obsessed parents

Date: Sun Aug 3 9:41 AM, 2008

RE: obsessed parents

Date: Sun Aug 3 9:57 AM, 2008

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

When do the coaches feel it is necessary to step in and say something, or is it just something that the other parents should bring it up to this so call "obsessed parent"? In my gym we are actually losing teammates because the parents don't want to be at practice with this other parent anymore because she causes so much drama.

Trolls DO that, dontcha know?They contaminate the air everyone else has to breathe and are then SHOCKED the day NO ONE wants to cross their bridge anymore!

Define troll please

Date: Sun Aug 3 10:58 AM, 2008

lol funny. I'm a mom of an 8 year old in Northern CA. Last year she was on a youth team that practiced twice a week. I had her doing privates for an hour once a week, then open gym for 2-3 hours. I paid a pretty penny for her to get her skills outside of the gym because SHE WAS NOT LEARNING THEM AT THE GYM. They just didn't work the skills enough. Toward the end of the year my kid had lv 4 skills, except that standing tuck. She cried when she didn't get it. So this year the program director said if she wanted to be on a level 5 team that SHE HAD TO DO BOTH HER TEAM FROM LAST YEAR AND THE LEVEL 5 TEAM.

Thoughts now????

Date: Sun Aug 3 11:11 AM, 2008

Anonymous wrote:

lol funny. I'm a mom of an 8 year old in Northern CA. Last year she was on a youth team that practiced twice a week. I had her doing privates for an hour once a week, then open gym for 2-3 hours. I paid a pretty penny for her to get her skills outside of the gym because SHE WAS NOT LEARNING THEM AT THE GYM. They just didn't work the skills enough. Toward the end of the year my kid had lv 4 skills, except that standing tuck. She cried when she didn't get it. So this year the program director said if she wanted to be on a level 5 team that SHE HAD TO DO BOTH HER TEAM FROM LAST YEAR AND THE LEVEL 5 TEAM.

Thoughts now????

Just to add, at open gym she played most of the time with her friends. Building forts out of the mats. Doing stunts with the older kids. She wanted to be on the level 5 team to do the "Cool stunts and not lame stunts " as she would say.

Date: Sun Aug 3 1:14 PM, 2008

Anonymous wrote:
I am in your same position as my child doesn't seem to advance with only regular practice and I pay for extra private lessons, but it is still fun to her. When I notice her starting to get crabby and tired I cut back. I think sometimes it is up to us to notice the signs of burnout and tell them to stop, because sometimes it is the kids that push themselves because it is so competitive that they don't know when to stop. It's the parents that don't quit pushing (too much) their kids to be bigger, better, center of attention, will stop at nothing to get what they want (including putting other children down) in order to make it happen for them. It does happen with every sport. That's too bad for those that try to make it enjoyable for all and not just an individual success for themselves or bragging rights to other cheer moms because they will soon discover it's not about that and they will be sitting there cheering all by themselves while the other parents are cheering on the whole team.
Anonymous wrote:

lol funny. I'm a mom of an 8 year old in Northern CA. Last year she was on a youth team that practiced twice a week. I had her doing privates for an hour once a week, then open gym for 2-3 hours. I paid a pretty penny for her to get her skills outside of the gym because SHE WAS NOT LEARNING THEM AT THE GYM. They just didn't work the skills enough. Toward the end of the year my kid had lv 4 skills, except that standing tuck. She cried when she didn't get it. So this year the program director said if she wanted to be on a level 5 team that SHE HAD TO DO BOTH HER TEAM FROM LAST YEAR AND THE LEVEL 5 TEAM.

Thoughts now????

Just to add, at open gym she played most of the time with her friends. Building forts out of the mats. Doing stunts with the older kids. She wanted to be on the level 5 team to do the "Cool stunts and not lame stunts " as she would say.

Date: Sun Aug 3 1:17 PM, 2008

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

lol funny. I'm a mom of an 8 year old in Northern CA. Last year she was on a youth team that practiced twice a week. I had her doing privates for an hour once a week, then open gym for 2-3 hours. I paid a pretty penny for her to get her skills outside of the gym because SHE WAS NOT LEARNING THEM AT THE GYM. They just didn't work the skills enough. Toward the end of the year my kid had lv 4 skills, except that standing tuck. She cried when she didn't get it. So this year the program director said if she wanted to be on a level 5 team that SHE HAD TO DO BOTH HER TEAM FROM LAST YEAR AND THE LEVEL 5 TEAM.

