Parents 2nd L4 Meet

[gymmomntc2e6]

DD has her 2nd L4 meet this weekend, Sunday. I am so stressed. She has been very sloppy all week in practice. I don't know what to think !!!

It has been so hard for me to keep my mouth shut. I have been helping out so I have been able to give some constructive tips like- run faster on your vault, squeeze, tight...
But I really want to ask - why does it seem like you are not trying at all ?!!!

Anyway, maybe a 'chill out Mom? It's just a L4 meet' fairy !

 

[bogwoppit]

Best of luck for the meet, for both of you. Good for you for trying to be a positive coach and not getting into mind games with her. It is not easy to watch them not give their best. But she will learn that she will gain more from harder work, and visa versa.

Sending you a (((HUG)))) and the Cheering for Mom fairy, she'll do fine.

 

[gym-mom-fla]

Good Luck! I'm sure she will do great. I know what you mean about watching them sometimes and getting frustrated. My dd has her 2nd L4 meet this week-end too. They were practicing vault, and it was like she had never done it before!! I was like, you have got to be kidding me! But you know, they are kids, and at the end of a long school day, they are tired. I'm sure she will pull it all together and really rock at her meet. Have fun and take video!

 

[TnTTaxi]

OK, I know how you feel. All I can say is no matter what she will get through it.(and so will you) and have fun!!

 

[Midget's Dad]

Good luck to her and you.

You will be fine. I promise.

 

[mariposa]

I can only imagine how frustrating it is to have to coach your own DD. I sometimes see DD doing stuff and think HUH? But it isn't my job to tell her anything, so I can just be quiet and ask her "Did you have fun today?" If I was her coach, I am sure I could think of so much to say. Good for you for keeping it positive and constructive.

Hopefully she will pull it all together at her meet! It is hard sometimes when it doesn't seem like they are trying their hardest, but it is their sport and we just have to encourage them to try their best and it is up to them to do it. Especially hard when meets are so expensive.

Try to be calm, but that is hard, I am never calm before DDs meets. LOL.

 

[cathiann]

That's why I try not to watch practice too much. Are you her coach too? That''s gotta be extra tough! Good luck to her and I hope she pulls it all togther for the meet.

 

[Ingwe]

Good luck this weekend!! I am sure she will do great

 

[canadiangymmom]

Good luck to your daughter this weekend. You've seen her have a good week in practice recently, so you know it's in her. Fingers crossed that she finds her "zone" at the meet and does amazing!

You don't coach her directly, right? My advice to you would be to try to cut out any and all suggestions, at least during the days leading up to a meet. It may just result in adding pressure to her, which could shift her focus away from routine details, and onto what were those things mom told me to remember? Not to mention, taking away from the fun of performing, and the pride of a job well done.

I think your little girl will just shine this weekend, and I hope you have fun watching her get out there and do what she loves!!

 

[Blackie6]

Awww, you will both be fine, try not to stress too much. My DD is the QUEEN of not giving a 100% in practices or meet warm-ups but then does some amazing stuff when it counts. Practices are the right time to make mistakes so hopfully she met her quota this week and is saving her best stuff for ther meet! Take a deep breath & relax. Sending you a ((HUG)) and can't wait til you post the results and tell us how great she did!

 

[gymmom-n-coach]

I'm sure she'll do great on Sunday! I too coach my daughter, and know exactly where you are coming from! On days when she's not trying, I "try" to not criticize too much; instead I heap praise on the "good" effort days. But...it's hard! Good luck!

 

[MdGymMom01]

Awww-how frustrating that must be :-(. I am sure she will be fine. I totally know what you mean and can relate to the "sometimes sloppiness". It sounds like our dds are very similar! It can be very hard to stay positive and not say anything even when you almost seem to be thinking "She is not even trying!". I often think that about Dani but try to stay out of it as much as possible. What I do do sometimes is when we are just chatting in general, I stress the importance of always trying your best whether it be school, chores, gym or other activites so she gets a "general sense" of responsibility and work ethic outside of the gym as well so it doesn't sound like I am criticising her gym. Sometimes you have to "sneak in" these little life lessons whenever you can .

Good luck and I am sure you BOTH will be fine!!

