Parents Upset...is this what I have to look fwd to?

[GymTwinsMom]

:ditto: me too! I tell my dd the only score she should worry about is her own, it's the only one she has any control over and after she competes it's all in the judges hands. All the parents here cheer for the others, even girls on other teams.

Interesting story here. Our gym put on our first meet and a team came (we'll call it team S) Some of our parents who were at the session noticed that team S's HC chewed out his girls after a rotation which really upset them and team S's gymnasts, he was so out of line it even ticked off our meet director who contemplated showing the HC the door. He didnt but the our parents went out of their way to cheer on team S's girls and tell them they did a great job. One of the parents smiled so big when she heard our parents cheering on her dd who just gotten a verbal backlash from their HC. Its not even like the girl had done bad either. There are great parents out there too you just have to watch and see them. :hug:

How upsetting! I also cheer for other girls with the mean parents. There are so many in our gym. This one girl fell off beam at a level 5 meet, and her mom was sitting there just glaring at her daughter. The daughter caught her glare and started crying. They asked her what is wrong and she lied and said "I fell off the beam." What was really making her cry was her mom. That really ticked me off. And on every other event, me and the nicer moms cheered for that girl as we would cheer for our own daughters. Every time we did, the mom would shift around or glare at us back.

Ugh, some moms just don't get it.

 

[Deleted member 1703]

Sometimes it's the dads, too - my daughter fell of the beam 3 times during a competition (just was not her day that day!) and one of the dads turned around and asked loudly "is this the high jump or the beam?"

It took me a while to forgive him!!!

 

[greyhoundrescue]

Oy! I just can't stand those crazy parents. We've been lucky since our gym is so small, they just don't seem to last more than a few weeks. But, I see a whole other side of it when I go to my sons' swim meets. Those parents can be insane and vicious, especially towards their own children! I have seen parents get into fist fights! And believe me, this isn't high-level competition. Most of the kids have only been on the team a year or two.

 

[UnoMas]

Thanks again to everyone. I successfully avoided the psycho moms last night at practice...I did this by hiding in the leotard rack! But my dd got 2 new skills last night and I was so proud of her I didn't even mind hiding in the leos! I did find a grandpa to talk to...he is very proud of his grandbaby of course...but mentioned the progress that ALL the girls are making. Me and grampa are gonna be hanging out on Wednesday nights, lol.

Kelly

 

[Blackie6]

LOL, I love Grandparents too! I also tend to hang out w/them...even at meets they are the best!

On my DD's team there are a couple single moms so there are a lot of grandparents we have come to know and love. But one grandpa comes to the parent meetings too and we love him because he asks all the questions we are afraid to ask sometimes.

 

[gymmomntc2e6]

Thanks again to everyone. I successfully avoided the psycho moms last night at practice...I did this by hiding in the leotard rack! But my dd got 2 new skills last night and I was so proud of her I didn't even mind hiding in the leos! I did find a grandpa to talk to...he is very proud of his grandbaby of course...but mentioned the progress that ALL the girls are making. Me and grampa are gonna be hanging out on Wednesday nights, lol.

Kelly

YEAH GRANDPA !!!!! Sorry you had to hide in the leotard rack - that is kinda sad. But, glad you found someone normal

 

[Billy]

I cannot fathom parents that dare make negative comments about other children! These are children!!! It's bad enough that they are hard on their own kids but how dare they criticize someone else's! I know that we ALWAYS find something nice to say about everyone's kid. And if they have a bad routine, we always express sympathy and encouragement.

There was a little girl on DD's team last year who fell on her floor routine. It was during her handstand but that threw off the whole rest of her routine and she fumbled her way all the way to the end. It really went badly and this poor little girl (she was 7) started crying as she walked off the floor. She started to come over to her mom and the coach had to stop her from actually leaving the area. All us parents felt so bad for her! We all wanted to go hug her. Luckily, the girls on her team were very sweet and went to her and hugged her and talked to her. It was so sad and so sweet. I didn't notice anyone say anything negative but then again, I ignore those kinds of people anyway.

That said, when she was crying, my DD didn't go to comfort her. I later asked her why and she shrugged her shoulders and said "I don't know why she was crying. She just made a mistake." The meet before, DD fell on her handstand and just got up and finished the routine. She didn't let it bother her and didn't really think twice about it so she didn't understand the big deal when this girl fell. We had a talk about sympathy and support for friends and teammates.

 

[GymTwinsMom]

Thanks again to everyone. I successfully avoided the psycho moms last night at practice...I did this by hiding in the leotard rack! But my dd got 2 new skills last night and I was so proud of her I didn't even mind hiding in the leos! I did find a grandpa to talk to...he is very proud of his grandbaby of course...but mentioned the progress that ALL the girls are making. Me and grampa are gonna be hanging out on Wednesday nights, lol.

Kelly

LOL! Yup, grandparents are really nice to hang out with. We have this one couple that comes to every practice that I sometimes talk to. They are so sweet commenting about DDs and their grandbaby, and the rest of the team. At least you found a friend!

 

[gymgramma]

When I was a youth soccer referee, I never had to yellow or red card a child - but I had to yellow AND red card a lot of parents. When my sons played Little League, there were the wacko parents out there too. Sometimes competition brings out the worst in parents!

 

[DbacksMom75]

I hear ya sister!

