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I honestly hope your girls meet the highest potential they have in this sport, and that you enjoy every minute of it. Hope I didn't come off as snarky...it was just my 'in the moment' cautionary tale.@littlestALLSTAR Wow... just wow. I'm not wishing that for my kids so don't worry! ;)
What a great post, there is much wisdom in these words. My CP made Y5 at age 8, it was hard...no, VERY hard on both her and me. The pressure can be overwhelming at times, so be careful what you wish for and choose carefully the direction you lead your child towards. My CP 'wanted' to be on this team from age 6, and worked hard to get there. That does not necessarily mean she had the emotional maturity to deal with all that comes with it. There are both tears and triumphs at every level, try and savor what is happening with your girls right now..because in our specific experience the tiny 1 through Youth 3 days were golden. This level 5 stuff is no joke...my advice is to take it slow. Like I said, be careful what you wish for.[/QUOTE]1. There are a very select few gyms with Y5 teams to accommodate your 8 year old should she actually get her full so young. Depending on where you live; there's nowhere for her to cheer at her level.
2. Pushing skills so early leads to burn out. If you are doing practice 2x/week, privates on non-practice days, and flyer class on weekends in FIRST GRADE, that is not making for a well-rounded life that needs to include kid things, like just coloring and doing nothing. You can also CAUSE your kid to mental block because they just become so stressed and overwhelmed that they just can't do it.
3. Not every kid is going to end up Level 5. There are kids who (gasp) age out at Senior 3 or 4. Their cheer careers are just as fulfilling as their Worlds team counterparts. Really.
4. Tumbling alone does not aLevel 5 cheerleader make! Sure, your 3rd grader has a full, but is she capable of basing or flying at that level? What about jumps? Can she perform in dance and pick up choreo like a Level 5 athlete needs to do? There are other factors to consider!
I don't think I did. I try to be careful what I say. Ok on the vent thread I think I once said the desk staff and manager can be rude. Stuff that is said in the parents section shouldn't really be repeated here...
My favorite video is captioned "Look at her! Only 8 and flying level 5!" (At a well-known college camp.)
Last I checked, L5 skills were not hard at all when you're under 40 lbs and performing them with SENIOR-AGED/COLLEGIATE LEVEL BOYS.
Let's get some video of her flying Level 3 with her Y3 peers and see what that technique looks like.
Don't worry. I'll wait.
there are some glaring similarities....Guys, I'm not gonna lie. When I first saw the title of the thread I thought it was going to turn into another 3 Year Old BHS thread. I'm pleasantly surprised.
No pink font, though!there are some glaring similarities....
So, some people are saying Tinys and Minis should have fun and there is no rush to learn skills. As long as they don't pee on the mat they're doing good.
Then other people are saying (on a different thread) that cheer is a competetive sport, everyone should be treated the same no matter what age and if you don't like it, go somewhere where there's only rainbows and butterflies.
I guess there are just different opinions then? And as a parent you have to try to find what suits your child best.
Which one do I want? I would say somewhere in the middle of the 2 statements.
My 4yo is in a class for ages 4-7.
Sidenote: I also think that there is a culture in youth sports that dictates that your kid needs to start out EARLY DOING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
<gasp> I really hope this is not going to take away from her art time. I've been patiently waiting for the next in the "fat man" series. Now I know why it's not ready!
OMG This. At least once a day we get a phone call from someone wanting to put their one year old in ballet. Because she "really already points her toes! I am sure she's meant to dance!" It is unreal how many moms feel the need to start their kids as early as possible - and then brag about it for the next 16 years.
If I hear one more mom say "Well, she's been dancing for 10 years" about their 12-year-old, I will lose it.
I would say 90% of parents who put their kids in something at the age of 2 or 3 do it for themselves, not the kid.
<gasp> I really hope this is not going to take away from her art time. I've been patiently waiting for the next in the "fat man" series. Now I know why it's not ready!