Thoughts now????

Just to add, at open gym she played most of the time with her friends. Building forts out of the mats. Doing stunts with the older kids. She wanted to be on the level 5 team to do the "Cool stunts and not lame stunts " as she would say.

Just curious-when did your child start cheer in order to be at a four when she was eight?My daughter started kind of late for this sport and I can't tell if she is behind in her skills or not.

We have done a couple of private lessons, but to be honest with you she didn't get much out of it.

Date: Sun Aug 3 1:52 PM, 2008

My daughter started when she was 6 years old. This is her 3rd year of cheer. You really can't compare one child to another child. Also remember that each tumbling instructor is different. The best thing that I can suggest is 1. ask your daughter what is her goal for the season? 2. Find an instructor that she is comfortable with. If she is comfortable with an instructor, you will get results.

Date: Sun Aug 3 9:07 PM, 2008

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

When do the coaches feel it is necessary to step in and say something, or is it just something that the other parents should bring it up to this so call "obsessed parent"? In my gym we are actually losing teammates because the parents don't want to be at practice with this other parent anymore because she causes so much drama.

Trolls DO that, dontcha know?They contaminate the air everyone else has to breathe and are then SHOCKED the day NO ONE wants to cross their bridge anymore!

Define troll please

Trolls are the gate keepers of the gym they decide if you can come in or not.

Fun in the Sun · Veteran Member

Wow, that seems a lot for an eight year old to take on. My daughter is twelve and by January last season, she was on three teams. We did not solicit this. There was a need on each of the teams and the coach felt she was the best child to fit that need. From January to May she was in the gym 13 to 15 hours a week for team practice. Don't get me wrong, she loved being on these teams and loved being at the gym. However, it was a little much during nationals, since we had four, 2-day, back to back comps including traveling to Georgia and San Jose. It was fun, but exhausting. This year we have another jam packed national schedule, but she is only on one team which is a level five. This will give her more time to concentrate on those skills, instead of worring about learning routines for other teams. Last year she was unable to work on her running tumbling because of switching over to the other team during her original team practice. The two level four teams she was on pracitced on the same night. I hope this info will be of use to you. Your daughter has plenty of time to reach level five. Let her have fun and be an eight year old. You don't want her to burn out by age nine. God bless and good luck with your season and any decision you make regarding your daughter.

Date: Mon Aug 11 5:46 AM, 2008

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

lol funny. I'm a mom of an 8 year old in Northern CA. Last year she was on a youth team that practiced twice a week. I had her doing privates for an hour once a week, then open gym for 2-3 hours. I paid a pretty penny for her to get her skills outside of the gym because SHE WAS NOT LEARNING THEM AT THE GYM. They just didn't work the skills enough. Toward the end of the year my kid had lv 4 skills, except that standing tuck. She cried when she didn't get it. So this year the program director said if she wanted to be on a level 5 team that SHE HAD TO DO BOTH HER TEAM FROM LAST YEAR AND THE LEVEL 5 TEAM.

Thoughts now????

Just to add, at open gym she played most of the time with her friends. Building forts out of the mats. Doing stunts with the older kids. She wanted to be on the level 5 team to do the "Cool stunts and not lame stunts " as she would say.

Just curious-when did your child start cheer in order to be at a four when she was eight?My daughter started kind of late for this sport and I can't tell if she is behind in her skills or not.
We have done a couple of private lessons, but to be honest with you she didn't get much out of it.

Can't compare child to child. Some children have raw natural talent and just need a coach to help clean it all up.

Date: Mon Aug 11 6:43 AM, 2008

Fun in the Sun wrote:

Wow, that seems a lot for an eight year old to take on. My daughter is twelve and by January last season, she was on three teams. We did not solicit this. There was a need on each of the teams and the coach felt she was the best child to fit that need. From January to May she was in the gym 13 to 15 hours a week for team practice. Don't get me wrong, she loved being on these teams and loved being at the gym. However, it was a little much during nationals, since we had four, 2-day, back to back comps including traveling to Georgia and San Jose. It was fun, but exhausting. This year we have another jam packed national schedule, but she is only on one team which is a level five. This will give her more time to concentrate on those skills, instead of worring about learning routines for other teams. Last year she was unable to work on her running tumbling because of switching over to the other team during her original team practice. The two level four teams she was on pracitced on the same night. I hope this info will be of use to you. Your daughter has plenty of time to reach level five. Let her have fun and be an eight year old. You don't want her to burn out by age nine. God bless and good luck with your season and any decision you make regarding your daughter.

