Parents Ugh, bratty little child..

[agymmom]

You will find if you stick around that there is a wealth of experienced parents, coaches, gymnasts on here. However, there is always a newbie that comes on and makes the typical comments "my dd is so great. She is the best 5-year-old, etc" or "everyone hates my DD because she is so talented and everyone is jealous". We have heard it all. Don't be defensive (and no i am not saying you posted those above comments, just examples of things that you will inevitably hear if you stick around. Be open to suggestions and relax a bit.

Sorry for going OT, Bog, but this reminds me of shelovesthebars who was on here when I first joined talking about her 5 year old "beating the pants off" of the older kids in L3. My recollection is that thread went way down hill very quickly.

GymMom - stick around, it is a great group of people!

 

[gardenia01]

I have no advice on how to address the situation, but just wanted to insert a word of caution about venting on a public message board. I know we all like to think we are anonymous, but it isn't hard for others to find your location and often there are folks on this Board - including coaches - who are from your area. Just think twice before you post something that you might not want the person in question to see. That said, I hope you work out the situation so that your dd can get back to having fun and learning in her classes.

 

[Faith]

Also I think people think of words differently too and it's hard to tell exactly what someone means over the computer. Like when I said she was rotten, that is nothing I wouldn't say about my own child if her behavior was bad. When my child is misbehaving I say her behavior is rotten or she is acting like a brat. I don't see anything wrong with that but I suppose some people feel differently about those words, I guess it just depends on the person. And as I reread my original post I can see where people may have thought I was thinking my child was so great, I think I wrote it in the wrong way and in the wrong place when I wrote about her doing well, I wrote it because I was trying to point out that maybe that was the reason the other child was acting that way, but I can see how it was taken in a different way. I was angry and was writing feverishly so I think it just came across the wrong way.

Things can come across differently to different people on a computer screen- people put different emphasis and intonation. In fact, I think you all speak with English accents, when in reality I bet it's only me that does

I took your post for what it was, a vent. However, I don't think it's the kids' fault, and I wouldn't say the kid is rotten or a brat. She is being allowed to behave this way by adults, therefore it's the adults who need to modify her behaviour. Most little kids I know who swear, as in Dunno's example, or push, or are rude, have learned that behaviour from somewhere. And are allowed to continue that behaviour by adults, rather than being intrinsically rotten.

So rather than label the kid a brat, or compare abilities, it's the coach that needs to be addressed. If you'd just posted that your child was being disrupted by another, and how to approach the coach, it would be less inflammatory. But then others should also recognise it as heat of the moment..

So you either put up until your DD moves up, or you speak to the coach non-specifically about your daughter being disrupted, naming no names.

 

[LoriLou]

GymMom, does it bother your daughter or does it just bother you when you watch? I would do what all the others have said and talk to the coach. I would also consider taking a step back from the entire situation. I think you may be a little too emotionally invested.

 

[Natalia]

.
However, there is always a newbie that comes on and makes the typical comments "my dd is so great. She is the best 5-year-old, etc" or "everyone hates my DD because she is so talented and everyone is jealous". We have heard it all.

Well ,my 8 year old is so great she can do the best, bestest forward roll then all the 5 year olds.We continue with our plan for world domination.Any preschooler who stands in our way will have the snot beat out of her.

 

[bogwoppit]

I take a day off and look what happens!

I have encountered many a brat in the gym, including a coaches kid that just about wore out my last nerve. Bratty kids do exist, and coming here to vent is okay. It is hard as a noob to understand how small the gym world can be, and how sensitive some people are.

My advice as always, if you dislike a post ignore it and move right along there.

Dunno, the M'fo thing is priceless. Bratty kids, and kids who talk that way tend to fall not far from their tree, just sayin'.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

Well ,my 8 year old is so great she can do the best, bestest forward roll then all the 5 year olds.We continue with our plan for world domination.Any preschooler who stands in our way will have the snot beat out of her.

bwhahahahahahahaha...spit...spitttttttttttttttttttttt...lol!

