Parents Setting Expectations

[duyetanh]

As your child moves up, your perspective changes as a parent! My dd is lv 8, and my only focus is for her to not get hurt! Enjoy yourself at the lower levels, it's not as easy to do that in the upper levels!

It SO ISN'T fun at the upper levels. My husband and I hate watching the meets. We hate it! And we aren't even up to the dreaded yurchenko yet. Sweet Jesus....

 

[mommyof1]

One issue with this is that different judges see different things, so she may do a routine that you and she feel is cleaner or "better" than one she did at a meet two weeks ago, and the judges at this meet may be tougher than the judges at the last meet and score it lower. No need to feel bad that the score is lower if the gymnastics were better.

With Short Stack (L5), I ask her, on the way to the meet, what her goal is on each event, and she knows that I am in NO WAY looking for a goal regarding score or podium placements. She usually picks goals that are associated with what she's been focusing on in practice. Yesterday it was to block on vault, connect both halves of bars, land her BWO on beam, and to land her back tuck with a good body position on floor.

Similar to other parents, the last things said before I hand her off to coaches at a meet:

Me: Hey Short Stack! What are the most important things?

Short Stack: Work hard and have fun.

Me: That's right. Love you! *hug*

This is exactly how we approach it, down to "what's the most important thing? Have fun!" Goals are usually corrections she's been working on, such as squeezing to keep from piking her vault. Lately she has had a goal of smiling on floor because she thinks it improves her form. And I always remind her to remember to salute, because she always used to forget to salute at the end of her floor routine. After the meet, I give specific praise for the good moments and goals met, whether or not she had a good meet (for her) or the judges saw it the way she did. Lots of praise for teamwork and leadership especially.

 

[CCGymbug]

Just one other thing....usually you are not up against the exact same competition. And even if you are, other gym girls may not have done as well that first meet. I had the same attitude in Bronze.....as my daughter kept getting outscored because she was doing higher skills that were not as perfect. It was hard when placement at meets started. Fast forward 2 yrs and she is getting ready to score out of 5 and go to 6. I used to tell my dd, be proud that you are trying! I would rather see you reaching your goals! And guess what? The medals found their way.