WAG Typical gym lobby drama

[GymBeeMom]

My daughter is a great kid surrounded by other great kids with great coaches. In fact, I regularly gush about the joyous triumphs of individual gymnasts and our gyms successes as a whole. Both of my kids are in the best place for them (1 boys team, 1 girls team). HOWEVER, I feel like every word I say comes back to bite me in the butt. If I say that a kid did well, a parent of another gymnast will get offended that I didnt compliment their child too. If something good happens to my own kid, I feel like there is a parent ready to one-up her accomplishment. I try to avoid the lobby but between both kids I am at the gym a lot, it just happens that way. I feel like everything I say, mostly good things, end up coming back to me(often taken out of context). Just ridiculous that lobby drama even exists. Most of these parents seem pretty nice and normal one on one~why does this happen?????? BTW: The boys team parents DO NOT seem to have the same drama...go figure.

Thanks for letting me vent. Rationally I know how these things happen. Emotionally it drives me nuts because all these girls and boys are there for the love of gymnastics. Some have dreams of Olympics, college scholarships, or the next level 4 meet...and they all are wonderful accomplishments/goals. I just wish the lobby didn't make good people act so miserably sometimes.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

go boys gymnastics!

 

[GymBee97]

Its so true about the boys gymnastics. Girls gymnastics (parents included) are just so tied up in the drama so much. I try to avoid it by keeping my mouth shut and not taking anything the others say as anything but gossip and foolishness.

 

[mumoftwogymnasts]

iPod. Headphones. Good book

 

[sglemon]

I swear when it comes to girls, there is ALWAYS drama, whether gymnastics, dance, travel soccer or school. I have never had drama with my 2 boys. You just need to learn to ignore it. I know it is easier said then done. Just go about your ways and pay no attention, because the number 1 reason someone acts like that is because they are jealous. I have also come across people who do it to make them feel better about theirselves, we fortunately had one of those move. Their DD would go around bragging and bullying the girls at the gym, then the mom walked around telling everybody how the mom of the girls being bullied were just jealous. They bought their own gym for their DD. You just need to hold your head up and know you are better then them.

 

[iwannacoach]

. Their DD would go around bragging and bullying the girls at the gym, then the mom walked around telling everybody how the mom of the girls being bullied were just jealous. They bought their own gym for their DD. You just need to hold your head up and know you are better then them.

Now that's what you'd call.....money well spent!

 

[Moxiegrl83]

^^^LoL

When I was in the lobby, a good book or my phone was always in hand. Most of the mom's are super, very sweet and supportive. But there are always a few who ruin it. Now I work at the gym, so I can avoid the lobby. Unfortunately the one's starting drama in the lobby, continue it at the front desk. You really can't win.

 

[iwannacoach]

Every gym should have a large sign........DRAMA FREE ZONE......and below that one of those circles with the diagonal line and inside that circle a well done drawing of a cgm with her head expanding as if it were ready to blow........

That might get some of them to back off just a bit, and if that doesn't work the freshly sworn-in "drama police" could haul them off to the "time out" area featuring 72 inch wide screen.......showing continuous episodes of Dr Phil.

 

[Flossyduck]

It's funny but it's the complete opposite at our gym - the mums from the girls side all chat together and get along, I'm not aware of any obvious drama and any that does arise is just given a bit of sympathetic muttering and then moved on from. The boys however, my gosh the stuff I have overheard makes my head spin. They could make a tv show from the drama that seems to surround the boys squad parents, squabbles over groupings and testing and coaching, so much so that my son is doing gym somewhere else (I haven't told anyone), because I hate the thought of having to stand and talk to them...

 

[bookworm]

Books! Books! Books! (read outside of the gym, of course)

 

[Kiwi]

I keep reading these horror stories here. I think I've been very lucky so far! Our group of parents all seem to get on very well and support each other and all the girls, it's very friendly. As for people being offended that you complimented another gymnast and not their kid, that is just ridiculous, they need to grow up! If they complain about anything you say, maybe don't say anything at all from now on so they've got no ammunition?

 

[maryRS]

I agree with what others say about girls and drama - add that to the mix a bunch of moms (and some overly petty dads) it just makes for a big drama fest!

My husband always tells me he feels that the gym parents are odd and just way too into drama. I have tried to explain to him that it's just being in a sport with girls, and that 90% of the involvement seems to be moms, and the director of the program is a mom, and well, it just leads to a lot of drama.

What I try to do is drop off, don't go in. I do go in sometimes to pick up because it's late and there is not always a good way to park right in front. But when I go in I will busy myself and use the the bathroom, wash my hands, pay my bill at the desk lol. I try really hard when I speak to other moms to ask them something other than gymnastics. If you can get the conversation geared away from gymnastics it seems to help. Once mention of gymnastics comes up, it seems to be a free for all when it comes to gossip and complaining

 

[wallinbl]

Why pay for cable TV when you have your own live reality TV drama?

 

[Deleted member D3987]

hahahahahahahahahahahahaha^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

[ivyagogo]

Our gym is rec-only. The owner says that after doing this for 30 years, he can't deal with the drama of a team anymore.

 

[Pineapple_Lump]

I think the Police have a saying that is good advice for the parent viewing area. 'You have the right to remain silent, anything you say or do can and will be used against you in a court of (law) crazies'

 

[iwannacoach]

Under advice of attorney, see.......I'm not gonna talk, see.......'cuz I didn't do nuthing, see.......so.......Isn't I funny how possibly the most argumentative (legal arguments) professions would advise people not to talk! Kinda seems like the pot's calling the kettle something, maybe even behind it's back.

Oh, and by the way, it's not true that the pot's dd gets more attention from the coach than the rest of the team, and don't tell anybody, at least not that you heard it from me, but I heard yesterday.................

 

[cbone]

First of all, LOL @ iwc!

Secondly, I found that most drama comes because parents won't be realistic and honest with themselves about their gymmie. Everything in the lobby stems from that one truth...

 

[mommyof1]

First of all, LOL @ iwc!

Secondly, I found that most drama comes because parents won't be realistic and honest with themselves about their gymmie. Everything in the lobby stems from that one truth...

Show a little compassion for those of us who will never be the proud parents of a Level 3 state vault champion. Trust me, we are all highly aware of our kids' limitations, but maybe we think they deserve our support for their dreams anyway.

(By the way, I am not a gym lobby drama mama. I never say anything to the other parents other than "She's so cute" or "She looks like she's having so much fun" or "She must be so excited about that new skill she just got.")

 

[wallinbl]

Show a little compassion for those of us who will never be the proud parents of a Level 3 state vault champion. Trust me, we are all highly aware of our kids' limitations, but maybe we think they deserve our support for their dreams anyway.

I don't think it was about that - I think it was about the fact that some parents act like their kid is going to win the Olympics someday and the rest of us are just getting in the way.