Parents How do you feel . . .

[thnkGd4kds]

It's so fun and funny to read everyone's responses to this, and to know that I'm not alone in taking on nerves for my daughter! From what I've read on CB, it's obvious that nobody here is like this because we want our children to be super-champs; we just care about them and want them to feel proud of themselves while staying injury-free. Isn't it good to know that, on any given weekend, there are other parents out there not sleeping or eating or breathing well, going to the bathroom a few too many times, feeling nauseous or shaky or achy, viewing from a lense or from afar or while pacing or absolutely glued to our seats, all the while trying to appear cool and collected, and somehow (mostly) loving it?!
I love hearing everyone's personal experiences with this. Thanks, everyone, for responding (even you, Iggy )! Any more . . . ?

 

[thnkGd4kds]

I secretly hope that she will eventually decide theatre/singing is her first love and switch to that, just gotta wait until she is old enough for more programs to be available to her and for them to make it so she has to make a decision. She does love it, but doesn't get to do it enough.

In my experience, it's not any better in the theater world. There are endless auditions, which are always exciting until the waiting-to-find-out and wondering-how-your-child-will-respond-if-she-doesn't-get-the-role-she-wanted-or-not-a-role-at-all part or until the performances, which are really exciting, but which bring on the same sleepless or restless nights and intensely anxious feelings and reactions that meets can. There's relief when it's over and her performances have gone as she wished them to, but sadness, too, as you watch her say good-bye to a cast she's grown close to. Plus, it's not as if she's on a team. She always will have to audition and go through the whole process again and again and again . . . Although there's not the same physical risk factor in theater or theatrical dance as there is with gymnastics, so that's a plus.
Like gymnastics, theater/singing is absolutely wonderful, but it is emotional, as well. Must be parenthood!

 

[AussieMum]

Funnily enough, I used to get more nervous watching her dance than I do watching her compete in gymnastics - the whole needing the bathroom, holding my breath, feeling stressed until the end of her last dance.

With gymnastics competition, I do get nervous but not nearly as bad for some reason. Maybe when she gets to a higher level it will kick in?? But I also have her little brother to look after, and it's hard for him to quietly sit through 3 or so hours of (to him) the same thing over and over - so he provides a bit of a distraction for me.

One thing that does stress me out though is the hair!! I'm just not a girly kind of person and have never been very good at doing hair, so trying to create a neat, pretty hairstyle amid the pre-competition stress is not good!!

 

[Panda-girl's Mom]

This is funny, I thought I was alone. I also can not sleep the night before I worry about getting up must check the alarm clock a million times. I usually pack a large bag of snacks and daughter and I are to nervous to eat any so we carry it around all day for nothing. I usually check her gym bag to make sure she has her grips about 20 times. When we get there me and her friends mom usually have to postion ourselves across the room from our kids. I try to video her but then I get to nervous and if she falls when I am video taping her then I feel like I am jinkzing her by video taping. When it is over I am usually relieved but I come home drained exhausted and often have a headache. I am starting to feel anxiety just thinking about this!

 

[drivingmom]

I feel like a NUT!!! Never in my life have I felt so crazy about anytyhing my children have done but gymnastics. I know meet season is close as I can't sleep well and I already am thinking way to much about my DD season. I can barely keep myself sitting at the meets. OH this is nuts!!!

 

[Sparky]

Beam. Beam just about kills me - once she is done her beam routine I pretty much relax completely. The other apparatus, well, she is either on or she is off, but if she's on she is pretty consistent with all of them - it's that chance of falling on beam and that darned .8 (or perhaps it's a full 1.0 this year, not sure) deduction that just seems to unfair, LOL .

Oh, and hair - that one just about does me in too. I was THRILLED when dd announced a few weeks ago that she thinks she will just pony it this season instead of making me french braid - NOT my best skill.

Lisa

 

[gymmomntc2e6]

Is it a full 1.0 for all levels?

 

[Midget's Dad]

I wasn't going to reply but the orginator of this thread said I had to. I am so rock solid that there isn't really anything to discuss... YEA RIGHT!!! LOL

I get fairly nervous like most people mentioned and I am a pacer. Back and forth, back and forth. I cannot sit still. Most of the time I cannot even watch beam or if I do it is from 400 miles away. I sometimes will just watch our other moms and try to read their reactions.. I am a wimp..

Recently though, Cait and I have developed a little bit of a pre meet ritual that seems to calm us both down. I am a big fan of visualization. On the drive to the meet, we go through her routines one by one and she visualizes herself nailing each one of them. It sets her mind up into a postive mental attitude. It is what I used to do when I competed athletically and it really is a great tool.

Okay, I have posted. Hopefully the boss will appreciate it... LOL

Sean

I haven't taught Midget visualization techniques yet but I plan to. I have used it to great success myself and highly recommend it.

Thanks for sharing that!

 

[iggy1988]

I haven't taught Midget visualization techniques yet but I plan to. I have used it to great success myself and highly recommend it.

Thanks for sharing that!

It is also a great tool for calming them (and me) down before she competes. It puts Cait in a very good, positive, frame of mind. We have started doing some visualization for Houston already..

Thanks,

Sean

 

[Sparky]

Is it a full 1.0 for all levels?

We are in Canada (B.C.) and we use FIG - I think it may be different in the States as it seems they don't use FIG for all levels??? Not sure tho......

 

[arcade]

This is a great idea for a thread, i also dont sleep well, cant eat breakfast or anything else until the meet is over (have considered taking in something strong to drink though, lol).

When dd danced I was exactly the same but dont get nervous for field hockey or soccer games, I guess maybe because they are not so individualised!!

 

[mariposa]

In my experience, it's not any better in the theater world. There are endless auditions, which are always exciting until the waiting-to-find-out and wondering-how-your-child-will-respond-if-she-doesn't-get-the-role-she-wanted-or-not-a-role-at-all part or until the performances, which are really exciting, but which bring on the same sleepless or restless nights and intensely anxious feelings and reactions that meets can. There's relief when it's over and her performances have gone as she wished them to, but sadness, too, as you watch her say good-bye to a cast she's grown close to. Plus, it's not as if she's on a team. She always will have to audition and go through the whole process again and again and again . . . Although there's not the same physical risk factor in theater or theatrical dance as there is with gymnastics, so that's a plus.
Like gymnastics, theater/singing is absolutely wonderful, but it is emotional, as well. Must be parenthood!

Ack. Now I don't want her to do anything. LOL. I was mostly thinking of the physical risks, etc, but didn't think of all that stuff. Yikes.

 

[thnkGd4kds]

Ack. Now I don't want her to do anything. LOL. I was mostly thinking of the physical risks, etc, but didn't think of all that stuff. Yikes.

Lol! I was going to preface my previous post to you with, "Not to get you scared, but . . ."
Do not fear, it's all so much more positive than negative! I love watching my children in all that they do no matter how crazy it may make me at times!

 

[thnkGd4kds]

pretty much like a 2 liter bottle of Pepsi that someone shook up and set back on the counter without loosening the cap.

Great analogy! LOL!