- Jul 25, 2014
- 3
- 1
My level 9 daughter came to me quite unexpectedly over the weekend, just after a 2 week vacation from the gym and said she needed to talk...long story short, she told me she wants to quit, that she doesn't love it anymore, that she is burnt and feels the pressure of the coming deadlines. She was upset and I sensed that she was worried about me getting upset with her, so the first thing I did was calm her down and tell her whatever happened it was okay. I was shocked. We agreed to talk the next morning, because I happened to be leaving her for a sleepover at that very moment. Yesterday we talked, and the gist of the discussion was the same...she wasn't "loving it" anymore, she feels pressure, it's not fun. She was balking at going in last night to train, which would be her first night back after those couple weeks off. I spent the next several hours talking with her coach, with my husband, and then to her. Because of her gym's "exit policy" (30 days, in writing), and on the advice of her coach I was able to convey to her the need to get in there, face the coaches, talk to them and sort of see what happens...
Here's the thing...I'm sure I'm not alone, that many parents have seen this. I feel like I have been, inadvertently, part of the "pressure" that she's referring to. She's 13, very talented, minimal injuries so far (knock on wood) and has worked really hard over the last several years to get where she is right now. It just feels very "out of the blue" to me--I have had no indication, other than her telling me that she couldn't wait for vacation, etc., that she was burnt out, neither have her coaches. Now, a day later, she has had a good talk with the head coach, she is going to work out for a couple weeks and just see what she feels like after that. I am going to be effectively, sitting on my hands for the next several weeks. I don't know if there is anything I should do, not do, say, don't say, or what. I feel like I should be doing something more, and it's very frustrating. Advice?
Here's the thing...I'm sure I'm not alone, that many parents have seen this. I feel like I have been, inadvertently, part of the "pressure" that she's referring to. She's 13, very talented, minimal injuries so far (knock on wood) and has worked really hard over the last several years to get where she is right now. It just feels very "out of the blue" to me--I have had no indication, other than her telling me that she couldn't wait for vacation, etc., that she was burnt out, neither have her coaches. Now, a day later, she has had a good talk with the head coach, she is going to work out for a couple weeks and just see what she feels like after that. I am going to be effectively, sitting on my hands for the next several weeks. I don't know if there is anything I should do, not do, say, don't say, or what. I feel like I should be doing something more, and it's very frustrating. Advice?