WAG How old is a child expected to take things seriously at every practice?

[EastCoastGymMom]

I think there should be a good balance of fun and hard work while training for competitive gymnastics, especially for the younger girls. I don't mind if my daughter goofs off in line or chats with her friends as long as she works hard and is focused when it is her turn. As some pp said, even at work or school we chat with our friends/coworkers/teachers throughout the day. These girls spend countless hours at the gym and don't have a lot of extra time for playing with friends. She probably needs that social interaction with her peers if she is home schooled (assuming she doesn't spend that time with a bunch of other kids!). My daughter and her friends seriously talk non-stop at every possible moment. I personally would not put her in a gym where the coaches frowned upon them chatting in line. I totally get what you're saying though - of course you want her trying her hardest and taking it seriously. I think they do understand at this age that hard work pays off, but they also want to have fun. She has obviously already done very well as a 9 year old training level 8, so maybe she is happy with where she's at right now and feels like she can relax a bit.

We've all been there and had CGM meltdowns, but it probably wasn't the best idea to pull her aside during training because she was doing a drill for a skill she already knows. That is definitely her coach's role. My dd's coaches would have a FIT if one of the parents ever called their child off the floor and told them to do or not do some kind of skill or drill. Also, sometimes you really don't know what the coaches have asked them to do just by watching. My dd's group was doing a new drill the other day and it looked to me like dd was goofing off and not doing it correctly and then the coach kept making her do it over. On the way home she told me she was the only one doing it correctly and the coach had her demonstrate it for everyone else. I can't even tell you how many times I have been mistaken about something while watching her at practice. I don't really watch anymore as she goes too many hours, and it's been better for both of us. I know you said you don't watch often and I don't want to offend you, just trying to help and give some insight!

 

[GymmieC]

I think there should be a good balance of fun and hard work while training for competitive gymnastics, especially for the younger girls. I don't mind if my daughter goofs off in line or chats with her friends as long as she works hard and is focused when it is her turn. As some pp said, even at work or school we chat with our friends/coworkers/teachers throughout the day. These girls spend countless hours at the gym and don't have a lot of extra time for playing with friends. She probably needs that social interaction with her peers if she is home schooled (assuming she doesn't spend that time with a bunch of other kids!). My daughter and her friends seriously talk non-stop at every possible moment. I personally would not put her in a gym where the coaches frowned upon them chatting in line. I totally get what you're saying though - of course you want her trying her hardest and taking it seriously. I think they do understand at this age that hard work pays off, but they also want to have fun. She has obviously already done very well as a 9 year old training level 8, so maybe she is happy with where she's at right now and feels like she can relax a bit.

We've all been there and had CGM meltdowns, but it probably wasn't the best idea to pull her aside during training because she was doing a drill for a skill she already knows. That is definitely her coach's role. My dd's coaches would have a FIT if one of the parents ever called their child off the floor and told them to do or not do some kind of skill or drill. Also, sometimes you really don't know what the coaches have asked them to do just by watching. My dd's group was doing a new drill the other day and it looked to me like dd was goofing off and not doing it correctly and then the coach kept making her do it over. On the way home she told me she was the only one doing it correctly and the coach had her demonstrate it for everyone else. I can't even tell you how many times I have been mistaken about something while watching her at practice. I don't really watch anymore as she goes too many hours, and it's been better for both of us. I know you said you don't watch often and I don't want to offend you, just trying to help and give some insight!

Thank you truly! I know I totally regretted it as soon as I asked someone to get her for me. I asked a friend who worked behind the counter; " Could I please speak to DD for a sec? I forgot to tell her something..." Never had I done that before. I was just doing my finances to budget for her meet and coaches fees. All I saw was the 700+ $$ that I had to pay out on the next day...that's only half of it...Money makes me nervous no matter where it is going. I love my job and am very well compensated. I am very lucky!
Today was a better day she said. I did talk to one of the HCs and she told me that it looks like DD may have had a growth spurt. That makes her have to adjust. I too noticed her slimming down at the new gym. She eats and eats but the conditioning and workout she gets are killer. She also said that they do talk with her about remaining focused and that she has to be determined to get her numbers in. (That is cool gym talk I think.).
Today when I walked in to get her, she had a great big smile on her face. Because the girls are off next week before fall training, the coaches let them have some fun and they were playing games. I am sure they worked their tail of before games.
And don't ever worry about insulting me. I have a thick skin.

On an aside, DD is trying to break the world record of "wearing the most shirts at once" 257 is the record. She is going for 260. That is my kid! Ultra competitive and just plain NUTS!!

 

[gracyomalley]

If its at all helpful, my DD has just turned 11 and is also training L8. She was always called the "hardest worker" in her group, from age 4! However, there was one year that almost killed me - and it was when she just turned 9. She is not as talented as your dd, and was probably less than 4 feet tall at the time, having just gotten her kip connected and big enough to get over the vault, so was repeating old level 5...many of her older/bigger friends were training old 6 that summer, and dd was....chatting things up with friends....at least at drop off and pick up as far as I could tell. I can honestly say that 2 years later her coach and she semi-joke about that summer...and how she needed it then, but boy look what happened when you were ready to focus (3 meets at old level 6 in spring, then 6th in state at level 7 last year...not olympics, but still great for her!)

All that to say that she is much more mature at barely 11 than she was at 9 - even as an always focused hard working gymnast - and she's the age your daughter is training with. Plus to me, training 8 is soooo different for level 7 (which my dd will be likely repeating because of vault...but that's ok and what will most likely keep her in gym longer so I'm trying not to ask about practices, and just be positive when she volunteers info.) We also homeschool (not because of gym) and I do know that gym is her social circle - but she honestly is more focused and less chatty by nature than the "schooled kids" there!

I would only worry if the coach repeatedly had to speak with me about her - and the growth spurt thing is soooo real...dd grew 5 inches last year (now a whopping 4 - 7) and while a huge boon on bars, it has really messed with some other things...again, coaches know this stuff and there have been times I walked in to see her working strap bar giants - "mini-mom freak out kept to myself " only to have her later say that her coach did that to improve her form on pirouettes....what do I know anymore???

And as she put it "it has to stay fun, mom - I spend half my life there!"

 

[gymnamelia]

About Level 4

 

[Deleted member D3987]

double yikes on the whole thread!

 

[Muddlethru]

We all have our CGM moments. Your daughter is homeschooled so she probably craves time with friends. I think your daughter will be 10 by the time she starts competing L8, right? She's young and doing well.

 

[GymmieC]

Thank you! In the moment, you think you are alone...C will turn 10 in January. I am not sure if gym will start before then or not. You are right. She loves her friends at gym. She now has girls around her age at the gym and her social circle revolves around them.
She is on a week break as they take their summer time off at the end of summer work out, and her terrible rips are healing thank goodness. She has a conditioning workout to complete that will keep her in shape though. Coaches passed them out every break. I teased her that I would do it with her. When I saw what was involved, I graciously bowed out! Mom would die!!