Anonymous
04/12/2024 09:37
Subject: Seven-year-old hates meets?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:My 10 and 12 yo still hate it
My high schooler also loves practice but hates meets. It can be really tough for anxious kids. Present her with options and respect her choice.
My high school kid does other activities and rarely goes to meets. The coaches don’t care. We do it for exercise not competition.
Anonymous
04/12/2024 09:24
Subject: Seven-year-old hates meets?
Let her be. If she loves practice, let her practice … a good minis coach will be encouraging without being demanding of meet attendance.
Meets should be fun for the kids participating in them. If they’re not fun, there’s no point.
Meets should be fun for the kids participating in them. If they’re not fun, there’s no point.
Anonymous
04/11/2024 23:50
Subject: Seven-year-old hates meets?
Anonymous wrote:My 10 and 12 yo still hate it
My high schooler also loves practice but hates meets. It can be really tough for anxious kids. Present her with options and respect her choice.
Anonymous
04/11/2024 23:32
Subject: Seven-year-old hates meets?
It should not be viewed as something she should be doing, but isn't. Not at 7.
Anonymous
04/11/2024 22:00
Subject: Re:Seven-year-old hates meets?
Anonymous wrote:The answer is simple. Let her practice and if she doesn't want to do the meets, don't force her.
+1. Also, not saying you’re doing this, but be mindful of not putting any pressure on her whatsoever re: her performance in practices OR meets. Emphasize that you want her to have fun and enjoy swimming, whatever level of participation that entails.
Anonymous
04/11/2024 20:21
Subject: Seven-year-old hates meets?
My 10 and 12 yo still hate it
Anonymous
04/11/2024 20:20
Subject: Seven-year-old hates meets?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:What do you want us to suggest? Cheer her on? Support her? Drug her with anxiety meds?
Encourage her? Pay her?
How do you put your pants on in the morning?
Why are you so nasty? I am trying to help my kid participate in something she enjoys. I was a swimmer and loved seeing my hard work pay off in meets, but I started older than her.
Thanks for the helpful responses. I will not force it. She did do summer swim and really enjoyed it. My concern is mostly whether its better to push her to do it instead of giving in to the fear or just let her be because she was little. Totally agree that summer swim is really different so I will see how that goes.
As to why we do swimming, she has a medical condition where it is better she not do sports that could have physical contact (even soccer) so it is one of our few options for her.
You’ve inadvertently told that this is for you and not your daughter. You want it, she doesn’t.
Anonymous
04/11/2024 20:19
Subject: Re:Seven-year-old hates meets?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:The answer is simple. Let her practice and if she doesn't want to do the meets, don't force her.
This. We don’t do a lot of meets. No big deal.
+1
We do the summer meets we can easily do and we skip every single horrific winter meet. No stress. Don't care.
Anonymous
04/11/2024 20:18
Subject: Seven-year-old hates meets?
Omg she’s 7!!! The only 7 year olds that should be doing club meets are those that are begging to participate. JFC.
- D1 swimmer who didn’t even begin club some until 11.
- D1 swimmer who didn’t even begin club some until 11.
Anonymous
04/11/2024 20:06
Subject: Seven-year-old hates meets?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:What do you want us to suggest? Cheer her on? Support her? Drug her with anxiety meds?
Encourage her? Pay her?
How do you put your pants on in the morning?
Why are you so nasty? I am trying to help my kid participate in something she enjoys. I was a swimmer and loved seeing my hard work pay off in meets, but I started older than her.
Thanks for the helpful responses. I will not force it. She did do summer swim and really enjoyed it. My concern is mostly whether its better to push her to do it instead of giving in to the fear or just let her be because she was little. Totally agree that summer swim is really different so I will see how that goes.
As to why we do swimming, she has a medical condition where it is better she not do sports that could have physical contact (even soccer) so it is one of our few options for her.
You’re not trying to help. She hates meets, she doesn’t enjoy them. Your words.
Anonymous
04/11/2024 20:04
Subject: Seven-year-old hates meets?
Same boat Op. The anxiety and tears (and he rarely cries so I know he was legit anxious) aren't worth the tradeoff.
He gave me so many hugs when I told him he didn't have to do meets. It was like a weight was lifted from him and he was my happy little guy again.
Having said that, he did swim the very last meet (at home; familiar setting) and it was backstroke (no diving into the water required).
And I didn't make a big deal about the meeting leading up to it (purposely skipped the pep rally eventho it was for the A meet swimmers, just needed to not have "swim meet" echoed 72 hrs prior to the meet).
He gave me so many hugs when I told him he didn't have to do meets. It was like a weight was lifted from him and he was my happy little guy again.
Having said that, he did swim the very last meet (at home; familiar setting) and it was backstroke (no diving into the water required).
And I didn't make a big deal about the meeting leading up to it (purposely skipped the pep rally eventho it was for the A meet swimmers, just needed to not have "swim meet" echoed 72 hrs prior to the meet).
Anonymous
04/11/2024 19:43
Subject: Re:Seven-year-old hates meets?
Former swimmer here. I would get very nervous before meets, even though I loved to race. I was a competitive swimmer from 6-17.
This is what I tell my kid: You are only racing against your own time. You have swum this same race every time you go to practice (25 free, etc.). I used to get nervous, too, but I used that to help me go fast in the water. There are some things out of your control (other swimmers, water temperature). Let those thoughts go and just feel calm inside. You got this.
That being said, I wanted to race but had the nervous fluttery feeling before every race, meet. If she really hates meets, etc., then don’t push her.
This is what I tell my kid: You are only racing against your own time. You have swum this same race every time you go to practice (25 free, etc.). I used to get nervous, too, but I used that to help me go fast in the water. There are some things out of your control (other swimmers, water temperature). Let those thoughts go and just feel calm inside. You got this.
That being said, I wanted to race but had the nervous fluttery feeling before every race, meet. If she really hates meets, etc., then don’t push her.
Anonymous
04/11/2024 18:57
Subject: Seven-year-old hates meets?
Anonymous wrote:My seven-year-old loves practice but gets so nervous for meets and doesn't want to do them. She is usually a pretty confident and outgoing kid so this is surprising to me. Is this common? Any strategies for helping hert? The summer season is coming up and I want her to enjoy it!
Stop doing them
See how easy that is.
Why in the world would you force swim meets?
Swimming is a life skill that's it.
Your kid is 7 just stop
Anonymous
04/11/2024 18:47
Subject: Seven-year-old hates meets?
7 is super young. Is her club only entering her in mini meets, or are they putting her meets with larger 12 and under sessions? I can completely understand why a meet with a ton of older kids would be anxiety inducing and not fun for a 7 year old.
Anonymous
04/11/2024 15:07
Subject: Seven-year-old hates meets?
Anonymous wrote:What do you want us to suggest? Cheer her on? Support her? Drug her with anxiety meds?
Encourage her? Pay her?
How do you put your pants on in the morning?
Why are you so nasty? I am trying to help my kid participate in something she enjoys. I was a swimmer and loved seeing my hard work pay off in meets, but I started older than her.
Thanks for the helpful responses. I will not force it. She did do summer swim and really enjoyed it. My concern is mostly whether its better to push her to do it instead of giving in to the fear or just let her be because she was little. Totally agree that summer swim is really different so I will see how that goes.
As to why we do swimming, she has a medical condition where it is better she not do sports that could have physical contact (even soccer) so it is one of our few options for her.