Parents Need advice: I am dreading this meet season

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Flyaway

Proud Parent
I feel like I am the opposite of a CGM. I am struggling to muster enthusiasm for meet season. This is dd's 6th season and I'm just... over it I guess? I love my dd and I'm so proud of her and all she's accomplished. But there are times, especially recently, when I wish she would move on and pursue other interests. It makes me sad because I certainly wasn't always like this. I need to get in a different head space. I definitely don't want dd to catch on to my ambivalence.

Please tell me I'm not the only parent who feels like this at times. Maybe it's just the introvert in me? Meets exhaust me.
 
You are not the only one. I absolutely detest everything about meet season. My daughter's first and third meet seasons were pretty disastrous, and during her successful second and fourth seasons she still wasn't always happy with her performance even on her strong events, vault was consistently nerve-wracking, and there was always the fear of injury. Now she's in her first season at a new level and coming off an injury, so she isn't feeling confident and I'm dreading having to watch her go out there and get frustrated.

The only thing I ever liked about meets was the fact that we got to watch with her gym BFF's parents, with whom we became good friends over the years. But after a gym switch, even that is gone.

I don't want her to give up gymnastics because she truly loves it and it keeps her in great shape, but sometimes I do wish that she would devote a little more time to her true talents, which she's neglected in favor of gym.
 
I don't want her to give up gymnastics because she truly loves it and it keeps her in great shape, but sometimes I do wish that she would devote a little more time to her true talents, which she's neglected in favor of gym.

Yes! A few years ago I couldn't have imagined feeling this way. But now I see all these other areas she's gifted and I feel sad that she doesn't have time to develop those gifts because she's always at gym.
 
Are there people who actually look forward to meet season? :oops: I find it incredibly stressful and not particularly enjoyable. Worry about my kids getting hurt or sick in the time leading up to the meets, the knot in my stomach with each event, the stress of worrying that my kid will fall or be really disappointed with the outcome. Ugh.
 
I hate meet season. It is stressful, busy, and overwhelming. I agree that I am sad that she misses out in other things she may be more talented in but since she loves it and is happy I just go with it.
 
Not a fan of meets. In fact they make pretty cranky for any number of reasons, that have not a thing to do with actual gymnastics and my kid. CGM parents, badly managed timing of events and sessions. Awards that go on forever. Been over that for quite a while.

And mine is coming up on 14. For me its, I'm over being a mom taxi in general. I am counting the days until she drives. And yes I'm aware that brings its own worries, and no I'm not wishing time away, for anyone wanting to point those things out. I get it and I'll be OK with being home more often.
 
And mine is coming up on 14. For me its, I'm over being a mom taxi in general. I am counting the days until she drives. And yes I'm aware that brings its own worries, and no I'm not wishing time away, for anyone wanting to point those things out. I get it and I'll be OK with being home more often.

I have a driver (not my gymmie) and it is wonderful. Nerve-wracking, yes. But wonderful at the same time.
 
Yes!! While I love to actually watch her do a routine (like after it’s over and it was successful). All of the time (Her time at gym and my time driving), the planning around meets and practices, trying to figure out when the best time for family vacations will work, the MONEY (tuition and travel expenses)! I love love love her being so committed to something but all the extra stress and worry it causes both her and me sometimes makes me wish this were all gone! Oh and I absolutely hate meet season and flu season occurring simultaneously! It’s a constant worry if they aren’t injured that they’ll catch the next bug going around school/gym!
 
I still like meet season, but I understand the reasons people don’t like it and have foreseen that in a couple years I will likely have moved on to mixed feelings. It IS really stressful worrying about injuries and flu - I turn into the hand-washing police lol and I always breathe a huge sigh of relief when season is over because the fear of injury becomes mitigated by the great stretch of competition-free time for healing that lies before us!

I think having an established post-meet tradition can help a lot. We go out to eat, which is not something we do on a regular basis. Nights off from making dinner are enough to brighten my whole week, so that’s one reason to look forward to meet season haha. More importantly, it’s something the whole family can look forward to when the meets get long and it also helps keep the whole competition in perspective afterwards, regardless of outcome: we are a family and we like supporting each other in our hard work and being together, and that trumps everything else.

Luckily my daughter’s other talents (mostly singing and art; she is good at many other sports but that stems from her gymnastics background rather than talent, I think) are areas that don’t need more than a casual pursuit until adolescence. I do kinda hope she decides she’s done either by high school or around L8 (which is quite possible given her height). I would support her farther if that’s what she wants, but I don’t really want the commitment, stress or injuries from doing 9/10. Or the financial hit
 
I do kinda hope she decides she’s done either by high school or around L8 (which is quite possible given her height). I would support her farther if that’s what she wants, but I don’t really want the commitment, stress or injuries from doing 9/10. Or the financial hit

Mine is at this point. And whether she continues or moves on, there will still be stress, potential injuries...... I hear about kids breaking fingers and knee injuries etc..... from volleyball. Kids in boots from rolling ankles in other sports. Concussion protocols for getting wacked in the head by lacrosse balls or softballs. Games that get rained out and rescheduled (like who has time for that). Tournaments when you don't know exactly when you will playing until the last minute. We had our holiday concert rescheduled due to snow.

