7 year old daughter selected for elite group within squad - home equipment?

[Jenny]

I gave up trying to convince people on the gym mums Facebook page that home equipment is 1) not necessary 2) very expensive and 3) can cause long term problems due to poor technique. All I got was parents saying it's up to each person if they want to spend there money on equipment, how little 5yr old Maggie can know flick due to having an air track etc. Someone even suggested that her child was at a disadvantage because she's as single mum and can't afford all the home equipment which will result in her daughter not making the elite track!

I know where my dd trains that none of the girls in the elite group have any home equipment other than beams, including my own dd that they've had for years and are know mainly gathering dust!

oh I agree, got a floor beam years ago and the cat mostly used it to sleep on until we gave it to a friends daughter to play on. Completely useless.

 

[raenndrops]

oh I agree, got a floor beam years ago and the cat mostly used it to sleep on until we gave it to a friends daughter to play on. Completely useless.

Lol, when OG grands were pretending to be supportive years ago, they heard that she had a floor beam here (4x4, 8 ft long... Covered with carpet and with 2x4 braces - all stuff I had laying around), the grandfath went out and got supplies to make a 4 foot high outdoor practice beam for her. He cemented it into the ground. She didn't use it much - maybe 3 times... Too slippery or it was wet or it was too cold. Plus, the ground was hard.
2 years later, he dug it up so they could put up a pool.
The following year, the pool was replaced by a trampoline.
All a waste of money... Except my floor beam. It still gets used, lol. And free is good.

 

[DADGYMDAD]

I have had this discussion here a couple of times. We have a room at home with a bar that is specially built to hang from the ceiling, adjsutable in height just like at the gym (even the bar is one from the gym). We have a spring floor to cover the ground and a real practice beam ( 12 ft long ), and soft beams. We have spoken with her coach regarding all of this. We got the clearance from the coach. BUT, all of this is for fun. We don't encourage our daughter tontrain at home but if she wants to play, have fun or practice artistic moves like turns or leaps, at leas she is in a safe place. Better then outside on the grass or in the park. Of course, we are REALLY taking this room very seriously and she knows that this is no place to try new or big moves.

Everyone as their own way to see this. I know that I would have never been able to respect the boundaries at her age but she does...

She trains long hours for her age but as soon as she backs at home she plays in her little gym.

We would have respected her coach if henwould notnhave agreed with this in the first place but so far, he notices a certain ease around beam and bars and he thinks it's because she plays at home and feel confident with the apparatus.

Thanks

 

[NEgymmum]

Unfortunately there is a UK gymnastics Mums facebook site that is very popular, but normalises children having gym equipment at home. I see the temptation that people fall into to get this stuff for home use far too often.

That Facebook group is awful! It's just a big competition about who has the most home equipment, who does the most hours and who spends the most money on leotards!!!

 

[notthatmom]

That Facebook group is awful! It's just a big competition about who has the most home equipment, who does the most hours and who spends the most money on leotards!!!

This sounds like a blast, how do I join?

 

[NEgymmum]

This sounds like a blast, how do I join?

Gymnastics mums UK
Come and join the 'fun'! I've never posted in there, I just read and laugh!

 

[UGA2016]

That page is hilarious! Had a friend recommend me to join as she and a few others I know read the comments and literally lol. The group is predominantly made up of recreational gymnastics parents who spend their whole time trying to out do the last person to post. Its a bragging match through and through and no one seems to have any real idea about gymnastics at a squad level. Join if you want a laugh but don't take anything too seriously

 

[Learning Parent GB]

I can't quite remove myself though. At the very start, there were some useful questions. People sharing timetables for comps, and useful info sharing. But even if people do ask a question now, the answer is just 'buy THIS from HERE'. I confess I have posted, but usually with links to info from BG and somehow I often seem to kill a thread!

 

[Jenny]

I can't quite remove myself though. At the very start, there were some useful questions. People sharing timetables for comps, and useful info sharing. But even if people do ask a question now, the answer is just 'buy THIS from HERE'. I confess I have posted, but usually with links to info from BG and somehow I often seem to kill a thread!

Yes it is just a selling site disguised as a group really. I don't post and gave up reading. I object to people thinking they need stuff they don't.

 

[Jenny]

I have had this discussion here a couple of times. We have a room at home with a bar that is specially built to hang from the ceiling, adjsutable in height just like at the gym (even the bar is one from the gym). We have a spring floor to cover the ground and a real practice beam ( 12 ft long ), and soft beams. We have spoken with her coach regarding all of this. We got the clearance from the coach. BUT, all of this is for fun. We don't encourage our daughter tontrain at home but if she wants to play, have fun or practice artistic moves like turns or leaps, at leas she is in a safe place. Better then outside on the grass or in the park. Of course, we are REALLY taking this room very seriously and she knows that this is no place to try new or big moves.

Everyone as their own way to see this. I know that I would have never been able to respect the boundaries at her age but she does...

She trains long hours for her age but as soon as she backs at home she plays in her little gym.

We would have respected her coach if henwould notnhave agreed with this in the first place but so far, he notices a certain ease around beam and bars and he thinks it's because she plays at home and feel confident with the apparatus.

