For Parents When it is all said and done

[iggy1988]

what is the one thing you hope your daughter or son gets out of gymnastics? There are no wrong answers here. If you hope he or she gets an Olympic Gold Medal, then say that. If you hope they learn discipline or proper conditioning, then say that.

My hope for my DD is that she can look back and say she had fun, met lifetime friends, learned how to take care of her body, and......... won an Olympic Gold Medal LOL

I am interested in some of your takes on this... Thanks in advance for sharing


P.S. Realistically we are hoping for a college scholarship

 

[mariposa]

Mainly, I want my daughter to have fun doing what she loves to do, gymnastics. I would love for her to be able to reach her full potential, whatever that may be, and to be healthy and happy when she gets there and after as well.

Gymnastics really scares me and it takes a lot for me to let her a) train so many hours and b) do things that really freak me out (and also the fear of repetitive use injuries worries me). I want her to be proud of herself regardless of scores/placements at meets.

I love that she is learning how to set/reach goals and see how hard work eventually pays off. I love that she gets to do something she really loves and love seeing that little person she becomes when she is in the gym. I would hope that she will one day look back at her time in gymnastics and remember it with happiness and be proud of all her hard work and achievements.

I know that she would say she wants to do gymnastics in college, but I am not sure that is in her future, but it isn't something I consider a goal right now as she is only 7.

 

[gymmomntc2e6]

When I first signed DD up for gymnastics I did do to try to channel her need to climb everything, and swing from everything into a place where it was as safe as possible. This was a child who would be on the kitchen counter going through the cabinets when she was 2, no she was not using a chair or any other furniture. We would find her on the top bunk playing when we had taken the ladder away so she could not get up there. Same child that would scale the backstop and watch DS's baseball game with her arms hanging over the top.

All tHat to say I wanted her doing her crazy things as safely as possible. What I have already gotten is a much more self confident child. A more outgoing child. I could not ask for more.

I don't have dreams of Olympic Gold, would it be amazing - sure would- and if it were her desire I would support her 100%. I don't think it is her dream, and frankly I don't see that kind of talent in her. Maybe, but she had a long way to go and the form fairy : )

What I want for her is to be happy and healthy in whatever she does. Gymnastics has already done so much for her, I don't think I could ask for more. Except maybe that it were less expensive : )

 

[iggy1988]

What I want for her is to be happy and healthy in whatever she does. Gymnastics has already done so much for her, I don't think I could ask for more. Except maybe that it were less expensive : )

Amen to that... Thanks for sharing

 

[MdGymMom01]

When it is all said and done...I want for her to look back and be satisfied and content with her years in the sport. I want her to be able to reflect on the good and bad times and have learned from those experiences. I want for her to have learned how to set and achieve goals, stare down and go after a challenge and overcome any fears (eventually) that the sport has brought to her. And I want for her to look back, smile, and realize that she wouldn't be the person she is (insert whatever day it is when it is all said and done) without it.

 

[canadiangymmom]

I don't think I could say it any better than MdGymMom01

I will add, I hope to see Bean make National level, because that's her next goal

 

[MdGymMom01]

I don't think I could say it any better than MdGymMom01

I will add, I hope to see Bean make National level, because that's her next goal

Thanks CGM! And I am sure Beanie Girl will make it as far as she wants to!! She is such a talented little gymmie!!!

 

[NotAMom]

what is the one thing you hope your daughter or son gets out of gymnastics?

No major injuries!!! Pretty plain and simple.

Speaking for our older only (as our younger one is on the fence to quit due to schedule conflict), so long as she progresses and performs reasonable well, everything else is either secondary or already a given:

• She has grown to love the sport more and more. I don't anticipate her losing interest anytime soon.
• We (including she) know she has no hope for International scenes, so any out-of-ordinary achievement would be a big thrill for us.
• College is also good (L10 is not entirely out of reach yet) but her main focus is academics.
• The skills, body awareness and physiques has already helped her with her other ventures in life (and somewhat vice versa).

Oh, you did just ask for one thing, didn't you?

 

[cher062]

I want her to have fun first. I also wanted her to have a dedication for something which she seems to have with the love of this sport. Mostly from my point of view I would love to see some type of college scholarship. but mostly I want her to be happy with what she does.

 

[momofagymmie]

I signed my dd up @ for mommy & me gymnastics class to keep her from climbing all over my sofa. It never occurred to me that 12 years later I'd still be taking her to the gym. Since she's stuck it out for so long I'd love to see her get to L10 and maybe enjoy the sport through college. She's gotten so much already;a work ethic,knowing how to work towards a goal, scheduling the time to get things done, a sense of humour when it just doesn't go wel, pushing through adversity, a very disciplined body and a good knowledge of healthy eating and exercise. I say that's all pretty super stuff. Took me close to my 30"s before i learned all that!

