confused about daughters progress

[starmaker]

Hi---wow Olivia sure sounds talented. Granted, if she was my child..here's what I would do:

Feed her as much as I can (they burn calories very fast)
Give her juice plus capsules (to help aid her rapidly growing body)
Keep training her skills for level 4, 5, and even 6... get the dvd from usa gymnastics website for only $35.00. Have her memorize all the routines from 4 to 7...she can practice at home while watching the dvd.

When it comes time to compete, she can do level 4, 5, and even 6 in one meet. Heck, I would keep her back from competitions till she could do level 7 and then just do them all at once...and get right to level 7.

Make sure it is USAG training and not AAU.

If she truly loves the sport and wants to do more and more, let her, but like all the others said, just keep a close eye on her. Especially make her do wrist excerises and ankle excerises as those are usually the weakest spots.

Wow Cuemommy Welcome! What a reaction huh?
Well finally someone who understands my perdicament. Part of me wants all thoses things for her but there is this other side that questions whether this is really the life I want to push on such a little girl who is full of life and will be successful with or without gymnastics. She is really great at everything she does- no really not just because I'm her mama.

The other day she was singing in the car(holding notes, closing eyes the whole thing) and she pauses and says: "mama I really have a great singing voice and I've never even taken singing classes." (not that she can be a great singer or anything...but funny) It was histerical! She also thinks she is a great artist. She has journals and journals full of all her drawings. Another recent incident she told me she knew what she wanted to be when she grew up and she said a...."study-er"(she wants to study things). Asked me to take her to the library and I did. She loves information. I struggle to keep up with her energy and enthusiasm.

On another note: She has this obvious ability with her body and a great mind and personality to succeed in this sport but sometimes I wonder if the possibility exist of taking that ability for granted on her part- if you've always had it, its always come sort of easy/natural. DD is very much...what's the big deal. At first when she was 3yrs old doing cartwheels, I thought she must think everyone can do cartwheels at 3yrs old. Now she is five and still asks me why she has to stretch for so long. Of course I explain to her how its important to stretch before exercise and how some girls have to work for a split.

All I know is that I am taking it a week at a time sometimes a day at a time with my two little ones. And in the mean time I read up as much as I can and just try to stay "in-tune" with her.

Oh and BTW Cuemommy, Clarisa is still very young and has plenty of time for either NCAA or even Elite if that would be the case. I am glad you have found a more competitive gym for her. She will have a great L4 season! Can't wait to see her progress!