Adolescence is them being more social, starting to get their own life. Homecoming, parties, but we are the ones that need to transport them to those events.

Yep, I can't wait until she drives...... @Flyaway I have thought of a driver as well, currently not in the budget. And I have 0 trust in Uber/Lyft.
 
I too am totally over it. I was delighted when my 14 year old retired after two level 9 seasons, but I still have a 13 year old level 8. Can I pay her to quit and move on to any of a million other sports? It would be way cheaper.
 
I feel like I am the opposite of a CGM. I am struggling to muster enthusiasm for meet season. This is dd's 6th season and I'm just... over it I guess? I love my dd and I'm so proud of her and all she's accomplished. But there are times, especially recently, when I wish she would move on and pursue other interests. It makes me sad because I certainly wasn't always like this. I need to get in a different head space. I definitely don't want dd to catch on to my ambivalence.

Please tell me I'm not the only parent who feels like this at times. Maybe it's just the introvert in me? Meets exhaust me.

This is me too! It's dd's 6th season and I mostly filled with unease and a touch of dread. I am also an introvert and meets stress me out greatly. Plus, when she was in the lower levels, I didn't really worry at a meet. I mean she might fall on her dismount or something, but I didn't fear too much for her safety. And there were always at least a couple of events that she always did ok at so I don't have to worry about them as much. Now, as a new level 8, there isn't a single event that doesn't have me worried. First time competing a yurchenko. Eek. 2 of her 3 floor passes are risky to me. Bars are beautiful, except when she goes over in her handstand. Or slips in her double back dismount. And beam? Again, she's beautiful when she hits, but in practice she's taken hard falls on the switch leap, bhs bhs and round off dismount, so who knows what will happen?

Then there is the long drives or expensive flights. The hotel stress. And so far 2 of the 3 meets we have the schedule for are on Fridays, so there is missed school. And my older kids can't come because they are in the middle of their finals. So yeah, I'm right there with you!

Oh, and I didn't even mention the meet hair! Which involves tons of gels, curlers, hair spray, etc.. Sigh.
 
Well this was quite the crappy way to try and get excited for her first meet this Saturday. :p lol! Now I'm considering having my 7 year old retire to avoid everything above!

Ha! Don't let me get you down! Get out there and enjoy the thrill of the newness of all of it! Like I said, 6 years ago I could not have imagined feeling this way. It's like I don't even know who I am!
 
I am dreading it also. Meet season used to be so fun when DD was younger. It was all about the fun competition leo, meet hair, the thrill of maybe winning a medal and dinner or ice cream with teammates afterward to celebrate. She lived for meet season and loved the performance and excitement of it all. Now, as a teenager coming off 8 months of limited gymnastics due to injury and surgery, she's full of mental blocks and little confidence. This may be her last season before she decides to move on so I'm trying to "live in the moment" and cheer on the gym, teammates old and new, and my own DD when/if she competes. I miss the more carefree seasons though!
 
Oh and I absolutely hate meet season and flu season occurring simultaneously! It’s a constant worry if they aren’t injured that they’ll catch the next bug going around school/gym!

This is why I hate meet season. DD is a germ magnet and we spend half the winter sick with this or that. Just happened --only went maybe 5 times in December now she is a big fat mess (emotionally and confidence wise) for the January meets which we may just not do because its stressing her out so bad. She loves the sport but is only so-so about competing so I am enjoying competing less cause of course I am not a fan of something that brings her all stress and no joy.

But I will say it was pretty freaking cool when she got that first 1st place (and she thought it was pretty freaking cool too)
 
This is DD 6th year competing. A younger level team mate's mom asked me about a month ago "aren't you so excited for meet season?"
I felt a little bad after because I just shrugged my shoulders and said something like "eh, not anymore."
That mom deserved more enthusiasm from me.

While I do not love the actual meets,
What I do love about meet season is getting some one on one time with my daughter. Most meets just the two of us go to. The rest of the family has their own activities. The meets are all 2-4 hours away. We usually stay in a hotel. Go out to eat. Get to do some shopping we don't get to do where we live (bookstores and craft stores are still her favorite.)
Those weekends during the dreary winter months will be be treasured memories forever. Not so much the meets themselves.
 
This is DD 6th year competing. A younger level team mate's mom asked me about a month ago "aren't you so excited for meet season?"
I felt a little bad after because I just shrugged my shoulders and said something like "eh, not anymore."
That mom deserved more enthusiasm from me.

While I do not love the actual meets,
What I do love about meet season is getting some one on one time with my daughter. Most meets just the two of us go to. The rest of the family has their own activities. The meets are all 2-4 hours away. We usually stay in a hotel. Go out to eat. Get to do some shopping we don't get to do where we live (bookstores and craft stores are still her favorite.)
Those weekends during the dreary winter months will be be treasured memories forever. Not so much the meets themselves.
I like that! Love the hotel times and celebrations. I still love meet season- her second year but I do worry about later gymnastics and the intensity/danger of the moves!!
 

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