 

[AussieMum]

I'd like her to be able to look back and see what she's achieved - particularly the things that were scary or took a long time to get - and see what hard work and discipline can do for her. But I guess that's an ongoing goal, rather than just when all is said and done.
I'd like her to have had fun, made great friendships, stayed fit and healthy, learned some impressive skills , and when it's all over, be glad that she (and I) dedicated so much time to gymnastics.

 

[Midget's Dad]

There are so many things I hope she will get from this. I love gymnastics because it is a solo sport yet it has a very strong team atmosphere. So I hope she can learn to rely on herself, yet realize that others can help make you even stronger.

Beyond that the sky is the limit. She says she will go to the Olympics. My response was...Go for it! But we did have a long talk about goals and what it takes to achieve them.

I hope she will continue to love it, and realize that hard work pays off. And also learn that it is the effort, the will, and the drive that makes you great. Not a shiny medal.

 

[cathiann]

Mainly--do something she loves doing and be good at it. Side benefits: learning that working hard can lead to success, learning how to be disciplined. And if she keeps at it (as she says she wants to do), a college scholarship would be icing .

 

[flippersmom]

DD is a quiet shy girl, and I've had already seen her gain confidence in herself, which is such a gift that no one can teach.

I hope she can continue as long as she wants to. When she no longer wants to do it, she doesn't have to!

I hope that she continues through "those" teenage years though, so that I know where she is all the time. Plus has already been told she could have a job when she is older is high school! She's talked of college. She wants to be a vet, so we'd prefer she do club in college and enjoy all the experiences college has to offer, but if she can reach that level, the decision would be hers.

 

[MasterPuppeteer]

When all is said and done, I want my kids to:

1. Become lifelong fitness enthusiasts.
2. Learn about their bodies in a more scientific way (names of muscles and bones, etc.)
3. Approach food and eating in a more healthful way (consume good calories and not bad)
4. Instill the notions of hard work and discipline at a young age.
5. With my son: improve his flexibility and coordination, especially when it comes to participating in other sports.
6. With my daughter: make her more comfortable in her own skin and reinforce a positive body image.
BONUS: college scholarships are good too!

 

[Panda-girl's Mom]

I would like my daughter to stick with it until at least she becomes an optional (Shes a level 5) and gets her own routines. I would also like her to remain injury free so she can continue (I have seen alot of girls who had to quit due to injuries). It would be nice for her to continue throughout her high school years and make it to level9 or 10 and maybe a college scholarship but that seems very rare in this sport. Most importantly I want her to have fun and make close friends which she has done. For me I want to be able to make enough money to afford to keep her in the gym!

 

[Flippers Mom]

Gymnastics has already given our daughter so many great things:
1) It has kept her from breaking her neck (that's why we put her in lessons)
2) It has given her self confidence. She was adopted internationally and despite our best efforts, sometimes she doesn't fit in with our very anglo community. With gymnastics, she KNOWS she is good and her tiny Asian frame is an ADVANTAGE. YIPPEE!
3) Friends - the entire family has built lasting relationships.
4) Opportunities - we've already travelled more then I ever imagined, and know there is even more to come.
5) She is having fun - and the fitness level, oh my!
6) She is learning self discipline, goal setting, an incredible work ethic, to overcome fears - the list could go on forever!

 

[momof5]

When its all said and done I hope that she takes all those little lessons she has learned and applies them to every part of her life. I want her to understand that things in life don't come easy but hardwork, determination and goal setting can lead you to what you what. I want her to take that confindence she has learned and apply it to other parts of her life.

I also want her to acheive all her goals what ever they may be. Right now her goals are to be an optional next year, be an elite, and coach gymnastics. If those dream change I want her to acheive what ever those new dreams are. The skys the limit for those who work hard, are passionate and determined.

 

[marie83]

I'm not a parent, but I am a coach and I know how sad it is when a gymnast leaves because they don't enjoy it any more So My greatest wish is that when my gymnasts retire, they still love the sport and want to be a part of it through coaching or judging or even just watching and reminiscing on the good times. I hope that they never stop having fun, even when it seems tough.
I want my gymnasts to be the best they can be at the same time as having a blast!

 

[AlexsGymmyMom]

An olympic gold medal of course! "At least that is what my DD would say" My hope is that she finds joy in it every day and can look back proudly and say that she was a gymnast!