Parents When friends quit...

[Sneezyone]

DD came home and said a good friend quit this week. The girls will compete 5/6 or 5/7 this year and the combo of financial strain (leos and assessments x2) and higher skills pushed the parents to move their gymmie to rec. DD wasn't overly upset because her friend was struggling with some skills and will still be around at least one day a week, but I find that *I'm* really saddened by the whole thing. I hate the high cost of this sport just as much as I love what it does for my kiddo. Were it not for $$, I'm pretty sure this child would still be competing. Maybe there is a healthy dose of guilt that we can afford to keep going too?

Anyway, I know this is the first of many kids who will leave, and that my DD may be one of them someday. I just find it so depressing. How do you deal with these losses and keep yourself and your gymmie upbeat?

 

[profmom]

To keep your gymmie upbeat, you can try arranging some get togethers with the friend, and assure your gymnast that she will be able to stay friends if they both want to. You can also remind her that she still has friends in the gym. What you as a parent probably don't want to hear but what is true in my experience is that even with very close friends, unless they have other life strands binding them together, the connection fades after one of them leaves the gym and the gymnast goes on to make new close friends. That can be true even when workout groups change. Kids are pretty resilient that way.

 

[lovemygymnast]

It seems every year there's a few that leave for xcel, cheer, stay behind on a level. Switch gyms. or quit the sport. It's always sad! We do try to stay in contact with them but it's hard when they're on different levels, therefore different practice schedules. We have been lucky with dd because while she loves her friends, she loves the sport more. We recently switched gyms at her request. She was moving up without all but 1 of her friends anyway & that friend moved gyms with her. Making new friends is hard for her, she's shy & they work harder & don't talk as much as the old gym. Making new mom friends there is tough on me too!! I don't think either of us will ever get used to or get over the losses. But I do try to schedule get togethers as much as we can.

 

[profmom]

So true about the moms! Glad I am still FB friends with a few whose kids moved to other gyms.

 

[lovemygymnast]

Facebook, what would we do without it?? Lol

 

[Midwestmommy]

Because of her schedule, our daughter will not ever be the kid that has besties she can hang out with for hours on end every day after school. But I do make sure she spends weekend time with her nongym buddies. Also, it's a good lesson for kids to learn to nurture our friendships. She has a few friends who were previous teammates etc. who were really close friends that she sees every month or every other month, and has remained friends with them for years now. We try not to let more than three or four months roll by without seeing them...