To think most of us would struggle

[Olympia2012]

to facilitate our children in their chosen sport to reach Olympic standard

I look at these athletes and just feel the dedication to that one child and their training completely takes over the family. Mrs Daly,Murray,Tweddle etc, I take my hat off to them.

Dd used to play for a footie team. Just locally, but the dedication to just that was massive. Training,kit, getting to venues across the county etc etc. Dragging all the dc out at weekends. The expense! Petrol, food and fees.

I wonder how the average family would cope. Could you?

Olympia - the rink pay her monthly fees (£350) and she gets free practice ice. They also pay for her competitions and find sponsorship for costumes, boots. There is no way I would be willing to spend £1,000 for a skating dress!

The good money after bad comment refers to many of the other parents who sign the direct debit for £350 per month plus private lessons for DC who clearly do not have the potential to justify the expense - they are subsidising my DD and a handful of others.

I'm all in favour of doing a sport for the love of it but these kids could do this for a lot less than their parents are paying, hence my comments.

Wow, I had no idea ice skating was so expensive .

I think some parents do it though because their kids enjoy it so much and thats what they want to see.

When I was younger I competed in Irish dancing. I wasnt total crap at it, but neither was I ever at the top, I never won or was going to win the big competitions. However, I loved it, and for that reason every bloody weekend my mum would put my hair in a million rollers (hair had to be curly) which took hours, drive around the country, sit and watch her child 'not do that great' then drive home again. We would go to classes 3 times a week, but every evening and Sat/Sun in the run up to bigger competitions, all which cost money. Plus spend a shitload of money on dresses, 2 types of shoes, socks, getting trophies engraved etc. We also did exhibitions abroad on the continent, which was great fun, but again cost money.

Its only now that I appreciate every thing that she did, I took it for granted at the time

Granted it's so much time and money and commitment...but surely better that than having un-sporty children who spend all their time indoors, glued to the TV or the gaming console, or hanging around parks so seemingly aimless and restless?

I know I am presenting an either/or scenario but of the two, I know which one I am encouraging. I know there's a happy in-between, of encouraging hobbies without them having to turn into something but still...

I have so much admiration for our neighbours.

They have 3 sons who all compete at national level but they're all at different ages/classes/stages so every Friday I see them packing up and every Sunday arriving back late from venues all over the country, often going to 2 different ones with each parent or friends. The boys go to quite an academic school too, and they must be doing their homework on the motorway, in tents staying at different sites etc The dad works in the youth scheme so presumably that makes it easier to some extent, but it's still one hell of a committment. Lovely boys too.

I love watching my DD do her Irish dancing doublevodka - though with us it's only one class a week, & a few shows a year. But I bet your Mum loved watching you too. And we never realise what our parents did for us until we're parents too do we ? (assuming you have DC's of your own now ?)

Goodness me tiddly it?s all about the winning with you isn?t it? Have you never considered that they might just like the competing? I have competed in a sport (and hope to get back in to it), I am never in a million years going to win (well actually I did come second once at a very small event), but I love the actual races, the atmosphere etc of them, it?s great. Yes, it?s expensive, but it?s not about the money, it?s the feeling you get from beating your pb or your friend, or even just finishing!

Anyway, if my DC want to compete we will certainly to everything we can to support them.

Our DS plays sport at county level and we DH would love him to go further; it does take up a huge amount of time and energy, plus money, to ferry him everywhere. I think it would be very hard to do if I wasn't a SAHM and DH self-employed or we had more than one child. And it would help if we actually enjoyed watching the game . However I think it is great that he is obviously talented and we would do everything we could to encourage it. Our life is completely dominated by matches and training but I am very happy to support him in something which we believe is very worthwhile, whether or not he becomes an Olympic champion !!

It's interesting that in my DS's sport, the Under 14 County team is at least half only children - perhaps an insight into how much effort it takes.

juggling Irish dancing is great isnt it!

Re: the 'Good money after bad' comment - so it is only acceptable to spend large amounts of money on a child's sports if they are honestly going to be able to make their living out of it when they are older? Surely that is only a very small handful of people in the grand scheme of things, particulalry in certain sports.

