Parents, what do you wish you knew then that you know now?

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Natasha

Proud Parent
Team tryouts are just around the corner at our gym, which means a whole new group of brand new, excited parents. Our Booster Club does an orientation meeting for new parents to let them know what to expect with team and BC. I know there are so many things that I have learned along the way that I wish I had known then. Like "gymnastics is a marathon!" Boy, that alone would have helped me out my dd's first year!!
So, for you experienced parents, what is the best advice or information that would have helped you along the way?
Oh, and we will do a separate meeting before competition season that covers everything about the actual meets, etc., so I am looking for more general advice about the gymnastics journey. This is more of an orientation to team in general. We also give all the new parents the Doc Ali parenting video.
 
That working through pain does not get you bonuses.

Not to compare the progress of your child to her team mates, or others in the gym.

To ask questions, do not gossip in the veiwing area.

Be interested and involved, understand how the sport works.

Do not give you child the third degree after every class. Let them share, ask if they had a good class, but don't grill on skills, hers or other girls.

Get your kid to the gym on time, well rested and prepared to train.

Pick up you kid on time.

Do not try to tell your kid what to do in the gym. That is the coaches job.

If your kid has a fever, or a runny orifice of any kind, keep them home until it is cleared up. Same for odd rashes.

Oh stop me now, I could go on for days!
 
If your kid has a fever, or a runny orifice of any kind, keep them home until it is cleared up. Same for odd rashes.
Not a parent, but this ^ for sure! Also, a nice reminder to choose their kids food/fuel before practice appropriately so they don't arrive at the gym starving or full of soda/candy.
 
Not a parent, but this ^ for sure! Also, a nice reminder to choose their kids food/fuel before practice appropriately so they don't arrive at the gym starving or full of soda/candy.

Just FYI...please don't make judgments about odd rashes!!! DD is 8 and gets a bad rash on her face (and sometimes other parts of her body) every single summer, for months on end. We have been to many dermatologists, allergists, etc., and they have STILL not figured it out. It is endlessly frustrating, and embarrassing for DD, but she can't take the entire summer "off". Just because someone has a rash it does not mean it's contagious ;)
 
- trust the coaches to do their job.
- Know that all girls progress at their own rate and their progression will be faster/slower at different levels depending on many things. Just because a gymnast "looks" behind on skills now doesn't mean she will be 2 years from not.
- Be careful what you say about the gym. You want to promote a positive image of the place your girl trains. If you have a problem with the gym/coach/owner then deal with it the right way, not by trashing talking the gym in public.
- give your child a healthy meal/snack before gym. It really helps with stamina
- don't stay at practice the whole time. Use that time to do other things.
- save your money on all those expensive leos -they really only need 2-3 in the lower levels. You'll need that money if they make it to the upper levels!
 
Just FYI...please don't make judgments about odd rashes!!! DD is 8 and gets a bad rash on her face (and sometimes other parts of her body) every single summer, for months on end. We have been to many dermatologists, allergists, etc., and they have STILL not figured it out. It is endlessly frustrating, and embarrassing for DD, but she can't take the entire summer "off". Just because someone has a rash it does not mean it's contagious ;)
Not too many worries about that here, I've had my fair share of skin reactions myself. I was referring more to the runny orifice/fever stuff. As long as the kid's rash isn't MRSA/oozing I assume it's something that's been addressed by the parents and is fine, just the contagious stuff.
 
don't judge progress by scores or comparing to other gymnasts. Your gymnast should be having FUN first if ribbons and medals and trophies come there way that is a bonus.

let them know that unlike soccer, baseball, track or other sports which last for a few months this is a 12 month commitment and as they move forward they will need to be dedicated and supportive of their children. Competitive gymnastics will affect not only your gymnast but your whole family as the time commitments are great as well as the financial commitments. There will be "fun events" that may need to be pass by in order to do practice or meets.

Start putting a little money each month away to pay for meets in the fall/winter seasons. its alot easier to put a little away each month than trying to come up with it in one bulk sum in the fall. (been there done that).
Welcome them to their new gymnastic family.
 
Not too many worries about that here, I've had my fair share of skin reactions myself. I was referring more to the runny orifice/fever stuff. As long as the kid's rash isn't MRSA/oozing I assume it's something that's been addressed by the parents and is fine, just the contagious stuff.

I gotcha...just venting...I feel like she's always getting weird looks and I'm always saying, "don't worry, she's not contagious..." :rolleyes:
 
I hear you on rashes too, we just like to know that it has been looked out.

Mine had some great rashes, oldest also had a smokers cough, in fact she has it tonight. People always looked at her like she was typhoid Mary.
 
My current pet peeve...when kids do well and the first thing the parents says is "I am so proud of you." Are you proud that they won or are you proud of the effort. The effort is almost always there but the result is not always a win. Would they say the same thing if they came in last? I would rather hear "I am so happy for you!" I am probably more proud of my DDs when they have a crappy meet. They keep a smile on their face and keep going....that takes guts!
 
