Parents How do you feel about youtube?

[gymgal]

I post dd's videos for extended family and friends to see. Fellow parents/gymnasts from the gym as well, since the girls are usually in different sessions and don't get to see the routines. I keep the title simple - usually the level and meet name. Dd has final say of what gets put in. If she had a particularly rough event, she asks me to delete it. I wouldn't have included it anyway but she feels better knowing she has final say.
She does not have her own channel. It is a mix of all my kids, though she certainly takes up most of it because there is only so much lap swimming you can watch. Lol

 

[curlymomof3]

*Shrug* It doesn't bother me when others do it. I find it fascinating to follow their progress. I do, however, find myself sometimes comparing Dd to the superstar Suzies out there and have to take a step back and realize how amazing she really is even if she isn't a 10 year old Level 10. If anything, I sometimes think that YouTube can bring out the CGM in people because we never see videos of the average gymnasts only the superstar ones.

 

[okie]

Well, I am now going to YouTube this amazing Susie and find out what's so amazing! My DD loves watching gymnastics videos, but I shy away from girls her age (6) doing amazingly difficult skills because she gets upset and down on herself wondering why she can't do the same.

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[skschlag]

We have a channel that we post videos on. I don't think I have his name, but since most scores can be found online somewhere, then that is a moot point. I hate that some gyms just list all the scores on their public pages. I like it and hate it all at teh same time :0

D has been posted on saltocafe before, and honestly, I was shocked one day browsing and saw a video of him that I didn't know existed. But no identifying info other than gym, so I wasn't too concerned.

 

[Blackie6]

Nope, I stopped putting stuff up there because people (and other kids) are plain cruel when they comment. I know my setting can be "private" but I just put stuff on my FB page for my family and friends. It's getting to the people I want to share with, and after so many years, half the time I am not even videotaping anymore, just the important meets.

 

[Pineapple_Lump]

My favorite part about these channels are:
When the kid quits and the parent gets grumpy about the constant request for more videos
When people ask if said child has changed gyms and the parent turns moody
When the are asked if they are at another new gym (I believe one is only gym #7) and the parent gets angry
When a child is a tops superstar but mediocre at the levels because they lack coordination and the parent can't figure it out
When someone points out a valid flaw in a constructive (well meaning) way and they get flamed and probably banned
When the parent claims to know stuff but has their child tossing skills around the house/on unsuitable equipment, pointing this out will also get someone flamed and banned.
When a lying ten year old posts a stupid negative comment and the parent posts a huge rant and rips into the kid, rather than simply removing the comment.

You can only leave comments that stoke the parent ego you can't try and bring it into line.

 

[kitkat]

I love utube for many reasons. If family live far away - they can keep in touch with your kids.
I also like that people put the ages and level in there. It helps with the searches so much easier. I like to see what other kids are doing at same level and age. I don't want to go through 20 utube videos before I find the one I want.
We totally want her to have get a scholarship when she is old enough. It gives a good appreciation for what she did each year.
I find utube totally helpful.

Kat

 

[cbifoja]

Someone needs to PM with the proper terms to search on YouTube....or even a link. I wanna see how super Susie is too!

 

[txgymfan]

Type in "amazing gymnast __ year old" I got 233,000 plus videos.

 

[cbifoja]

That's a lot of amazing!

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[Natasha]

All of our family is out of state, so I do occasionally put stuff up on my FB page (with very restricted viewing). I've never used u tube. I remember when my dd first started at L4, the next summer her friend was watching a random L4 u tube video to see the routines and she saw my dd (on the awards stand in this other random girl's video.) I have to admit, It caught me off guard.
And yes, I agree with other posters that all the "amazing Suzie" videos give a completely skewed perception of gymnasts age/level.

 

[JessLW]

Aww I had a reply typed up and then the internet ate it.

I think, as with all things, there are negatives and positives to being a YouTube sensation. Parents need to know their kid and know how having thousands of followers at 10 years old will affect them. For some kids it might be a lot of pressure to live up to, for others it might be a tremendous boost. Do some channels veer into the absurd? Certainly. This is the internet, if we didn't have nutty people doing/saying off the wall things, where would we be?

I follow a couple of kids on YouTube who I think are the real deal and, if they stick with it, probably will go fairly far in the sport. Olympics? Who knows. But certainly I think they could make elite. A couple of them are testing Hopes fairly soon so these aren't "my 7 year old level 7 is training elite" type deals. I think there is a current junior elite who was a YouTube sensation in her JO years and I think it is pretty neat that fans have been able to follow her from the beginning. If you're going to go down that path heaven knows you need a lot of support and it must be encouraging knowing there are so many people out there cheering you on. Once you're at that level, well, the pressure is there whether you're on YouTube or not.

At the end of the day, I don't think gymnastics YouTube channels are really any more invasive than mommy blogs (well, actually, YouTube channels are much less invasive) and as far Things That Parents Do on The Internet go, YouTubing your kid's gymnastics progress is probably one of the less problematic.

 

[JessLW]

Type in "amazing gymnast __ year old" I got 233,000 plus videos.

