Parents Dadgumit!!

[Deleted member 18037]

I'm sorry to hear that. I am more than certain that giants will join the TD list someday soon.

Thanks, it is what it is...... I did have hopes of seeing it this year, said sighing...... now just hoping said injury doesn't get in her head..............

Hard stuff they do............... deep breathes and time.

 

[CuriousCate]

Yeah...with you here! TDG (GIANT! GRRR!) and TDSqO (squat on!). And really pretty much everything on bars.... she's training L7 but still fights the squat on! How can you do flyaways, free hips, cast HS but still can't consistently do a squat on!

 

[tpMom]

This is my favorite thread of the week, not because I like hearing about lost skills but because it puts them into perspective. My kiddo has been on a bit of a skill losing extravaganza. Bwobhs on beam, cast away fly away, giants, free hip to handstand, yurchenko entry on vault, they've all been pretty elusive since the beginning of August.
It breaks my heart to pick her up crying every day. I finally came out and asked, do you really want to feel like this every day? Do you even want to do gymnastics anymore? She insists that she does, and the skills will come back. So I'm with the OP, trying to pretend I have no idea where she disappears to for 4 hours a day!

 

[raenndrops]

Yeah...with you here! TDG (GIANT! GRRR!) and TDSqO (squat on!). And really pretty much everything on bars.... she's training L7 but still fights the squat on! How can you do flyaways, free hips, cast HS but still can't consistently do a squat on!

Hate squat ons.
YG had a squat on for maybe 2 weeks - Summer 2017. It was between growth spurts (arms and legs had grown but torso hadn't yet - long torso child). Once her torso grew again, she lost it. Now, she is just happy to get one foot on... and then she pulls the other foot up too ... IF she can.

 

[mignonone]

My oldest DD has struggle with the DBHSOB since last year when it was a requirement. She has a beautiful bhs on beam when she does it, but then head trips about it. As it is, she will be competing a bwo bhs and taking the "not up to level" deduction.

 

[Sminty]

TDG!! But really it's been a constant stream of TDs on bars, starting with TDMC (mill circle - remember those?), then TDK, TDJTHB (that was a bad one), TDF, TDFHC (still can't get past horizontal), TDCHS...

 

[Flyaway]

Thank you all for the show of solidarity! If anything this thread shows me that blocks are the norm rather than the exception. What a challenging sport! Our kiddos are rock stars!

I broke my rule and watched the last bit of practice a few nights ago. I didn't see beam (probably a good thing) but hey, dd's floor tumbling is coming right along. 2 steps forward, one step back, wash, rinse, repeat...

 

[UpsideDown]

TDG and TD- inconsistent- cast HS!
DD is training level 7 after two years at level 6. Fear, massive growth spurts (she is 5’6” and all,legs) and plagued by injuries and growth issues like Severs.

 

[rosettasmom]

it's level 7 beam series here. she has had it a few times and it's gorgeous. her coach says she lacks confidence and once she believes in herself it will be back for good. easier said than done apparently.

 

[CLgym]

As related question: Is anyone else's gymnast totally fine with the lost-skills situation? Seems like most report tears and frustration. Mine, on the other hand, sees no problems. When I pointed out that she no longer has her BWO-BHS series on high beam, she responded with a shrug and said she has it on high beam with the resi underneath, so close enough. And that missing CW-BT dismount? No worries there either, apparently, since she still has it with the beam pad (never mind that she had it all summer on the real beam). Giants came back (at least for the day).... And that free-hip to handstand is hard for everyone, mom! Really there is nothing to worry about here!?!

Confidence is good I guess -- but it seems my DD is lacking the urgency or intensity to put everything back together again. Or maybe it's a coping mechanism?? Either way it seems weird, right? Coaches have never reported a problem with motivation or work-ethic, but I'm seriously starting to wonder...

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Confidence is good I guess -- but it seems my DD is lacking the urgency or intensity to put everything back together again. Or maybe it's a coping mechanism?? Either way it seems weird, right? Coaches have never reported a problem with motivation or work-ethic, but I'm seriously starting to wonder...

Where is the rush?

Isn't better she take her time and not stress, then rush?
And if she and the coach aren't stressing, then its all good.

