Child Olympians

Dove - posted on 08/04/2012

Medic, my kids would LOVE to live with you... 5 days/week in the gym would be their heaven. ;)

Medic - posted on 08/04/2012

I think it depends on what the kids want. My 5 year old son does 2.5-3 hours of gym 5 days a week and then takes 3 hours of dance classes a week but only during the school year. He lives for it and he is homeschooled so it is his outside interaction. My 2.5 year old daughter goes to gym 3 days a week for 45 min each and she loves it. The second they stop loving it is the second we will stop. I swam 6 days a week from the time I was 5 till I was 18, I made it to the trials and I got hurt.....I am not mad, shit happens but my parents supported me it was the only way they got me to do anything was to threaten to take it away. I feel that it taught me hard work and determination.

Sally - posted on 07/31/2012

It depends on the kid. I was a very driven child. If I had found a sport I was passionate about while young, I'd have been training for the Olympics and my parents had better have stayed out of my way.
My 8 year old daughter likes many things, but has no ambition in anything yet. She has the natural talent and the body type to grow up to be a ballerina, but she has no interest in the necessary practice. Pushing her would just stress us both out, so I guess she will do something else with her life when she is ready.
My youngest is a lot more like me. Considering the activities of her sister's that she most imitates, I may be trying to figure out paying for Olympic gymnastic training in a few years.

Dove - posted on 07/28/2012

I'm not training my daughter to be an Olympic gymnast, but honestly.... she would LOVE that life that you just described. She already lives and breathes gymnastics... we just don't have the finances or schedule for her to train like that.

Brittany - posted on 07/28/2012

I think that is where you need to know your child and talk with them about it. I think that as long as they still want it, they wont hate the parents for pushing them. Often times it is the coach that is really pushing them anyway.

I have laughed so hard at one of the swim team coaches that works with my husband. She was coaching 10 year olds and was being tough on them (not in a bad way), then sees my kids and squeals in a high pitch "hi".

Laura Zoey - posted on 07/28/2012

And that's the thing! They could hate you for pushing too hard' or could regret you not pushing hard enough. So tough a call.

Brittany - posted on 07/28/2012

I would if they were showing interest. But the second they stopped having fun, I would let them at the very least take a break. My husband wishes that his parents had pushed him more with his swimming. He was second in state in free style, in which he would do butterfly. It is amazing to see him clear the pool like that. He could have made it if he had support, and a good coach.

I believe in showing your child all that they can do, be it sports, art, or more of an academic opportunity. It is all the same.

Chaya - posted on 07/28/2012

If your kids are gifted in gymnastics, encourage that, if your kid is gifted in science or music,encourage that.
Don't worry about the olympics, they will push themselves if that what they want.
I have a friend who trained for the olympics for 20+ years, he made the team, and the US boycotted the olympics. He had a good career as a pastor and he made a living with running, don't know how well he lived. I haven't seen him in years, but he was pretty bitter about the circumstances.
Anything could happen between now and when your children are teenagers or young adults. If they go to the olympics, you'll be proud of them, but you should be proud of them no matter what, and you need to tell them that.

~♥Little Miss - posted on 07/28/2012

I will forever regret not pushing through to attain my dreams. I will forever be hurt that my mother did not help me, push me, or help make it happen. Which she could have and should have.

~♥Little Miss - posted on 07/28/2012

Ok, back up here a minute. My mom was a professional dancer with NYCB. She opened up her own studios, and taught all of us to dance. Neither of my older sisters had the bodies, nor the drive. I did. I wanted to become a professional dancer. I had the skills, the body and determination. Many things happened and crushed my dreams, and I will tell you a huge part of it was because of my mother NOT pushing me enough. Both of my sisters quit and had no dream to really become a professional.

If kids enjoy gymnastics, and they watch the Olympics, I think it is a great goal to reach for. If a child wants to stop, or not be competitive, yes I believe the parents should back off. But sometimes, kids need to be pushed. If it is their dream to become an Olympic star, it takes a lot of time, training and discipline. You will NEED your parents support. Some countries kids are literally FORCED to do it. Nope, I don't agree with that. But if a kid wants it, there will be many times that they want to quit because it is difficult. It is really hard to get across what I am trying to say, but in general, if a kid wants it, they are gonna need the parents to help and keep them motivated.

Laura Zoey - posted on 07/28/2012

Ah but there lies the confusion I think marina. What if you kid loves gymnastics, so you let them know what the Olympics are, let them watch it, and they want to do that. Is it their choice? Or is it also your responsibility to then make sure you protect them from childish dreams. Like if your kid wants to be a base jumper. It's obviously very dangerous and I'd doubt it's legal to let a kid don't so even if it's their dream we should be good parents and say no, it's too dangerous.
And what if they do love gymnastics for a while but then start not liking it but you keep pushing them because they said they liked it and maybe don't tell you they don't really want to anymore. It could turn easily into a situation of a child wanting to please their parents instead of the parents trying to support their child.

~♥Little Miss - posted on 07/28/2012

If you put your child in a program, they love it and are great at it, I see no issue with it. As long as it is the childs dream, and not just the parents forcing it on them.

S. - posted on 07/28/2012

Iv just started my 4 year old at gymnastics but it's once a week and more of a fun thing, I would never be so extreme and pushy kids need to be kids. I have a massive respect for Olympic stars (I can't even do a tipple tail) but that kind of life isn't for my kid's.