Just adding to what others have said:

I think more than a meet schedule is needed. For instance, there was a meet that was run by a gym in one city, but the actual meet was about an hour and a half away from that city. I didn't know this until a couple weeks before the meet, when the rotation schedule came out. It required an overnight stay, and it would have been nice to know ahead of time.

Perhaps an explanation of the different meet formats may be helpful as well.

Something that happened this year, that really didn't work as planned, but a buddy system with level 9/10 kids with the new team. Then they have an older friend to look up to. The parents then also can be 'buddies,' to answer questions that pop up.
 
My current pet peeve...when kids do well and the first thing the parents says is "I am so proud of you." Are you proud that they won or are you proud of the effort. The effort is almost always there but the result is not always a win. Would they say the same thing if they came in last? I would rather hear "I am so happy for you!" I am probably more proud of my DDs when they have a crappy meet. They keep a smile on their face and keep going....that takes guts!
Yes, I'm proud of DD and I'm happy to tell her so. And, yes, she heard it through a season of being in the bottom half and dead last. And, yes, she hears it when she wins. Sure, there are crazy gym parents out there, but one overheard phrase shouldn't subject anyone to suspicion of such.

I've now been through two seasons - one of being the parent of the (nearly) lowest scoring girl on the team and one of being the parent of the highest scoring girl on the team. From the standpoint of listening to the other parents, both positions leave you hearing things you don't want to hear. On one end, you're listening to people talk about whether your child was moved up too soon and just isn't good/old/mature enough. On the other end, you're listening to people say your child is favored by the coaches, got artificially high scores, was held back just to win, or you hear them telling their child to stick like glue to your child's side.

Both the parents and kids are people with feelings. Treat them as such.
 
With the exception of elite, everyone ends up at 10 - some get there quicker than others, but they all end up the same place! Then when they get to that level you are happy they are still in the marathon and not focused on how fast they are running it!

One thing I always tell my dd when she gets out of the car for practice - have fun! I've said it as a level 5 and I still say it as a 2nd yr 9.... If you're not having fun, what's the point???
 
Remember that most of the kids in gymnastics will quit eventually for one reason or another. It is NOT their life and it is important for kids to have a well balanced life with many other interests and activities no matter how much they LOVE gym. Kids should NEVER be identified by their activity or sport but by their character, personality, and work ethic.
 
Help your kids use the special opportunity gymnastics provides to set their own internal goals and hold themselves to their own internal standards for achievement and excellence. Both the highest and lowest scoring gymnast on the team can set achievable goals for her- or himself and feel happy about meeting them.

Help your kids use the opportunity gymnastics provides to learn how to be a great teammate, and facilitate this by being a good sport yourself. Encourage your kids to congratulate teammates who do well and support those who have disappointing performances, regardless of what's happened when it was their turn to go. (I think my proudest moment this year was when my L4 DS was talking to a parent of one of his teammates who hadn't been at a recent meet -- although DS had a great meet and placed 3rd AA, the first thing he said to his teammate's mom was "X won floor! X won floor!")

Be ready for the ups and downs. Skills come and go. Practices alternate between leaving them feeling brilliant and fabulous, as if they're about to conquer the world, and miserable and discouraged and downtrodden. It all passes.

Finally, kips are hard. So are mushroom circles. Really, really, really hard.
 
My current pet peeve...when kids do well and the first thing the parents says is "I am so proud of you." Are you proud that they won or are you proud of the effort. The effort is almost always there but the result is not always a win. Would they say the same thing if they came in last? I would rather hear "I am so happy for you!" I am probably more proud of my DDs when they have a crappy meet. They keep a smile on their face and keep going....that takes guts!

Well, I did say the same thing when my dd came in last. I am proud of her no matter what the results.
 
I think you should talk about how gymnastics is differant than other sports. It isn't like baseball and only played a few months of the year. It is year round, with few breaks. Meet season is from x to y, but we practice year round. Also, I wish I had known how much the time and money commitment would rise over the years. You don't want to scare people away, but some idea of where this is heading is good.
 
I would tell them not to sweat the small stuff lol as hard as that maybe and to enjoy the moment. I am most proud of when dd conquers a skill or persevere through difficult time. One time her coach during a tough time one practice asked the girls how many of their classmates do competitive gymnastics. They replied none. He then pointed out how unique this sport is and how few do it so yes it's tough but they are doing it. The girls never thought about what they do in that way and still talk about that from time to time.
 
I hear you on rashes too, we just like to know that it has been looked out.

Mine had some great rashes, oldest also had a smokers cough, in fact she has it tonight. People always looked at her like she was typhoid Mary.

Oh DD has bad coughing too...from asthma...she will cough for weeks on end....again, "SHE'S NOT CONTAGIOUS" :)
 
Oh DD has bad coughing too...from asthma...she will cough for weeks on end....again, "SHE'S NOT CONTAGIOUS" :)

Second this DO NOT JUDGE SOMEONE ON A COUGH!I get a shocking cough every year around the same time and it lasts for months It is not contagious but it sounds like i am on the brink of death. I don't miss practice for it the only time I have missed practice for it was when I was physically exhausted from coughing to much,
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