MAG other sports too?

[sjm2b3]

I would love to hear from parents of other boys in gymnastics if their kids are interested and participating in other sports too. We have an 8 year old DS who is repeating level 5 this year, and during the school year he is pretty much doing just gymnastics with a tad bit of indoor soccer mixed in. He has tried t-ball (never baseball) and has also played a few years of soccer. He loves to swim.

If you ask him what he would like to do, he will tell you just gymnastics. I am fine with this, but I also worry as a parent that I'm not exposing him to enough other things. My husband and I had differing views on whether to force him to play baseball last year. He had zero interest and I did not make him do it, whereas my husband thought he should at least try it. Now the same issue is coming up again--if you ask DS he has NO interest, but my husband thinks he's never tried it, how does he know? Can an 8 year old really 'know' what their passion is, and am I doing a disservice to him but not forcing him to try some of this other stuff? I'm considering keeping him in the soccer to provide the 'team' environment, but if he had his choice he'd be only in the gym. I feel like I go back and forth on this question and it continues to be an issue in our household!!! Now, DD just turned 7 and only does gymnastics and honestly, you can sort of tell when she participates in other sports that they are just not for her. DS is quite good at batting and playing soccer so I think that's why my husband would like him to try.

Thoughts?

 

[gymmomtotwo]

I wouldn't make an 8 year old passionate about gymnastics play baseball anymore than I'd make him do gymnastics when he is passionate about baseball. How about a non sport interest like Boy Scouts or an instrument? Or a summer club swim team if he likes swimming.

 

[Iwannabemargo]

Mine was adamant at 8 that he was going to be the next Marian Drăgulescu, by 13 gym was over and at 14 he is convinced that he is going to play rugby for England ( or if he wants to upset his father, Wales), however his gymnastics training did make him the fittest boy on the team

'Margo

 

[sjm2b3]

Yes, that's how I feel. If I could get my husband to feel the same way that would be wonderful. The worst part of it is that DS knows his dad wants him to play ball, and he knows he's disappointed that he hasn't. UGH. If you ask my husband, he had dreams of helping coach, etc......I need to figure out how to get him over it.

 

[skschlag]

My ds knew by 7 that gym was all he wanted to do. He did play soccer, basketball, tball. He did wrestling and swimming. None of them ever held the pull for him that gymnastics does. We never made him quit anything, nor did we make him do anything. We just ask. If he wants to do something, we try it.

He did decide to learn guitar, and snowboarding, so he does have things that he likes. But gymnastics is his love!

 

[Iwannabemargo]

Yes, that's how I feel. If I could get my husband to feel the same way that would be wonderful. The worst part of it is that DS knows his dad wants him to play ball, and he knows he's disappointed that he hasn't. UGH. If you ask my husband, he had dreams of helping coach, etc......I need to figure out how to get him over it.

Can Dad help at gym ? Here we have volunteer coaches who can help under the supervision of a qualified coach, birds with one stone ?

 

[MyBoysFlip]

We did not have my 7 yo play baseball last year for the first time since he was 4. He was practicing gymnastics about 12 hours a week over the summer and we decided it would just be too much. (Plus he,although pretty good and a lefty, wanted nothing to do with it!). I took some grief from bball coaches and grandparents who love to watch bball games. My husband, while sad, knew it was what was best for him. Now I can't imagine what will happen when or if he decides to give up wrestling-my DH lives for that. However, we have cut his wrestling hours down, he doesn't try out for the " varsity" line up, and does less tournaments than before. So summer for us is gymnastics, swimming lessons (2weeks), wrestling clinics, and piano.

 

[Quadqueen]

This is hard. If he really expresses no interest at all in baseball, he may just be done with it. I might encourage and suggest other sports, but if they are adamant that they only like gym, I think I would let it go. On the other hand, My L4 DS, 7, has given us an outright "no" or has been hesitant about every sport and activity we've ever suggested. If it wasn't an outright no, we have signed him up because he always seems to be happy once he's there and participating - that's just his personality. Even now, in his first year of gym, he occasionally says he doesn't want to go to practice, but once he's there, he's having a great time. So, I guess you have to kind of know your kid to figure this one out.

