Should we let her try ?

Springfields

We have 2 girls, one quite good at sports, running etc the older one not so much. She is a happy funny child who gets on well at school has lots of friends and gets good reports. However she is not good at sticking with things. She is in the local camogie team but only because her friends are, has no interest in training or practising - she goes happily but shows no enthusiasm. She tried taekwondo which we thought might suit her as doesn't involve running and she lasted 6 weeks and then didn't want to go any more...her sister goes alone and loves it. She was in a soccer team for a year but complained every time training was on and eventually gave it up.
She was in a drama club but that's on hold because of covid.
Personally I don't think she will ever be a sporty kid but we are still trying to get her involved in sports of some type for the physical benefits (she would quite happily sit in front of a tv all day if allowed) and to improve her concentration and focus, which is very poor a lot of the time
Now a new gymnastics class is going to start in our area. She has always wanted to go but I've put it off as there was no local class up to now. I think we should let her go and try it (although I know her co ordination isn't great and she can be quite clumsy) but my partner is worried she will go, not be great at it and it will knock her confidence further (she already realises that her younger sister is better at many sports)
We don't know what to do for the best...
Ideally we would get her into swimming which she loves but there are no classes / clubs going on at the moment..

Heroditas

How old is she? My two aren't the most sporty but they absolutely love gymnastics and can't wait to go to it every weekend.
If anything, it'll teach her coordination.

iamtony

Heroditas wrote: »

How old is she? My two aren't the most sporty but they absolutely love gymnastics and can't wait to go to it every weekend.
If anything, it'll teach her coordination.

I was about to say the same thing about my daughter.

Springfields

Heroditas wrote: »

How old is she? My two aren't the most sporty but they absolutely love gymnastics and can't wait to go to it every weekend.
If anything, it'll teach her coordination.

She is 9, tall and gangly for her age..
That's what I thought, it might help with co ordination etc...

Heroditas

Springfields wrote: »

She is 9, tall and gangly for her age..
That's what I thought, it might help with co ordination etc...

I've been pleasantly stunned at how dextrous and nimble my two have become since they took it up last year. I was a little worried myself but the coaches are brilliant.
My 8yo was doing one handed cartwheels on the way home from school the other day!

Digs

Heroditas wrote: »

How old is she? My two aren't the most sporty but they absolutely love gymnastics and can't wait to go to it every weekend.
If anything, it'll teach her coordination.

Totally agree. My eldest girl is 7, god love her she tries but hasn’t done great at sports in the past. Gymnastics was a game changer for her.

shesty

I would. But I would agree she is stick with it for a bit...a term, or up to Christmas or something.
She is coming up to that age where it will be hard to stick her at anything so if you could get her into it now it could be good.

Has she tried a musical instrument or anything?And why isn't the swimming back, our clubs are all back in our area? Swimming is a life skill in our house and is non-negotiable (regardless of the moaning!!!) And a good grounding in a musical instrument the same.Anything else, we see how it goes.

Springfields

Digs wrote: »

Totally agree. My eldest girl is 7, god love her she tries but hasn’t done great at sports in the past. Gymnastics was a game changer for her.

Thanks that's great to hear. Best of luck to her. Hoping the same for my girl

Springfields

shesty wrote: »

I would. But I would agree she is stick with it for a bit...a term, or up to Christmas or something.
She is coming up to that age where it will be hard to stick her at anything so if you could get her into it now it could be good.

Has she tried a musical instrument or anything?And why isn't the swimming back, our clubs are all back in our area? Swimming is a life skill in our house and is non-negotiable (regardless of the moaning!!!) And a good grounding in a musical instrument the same.Anything else, we see how it goes.

Thanks for that. Yes the first term is to Christmas so it would be a test of sorts for her too to stick it out...
She has never expressed any interest in music yet, her sister has a guitar ( she didn't stick with that either !) But this lady has never picked it up so haven't pushed it.... ( practicing anything seems to be an issue)
Re swimming she loves the water and has done basic lessons but still needs improvement. Our local pool is restricting numbers as per regulations so not doing lessons at the moment, and our nearest club is in a university which is currently a field hospital for covid so no lessons either. I'm sure there will be eventually and will definitely get her to those lessons, same as you, non negotiable in our house.

scarepanda

shesty wrote: »

And why isn't the swimming back, our clubs are all back in our area? Swimming is a life skill in our house and is non-negotiable (regardless of the moaning!!!) And a good grounding in a musical instrument the same.Anything else, we see how it goes.

