Well it's been a few weeks since big DD's announcement about "hating" gymnastics and wanting to quit. Since then 2 of her Level 8 teammates have left, as well as 1 level 7 who was her age and a good friend. The 2 8's left the sport, the 7 is doing Joga at a gym 10 mins from her house, and she is very happy.
I've tried to be supportive and not push DD but I do bring up little bits every once in a while to try to get into her head. I just cannot accept that she "hates" it and is so quick to give up something she has enjoyed for 9 years.
Cheering is definitely an issue...I did not allow her to try out for competition this year because I told her I was not going to go nuts running from one practice to the other several times a week, with neither one getting her full dedication. She wants to do comp next year, it will be her last year eligible (on the Rec squad).
The biggest pull is the pressure she is feeling about the skills and the coach. It is not even head coach, whom she has butt heads with since she was little. She wants to do Open Tumbling which is offered 3 times/wk for an hour, with HC. The person she is resistant to is Coach S (ironically, the one that Little Monkey loves). He is very strict and no-nonsense, which big DD is so not used to. He rides her, hard, because he sees her potential but this does not sit well at all with her. She keeps saying he is mean to me, he hates me, blah, blah, blah. She takes everything very personally even though I've tried to explain every which way that he is not being mean that is just his way and he is trying to teach her things she should have already learned, and could be improving on... That is a no-win there, she is stubborn and not going to change her mind.
The Program Director thinks it will be a good idea to give her a month off after the Jan 30th meet. During this time, DD says she wants to do tumbling and she also wants to go to IGC this summer, but knows she has to keep up her skills. Ditto for wanting to do HS gymnastics (starting Summer 2011). She won't consider Joga even though it's fewer nights and different coaches. She doesn't want to compete right now....
If you're still with me, thanks for reading.
I've tried to be supportive and not push DD but I do bring up little bits every once in a while to try to get into her head. I just cannot accept that she "hates" it and is so quick to give up something she has enjoyed for 9 years.
Cheering is definitely an issue...I did not allow her to try out for competition this year because I told her I was not going to go nuts running from one practice to the other several times a week, with neither one getting her full dedication. She wants to do comp next year, it will be her last year eligible (on the Rec squad).
The biggest pull is the pressure she is feeling about the skills and the coach. It is not even head coach, whom she has butt heads with since she was little. She wants to do Open Tumbling which is offered 3 times/wk for an hour, with HC. The person she is resistant to is Coach S (ironically, the one that Little Monkey loves). He is very strict and no-nonsense, which big DD is so not used to. He rides her, hard, because he sees her potential but this does not sit well at all with her. She keeps saying he is mean to me, he hates me, blah, blah, blah. She takes everything very personally even though I've tried to explain every which way that he is not being mean that is just his way and he is trying to teach her things she should have already learned, and could be improving on... That is a no-win there, she is stubborn and not going to change her mind.
The Program Director thinks it will be a good idea to give her a month off after the Jan 30th meet. During this time, DD says she wants to do tumbling and she also wants to go to IGC this summer, but knows she has to keep up her skills. Ditto for wanting to do HS gymnastics (starting Summer 2011). She won't consider Joga even though it's fewer nights and different coaches. She doesn't want to compete right now....
If you're still with me, thanks for reading.