 

[2G1B]

My DS has done soccer - hated it. Swim team - loved it at times; but hated how cold he was all of the time and overall decided he would rather be at gymnastics. He has never had an interest in baseball or basket ball. He did Tae Kwon Do for a while; but when we were going to have to change where we did it he said he'd rather drop it.

For now, he is doing gymnastics as his only year round sport. He does take ski lessons and/or snow board lessons for about 10 days per year (when we go out on our annual ski trip). He would LOVE to be on a ski team; but that just isn't possible where we live.

I figure down the road, if he drops gymnastics, he will be in great shape and picking up other athletic activities will be a little easier due to the years of gymnastics.

 

[J&A's mom]

I feel that my sons love right now is gymnastics, so he can do that. Gymnastics sets you up for any sport you choose later. Think about it....what other sport gets you ready for others as much as gymnastics? In fact, coaches of high school sports will say that they will take a gymnast transfering into their sport more than ANY other sport.

My son takes swimming over the summer when there is extra time. We've always tried to find a way to get him in baseball because that is the only other sport that has interested him, but the times are always bad.

 

[gymboymom]

My ds (7) did baseball while he was in a lower hour program but he only did it because he enjoyed being with his friends from school. He really has no other interests besides skiing and swimming. He is in a higher hour program now so I only plan on having him do some swimming in the summer. I asked about swim team instead of gymnastics once and he said no way! I do want him to have a sport choice if gymnastics doesn't work out long term but I guess I will worry about it then.

 

[GymBeeMom]

I believe that at 8, he probably knows what he is interested in and what he wants to spend his time doing. Certainly, as parents, we need to guide them into things that are beneficial to their well being. However, I am of the thought that this is THEIR extracurricular time and should have a say in how they spend it. My DH wanted to have my son in t-ball/baseball. We made him do it for several seasons before my DH finally got the point that my ds really just wanted to be a gymnast and play piano. We have had a happy ds since letting him go with what he naturally loved and DH has come around, and is quite proud of the success that ds has found in his chosen activities. It was really an issue DH had to come to terms with, ds knew all along what he wanted.

 

[sjm2b3]

Thanks. The statement that DH needs to come to terms with it is really the main problem!!! I think if he saw how happy DS is after school on days he gets to go to practice and actually ever saw him at practice it would help. I may talk with DS about explaining to his dad how much he enjoys it--he is 8 now and you are all right, he's old enough to choose his activities.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

I would love to hear from parents of other boys in gymnastics if their kids are interested and participating in other sports too. We have an 8 year old DS who is repeating level 5 this year, and during the school year he is pretty much doing just gymnastics with a tad bit of indoor soccer mixed in. He has tried t-ball (never baseball) and has also played a few years of soccer. He loves to swim.

If you ask him what he would like to do, he will tell you just gymnastics. I am fine with this, but I also worry as a parent that I'm not exposing him to enough other things. My husband and I had differing views on whether to force him to play baseball last year. He had zero interest and I did not make him do it, whereas my husband thought he should at least try it. Now the same issue is coming up again--if you ask DS he has NO interest, but my husband thinks he's never tried it, how does he know? Can an 8 year old really 'know' what their passion is, and am I doing a disservice to him but not forcing him to try some of this other stuff? I'm considering keeping him in the soccer to provide the 'team' environment, but if he had his choice he'd be only in the gym. I feel like I go back and forth on this question and it continues to be an issue in our household!!! Now, DD just turned 7 and only does gymnastics and honestly, you can sort of tell when she participates in other sports that they are just not for her. DS is quite good at batting and playing soccer so I think that's why my husband would like him to try.

Thoughts?

that was me 50 years ago. and yes, you can really know what your passion is that young. no question. it shouldn't be an issue in your husbandhold...i mean household. let it go and let your son do his thing. that's all.