Thanks

This is a UK thread. Not really relevant to Canada as very different system and we are mostly talking about recreational gymnasts not squad gymnasts.

But as you mentioned it. You say it is for fun yet you mention the word 'practice' and 'REALLY taking this room very seriously'. You go on about the bar and beam being real gym bars and beams and sprung floor. Are you really sending the message that this room is fun?

Why do you need a bar to do leaps and turns. Perfectly safe to do leaps and turns on the grass or at the park. And much more healthy to get some fresh air after being in a stinky gym for most of the week.

Have you invested the same amount of money, time and effort into alternative 'fun' activities for her at home. Is there an equally professional art studio, pottery studio, music studio, library, bike track, surf rider, ballet studio complete with tutu collection etc for her to play in. Does she really have an emotional choice at home .

And if she is at the gym so many hours, why would you want her to be away in a room when she is home, I would want her to be with the rest of the family as much as possible. Even if it is just cooking and eating together and watching a movie. Playing a ball game in the garden or going for a bike ride together.

And finally your coach must be a lovely person. I would just say 'get a life' and 'no way' to a parent who presented me with your situation. But like I said totally different system and attitude here in the UK. I am really glad you have such an understanding coach who is on the same page as you and totally supports your ideas. That is absolutely brilliant.

 

[DADGYMDAD]

This is a UK thread. Not really relevant to Canada as very different system and we are mostly talking about recreational gymnasts not squad gymnasts.

But as you mentioned it. You say it is for fun yet you mention the word 'practice' and 'REALLY taking this room very seriously'. You go on about the bar and beam being real gym bars and beams and sprung floor. Are you really sending the message that this room is fun?

Why do you need a bar to do leaps and turns. Perfectly safe to do leaps and turns on the grass or at the park. And much more healthy to get some fresh air after being in a stinky gym for most of the week.

Have you invested the same amount of money, time and effort into alternative 'fun' activities for her at home. Is there an equally professional art studio, pottery studio, music studio, library, bike track, surf rider, ballet studio complete with tutu collection etc for her to play in. Does she really have an emotional choice at home .

And if she is at the gym so many hours, why would you want her to be away in a room when she is home, I would want her to be with the rest of the family as much as possible. Even if it is just cooking and eating together and watching a movie. Playing a ball game in the garden or going for a bike ride together.

And finally your coach must be a lovely person. I would just say 'get a life' and 'no way' to a parent who presented me with your situation. But like I said totally different system and attitude here in the UK. I am really glad you have such an understanding coach who is on the same page as you and totally supports your ideas. That is absolutely brilliant.

 

[DADGYMDAD]

That was a long answer but if my daughter was a ballet dancer and we had the chance to offer her bars floor and mirror. I would have done. Same if i had a boy who loved hockey or soccer. I would have take time to find a way to incorporate her passion in our life. The room she has is right beside our living room and dining room. Where we spend our time as a family and yes we we are at times with her in this place because she loves so much showing off her new jumps or artistic on the beam. My daughter as sold all her personnal toys or things we bought her over the years to buy this, all from her money. Everything she did not used or play that she got from x-mas or b-day and she asked money at b-day tonget gym equipment. Bar as cost me nothing because my dad was a welder and did it himself and looked from a gymnova. Springs for the floor were given to me for free.

We might have a different way to see what's important in our children's life but we felt that helping in her passion was not not something to be ashamed of.

What is she would love to read and writes. how many books she could have?

Thanks for taking the time to write back, i know some people feels the same as you do, I don't care at all. I mostly care my daughter as a passion. Which is not playing video games for hours, mostly care she feels confident to bring us into her passion and if this is a bad way to be a caring parent then you can judge me all you want.

This room would be changed in seconds if she asked me to.

 

[Faith]

Same if i had a boy who loved hockey or soccer.

Don't girls like hockey or soccer?

We have a conditioning room. But it's for all of us. Mats for yoga/conditioning routines. Wall bars for stretching/chin ups. A balance ball because they are a lot of fun . Plus parallettes, weights, etc. The dd's will use it when they have conditioning tests coming up. Dh uses it most to cool down after a cycle. I am lazy and ocasionally try a handstand, get out of breath, and go find a biscuit. The cat uses it quite a bit to climb around and jump and scratch. The puppy likes to pee on the mats and chase the cat.

We only have it because we have the space and have picked up bits over the years.

The puppy is probably better as they take him out and run, walk, sprint about in the fresh air. Although dd1 does think she has invented "dog yoga" which involves using him as a weight. The cat is not as co operative.

 

[Iwannabemargo]

snarf @Faith

Can I boast that I got thrown out of the CGM UK facebook group ? I think I was too sane and might have mentioned they were all fruit loops !

And I am not the only one, thou shalt not diss the sainted "lady who runs it", or her favourite leotard/equipment company

 

[skschlag]

ROFL. she is sainted on that board for sure.. the beloved!

 

[Learning Parent GB]

snarf @Faith

Can I boast that I got thrown out of the CGM UK facebook group ? I think I was too sane and might have mentioned they were all fruit loops !

And I am not the only one, thou shalt not diss the sainted "lady who runs it", or her favourite leotard/equipment company

Respect. You must have been really baaaad