My DD got placed in the High Development program at our gym. I don't usually get to go to her practice because of my work but this week I got to go (yipee). There was one mom that always sits in front and everyone tells her how wonderful and talented her daughter is (she is in High Development also). Her daughter is very good. A poor mom who's daughter is in the class program says something about how the cute curly haired girl might give her daughter a run for her money (kidding of course). The Queen Bee mom turns around and shoots daggers at me like we are headed to Bejing tommorrow.
I have to say that nothing is as bad as "psycho cheer moms", just finished 4 years of that madness with oldest DD, and never going back.

If your DD loves it, ignore the parents, you'll find them everywhere.

Liz

 

[Deleted member 1703]

Oh madigym00 - I have this mental picture of you hiding in the leotard rack now! Please give us an update on the situation so that I can erase this!!

Dbacksmom- I love your term "the Queen Bee mom" - I have encountered one of those before!! She kind of half 'ran the gym' from the viewing area! I just think that when a parent gets their own identity through what their kids are doing .... that leads to a dangerous situation - for both the kid and the parent.

Just stay normal..... and happy.....and keep your feet on the ground as it hurts less when you fall!!!

 

[UnoMas]

I wasn't actually HIDING in the rack last week...just pretending to be very VERY interested in the leotard selection for 30 min or so. Well, Friday I didn't hide in the leotards... but I also didn't stay at practice long, I dropped dd off and went home with my other two dd's for awhile. The two moms who I had the issue with stay for THE ENTIRE PRACTICE which is two hours three times a week. And, they hover at the window the whole time (they don't sit, they STAND and move around the window so they can see EVERY BIT of every minute that their dd's are practicing). One of them is on her cell phone the whole time talking about...yes...dd and her routines. I am exhausted just watching her!! All the other moms sit in the chairs and will occasionally get up to see what their kids are doing...these two stalk the window the whole time!!

I actually had a nice conversation with a mom whose DD is in level 5 (she is an AMAZING gymnast...invloved in the TOPS program...and 7 yrs old like my dd). This mom was very supportive and even told my dd "congratulations" on her new skills that she got last week. She was telling me how impressed she is with my daughter, picking up skills quickly and all...and not feeling the need to compare our kids!

So, that was good. Hopefully that helps to rid you of the mental image of me hiding in the leos, GymmumUK!!!!

Kelly

 

[GymTwinsMom]

I wasn't actually HIDING in the rack last week...just pretending to be very VERY interested in the leotard selection for 30 min or so. Well, Friday I didn't hide in the leotards... but I also didn't stay at practice long, I dropped dd off and went home with my other two dd's for awhile. The two moms who I had the issue with stay for THE ENTIRE PRACTICE which is two hours three times a week. And, they hover at the window the whole time (they don't sit, they STAND and move around the window so they can see EVERY BIT of every minute that their dd's are practicing). One of them is on her cell phone the whole time talking about...yes...dd and her routines. I am exhausted just watching her!! All the other moms sit in the chairs and will occasionally get up to see what their kids are doing...these two stalk the window the whole time!!

I actually had a nice conversation with a mom whose DD is in level 5 (she is an AMAZING gymnast...invloved in the TOPS program...and 7 yrs old like my dd). This mom was very supportive and even told my dd "congratulations" on her new skills that she got last week. She was telling me how impressed she is with my daughter, picking up skills quickly and all...and not feeling the need to compare our kids!

So, that was good. Hopefully that helps to rid you of the mental image of me hiding in the leos, GymmumUK!!!!

Kelly

Usually the higher level moms are nicer. I find when I go to L&A's level 6 practices there are less psycho moms then in pre-team. Hopefully you see her more often at the gym

 

[bogwoppit]

The two moms who I had the issue with stay for THE ENTIRE PRACTICE which is two hours three times a week. And, they hover at the window the whole time (they don't sit, they STAND and move around the window so they can see EVERY BIT of every minute that their dd's are practicing). One of them is on her cell phone the whole time talking about...yes...dd and her routines. I am exhausted just watching her!! All the other moms sit in the chairs and will occasionally get up to see what their kids are doing...these two stalk the window the whole time!!

You know they are just completely deranged. Be afraid, be very afraid.

 

[Panda-girl's Mom]

I have not had alot of experience dealing with parents who act like this. Last year was my daughters first year on level 4 team, we were all supportive of each other. The kids would cheer each other on during the meets and were also supportive of each other. Often the other girls parents would send my daughter along with the rest of team candygrams to congradulate them at their meets. Our gym also discourages watching the girls during practice the practices for the team are pretty much closed to spectators, I suppose this helps, I think it also helps from distracting the girls when they are practicing. Maybe you could discuss the behavior of some the parents and children with the gym owner so they can do something. You and your daughter should not have experience such behavior ecspecailly if this is upsetting your daughter. I am glad you were able to find a sane caring parent, the higher your daughter advances in the sport the more time both of you will spend with these kids and parents and you should not have to put up with this childlike mean behavior.

 

[kristilyn73]

Kelly - I am glad you found a couple ' normal' people to talk to!

Before my DD was on Team I found it nicer and easier to talk to Team parents. They seem to be past all of the 'my kid is more talented than your kid'. I think they realize how diifficult this sport is and it doesnt matter if your kid is talented or not, it is the Gymnasts dedication that matters!

Enjoy watching your DD get those new skills! Tell her that us here in MN are cheering for her!

K