MAG Levels

[Deleted member 10727]

Well, my son is suddenly picking up HB, said his coach yesterday. His coach also said he feels my son should go L7 next season.

In other randomly placed news - My 11 yr old DS is returning to team this week!

 

[Outlast]

That's great!

 

[sce]

Well, my son is suddenly picking up HB, said his coach yesterday. His coach also said he feels my son should go L7 next season.

In other randomly placed news - My 11 yr old DS is returning to team this week!

Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! SO great to hear about HB for your son!

Why did you older one decide to go back to gym?

 

[alongfortheride]

Reading through the replies (and thinking through other things), I feel like (if I have any say), I would probably have my son repeat level 5.

 

[Deleted member 10727]

My older son has been driving me crazy at home. We Homeschool so I don't get a break from the kids. I told him he had to do a sport and one that is more than an hour per week. We talked about swimming (too cold!). Karate (no way!). Soccer (too hot!). I found a place that does multisports, like parkour, archery, fencing, etc. And it turns out they are going out of business. I said, really, gymnastics is perfect (semi climate controlled!). He started thinking about it and then he said he could not stand to go through not making regionals again. Last time he didn't make it, a team member's parent was crying tears of relief that her kid barely made regionals and my son was crying that he didn't make regionals. It upset and confused him, apparently, that she was crying and didn't care that he didn't make it. It made him feel less than a failure. I didn't know all of this. It just came out. I explained that some people only think of themselves and it did not reflect on him at ALL.

All of the sudden he wants to go back and he's excited. I talked to him about it not being about scores. He is to have fun, work hard, and gain some cool skills. Plus make friends.

 

[alongfortheride]

Of course as it would happen, just after I posted :

Reading through the replies (and thinking through other things), I feel like (if I have any say), I would probably have my son repeat level 5.

My husband goes upstairs to put my son to bed, and my son tells my husband, "I'm definitely going to level 6 next year." Ugh. DH tries his best to convince my son that repeating 5 is also a very good option, and that DS might win a lot more if he repeated. Then, DS gets really really upset--and it seems as if to him staying in Level 5 is like being made to repeat a grade of school. Until tonight, he never indicated he had a strong opinion.

DS doesn't have the self-confidence of some little gymnasts. . I'd just personally love to see him have a more "winning" year.

 

[sce]

Of course as it would happen, just after I posted :


My husband goes upstairs to put my son to bed, and my son tells my husband, "I'm definitely going to level 6 next year." Ugh. DH tries his best to convince my son that repeating 5 is also a very good option, and that DS might win a lot more if he repeated. Then, DS gets really really upset--and it seems as if to him staying in Level 5 is like being made to repeat a grade of school. Until tonight, he never indicated he had a strong opinion.

DS doesn't have the self-confidence of some little gymnasts. . I'd just personally love to see him have a more "winning" year.

I would definitely talk with him about how repeating levels in gym is not the same a repeating a grade at school. Even if he doesn't repeat 5, he might repeat a level at some point. It also may not be his choice, it may be the coaches choice. As well, he needs to be kind to kids who do repeat a level. LOTS of kids do 2 years of level 5.

 

[curlymop]

Of course as it would happen, just after I posted :


My husband goes upstairs to put my son to bed, and my son tells my husband, "I'm definitely going to level 6 next year." Ugh. DH tries his best to convince my son that repeating 5 is also a very good option, and that DS might win a lot more if he repeated. Then, DS gets really really upset--and it seems as if to him staying in Level 5 is like being made to repeat a grade of school. Until tonight, he never indicated he had a strong opinion.

DS doesn't have the self-confidence of some little gymnasts. . I'd just personally love to see him have a more "winning" year.

This sounds like the same thing we were going through last year, except that I thought my son should have repeated L4, as he is still a 6yo this year.

Starting last spring, I kept pushing for a repeat, and coach kept saying to wait and see how he progressed. In the end, both coaches felt DS was too advanced for L4 (I don't agree, but I'm also not a coach), and DS was adamant that he wanted to move up even if it meant no medals.

He has earned a few medals this season, but I still wonder if it would have been better to repeat. He struggles with confidence and has some meet anxiety. He will definitely spend another year at L5.

I do wish that I had communicated with the coaches better earlier in the process. They were looking at it strictly in terms of skills, and I was more concerned about his age and confidence level. By the time I got someone to listen to me it was too late. DS had assumed the identity of L5, and there was no going back.

 

[sce]

This sounds like the same thing we were going through last year, except that I thought my son should have repeated L4, as he is still a 6yo this year.

Starting last spring, I kept pushing for a repeat, and coach kept saying to wait and see how he progressed. In the end, both coaches felt DS was too advanced for L4 (I don't agree, but I'm also not a coach), and DS was adamant that he wanted to move up even if it meant no medals.

He has earned a few medals this season, but I still wonder if it would have been better to repeat. He struggles with confidence and has some meet anxiety. He will definitely spend another year at L5.

I do wish that I had communicated with the coaches better earlier in the process. They were looking at it strictly in terms of skills, and I was more concerned about his age and confidence level. By the time I got someone to listen to me it was too late. DS had assumed the identity of L5, and there was no going back.

Will he repeat 5 next year?

 

[alongfortheride]

I would definitely talk with him about how repeating levels in gym is not the same a repeating a grade at school. Even if he doesn't repeat 5, he might repeat a level at some point. It also may not be his choice, it may be the coaches choice. As well, he needs to be kind to kids who do repeat a level. LOTS of kids do 2 years of level 5.

I totally agree, and we started telling him about how it would possibly be good to repeat level 5. He would never be unkind to someone repeating a level -- one of his best friends stayed back at level 4. He really respects his teammates. It's more a personal/mental thing with my son-- if that makes sense. And I realize we may not have the final say, but I would think we (as parents) could at least voice our preference if we feel he should stay at Level 5 a second year.

 

[curlymop]

Will he repeat 5 next year?

Yes. He's nowhere near ready for L6, and he'll still be a 7yo.

 

[gracyomalley]

And it might be helpful to let these kids know that they can't be a L10 until they are 15 years old, so they will have to repeat at some point (for your young ones...). That tells them that the expectation is that kids will repeat levels - not usually just once, either! For the record, I understand not repeating L4 as often, especially the "new" L4 - there's just not as much to learn there now. But after that it really depends upon the kids and the team/coaching philosophy. There are teams in our area with a lot of young L7-8s and looking at their form, etc they would still be L5-6 on our team...but I suspect that both approaches can work. Boys have LOTS of time.