Parents So Sad

[gym law mom]

I think we all feel your pain! You mentioned how miserable she was and simply refusing to go to the gym, but couldn't say what was wrong(understand she's only 5). I have to agree with the others on this. You spoke with the gym and they were understanding and gave you tuition back and left the door open. You enrolled her in a dance program which she seemed interested in. At this point I would tell her(not bargain with her) that she can do dance and see how she likes it and if in a few months would like to try a rec class at the gym, then you'll look into it, but you are not going to go back and forth and back and forth.

As for pre-team, I would hold off until she's shown she can handle a rec class without any problems and it would refresh her skills. She may have suffered some from being the "new kid", but who knows.

As for dh---time out! With all she's learned already, she can easily take some time off and come back and be as competitive as she wants---if she really wants it. Taking some dance will certainly help her. If you start the playing one parent against another you're in for a miserable time. Both parents need to be on the same page and stick to it.

 

[DynamicMom]

This morning dd and I had a long talk. She told me the reason she did not like the gym was because she knows no one and she hates the ropes. We did not have ropes at our old gym. She also told me again that she wants to be back on the team. I explained to her that I could understand her wanting to go back. However at this time we have already signed up for dance and that I thought it was a good idea to try and stick this out for a while, and not to say that she quit but she is taking a break. Next June if she is still interesed than she can go back to the gym. She seemed fine with that, so hopefully that will end her saga at least until next year.

 

[flippymonkeysmom]

And remember - she's only 5. My dd didn't start gym until she was 6 and moved up at a decent rate. A lot of girls her age on her team at her level started competing much younger but ended up repeating levels so they ended up at the same place anyway.

 

[Panda-girl's Mom]

I would give her a break for a couple of weeks but if she continues to say she wants to go back I would give it another chance. Waiting until next June is a long time. My daughter went through a short phase 1 or 2 weeks when she was 5 on preteam before going to gym. I ignored her and spoke with the coaches and she stopped crying. This is her 3rd year and she went through the same thing the last 2 years although she did not cry. This past year after competition season was over she wanted to quit again and go to another gym and just try recreatonal classes well after a week she wanted to go back. She is now older, 8. I spoke with her and told if you go back you have to commit to it because it is time consuming and expensive and I explained you have work hard and do what the coaches expect of you if you want to be on the team. This included going everyday in the morning all summer for training. I do not know if it is her age now or what but she is so committed now and looks forward to gym, she is like a different child. Alot of the younger ones cry after hard workouts and conditioning but I explained to my daughter you need to get your muscles stronger to be able to do the skills. I explained that gymnastics is hard work and it one of the hardest sports. I also think when they are young and just starting out they have no idea how hard it is and after a while most of them get used to working out so hard. I think some gyms are more stricter and intense than others maybe this is the case of the new gym. Another girl on my daughters team who was also very young was really talented but she hated the competitions the judges made her nervous and she refused to go to the last couple of meets. Has your daughter competed yet sometimes if they enjoy the meets they have more incentive but if they do not like the meets maybe another sport or activity would be best.