MAG worrying too much...

[harry'smum]

Do you ever wish your child had chosen another sport, one which wasn't so hard or involved so many hours?
Does anyone else worry about their kid all the time. My son is 8 and has been doing gym for the past 3 years. The past year seems to have been a rollercoaster of worrying about getting new skills(him and me), keeping up with the others in his group(me), worrying his coach is too tough on him(me). Is there just too much pressure. I mean he's only 8, shouldn't he just be playing with his lego without a care in the world instead of stressing about getting his handspring vault?

I know that he loves it, and always wants to go, but he doesn't know any different as he has done it for so long.

Help....! is it just me or do others worry so much...?

 

[UnoMas]

I worry too. I am in the middle of a little mini-crisis right now with my DD who is 12 (been in gym since she was 6). I will say that the stressful stuff seems to come and go. It's not always so stressful! Hang in there. I do believe it is a gift to have something that they truly love, and it does teach them so many things besides just gymnastics. Teamwork, work ethic, confidence, concentration, the list goes on and on.

 

[Amusibus]

I worry too... my baby is 6 almost 7 and at already 9 hours per week plus dance on a different day plus her first year of school being full day (first grade), I just worry that I am doing the right thing by booking up so much of her time. Is this good for the young mind, etc.

 

[MaryA]

Right there with you. It doesn't help that my husband is a firm believer that she is there way too much and that "gymnastics is a cult" and that she and I both "drank the coolaid". I don't think he would ever tell her that she HAD to quit or to switch into a less intense track (unless her grades or our finances dictated it), but everyone is pretty much aware of his stance on it (though he goes to meets and such... It's not that he's unsupportive, just that he believes it's too much). I too worry that she should have more free time, more homework time, more family time. But I also haven't met any adult former gymnasts who seem to regret the time they put into into the sport. In fact, I've actually met a few adult former gymnasts who were in less-intensive programs (DD started out in a Y program) who regret that they didn't have a chance to see how far they might have gotten had they been in a "better" program. So who knows? But yes, when meet season is looming and DD is struggling with skills or I'm at a meet with a raging one of my "meet headaches" I do wonder if it's worth it. I hope that ultimately we will all find that it has been.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

"worry" is for people who are sick or dying. concern is a better word. gymnastics is the hardest sport that a child will ever do. as i have posted before, i have no regrets. keep the faith.

 

[GymnastCentralMom]

harry'smum, I feel for you and can totally relate - I worry about my DD getting new skills, getting to and from practice (which is almost an hour each way), and having a balanced life outside of the gym. But, I have to tell you, I also have a son who is involved in a few different sports (none of which is gym), and it isn't much different. Gym meets have a bit more pressure, but all sports can have it to some degree, especially as they get better and progress to higher levels. There is pressure over making a certain team or making a play and not letting his team down... Overall though, I feel like the benefits they reap far outweigh the burden of these stresses. They are in great physical shape, they have confidence in themselves, and they are developing strong time management skills. As long as they love it and are happy, to me, it is totally worth it.