Parents Chalked Up - not for a child

[Mom2twingymnasts]

My DD and I were flying to a meet. Prior to leaving I quickly searched for a gymnastics biography for my DD to read on the plane. I found Chalked Up - My Life in Elite Gymnastics. It is a gymnastics biography - so I didn't even think that it would possibly not be appropriate so I downloaded to my Nook and off we went. Luckily my daughter was not interested in it after the first chapter. This weekend I decided to read it. Oh My!! This was no inspirational gymnastic biography.

 

[bogwoppit]

Oh my definitey not a kids book. Unfortunately gymnastics does have an ugly side as Jennifer Sey discovered.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

yikes!...........................not for kids.

 

[kimskids]

Yeah. An interesting read but definitely not for kids!

 

[gym monkeys mom]

Book was a good read and very interesting.

I am amused this thread is posted now. Over on another thread the very issue Jennifer suffered from due to gym enviroment/coaching is being discussed on the other thread.

Some have seeed to forgot the end result of focusing on body style as a sucess for gymnastics.

I apologize for the hi-jack but I could not help myself. Please go back to discussing the book and horrors of it!

 

[Tumblequeensmom]

DEFINITELY not for kids!!!

 

[agymmom]

I've never heard of it before. Is it good reading?

 

[bogwoppit]

I've never heard of it before. Is it good reading?

It is a very interesting read. Her experience is real and she writes very well. Though as said, not for kids.

 

[JessLW]

It is a good book -- I read it in a weekend and couldn't put it down, but it is for sure not a book for kids. It is definitely very heavy and there are some more adult themes touched upon towards the end of the book if I remember correctly. High schoolers or mature middle schoolers could probably handle it, but no younger.

 

[flipper's fan]

I read it a few years ago. I admire her for telling her story and always saying it was just a story of her experiences- not meant to be the gospel truth of elite gymnastics. I think she very genuinely described what it was like for her, and what it did to her family. I would not recommend it for gymnasts, until they retire.

 

[profmom]

My gymnast DD, who's 10 1/2, read it and appreciated it. Granted, she's a very avid reader and regularly reads "up" -- she loved the Hunger Games series and often reads books on junior high and high school reading lists. But for her the main impact was that she really appreciates her gym and her coaches in contrast to some of Sey's experiences. She also feels confirmed in her level of commitment to the sport, which is high but not remotely close to single-minded. So I wouldn't say that no relatively mature 10+ should read it, though I do recommend talking about it afterward.

Actually, I think it could be a very good book for high school athletes if read as preparation for a discussion of body image stuff.

 

[flipper's fan]

I don't disagree with most of what you said, profmom, but I think it can be discouraging to gymnasts who are still involved in the sport because she talks about things that most of our young gymnasts will never encounter and that could turn them away from pursuing their dreams.

 

[profmom]

Definitely depends on the child, Flipper's fan!

 

[Mom2twingymnasts]

If it was a movie, it would be rated R. There is discussion of straving, extensive use of laxatives, physical and s**ual abuse, and then there is the talk about what she did with her high school boyfriend and what he did with other girls behind her back. Just not something I would approve for my 10 year old to read. My kids don't usually use an eReader - so we pick books from the appropriate section of the book store/ library for their age and reading levels. The cover of the book once downloaded is actually different that what was displayed when I picked the book. Definitely was in too much of a rush on this one. Won't make that mistake again. Good thing I didn't do my usual "you need to get your reading minutes done while we have the time - so just read even if you don't like the book."

 

[MaryA]

After all this discussion, I had to read it. Definitely an eye-opener, especially from a parents point of view... How a mom with every intention of being a supportive, loving mom morphed into a CGM... Virtually ignoring her marriage and her other child and, in the end, freaking out when Jen talked about quitting before the Olympics.

 

[Galadriel]

you know what MaryA i really really want to read it too now!

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk

 

[Deleted member D3987]

perspective...it was written when she was an adult. it wasn't intended for children. it was for parents. i know this.

 

[TexasRose]

All this discussion has made me want to read it too! I've downloaded it to my Kindle. Just have to finish my current book first

 

[agymmom]

I just finished and thought it was great. It is definitely a reminder to keep everything in perspective.

 

[Granny Smith]

I read the book when it first came out. Definitely not a "fluff" gymnastics book. I especially enjoyed reading it because I am from the same area that she grew up and know the gyms she spoke about. After reading the book though, I can say that I am happy that I am not a part of her immediate family as I thought she was pretty harsh toward them and have the feeling that she is still quite bitter.