she can. I'm hoping that could work until she matures a little and starts motivating herself to work hard.
Any insight would be helpful. I know most of you have probably been through stuff like this and I would really appreciate your wisdom.
ETA: I've asked countless times if she'd like to come out of the pre-team program and do a more relaxed class, but she's adamant about wanting to stay in.
The class is demanding for her, three hours a week, but she loves it. She loves gymnastics. She loves her coach. And she really wants to make the team.
The only problem is that she really doesn't seem to understand that she has to do the best she can while in the gym. She kind of flits and floats around, and every once in a while, puts all her effort in.
She's not connecting the concept of improving and working hard with moving up. She really doesn't seem to get it. As it is now, I don't think she'll be moving up in the summer. She'll be very upset. But she doesn't get that she has to work harder to get it. She's got great abilities, but she feels like she doesn't have to really try. What do you do?
I really need some suggestions for CAREFULLY encouraging her to really do her best in the gym. I want this to be her activity, not mine, but I know that she's just too young to really motivate herself right now.
Would it be terrible to offer a treat after classes that she has worked hard in? I'm not talking about gaining a skill or being better than classmates--I'm talking about her just really staying focused and trying to do the best she can. I'm hoping that could work until she matures a little and starts motivating herself to work hard.
Any insight would be helpful. I know most of you have probably been through stuff like this and I would really appreciate your wisdom.
ETA: I've asked countless times if she'd like to come out of the pre-team program and do a more relaxed class, but she's adamant about wanting to stay in.