Theres no swimming class back yet in our area either. Due to the kids ages we would be involved with two pools, one public and one in a hotel, and neither are allowing classes to be held yet because of the restrictions with numbers. The public pool will only start back with lessons when the numbers are increased from 50 to 100, and I'm presuming the hotel pool is similar.

witchgirl26

I think others are right with this in making her stick it out for at least the first term. However she could just not be into sports at all. I wasn't as a child or teenager really and wasn't involved in any team activities like that but it hasn't affected me over-much in life. She might take years to find an exercise type activity that she likes (it too me to my mid-30's!).

You say she realises that her younger sister is better at sports than she is but does this really bother her at all? Is this in any way the reason for her dropping them or is it just a coincidence.

Springfields

witchgirl26 wrote: »

I think others are right with this in making her stick it out for at least the first term. However she could just not be into sports at all. I wasn't as a child or teenager really and wasn't involved in any team activities like that but it hasn't affected me over-much in life. She might take years to find an exercise type activity that she likes (it too me to my mid-30's!).

You say she realises that her younger sister is better at sports than she is but does this really bother her at all? Is this in any way the reason for her dropping them or is it just a coincidence.

Totally agree, I was/am the same, no interest in sports when I was younger and only now realising the benefits. That's why I thought the gymnastics might suit, she doesn't really see this as 'sport'(more like dance / fun to her). She will never be into athletics / running etc which is perfectly fine, but want her to do some physical activity (she moans and groans about going for a walk! ).
I have no problem with her not being 'sporty' - I just want to encourage her to stick with something and do some sort of physical activity.

As for her sister, she is aware that her sister is a better / faster runner than her, and it doesn't seem to bother her in the slightest (we always remind them that everyone is good at different things and not everyone is the same) so I don't think she feels bad about that (she is fairly easy to read emotionally)
And if she does go to the class it wont be with her sister (there is only a place for her at the moment) so she wont be comparing herself to her sister in that regard

pwurple

I say let her try it, and yes, she may not have found her sport yet. This may not be it either. I've a 9 year old too, who absolutely loves swimming, and hates football and camogie. She also got a bit fed up with gymnastics I have to say, but it could just be our local club, as they kept doing fundraising "tumbelthons". after practicising doing forward rolls after rolls after rolls in a row for 6 weeks, she was headachey, sore necked and didn't want to go back (and I didn't blame her!)

She joined scouts a couple of years ago, and really loves that. orienteering, adventures in woods, camping, lighting fires, hillwalking. All that stuff really interests her. She likes tennis too, they do it with the school.

Keep the exposure up to a few different things I'd say, until she finds her place.

_Brian

Within reason we let the kids try everything that was available.

How else will they find the thing that fits them.

Springfields

pwurple wrote: »

I say let her try it, and yes, she may not have found her sport yet. This may not be it either. I've a 9 year old too, who absolutely loves swimming, and hates football and camogie. She also got a bit fed up with gymnastics I have to say, but it could just be our local club, as they kept doing fundraising "tumbelthons". after practicising doing forward rolls after rolls after rolls in a row for 6 weeks, she was headachey, sore necked and didn't want to go back (and I didn't blame her!)

She joined scouts a couple of years ago, and really loves that. orienteering, adventures in woods, camping, lighting fires, hillwalking. All that stuff really interests her. She likes tennis too, they do it with the school.

Keep the exposure up to a few different things I'd say, until she finds her place.

Thanks for that. Yep I'm all for exposing her to as much as possible in order for her to find her thing. Just afraid of knocking her confidence if she finds she isn't good at sport but it's not the end of the world and would be very happy just to find something that she loves and is enthusiastic about. I would love her to enjoy some physical activity though as she could happily sit o n the couch all day.
So guess we will keep trying different things and hope something sticks. Pity the gymnastics didn't work out for ye.
Have her on a waiting list for scouts too and I'm pretty sure she would love that...

Springfields

_Brian wrote: »

Within reason we let the kids try everything that was available.

How else will they find the thing that fits them.

Yes that's my philosophy too...nothing to be learnt from not trying...

Springfields

So we let her join and give it a go, she is enjoying it so far (3 classes in) but is still not inclined to practice. We have told both girls on many occasions that the only way to get good at anything is to practice, but it doesn't seem to sink in. So I've told her, she has 1 term to prove that she is interested or she wont be returning after christmas. Might seem harsh but its 100e a term and unless she puts in some effort, we are not forking out again and again. Fingers crossed..

Heroditas

Just let her attend the training sessions for the first while.
My 5yo and 8yo never practice but they're beating down the door to go to gymnastics on Saturday.
The main thing is she's attending it and enjoying it. Leave it at that for the time being.
If you push her too much she may be more inclined to lose interest.
It's unlikely she'll be the next Nadia Comaneci