Parents DD Realizing Other Kids Can't Do Same Skills And Not Trying Last Class

[Shelovesthebars]

I guess my dd is getting wiser. She performs to the highest level of the older girls in her classes. In one class, there is an older girl just above my dd's level. My dd copies all the things that the older girl is doing in this class ie, multiple standing back handsprings, round off 2 backhandsprings (Yes she threw it by herself, no spot and it was beautiful) and of course the level 4 bars and beam elements and vault. In the other class she takes, some of the girls are REALLY struggling. In this class, my daughter seems to just zone out and not perform the skills. I think she is unhappy in this class and bored. The teacher put my dd in front of another girl on the bar to teach her her shoot through but my dd didn't want to show her. What do I do?

 

[Tumblequeensmom]

My thought would be to pull her out of the class!!! You don't want her learning that it's o.k. to be bored in class and "zone out." In my experience when that happens, that's when the girls start to get into trouble.

Maybe there's a more advanced class that she can try instead??

 

[momofthreegirls]

My oldest DD is in a similar situation in her class, in the fact that she is often asked to demonstrate skills for the other kids. It doesn't seem to bother her, though. I think it actually boosts her confidence.

If you think your DD is not being challenged, you should meet with her coach and discuss the problem. Perhaps your DD could practice with level 5-6 girls or with the optional girls.

Though I will offer some words of caution on that, from our experience. My DD has skills that most other kids her age do not have. When she was placed in a class based on her ability, and not age, she struggled. Her attention span was not the same as the older girls, and she was a whole head shorter than everyone else, which caused some challenges. She started to cry before and during class, and almost quit. When I moved her into a class with kids her age and size, she was happy again. She does have a lot of skills that the other kids don't have, but the coaches are stressing on her perfecting her form on these skills, while the other kids just are learning the rudiments of the skills.

Good luck to you, and I hope you can find a solution soon.

 

[Shelovesthebars]

My dd has been the demonstrator in her classes for a while. She just got moved up in January and is the demonstrator now in this class too. I forgot to mention that the one girl that she was supposed to show how to do a shoot thru was very nasty to her during class and told her that she was older and that my dd was only 4. This other girl is the second best gymnast in the class and very good too. I guess it takes me posting for me to really put all the pieces of the puzzle together. Maybe she feels if she is demonstrating now that the girls are going to feel bad and be nasty toward her. She is already micro mini in size for a 4 year old and it must just bother the kids when someone her size shows them what to do and just started this class when they have been at this level since the end of summer. I am going to talk to the coach about it tomorrow if we don't get the world ending snowfall and still have class.
Momofthreegirls- We did go through what you are talking about right when my dd turned 3. She was put on the preteam and didn't do well. We put her back with a regular class for a few more months and tried her again later on preteam and she adjusted well the second time. I can't put her back with kids her age because she would be bored and probably quit.

 

[mariposa]

Tough situation. I would be torn between hoping the coach could keep her challenged and just pulling her from the class she plays in and keeping her in the one that she is challenged in once a week. She is only 4 and has plenty of time.

I think that it is going to be hard for her until she is older and honestly will always be hard to be the youngest and really talented especially when you are the only one that is young and really talented. They have to get used to it and learn to deal with what comes along with that (with your help of course). I think that is the benefit of being in a big program with a large group of young talented kids.

It is tough for kids on the other side as well. My DD works really hard at gym and gets frustrated when the really talented kids are playing around and not paying attention half the time and still get the skills before her, do them prettier, etc. That is her struggle she is going to have to learn to deal with if she wants to stay in the sport and so far she has. It was really hard for her when she was young, but has gotten better as she has gotten older and realized that everyone is different, no need to be jealous, etc. Still frustrates her though.

Good luck. It seems to be a real struggle for the really young and talented ones,unless they are in a program that really knows how to deal with that type of kids. How to keep them challenged, safely working the basics with emphasis on form and also allowing some fun/advanced stuff, AND keeping them with peers.

 

[momofthreegirls]

It must be a tough situation to have such a talented young gymmie. If she already has level 5 skills, like her round-off 2 back handsprings, she will have a long time to wait before she can compete those skills. If she plans to compete, she will only be eligible to do level 3 next year. That may be quite boring for her. Does your gym do a lot of uptraining? I know at our gym there are a few talented young level 5 girls who practice with the 7-10s a few times a week, even though they are not yet age-eligible for those levels.

Maybe your DD can practice with the upper level girls a few times a week to work on higher level skills so she won't be bored.

 

[Billy]

AAU is a good option in GA because there are no age requirements. Young gymmies can compete as low as level 2, up to level 6 (I think), plus three or four levels of prep-op. One of DD's old coaches has a 4-year-old who is competing L2 this season. You might look into the option of doing AAU in your state. That would let your DD compete compulsory routines, and even some optional routines if she moved into prep-op and then when she's age eligible, she could move back in to the USAG system.

http://www.ohioaau.org/Gymnastics.html

 

[justanothergymmom]

Maybe its a lot of pressure for her being "the demonstator", or maybe she is sensing some resentment from the other girls...heck, maybe she's just acting 4 for a minute and being a little contrary-lol! If she is well above the skill level of all the other girls in the 2nd class, maybe she would benefit more from a weekly private lesson geared at exactly her age and skill level...