Parents Advice for new gym parents?

[notthatmom]

Hello all,

As a fairly new gym parent, about to take that next step into the crazy team world, any advice you can provide at all is always helpful!

So to help me further, or help any other new gym parents that might be out there...what is the best piece of advice you can think of that can help parents just starting out that can make this journey a tad easier?


Honestly it could be anything....I don't care if it's "make sure your DD doesn't take a crap in the gym bathroom"

Share away, and have fun!

 

[ZJsMom]

1. Don't watch practice. Gymnastics is a slow game of numbers. You'll drive yourself crazy if you're there everyday trying to see progress.
2. Don't get too caught up in levels and results. If you and your kid want/expect to be there all the way to level 10. It's a long road. Getting caught up on what level she's competing this season as a compulsory isn't that important. Just keeping going, staying healthy, and not getting too burnt out are the big things. Likewise with results, if she's in it for the long haul, there will be great seasons and not so great seasons. You and she should just enjoy the ride.
3. I find my nerves at meets are much better controlled if I don't watch warmups. They don't count, you can't control what's happening, and they often have no relationship to what the kid actually does when it counts.

 

[needcoffee]

Don't watch practice.

Don't look at other competitors scores at meets (I actually go outside when my DD isn't competing).

Your DD WILL develop fears. She will also get over them. Don't stress about it.

 

[GymMom4]

Don't worry about the tiny details.

That will drive you crazy.

Not watching practice all the time and not comparing your kid to others will also help to keep you from going crazy.

I agree with what has already been posted.

It is easy to get way too involved.

 

[raenndrops]

1. Remember to breathe. Every day! Even when they are on bars in a meet!
2. As long as there is adequate communication, trust the coaches.
3. Injuries happen. They take time to heal. Most of them are minor (thankfully).
4. Buy stock in tylenol, advil, athletic tape, pre-wrap, and Ace braces now so you will make money with your purchases later (Said jokingly, but I have invested almost as much in these things over the years as I have in team leotards).

 

[notthatmom]

4. Buy stock in tylenol, advil, athletic tape, pre-wrap, and Ace braces now so you will make money with your purchases later (Said jokingly, but I have invested almost as much in these things over the years as I have in team leotards).

I want to take up extreme couponing now, specifically for these items.

 

[raenndrops]

I want to take up extreme couponing now, specifically for these items.

Lol. I have bought 8 ankle braces, 7 knee braces, 2 wrist braces (but not needed since we bought "golden hands" - wrist savers like tiger paws), too many bottles of Tylenol to count, 4 boxes of athletic tape and slightly more pre-wrap, lol.

 

[QueenBee]

Some of my tips learned from many years in the trenches

1. Don't watch practice.
2. Trust the coaches. Trust your gut if it tells you not to trust coaches, and find a coach you can trust.
3. Do NOT compare your gymnast to others. She is her own person and she will be awesome at some things and struggle with others. So will everyone else. They won't always match which is why comparisons stink.
4. It is your child's sport - not yours. Cheer at the meets, but don't try to coach. Ever.
5. Don't get sucked into gym drama. If there is a parent who wants to be your friend right away at a gym and has "all the dirt" - RUN AWAY!!! You will find you have encountered a CGM in their natural environment and they can be very dangerous. And they complain about everything. Don't join the negativity.
6. Cheer for other gymnasts at meets - especially during awards, our children learned how to be good winners and losers through modeling. Tell their parents how awesome their children are. Every single athlete at a meet has worked really hard. They all deserve recognition.

 

[wnl256]

As a fairly new gym parent, about to take that next step into the crazy team world, any advice you can provide at all is always helpful!

Run, quick! Make your escape while there is still time.

 

[duyetanh]

Ok, everyone e has said what I feel are the crucial and critical points, so I will go with the perhaps less crucial but still important. Pack healthy snacks for gym, don't encourage doing gym at home, and have food ready for when gym is over, so you can avoid a very snotty child.

Oh....and keep an extra leo and water bottle in the gymcar....just in case.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Don't watch practice.

Remember everyone spectator at a meet likely has a gymnast they love there, so watch what you say out loud. Be gracious, no need for snarky or negative.

Let the coach coach. At drop off all I say is have fun. At meets, I say have fun and give it you best, love you.

Don't do gymnastics at home.

You will come to curse the kip (DFK).

Make sure they are well fed and well rested.

Save money, because the fees, Leo's, admissions, hotels, come fast and furious. And pay for the good pictures once in a while.

Stay away from the drama, especially who is doing what. It doesn't matter Little Suzy has her whatever and yours doesn't. It will come.

This is a marathon, not a sprint. Stuff can take a long time to get.

Keep hair stuff in gym bag.

Keep rip kit, tape grips in bag. Be proactive with calluses, pumice stone and a good lotion. But rips happen.

Set skill or conditioning goals not win/score goals.

Don't bribe or offer incentives, but surprise rewards are Ok.

 

[wnl256]

I'm going to be contrary (because that's just what I do). Watch practice! She is your baby and you should enjoy and take pride in watching her strive to achieve a goal. Take videos of the special moments (first kip, first ROBHSBT, etc). Just don't watch practice every day. And be prepared to be scared to death by what you see.

Be her loudest cheerleader and her biggest fan. But do not be her second (or third) coach! Let the pros take care of the coaching.

Be supportive of her teammates. They are her friends.

And remember: there's no such thing as the level 3 olympics.

These tips work equally well for boys.

 

[buttercup]

Remember that each gymnasts journey is unique- some will sail through the levels with little difficulty, while some will face a long list of challenges and injuries that need to be overcome. You won't know who is who at meets- so watch what you say. What you might see as a "not up to par HB routine" might be a huge accomplishment for the gymnast who's working his way back from multiple injuries.

 

[wnl256]

One more: for meets, pack a snack in her bag. She will devour it before awards start.

 

[Deleted member 14190]

Take advantage of your new free time and do some "me" time.

 

[profmom]

In addition to what's already been said, encourage her to use herself as her own yardstick and not to worry about what anyone else may or may not be doing. Help her to see that gym is all about learning and improving over time, and gymnastics is what she does in the gym, not what happens at meets. And don't worry about how quickly or slowly she gets skills -- it's a long term game and there's no way to know early on what will happen in the future with any given gymnast.

 

[munchkin3]

Go with your gut.
Don't bug her about gymnastics.
Don't over practice her.
Don't think about privates to make her better.
Enjoy the road, it is truly amazing what they are doing.
Remember it is damn scary.
If you stay and watch, don't discuss it later.
When you feel your crazies coming out, just post on CB!

 

[blueredzone]

Get to know the other parents. They can become helpful with rides and what not. It's not like u can uber ur kid to practice. But carpooling can be a good idea.

Also splitting up snack bags is what we do so everyone on our team has the same. Somebody buys Gatorade. Someone else buys trail mix. U get the idea.....

Arrive early for meets and never be late. It's disrespectful to the team and coaches.

if you see the gyms parents sitting together at meets. Sit with them and cheer for your team.

I agree with lots that has already been said. Specially the comparing part, it's hard for me not to do, but I think that is kinda natural for people.

Take your child out to lunch or dinner after a meet. They deserve it.

 

[Jolette]

Thanks for these messages (and keep them coming). My daughter started our clubs 'pre-team' this week.

 

[stillgotmyleotard]

Honestly it could be anything....I don't care if it's "make sure your DD doesn't take a crap in the gym bathroom"

My advice would be, if she needs to go, make sure she DOES take a crap in the gym bathroom.