Amusibus
Proud Parent
- Aug 16, 2012
- 648
- 606
Hello Chalkbucket, it's been a while.
Ok, so, my daughter is now 11 and in xcel. I say she doesn't really like gymnastics because she isn't that kid that cartwheels around the house or sees a large grassy field as an irresistible tumbling area. She will occasionally flip around a bit on the trampoline in the backyard and does enjoy a good trampoline park every now and then, but otherwise just isn't into it. She doesn't watch tv gym events, never asks to go to meets of the upper level kids in our gym. When I say "you have practice in a couple hours" or whatever, I often get "aww...", not "yay!".
I have asked her if she wants to quit when she seems disappointed that it's practice time. She always gives me an emphatic "no!". I asked if anyone is bullying her, and the other kids aren't but she says the coaches do yell at her a lot. She does have ADD and also Aspergers, so her attention is definitely an issue at gym and in every other structured environment. Even on medication, she struggles. So the coaches' frustration is understandable.
She also hasn't progressed terribly much. Well, she has, but at a snail's pace compared to the average child, which is to be expected I guess considering her disability. What I wonder is if she learns slowly because of her challenges, or because she just really isn't that into it.
When I ask why she doesn't want to quit, she says because she feels being a gymnast is part of who she is. She says she likes being part of a group, and it makes her feel important and special. She says she wouldn't know what to do with herself if she quit, because she has been doing it as long as she can remember (true - she started pre-team at 4 and team at 6). She likes socializing with the other girls in her group. This is important because as a spectrum kid, socialization isn't that easy for her. All of these seem to be valid reasons. But there is no passion there for the sport itself. It's a weird situation.
Personally I am just so done with this whole thing. I used to enjoy it and be more involved. I still love watching gymnastics when I can catch it, and I like watching my daughter do things and go to meets, but parents you know that team is a major commitment for the entire family in so many ways and I just question whether it is the right thing to keep her in it when that means my other kids don't have money for activities they want to do, or one parent has to miss older daughter's marching band parades because of conflicts with gymnastics meets, etc.
Thoughts?
Ok, so, my daughter is now 11 and in xcel. I say she doesn't really like gymnastics because she isn't that kid that cartwheels around the house or sees a large grassy field as an irresistible tumbling area. She will occasionally flip around a bit on the trampoline in the backyard and does enjoy a good trampoline park every now and then, but otherwise just isn't into it. She doesn't watch tv gym events, never asks to go to meets of the upper level kids in our gym. When I say "you have practice in a couple hours" or whatever, I often get "aww...", not "yay!".
I have asked her if she wants to quit when she seems disappointed that it's practice time. She always gives me an emphatic "no!". I asked if anyone is bullying her, and the other kids aren't but she says the coaches do yell at her a lot. She does have ADD and also Aspergers, so her attention is definitely an issue at gym and in every other structured environment. Even on medication, she struggles. So the coaches' frustration is understandable.
She also hasn't progressed terribly much. Well, she has, but at a snail's pace compared to the average child, which is to be expected I guess considering her disability. What I wonder is if she learns slowly because of her challenges, or because she just really isn't that into it.
When I ask why she doesn't want to quit, she says because she feels being a gymnast is part of who she is. She says she likes being part of a group, and it makes her feel important and special. She says she wouldn't know what to do with herself if she quit, because she has been doing it as long as she can remember (true - she started pre-team at 4 and team at 6). She likes socializing with the other girls in her group. This is important because as a spectrum kid, socialization isn't that easy for her. All of these seem to be valid reasons. But there is no passion there for the sport itself. It's a weird situation.
Personally I am just so done with this whole thing. I used to enjoy it and be more involved. I still love watching gymnastics when I can catch it, and I like watching my daughter do things and go to meets, but parents you know that team is a major commitment for the entire family in so many ways and I just question whether it is the right thing to keep her in it when that means my other kids don't have money for activities they want to do, or one parent has to miss older daughter's marching band parades because of conflicts with gymnastics meets, etc.
Thoughts?