Parents Aerial in park with poor form....would you say something?

[Uglybetty]

A friend whose daughter is a dancer has just posted a video on Facebook of her DD landing her first Aerial. I know she has one hour per week gymnastics at her dance school but from what she said I thought this was just stuff like front/back walk overs. I'm no coach but I can immediately see that her head was very close to the ground. She wasn't being spotted and was doing it on grass in the local park. I know our club expressly forbids anything with "flight" on such surfaces. I also know that another friends daughter (a national level power tumbler) larked about like this in a park and ended up in a spinal unit (perhaps that's made me over cautious?).

Would you say something to the mum? I don't want it to come across as the gym mum preaching to the dance mum about not "playing" at gymnastics....after all I'm not a coach.

 

[cbifoja]

Oh dear god no. I wouldn't say a word.

 

[wsg13]

Don't say anything, not to be rude but it's not your daughter so you have no say.

 

[lovemygymnast]

No way!! I've actually been in your position with a dance mom who's daughters are doing privates with a "gym" coach. I avoid discussing anything to do with gymnastics. Very touchy subject already! Lol

 

[ollieblueeyes]

I would be cautious too. Pretty sure my Dd lost good friends over scary, scary BHS. The girls have not talked in almost a year and last week we saw her doing a BHS in her yard, brushing the grass with her head.....DD cringed.

 

[Uglybetty]

Glad I thought better of it.....just praying the poor child doesn't break her neck "throwing" this or other skills.

 

[wallinbl]

Only if the opportunity presented itself, and only in context of my own kids. If you're all at a park together and one of them starts doing it, you can remind your own kids that it's not safe to do when not on a spring floor and forbid them from doing it.

Beyond that, I wouldn't say a word.

 

[gwenmom]

I agree with every one else. Don't say a thing. We are in a similar situation with a friend who's DD dances. Her DD takes acro. Friend posts videos on Facebook and I cringe. I say nothing.

DD did crack me up the other day when we saw her telling the little girl everything that was wrong with her form. The Mom saw and heard all this and has since asked about good gymnastic training.

 

[MILgymFAM]

I would say something. I know it doesn't seem the popular opinion here, but I would always speak up regarding a safety issue. I would send a private message to the mom and just say you were warned not to let your dd do things like that, by a professional, because of the dangers. The mom may not realize the risk. She will either take your advice or leave it, but I would feel wrong if I didn't at least mention it and the girl got hurt.

 

[gymmomtotwo]

If she's a good friend, I'd say something., It is worth the risk IMO to risk making her mad if it saves the kid from serious injury. I'd do it privately and in person, not over email or facebook. I wouldn't mention poor form or head close to the ground or anything. Just tell her the no flight rule that almost any gym tells their gymnasts. I'd just say that they learn these thing on a bouncy soft floor (or tramp) and the grass just doesn't give them the bounce they need. Make it a question of the surface and lack of bounce rather than the kid's skill.

 

[seoulmama]

I would also say something if it's a close friend-focus on the safety and leave it at that (and it's clear you wouldn't say anything about form anyway!).

 

[Quadqueen]

I wouldn't, unless a good friend. I have seen lots of cringe-worthy tumbling done by both gymnasts and dancers, but since dancers tumble on a wood floor, it seems they and their parents don't seem as concerned about doing it on the grass!

 

[Sasha]

Hmm, if I really did feel concerned, I might say something if I got the chance to see the mum shortly after, or possibly write it on FB if we were reasonably friendly. Something that just sounded more inquisitive, but hopefully not preachy, like "I saw your daughter's video and she is so beautiful! Great job on learning the aerial! I'm curious - do they do those on the hard surfaces like the floor in dance class? My daughter's gymnastics coaches are quite strict only allow tumbling on the springy floors or mats (not even grass!), and really don't want them tumbling at all outside class, so I'm curious what is typical in dance? Hope to see you soon! etc...."

If it was a GOOD friend, I would say in a kind but concerned way, "Wow, amazing! But yikes! I'm not used to seeing those over grass, are you sure that's OK with your dance coach?? Our coaches would freak! They forbid anything with no hands outside of gym without the springy floors! What do they say about that kind of thing in dance?"

Or something like that. Or I might let it go. Depends on the individual parent in question, and if this was a pattern with the kid or not. If it was a kid I saw often, I might even ask her in an inquisitive way what her coaches say.

 

[Sasha]

And btw, I am THAT parent at the playground who will talk directly to a child who is blatantly being unsafe. I have definitely intervened when I have seen some of my DD's friends playing around with tumbling (age 7-9), saying something like "Whoa! Susie, that is just not safe. You could seriously injure your head or neck doing that. For real. If you want to learn back handsprings, it must be done properly with a coach. You'll need the right form and lots of practice to do it safely. I'm sure your mom will agree with me."

Same with boys using sharp sticks as swords in other kids' faces . Yeah, I know, I'm that mom, but safety first.

 

[sce]

This is hard. You want the other child to not get hurt, but anything you say can be received in the wrong way. If it's a good friend, can be done face to face and not feel confrontational, then maybe I'd say something.

I've made a few comments to a good friend, who is a Mom of ds' teammate. She mentions things he's done on the playground or at home. A few times I've mentioned that a particular skill in that context is not a good idea. She always gets a bit defensive, but asks the coach who says exactly what I said and more. I know I risk my friendship a bit when I speak up, but I don't want her son getting hurt.

 

[GYM0M]

Glad I thought better of it.....just praying the poor child doesn't break her neck "throwing" this or other skills.

You could say something indirect....like.... Have you ever thought about just a tumbling class at a gymnastics facility? She could probably gain more skills in an environment built for advanced tumbling.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

A friend whose daughter is a dancer has just posted a video on Facebook of her DD landing her first Aerial. I know she has one hour per week gymnastics at her dance school but from what she said I thought this was just stuff like front/back walk overs. I'm no coach but I can immediately see that her head was very close to the ground. She wasn't being spotted and was doing it on grass in the local park. I know our club expressly forbids anything with "flight" on such surfaces. I also know that another friends daughter (a national level power tumbler) larked about like this in a park and ended up in a spinal unit (perhaps that's made me over cautious?).

Would you say something to the mum? I don't want it to come across as the gym mum preaching to the dance mum about not "playing" at gymnastics....after all I'm not a coach.

send me the link and ill be happy to comment..."what...are you stoooooooooooooopid?"

please...send it along.

 

[rjb123]

When I see videos like that (friends with DD doing cheer "tumbling") I don't even watch them. I just like the video and move on. LOL! No way would I EVER say anything!!

 

[RAMS]

I have spoken to moms I know when I see their kids doing bwo in the parks with bad form over and over with no real training. I quote what I have learned here on chalkbucket about back injuries.