Most of my Irish dancing 'career' came before the advent of Riverdance/Lord of the Dance, so there was never the option of making a living out of it (unless you went into teaching). Mum could have been spending all that money on me in the hope that I would become world champion several times over, but she still would have never got that money back!

I think I understand what tiddlypool meant.
I have seen the same with dancing (Ballet in particular). She wasn't saying the parents shouldn't spend the money but there comes a time when you have to say enough to the costs if it isn't something they excel in. Yes still do it but perhaps not to the degree where it breaks the bank.
My dd will never make a ballerina as long as she has a !!!!. However, she is good at tap, modern and Jazz. When the exams for ballet/ costumes and uniform get more expensive she will need to give it up as I won't be able to afford it. She will still do her other dance. The other ice skaters could still skate, I don't think that is what tiddly meant, but you do need to be realistic.

I like to think of myself as very easy going and my attitude is one of enjoy it it and do your best. However, I have 2 very competitve DSs who love sports. DS1 is a good swimmer, and plays football 3 times a week. After watching the olympics he's pestered me to take him to a swimimg club. Foolishly I did and now they've said yes please come and join. So that's my Friday evening's gone. It is so hard as now we have football, swimming and DS 2 doing drama as well. It is getting very expensive and they are still wanting cricket and cycling!! On a practical note I have to say no to some things as I work fulltime and there is homework too. Plus I need a life. I have so much respect for atheletes and all those their parents and support network. It's a hard slog and a long journey.

Young Olympic diver Jack Laugher is in the same year at the same school as my DS2.I scarcely know the boy but felt absolutely sick with nerves watching him compete the other night and heartbroken for him when it all went wrong.
If it's that bad for me just watchinmg as a parent of his friend,God knows what it must be like for his parents and those of other olympians. Iknow Beth Tweddles parents find that the hardest part to bear.

I have to agree - watching them compete is far harder than taking them everywhere and paying for all of it. :)

I'm one of 3kids, my middle sister was very talented swimmer, swam 1hr+ before school 5days a week, my dad used to take her at 6am across London on back of his motorbike, bring her home then commute into the city for his job, my mum would cook her full breakfast, then after school was 2hrs+ of training, plus weekend competitions. My brother played football, I did gymnastics&dancing. I have NO idea how they did it all. My mum was self employed, mostly evening work, my dad did long days in central London. I have no memories of resentment or being left out it was just our life. Now I have two kids of my own massive hats off to them for installing a love of sport in all 3of us. My sister stopped full on training at 15 she didn't have a killer win instinct, but later taught many kids to enjoy a variety of sport.

My DD1 has just finished her first year at a state "outstanding ofsted" primary school and they seem to have such low expectations of what "sport" is. I had my first gym "baga" badge by age 4 as I did gymnastics at primary school, all she has done on the rare occasions they have done PE is toss a beanbag. That's sad, a lot of her friends hardly do any sport, she was one of the younger ones to ride her bike off stabilisers, swim without armbands etc. She loves it. I just want to help her learn have ago at anything see what you like and it keeps you healthy :)

Interesting thread. DS (8) is a talented sportsman who is very, very competitive.

We are resisting pressure from different areas to up his training in a number of sports as it will take over our lives, and especially DD (6)'s life, who shows zero interest in the same sports.

There is no happy medium it seems. Give DS the opportunity but screw up any family time or time for DD.

Charlotte ( dressage) just won a gold, her mum has been talking about how much it all cost. Must be thinking it was worth it now!

Charlotte Dujardin's mother Jane on BBC One after watching her daughter win gold in the dressage: "All the pressure was really on her. I'm so proud - it's unbelievable. When my mother died I knew I had to use the money I inherited to buy Charlotte a horse. She could make a donkey do anything. Not that he's a donkey, but she has made him a grand prix horse. I knew she had all the talent, but didn't have the break until I could buy her the horse."

A very telling comment when all week people have been saying that it isn't an expensive sport.

Valegro is not Charotte's horse. Her mother is referring to a previous 18K horse Charlotte later sold to put towards a house.