WAG Can she be serious?

[GYM0M]

My DD is 43 in and weighs 48-50 lbs depending on the day. Not an ounce of fat on her, solid muscle.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

I would schedule a meeting with the head coach and explain that this talk would not happen again EVER! Her physician says she is fine. It is not up to the coach to say if she is a "good enough" gymnast. The coach does not know what your dd eats and unless she a registered dietitian she does not get to give that opinion.

this! this! this! child is 7!! coach is a mental reject!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

in fact, get this coach a gift certificate to one of those spa weight loss places and pay extra for a enema! between the ears!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YIKES!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[purpleleomom]

My DD (8 yo) is 49 lbs and 48.5". A nutritionist just put her on a meal plan to GAIN about 7 lbs. I would be livid if a coach or anyone made remarks like that. Definitely talk with the HC/owner, and don't be afraid to leave if she isn't more sensitive on this issue. Your DD's health is all that matters.

 

[Gymsanity]

By all the strongly opin0nated posts here, it makes me think about what a strange society we have created, so wrapped up in weight and looks and superficial things.........I wonder how this would have read if the coach had said she had noticed that gymnast X was looking rather thin? (I really don't know, was just truly wondering).
PS. agree that this should never be discussed, or anything of a sensitive nature around the child or anyone else.

 

[MILgymFAM]

By all the strongly opin0nated posts here, it makes me think about what a strange society we have created, so wrapped up in weight and looks and superficial things.........I wonder how this would have read if the coach had said she had noticed that gymnast X was looking rather thin? (I really don't know, was just truly wondering).
PS. agree that this should never be discussed, or anything of a sensitive nature around the child or anyone else.

Actually, I get quite offended when people tell my older dd is too thin- and it has happened way too often. My children are healthy, happy, and well fed/taken care of. I admit that criticisms from either end (one dd is off the bottom of the bmi chart, one off the top, for reference) piss me off. Mostly because these people make all kinds of assumptions about my kids and my parenting that are completely off base.

 

[txgymfan]

Agreed! Too thin is just as inappropriate as to heavy. The coaches comments were unethical and would be from anyone in a position of authority to any child or adult. I lost a significant amount of weight and once had a female senior level boss yell down a hall way to me "hey skinny!". My immediate supervisor and our HR department had to talk me down after that comment. If I didn't love that job there would have been repercussions. The same woman also patted my head and said I was "so cute" ( and I was 30). I was livid!

 

[luvmygymdtr]

By all the strongly opinionated posts here, it makes me think about what a strange society we have created, so wrapped up in weight and looks and superficial things.........

It is crazy!! But this isn't about superficial. It's about mental health. Studies show, it takes only one comment from someone a girl looks up to and admires, particularly a male, even worse when it's dad, to trigger an eating disorder a girl may battle for the rest of her life. I remind my husband all the time....never mention the girl's weight. He can comment on crazy hair, inappropriate clothes, my youngest's crazy duck-feet-lol, but don't talk about their weight.

 

[Bajanswife]

My DD is built like yours, OP, and she thinks she is fat. She hates her wide ribs. You can count every ab muscle on her (they stand out) but because she has an archy back and not the best posture when she's standing around, her belly tends to stick out. Plus, she can pinch a bunch of skin on her lower abdomen and she swears it's all fat she's pinching. I can't get her to believe she isn't fat right now - imagine if she now heard her coach say that about her, there would be no convincing her ever!!!

 

[emorymom]

I don't understand. My son was about 55 lbs as a 48 inch almost 7 yo gymnast and he wasn't the bulky type nor did he have any fat.

 

[mOm2gymnast<3]

This is my dd. I blurred some parts just in case.

 

[Gymsanity]

It is crazy!! But this isn't about superficial. It's about mental health. Studies show, it takes only one comment from someone a girl looks up to and admires, particularly a male, even worse when it's dad, to trigger an eating disorder a girl may battle for the rest of her life. I remind my husband all the time....never mention the girl's weight. He can comment on crazy hair, inappropriate clothes, my youngest's crazy duck-feet-lol, but don't talk about their weight.