 

[starmaker]

Oh I know what you mean. I am so glad I am not able to watch dd at practice anymore. It is so frustrating to watch your dd go through the motions without much effort. Often time I feel like saying something to her but of course keep my mouth shut and just pat her in the head and say good job. I will ask her sometimes how she thinks she did? Most of time she says she did great when I know she is capable of more and rarely she'll admit she was "tired" not "into it" or whatever. I usually say ok. I just want to know where she's at in her head. The other day her ROBHS looked like frogs. Later she told me she had great ROBHS. What am I suppose to say other than that's great baby!

Good luck to your dd on her second L4 meet! Hopefully she'll be able to pull it together and give her best and have fun! DD has her second meet this weekend as well. Actually she is in the same session as gym-mom-fla's dd- the amazing Kylie! All I have to say is that I am glad they are not in the same age group

I too sometimes have to remind myself that this level 4 and to trust the process and her ability and desire.

Can't wait to hear how her meet went!

 

[gym mom]

CHILL OUT MOM!!I try not to watch very often anymore because sometimes it can be so frustarting to watch .I' m sure she will have a awesome meet.GOOD LUCK to your dd SUN!!!!!

 

[gymmomntc2e6]

CHILL OUT MOM!!I try not to watch very often anymore because sometimes it can be so frustarting to watch .I' m sure she will have a awesome meet.GOOD LUCK to your dd SUN!!!!!

Thanks, but it isn't possible for me to not watch because I am there coaching. I help with the L3 & L4 until my preschool classes start.

I am trying very hard not to focus on this. Just sometimes I want to scream when everyone is trying their best and it seems she is not for days on end. I know she is supposed to be having fun, but also - it's a lot of money when the effort doesn't seem to be there.

 

[Gymnasticsgirl521]

I can so feel your pain. At least one practice a week DD has me fit to be tied with her "lack" of motivation. I usually don't say anything to her and we have a very quite ride home. I get so irritated with those days but I know if I talk to her it will all go down hill so I just don't talk on those drives home to keep me from crossing the line. I am not the type of parent to sugar coat things so the kids know if I am not asking questions or talking to them I am not pleased with what I saw. Last practice DD was just "hanging out" as I call it. Grrrrr.

 

[bogwoppit]

I have to say one of the joys of not watching means I never get frustrated with their work in gym, not that you have a choice. But for the other parents sometimes it is good not to watch as you can get so involved in all that you see. Girls cannot be on 100% of the time and neither can coaches.

I get to see my girls compete 3 or 4 times a year and it's such a nice surpise to see what they can do.

 

[gymnut1]

I coach too as I hate sitting around for hours. At first I helped with my daughters group. As I became more qualified we fell out more and boy she is stubborn! We often ended up arguing all the way home too about her attitude to me and the other coaches.
Fortunately I became qualified enought to have my own group of kids to coach. She has also moved up through the groups away from me. I never coach her and I am mostly too busy with my kids to watch her. Other parents watching often tell me shes done something great. But I notice in the distance how she looks and the attitude has gone (her attitude is all on the outside lol - talking, faces and body language).

I think at one point she thought she could get away with a slack attitude because I love being there being around gymnastics and I wanted to keep coming so wouldn't pull her out. I think she also felt a little bit like she had to come with me because I wanted to come and not because she had chosen to come. Like it wasn't really her decision to be there.

When I realised that I solved it by admitting I loved it and wanted to be there and would be continuing to coach whatever. But that she had the choice - work hard in her group, go into another discipline (we have acro, display, team gym - all considered by artistic as less difficult lol) or watch me from the balcony each session. Her choice. And I make a concious decision not to question her about her session on the way home (that is the hardest bit for me I cant help my self)

Sorry for rambling. You just sound so much like me. What worked for us was to separate HER gymnastics from MY gymnastics and make that clear to her. The 2 dont need to be linked.

The head coach totally supports me and I never coach her group even when they are short. Can you step away from coaching the 4s and stay with the 3s or step away from that session altogether until she moves up. I hope you find your way through this. I thought we would have to leave. I just needed to give her space to find her own way and her own love of gymnastics.

I hope you can do the same. Best of luck. I have been there.