 

[Amusibus]

Dare I say it, but the original post offended me too. There is plenty of bad behavior by little kids, but Bella's mom is right- calling a 4 year old a rotten brat and saying she didn't belong there rubbed me the wrong way too.

 

[mado4]

Well ,my 8 year old is so great she can do the best, bestest forward roll then all the 5 year olds.We continue with our plan for world domination.Any preschooler who stands in our way will have the snot beat out of her.

fabulous…..and any time other kids behave like a brat it is because this kid is rotten, will always be rotten and their parents are rotten too. Just well behaved kids belong in a gym so my kid will not be distracted on her way to the Olympics. This brat should immediately taken out of the gym…oh wait a minute how old is this brat…4 ??? Mhmm isn't it normal that all *just turned* 4 year olds are behaving like 4 year olds ? Being a brat is an absolutely normal behavior and DOES NOT show how well a parent educates a kid or not !!!! If this brat turnes 8 or 9 and still behaves like a brat in the gym, well THEN we can talk !!!

But let's say it like it is : all parents overreact when it is about their own kid !!! I guess I would call it LOVE and we just want the best for them..even if it means "getting rid of a 4 year old" in the gym….

Okay..this was a vent…who doesn't like it…please overread it or feel free to comment….

Have a wonderful day everybody…life is great !!!

 

[bookworm]

People have made snide comments about how much better it is for gymmies not to skip levels like my child did because it makes them better gymnasts and they do this within my earshot. Yes, my kid can use a lot of polishing and she is more immature than the kids who are at least 2 years older than her on the team. But my little 8YO is also the ONLY one on her team training giants, the only one on her team who has landed the BHS on beam, etc.

So please, be very careful before you get full of yourself about how good your child is and how bratty another child is. Your kid probably won't always be the best and sometimes those little brats have something special that their coach can see. Just another viewpoint.....

I find it interesting that Bella's mom calls out the OP for doing the exact same thing she is doing.....

Things can come across differently to different people on a computer screen- people put different emphasis and intonation. In fact, I think you all speak with English accents, when in reality I bet it's only me that does

I took your post for what it was, a vent. However, I don't think it's the kids' fault, and I wouldn't say the kid is rotten or a brat. She is being allowed to behave this way by adults, therefore it's the adults who need to modify her behaviour. Most little kids I know who swear, as in Dunno's example, or push, or are rude, have learned that behaviour from somewhere. And are allowed to continue that behaviour by adults, rather than being intrinsically rotten.

So rather than label the kid a brat, or compare abilities, it's the coach that needs to be addressed. If you'd just posted that your child was being disrupted by another, and how to approach the coach, it would be less inflammatory. But then others should also recognise it as heat of the moment..

So you either put up until your DD moves up, or you speak to the coach non-specifically about your daughter being disrupted, naming no names.

And really, people should take Faith's advice and take for what it was, a vent in the heat of the moment...

 

[ALgymMom]

GymMom22107,
We must have the same sense of humor bc I read your post and thought it was pretty funny. I've looked at a lot of kids of all ages and called them a brat in my head, nothing wrong with having those thoughts.... You are completely normal! I've also looked at a lot of kids over the years and wondered why their parents were paying so much money for their child to do this sport, none of my business, just another thought! Now, if we were saying this to the parents face we might need some etiquette classes

 

[GymMom22107]

Just wanted to make a correction. The child I was talking about IS NOT the coach's daughter. I had said the other young child in class was the coaches daughter but the child my daughter has problems with her mother just works there off and on but she does not coach. I think people got confused about that. But honestly I think this was made into a bigger deal than it was. All kids do things that are annoying and I was just having a frustrated day and needed to vent, that is all. No need to make it bigger than it was. I'm glad some people can see where I was coming from and can understand that when we are frustrated the words don't always come out perfectly! Could I have worded things better? Probably but I was venting and wasn't really thinking about that, honestly I don't even think I reread it. So if you are offended, oh well, life's too short to be offended by things that don't even effect you, that is all I can say to you! Move on..