To be fair to the Suzies of the world, a lot of those "Amazing 10 year old Level 9" videos are fan made montages. The parents put up the initial videos and then some 12 year old fangirl pieces together a montage set to music. There are entire channels that are nothing but montages. A little bit stalker-ish, perhaps, but they're mostly made by young kids who just, when it comes down to it, love gymnastics.

 

[OzZee]

I wish there were more of the average gymnast as I like watching routines esp from other countries. But then there is all the comments about how 'bad' they are etc. And, lol, I'm not putting my kids up so can't expect others to.

 

[Flossyduck]

Would I do it? - No! I've never posted anything of my daughter's anywhere and can't imagine wanting to. She'd basically kill me anyway! That's why I love this site, because I can secretly indulge in discussing her gymnastics without feeling guilty or anyone knowing who she is or her finding out. That said, I don't mind if other people want to spend time posting their kid's stuff on youtube. I don't like it when people are really mean, it's unnecessary. Yes I find it odd that they enable comments and leave themselves open to horrid ones, but that doesn't mean people should jump in.

 

[mylittlemiss]

You pose a very good question, OP! We've shared videos of our DD's gymnastics progress over the years on Youtube. I don't use her name, but do use age and level. We don't share her gym name or our location. As with anything, someone could try to figure out where she's from and name. I hope they wouldn't, but they could. She is an "amazing Suzie" to us, but may not be to others. We certainly didn't know how she'd progress when we started sharing a few years ago, but she's progressed nicely. It's been fun, actually. We don't have a ton of followers, so it's rather low key as of now. We haven't had trouble with comments, since I don't allow them without my approval. If I see anything that seems a little odd or rude, I just don't allow it to be posted, and there's only been a handful of those. My DD loves to share her talents on Youtube and so far it's been a positive experience. I also enjoy seeing the other "amazing Suzie's", but do feel badly for them as well, when they suddenly seem to fall of the radar and wonder why. It's honestly none of my business, but I do wish them well. I am not a CGM who thinks her daughter is the most wonderfully amazing child in the universe and can't stop talking about her and driving all of the other gym parents up the wall, lol. At least I hope I am not!! I know there's plenty out there who are better and will go further than her. For now, we just enjoy the ride. If my dd gets to a point where she doesn't feel comfortable with me sharing on Youtube anymore, then I most certainly would stop at her request. If we came across issues with others online, we'd stop. I really have to say, it's been a positive all around up till this point.

Also, I have to add, I've seen plenty of what some may call "average" gymnasts on youtube. Just search the word "gymnastics" and you'll find a whole mix of all sorts of videos, including many that others have shared of their 14 year old level 4 or 5, just having fun being in the sport. I don't think that youtube is only a place for others to share their "amazing Suzies".

 

[Canadian_gym_mom]

A great conversation to be sure!

I have my dd on Youtube. I have a channel for her and post her videos from meets and as she is learning new skills. I sometimes *gasp* even put up her age and level. It is mostly for family and friends (close by and long distance). I never really get more than a few views on them anyways.

I am proud of my dd and even though she is only 9, SHE wants them out there and always asks me to check and see if anyone "liked" her videos yet.

I never use her name in the titles and don't call them "super terrific next gym phenomenon", I just use her level and the name of the event. Now that I think about it I'm not sure if I put her age in the titles or not...I think I do for the competitions.

I get that some people are not comfortable putting videos out there, and that's fine.

I also get that some are crazy gym moms who are posting the braggy posts about their amazing kids, but hey, even those I think we could cut them some slack. Aren't we ALL really proud of what our amazing little gymmies can do?

 

[Bajanswife]

I use Facebook more for sharing videos with friends. My computer is so slow at uploading videos, I would never upload them twice if I could help it, so I don't end up putting them on Youtube as well as Facebook.

I also don't have any videos that I think would be useful for public viewing. Even if DD had a video of an amazing routine, there are so many others out there that people can look at to see examples of how a routine should be done, there's no reason for me to add another one.

 

[LizzieLac]

I use YouTube ocassionally. What amazes me about the use of YouTube is: where do people get the time to create these neat videos with graphics and music and then upload?? I barely have time to download the video from the camera to the computer!!

I may put my kids' first name and the meet name and the level. But that's it. I don't put ages of the kids, locations of the meet or sporting event, and I am not even sure I have ever put the team name in the description. I post them so that I have an easy way to share the link with family and friends. Period.

 

[kitkat]

For people who are concerned that their kids will be stalked on Utube is no different then reading all the posts one person posts on here about their child. Its amazing what you can learn about someone by reading their online posts.
In Ontario all scores, first and last names are posted on Gymnastics Ontario - so there is no privacy if you are gymnast in Ontario. By showing a video of someone is not going to make them less of a target.

As for people thinking its a bragging thing - I personally don't see it as that. But again it really is no different then someone putting on this forum that their daughter is 7 and got their kip. Or can my 6 year old be tested for TOPS, etc. Those comments are no different. I personally think its the people reading the posts or watching the utube that are making more out of it then intended.

Kat