You won't get any argument from me on this. As I mentioned above, it should never be discussed in front of the child. Ever. What I would say is that being coaches we work with thousands of children, as opposed to most parents who only work with a few of their own. We sometimes see things and interpret them differently than the parents do, and we have a pretty large 'data pool' to draw from as to what is 'normal' and what is not. In example, I had a girl who losing weight. I talked to her mom about it, and she said she was just being picky with her eating lately. I let it go for several weeks, and then had another talk with her mother. I told her that not only was she losing more weight, but that I noticed she was changing physically and mentally, and that I believed there was an underlying cause that needed to be checked out. Unfortunately, she was diagnosed with Leukemia. Another girl recently started to gain weight unexpectedly. I talked to the mom about it, and she said maybe she wasn't working as hard at gym. I assured her that that was definitely not the problem with her! Her mom took her into the Drs. and it turned out to be something with her thyroid.
So, I guess what I'm saying is that I would be careful not to shoot the messenger. (evaluate what he has to say first, then kill him!) Is the coach saying this because he/she is a reject from 20 years ago where they thought you had to be some sort of anorexic twig to do gymnastics? Or are they saying it out of genuine concern for your child's physical and mental health.

 

[Fijiwater]

I was given the healthy eating speach once......but that was after I sent DD into gym with chocolate all over her mouth! haha I told her to go straight to the bath room and wash it off. She didn't. I got a sincere talk about how much energy they use at gym and that eating healthy was paramount. A kids got to have chocolate sometimes! My DD has a belly like a 2 year old, there is no fat on her, but coaches are constantly reminding her to keep her stomach in during her routines. When she does that her little pot belly turns into a 6 pack, if only I could do that.

 

[mOm2gymnast<3]

but coaches are constantly reminding her to keep her stomach in during her routines. When she does that her little pot belly turns into a 6 pack, if only I could do that.


Mine is exactly like your dd. The constant reminder about her belly

 

[txgymfan]

Gymnasnity, you talked to the PARENTS and you didn't say anything about how it would affect their gymnastics. You were clearly concerned about their girls health. That is the biggest difference from the OP's situation and the one's above. I hope both girls are doing well now.

 

[mOm2gymnast<3]

I posted a pic off my dd above taken a few days after the coach said something.

 

[sevenatenine2]

She looks fine to me!

Is she strong? I've had kids that were built heavier that have been strong and done very well. The problem comes in if they are heavier but not strong. A lighter kid that isn't as strong can get by for a while, but bars in particular comes to a striking halt when the kid is bigger and not as strong.

I like that it seems it was phrased as eating healthier versus not eating, but yes, it was an inappropriate comment. Is your coach foreign? Sometimes they don't know the social norms about things like this, although in their profession, they should know about weight talks!

 

[mOm2gymnast<3]

Is she strong?

Yes! She is very strong. Her strongest event is Bars, that's her top scoring event.

Is your coach foreign?

Yes she is. I think she's from Romania. But been here for a long time I think.

 

[Gymsanity]

' I hope both girls are doing well now.'

Thanks for your concern txgymfan. My girl with Leukemia went through chemo and it ate/destroyed almost every organ in her body. Not sure what is worse, the cancer or the 'cure', but it is something she is still fighting......As for my other one, they have her on some medication, and she seems to be returning to her old self. Thanks for asking.

 

[mOm2gymnast<3]

Looking at my dd, she is a minority for sure when it comes to her body shape at our gym. Most of the girls are lean and have a small stature. I don't think her body stature will change when she's older.

Another question, do guys think that her having a body like this will help or hinder her in the future when it comes to gymnastics? She is determined, hard worker, strong and insanely flexible.

 

[Bajanswife]

This is my dd. I blurred some parts just in case.

Wow, my DD's body is identical - I am not kidding!!