Again, my kid is very slow to get things. She doesn't seem to stress them. Sure I'd like to see a giant but she is fine.

Is it not perhaps better to take one slow deliberate step after another forward then a few quick steps forward but have to step back?

 

[CLgym]

@Deleted member 18037 -- Totally agree that a consistent upward trajectory (at whatever pace) is ideal. Unfortunately, that ship has sailed for my DD. She is already in a got-it-then-lost-it situation, with respect to multiple skills. It is her response to that situation that is puzzling me. Maybe it is the healthy response. I sure hope so!

 

[Flyaway]

Where is the rush?

Isn't better she take her time and not stress, then rush?
And if she and the coach aren't stressing, then its all good.

Again, my kid is very slow to get things. She doesn't seem to stress them. Sure I'd like to see a giant but she is fine.

Is it not perhaps better to take one slow deliberate step after another forward then a few quick steps forward but have to step back?

I don't think CLgym is saying she wants her gymnast to rush. She's asking if it's normal for gymnasts to not feel a sense of urgency when they lose a skill, since most of the time the reported stories of blocks reference gymnasts feeling frustrated and stressed about it.

CLgym, my dd gets frustrated and disappointed when she loses a skill for sure. She's not what I would call "relaxed" about it. But she also doesn't cry, or lose sleep over it. And since we don't talk about it and I have no idea where she goes for 4 hours every day () I think that helps her keep it in perspective. If she brings it up I just shrug and say, you got it once before, you'll get it again. (of course in my head I'm thinking a thousand other things - hence this thread! lol!)

 

[mommyof1]

@Deleted member 18037 -- Totally agree that a consistent upward trajectory (at whatever pace) is ideal. Unfortunately, that ship has sailed for my DD. She is already in a got-it-then-lost-it situation, with respect to multiple skills. It is her response to that situation that is puzzling me. Maybe it is the healthy response. I sure hope so!

If she is working hard in the gym to reacquire the lost skills but not stressing out, I would say that's the healthiest response possible!

 

[suebee]

As related question: Is anyone else's gymnast totally fine with the lost-skills situation? Seems like most report tears and frustration. Mine, on the other hand, sees no problems. When I pointed out that she no longer has her BWO-BHS series on high beam, she responded with a shrug and said she has it on high beam with the resi underneath, so close enough. And that missing CW-BT dismount? No worries there either, apparently, since she still has it with the beam pad (never mind that she had it all summer on the real beam). Giants came back (at least for the day).... And that free-hip to handstand is hard for everyone, mom! Really there is nothing to worry about here!?!

Confidence is good I guess -- but it seems my DD is lacking the urgency or intensity to put everything back together again. Or maybe it's a coping mechanism?? Either way it seems weird, right? Coaches have never reported a problem with motivation or work-ethic, but I'm seriously starting to wonder...

Mine hasn’t lost skills yet that I know about, but she is usually slower to get skills than her teammates, although she does get them “in time.” Mine, who has a lot of anxiety in general, does not seem to get stressed about gymnastics. She doesn’t have a skill, and she doesn’t seem to care that much. She falls in a routine, and she doesn’t seem to be very bothered. She seems to work hard. I’m not sure why she doesn’t seem to be bothered because it doesn’t seem to match her personality in general, but at this point, I’m just thankful.

 

[Natasha]

A couple years ago, at L10, my dd 'lost' her dismount. Couldn't get herself to do a double back, then couldn't even get herself to do a simple fly-away...yep....had a Jaeger and Pak...and a L4 dismount off bars . She worked with the coach and got it back, but it took a while.
Also, I find it no surprise that this is coming up this time of year....I noticed a pattern of over 10 years in this, that the first month of school is often a stressful time in the gym...I remember my daughter commenting once 'I'm swinging bars and math formulas are going through my head." I think there is an adjustment period with perhaps a bit of brain overload trying to adjust to school and gym in the fall AND add to that the pressure at many gyms to finalize levels as registrations for meets are starting.
I will tell you, dd had no long term negative effects from struggling with her dismount that season...didn't keep her out of college or anything . It did teach her some great life lessons though which I hope she will be using when she feels like she has 'lost' her Calculus skills

 

[Flyaway]

