Best way to explain to a 6 year old

[gymnut1]

I think she just really wants to hear her coaches say "good job" and they don't much (to anybody, not just her) and she doesn't understand

Here is your problem. A coach should be finding things to praise. She is 6 years old. She is already noticing the lack of praise. This will magnify as she gets older. And believe me this is a problem. A child spending so many hours in an activity needs it to be positive.

As a teacher and coach I always use 'good job next steps' For example. Good job your legs were straight on that BHS , next steps to make it even better try and rebound the landing.

Every child can have good job next steps at any level on any skill.

 

[MissBear]

When she gets out of practise try 'Did you work hard today?' At good job for that is much more useful than a good job in the gym when something is ok, but not quite there. One is reinforcing the fun and enjoyment of trying your hardest, while the other is promoting carelessness.

That said, effort and improvement should be recognised. If the coaches aren't doing that I would be concerned. It doesn't matter what stage they are at techniquely, all 6 year old need recognition of hard work, until they are able to make the connection between hard work and progress - not just theoretically but applying it to their day-to-day practises.

I would speak to the coaches about this. They may be better placed to remind her that the correct her to make her the best gymnast she can be.

 

[gymnut1]

When she gets out of practise try 'Did you work hard today?' At good job for that is much more useful than a good job in the gym when something is ok, but not quite there. One is reinforcing the fun and enjoyment of trying your hardest, while the other is promoting carelessness.

I think you misunderstand me. I would never say good job for something that is OK. That would promote work that was OK. You can find things to praise - be it part of a skill or the effort made to improve it. I was just pointing that that you can find something to praise if you look. Maybe not every run but certainly many times a practice. Empty praise is not useful I agree.

 

[gymjourneymom]

Here is your problem. A coach should be finding things to praise. She is 6 years old. She is already noticing the lack of praise. This will magnify as she gets older. And believe me this is a problem. A child spending so many hours in an activity needs it to be positive.

As a teacher and coach I always use 'good job next steps' For example. Good job your legs were straight on that BHS , next steps to make it even better try and rebound the landing.

Every child can have good job next steps at any level on any skill.

I agree with your post gymnut. Although empty praise is not helpful & corrections are most certainly a necessity. I would think a good coach could find something genuinely praiseworthy to comment on, even in the nastiest looking attempt of a skill. Gymmies need some type of postive feed back for all of their hard work. Just a "nice toe point" comment or something that is true & positive, to keep the gymmie motivated no matter what their age. Don't we all like to hear a compliment? Doesn't it just make you stand a little taller & put a spring in your step? Many of our gymnast, even at these young ages, already display perfectionist personalities. They are already hard on themselves. I think they need/deserve some positive feedback to help keep them mentally healthy. You get more flies with honey, then with vinegar, or something like that. JMHO.

 

[Pickle's Mom]

I think every young gymnast who progresses a little more quickly than her peers on a specific skill has a problem with at some time. There's always this feeling when the coach corrects you of "but, hey I did these other 14 things right and no one else did..."

Pickle has said to me "just when I fix one thing, there's something else that needs to be worked on..." I know when she was 6, she found it a little frustrating at times when another gymnast was praised for something that she had already been doing for some time and she was being given critiques on a skill that no one else had yet.

But, honestly, all that went away after she started competing. It took one competition for her to realize that there were many, many gymnasts who were better than her and for her to want to be that good. She really doesn't even pay attention to where other girls on her team are working now (except to encourage them or learn something that she doesn't have yet). She has her own goals to meet regardless of what they are doing. And anything her coach can do to help her get to that goal is welcomed.