 

[BlairBob]

This is so much easier with boys. Too bad, I've never seen it work with girls...yet. But I haven't had a daughter yet.

You just stick the little knucklehead next to a kid who won't take any guff. Problem solved within 15 minutes usually. I can actually remember when a bigger kid, my friend's little step/foster brother got his butt handed to him by a kid half his size. That kid's dad had the good notion to get his skinny son into wrestling. It was a beat down from the beginning but I only got to see the tail end as I was finishing up with my pre-team squad and the female coaches did nothing when those two were going at it.

 

[BlairBob]

But honestly, I would just bring up the issue with the coach. If that doesn't work, go up the food chain to program director, gym manager, owner, etc.

I'm well known to liking to deal with wild children but there is a difference between a wild child and a brat.

Just make them do burpees until they are tired and eventually they'll get the idea. My friend were opposed to giving their wyld child a swat until they realized it worked really well at curbing her deviltry.

 

[cbifoja]

I find it interesting that Bella's mom calls out the OP for doing the exact same thing she is doing.....

Please......please point out to me where in my post I call another young child a name and say she shouldn't be on the team or in the class with my child because of how much better she is than the other child? In fact, I believe I implied the opposite is true....that Bella is one of the weaker gymmies on her team.

The whole point of what you quoted from my post was to show that a child doesn't have to be one of the better ones for a coach to see something in them. I believe I even gave specific examples of how some might say that my child doesn't belong on her team because she isn't as polished. But not being one of the "best" doesn't mean that my child is without her own gifts. Maybe a willingness to try things that her other teammates won't is something that her coach likes even if she seems she is incapable of doing a split leap without her back leg looking the same as my poor little beagle's leg does!

 

[Kiwi]

Wow, some people are easily offended. I just took the post as a vent - I mean, it is headed up 'Need to Vent'! Anyway, I hope the issue can be successfully resolved all round. I liked the idea of wearing her out with burpees, LOL!

 

[Muddlethru]

Wow, some people are easily offended. I just took the post as a vent - I mean, it is headed up 'Need to Vent'! Anyway, I hope the issue can be successfully resolved all round. I liked the idea of wearing her out with burpees, LOL!

I agree. Many unpleasant thoughts cross my mind daily. We can't help the way we feel. And when it comes to our children, any pain, frustration or even discomfort they feel is magnified to the patent. Clearly the OP knows she cannot vent publicly and sought the safety and anonymity of posting in chalkbucket. She was not asking for opinions or suggestion, just an ear to hear out her frustrations. In all OP's posts in this thread, I did not pick up on anything she said that was truly horrible. I love kids. But let's face it, some kids are easier to love than others, no matter what age.

 

[bogwoppit]

The op came to vent, she should be able to do that.

 

[littlegirlsdream]

She can and did ^^^^. But than others responded. I think vent or not, when you post something you open it up for discussion and differing opinions. It's a good thing though. I am always open to gaining perspective and hearing from people on the other side of the situation. It can be enlightening to hear parents from the "bratty" type child's side. Good parents that think, I bet that's how people view my child despite all we do as parents to curb it. I realize that's not true for all parents but it is true for many.

The Internet and posts in forums aren't the same as venting to the ear of a trusted friend who knows you and can take it for what it's worth. Its public and viewed by many, you never know who is viewing. That's the reality of it

 

[cbifoja]

The op came to vent, she should be able to do that.

Just to clarify, because I want to be sure that I'm following forum rules, need to vent means only post if you agree with or support the posters opinions? Sorry for the confusion. It's just that I've seen so many posts from you informing people that when they post here, they may hear opinions or responses they don't like but that was the nature of an internet board. So does the vent prefix mean that doesn't apply???? Just a bit confused now....