A couple years ago, at L10, my dd 'lost' her dismount. Couldn't get herself to do a double back, then couldn't even get herself to do a simple fly-away...yep....had a Jaeger and Pak...and a L4 dismount off bars . She worked with the coach and got it back, but it took a while.
Also, I find it no surprise that this is coming up this time of year....I noticed a pattern of over 10 years in this, that the first month of school is often a stressful time in the gym...I remember my daughter commenting once 'I'm swinging bars and math formulas are going through my head." I think there is an adjustment period with perhaps a bit of brain overload trying to adjust to school and gym in the fall AND add to that the pressure at many gyms to finalize levels as registrations for meets are starting.
I will tell you, dd had no long term negative effects from struggling with her dismount that season...didn't keep her out of college or anything . It did teach her some great life lessons though which I hope she will be using when she feels like she has 'lost' her Calculus skills

Interesting insight! I had never drawn a correlation between the start of school and lost skills, but it's not a stretch to see how that could definitely influence. And I appreciate your long-term perspective!

 

[Deleted member 18037]

@Deleted member 18037 -- Totally agree that a consistent upward trajectory (at whatever pace) is ideal. Unfortunately, that ship has sailed for my DD. She is already in a got-it-then-lost-it situation, with respect to multiple skills. It is her response to that situation that is puzzling me. Maybe it is the healthy response. I sure hope so!

It sounds very healthy to me. Anything that reduces stress and worry has to be healthier.

It probably helps, that the coaches (and you) are not putting hurry up pressure on her.

I think the “I have get it back quick” thing just makes it harder.

They get it back when they get it back. Best part of optionals, make something else work. Perhaps you start with a lower start value. But there are worse things. Besides a good clean routine with a lower start value will score better then a harder routine that’s a hot mess due to fear.

We had a gymmie who just wouldn’t do a squat on. Not in level 4, not 5, not in 6 until the end of the season. She’ll be competing L7 this year. If everyone had put pressure on her over the squat on she likely would go quit back in L4. Mine took forever to get her BHS on beam back after a wrist injury. They get it when they get it.

 

[CLgym]

the first month of school is often a stressful time

I agree with @Flyaway that this is an interesting perspective -- and the timing totally fits in my DD's case. I've never really looked at school as a stressor for my DD (since academics come easily), but maybe it is. Certainly there are social pressures. And the lack of sleep does't help either!

If she is working hard in the gym to reacquire the lost skills

^^ That is the million dollar question. I'm not sure how hard she is working. She claims to be working, and coaches have never reached out to me with concerns. But it's really hard to know....

She doesn’t have a skill, and she doesn’t seem to care that much. She falls in a routine, and she doesn’t seem to be very bothered.

^^ This in mine exactly! Even at meets, she seems totally okay with falls/mistakes. It seems totally inconsistent with the stereotypical gymnast, who by most accounts gets upset with anything less than perfection. On the one hand, I love that she finds joy in the sport, has teammates who she considers best friends, and can often be observed literally skipping from one event to another. On the flip side, it is a pretty time-consuming and expensive hobby to pursue "just for fun"!

Best part of optionals, make something else work.

^^ I just had a conversation with the gym about this today! For a variety of reasons (back pain being the primary one), I'm not sure it makes sense to keep pushing for the BWO-BHS when DD has a decent Handstand-BHS on beam. I know that the coaches want every L7 to have the BWO-BHS (or BHS-BHS), but a main benefit of optionals is the ability to be flexible. Will see how this all plays out!

 

[suebee]

^^ This in mine exactly! Even at meets, she seems totally okay with falls/mistakes. It seems totally inconsistent with the stereotypical gymnast, who by most accounts gets upset with anything less than perfection. On the one hand, I love that she finds joy in the sport, has teammates who she considers best friends, and can often be observed literally skipping from one event to another. On the flip side, it is a pretty time-consuming and expensive hobby to pursue "just for fun"!

I think we have the same kid! Mine is a complete perfectionist and very anxious is a lot of parts of her life, including school. Academics come easily to her as well, but the time she thought she might have forgotten to right down the homework for the next day, she woke up crying hysterically in the middle of the night.

Yet gymnastics, which seems to be so obviously a place one could be an anxious perfectionist, dd shrugs it all off. I think mine is working hard, though, so I’m okay with it for now.