Exactly, I feel the younger parents want all these skills right away and then what?? NOt that you shouldn't push athletes, but seriously give them the opportunity to just relax.

Date: Mon Aug 11 11:32 AM, 2008

That's why I took my 8 yr old some where else where she could have fun and learn at the same time. To have a coach tell an 8yr that she needs to be on two teams to learn something new is too much pressure. This thread talks about obessed parents, but there are coaches out there that don't think about about the what is too much for the child.

Date: Mon Aug 11 2:53 PM, 2008

Was anyone watching the commentary on the Chinese women's gymnastics when they said these kids were selected at age 3 to be trained Olympics athletes? I can't imagine how many little girls were burned out and injured before making it this far. Talk about a kid not having a life outside of their sport. Can you only imagine what life is like for these little girls? They probably walk/eat/sleep gymnastics, and if they fail, then what happens them? We think maybe we push our kids too hard (and granted, some do), but I think for the most part the parents are here to support and encourage our kids to do their best and to have fun. It's ok to work hard for something, as long as life has balance and that self worth is not determined by cheerleading (or gymnastics).

Date: Mon Aug 11 3:32 PM, 2008

The Soviet Republic used to do that, too. Not sure if they still do.

Did anyone see that poor Chinese athlete on the uneven bars that fell? She had this incredible routine going with wildly difficult tricks. From what I could tell, her form was perfect. Then she went from the high to low bar and .... fell. She chalked her hands, got back on and executed the rest of the routine perfectly, and her landing as well was solid and perfect. This girl looked all of 8 years old, she looked so very, very young. I didn't catch her name, or how old she is.

Date: Mon Aug 11 3:47 PM, 2008

Well what is interesting about that is the minimum age is 16. I know which girl you are referring to, and I don't mean to make accusations but ... come on. There are a few girls who look very very young. I don't know how strict the board has been about making sure the documents are legit, they are claiming all their girls are 16+.

Date: Mon Aug 11 3:59 PM, 2008

They are required to be 16, but there's a lot of controversy about whether or not the Chinese girls really are that old and whether the government falsified their ages on their passports.

They don't appear to be 16. Some of them look like they are 10.

Date: Mon Aug 11 4:52 PM, 2008

Anonymous wrote:

They are required to be 16, but there's a lot of controversy about whether or not the Chinese girls really are that old and whether the government falsified their ages on their passports.

They don't appear to be 16. Some of them look like they are 10.

They are not 16.

Date: Mon Aug 11 5:07 PM, 2008

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

They are required to be 16, but there's a lot of controversy about whether or not the Chinese girls really are that old and whether the government falsified their ages on their passports.

They don't appear to be 16. Some of them look like they are 10.

They are not 16.

Not at all. There is no way possible.

Date: Mon Aug 11 6:27 PM, 2008

y'all that one girl on chinas team still has baby teeth!

flipkidjudge · Senior Member

A standard policy of the Communist countries is to falsify the passports of athletes who are raised and trained for one purpose: to bring glory to the motherland. What we do not understand is their mindset is that the government invested in them for this purpose. They gave them a better lifestyle compared to many of their country men just to train for the Olympics and World Championships. In some cases the parents were subsidized as well for their "loaning" the child to the government (called mother and father) for those years. To not win would bring great shame and humiliation upon the family.

It was just revealed that the Romanian coaches and officials finally admitted falsifying ages for gymnasts in past Olympics including Gina Gogean and Alexandria Marinescu. I have no doubt that this is what also happened with the Chinese gymnasts. We will probably get confirmation of this in future years.

Ironically it was stated that one of the Russian coaches commentated that one of his gymnasts he could hardly keep focused leading up to these Olympics as she would throw a routine and then go to her cell phone and text her friends. I don't think he was too excited to embrace the new "freedoms" taking place in his country...rofl.