I'm a long time lurker who needs some words of encouragement.
DD is 10, just started training level 5. She's now setting the gymnastics world on fire, but she loves it, loves the gym, looks forward to every practice and if she's happy, then I'm happy. : ) But this week she's not happy...
At the start of last fall (and her 2nd year of level 4 - which is common for our gym) one of the coaches pulled me aside and mentioned that DD is a little chunky and would likely not move up to 5 at the end of the year. Our 'year' runs from July to June. So in October, before a single meet, I was being told this. I had words with the coach and the owner about the 'chunky' comment. She is not lithe or tiny, but she's not a large girl either. No she doesn't have a teeny build that is good for gymnastics, but no one is under any illusion that she's going to do anything with gymnastics other than enjoy it, so it isn't a concern for me. I have never, and will never, repeat the comment to my daughter. Sadly, because of this, my hands were tied. Every cell of my body told me to run fast and run far, but without telling DD why we were leaving how do I get her to leave a gym where she is happy and has a ton of friends?
Fast forward to now...the season ended, DD was moved up to level 5 (surprise!) and life was good. Until this week. The end of the year banquet came and it seems that she was the only girl moving from 4 to 5 that didn't get an award - like 'hard worker' or 'most improved' or 'gymnast of the year'. We had a talk, while she sobbed, about the fact that she thinks she's working really hard and the coaches don't see it. She told me she feels like the coaches don't like her. I think these words are just coming as a knee jerk reaction to not getting an award (which for the record are just more of a shout out than anything). We had a talk about why she does gymnastics. Is it the trophys? Nope. It's because she loves going 4 days a week. So then why worry about one little shout out at a banquet? But I find that her sadness over this small thing has stirred up my feelings from the fall and I just want someone to vent to and you are the only people who 'get it'. If you've read this far then thank you for your attention!
DD is 10, just started training level 5. She's now setting the gymnastics world on fire, but she loves it, loves the gym, looks forward to every practice and if she's happy, then I'm happy. : ) But this week she's not happy...
At the start of last fall (and her 2nd year of level 4 - which is common for our gym) one of the coaches pulled me aside and mentioned that DD is a little chunky and would likely not move up to 5 at the end of the year. Our 'year' runs from July to June. So in October, before a single meet, I was being told this. I had words with the coach and the owner about the 'chunky' comment. She is not lithe or tiny, but she's not a large girl either. No she doesn't have a teeny build that is good for gymnastics, but no one is under any illusion that she's going to do anything with gymnastics other than enjoy it, so it isn't a concern for me. I have never, and will never, repeat the comment to my daughter. Sadly, because of this, my hands were tied. Every cell of my body told me to run fast and run far, but without telling DD why we were leaving how do I get her to leave a gym where she is happy and has a ton of friends?
Fast forward to now...the season ended, DD was moved up to level 5 (surprise!) and life was good. Until this week. The end of the year banquet came and it seems that she was the only girl moving from 4 to 5 that didn't get an award - like 'hard worker' or 'most improved' or 'gymnast of the year'. We had a talk, while she sobbed, about the fact that she thinks she's working really hard and the coaches don't see it. She told me she feels like the coaches don't like her. I think these words are just coming as a knee jerk reaction to not getting an award (which for the record are just more of a shout out than anything). We had a talk about why she does gymnastics. Is it the trophys? Nope. It's because she loves going 4 days a week. So then why worry about one little shout out at a banquet? But I find that her sadness over this small thing has stirred up my feelings from the fall and I just want someone to vent to and you are the only people who 'get it'. If you've read this far then thank you for your attention!