Committed children (for want of a better description)

[KatyMac]

I thought I'd start a thread for those of us with 'committed children' - this is a made up name for those children who might have a bit of talent (& equally might not) but who work really really hard at their chosen activity to the detriment of most other things. Often sports (gym, football, athletics) dancing (like my DD) or music take on a whole life of their own and 'overtake' the family.

I'm sure there are other parents out there dealing with this and I wondered if we could chat/swop strategies etc?

Anyone up for it?

gettingalifenow it's OK - we can cope

3 comps coming up!! Which are all quite close to each other (date wise) - but miles apart

coming to this thread late. Also got a committed (dancing) child... until a couple of years ago she had a lot of different activities - football, netball, freestyle (disco) as well as ballroom and latin. Got to a level where something had to give as she was going to have to do football/netball to county level to even keep her in the school teams; and freestyle show rehearsals were conflicting with ballroom/latin comp prep (in same dance school) So she's now only focusing on ballroom/latin. I'd like her to have a wider variety of activities, but not easy at a certain level to balance it all, especially as they were all team things, so would let others down if dropping out of a match/comp due to conflicts

Very few swimmers mentioned on this thread- despite having to get up at 5am to do 2 hours in the pool before school requiring huge commitment from both parents and children! My DD is 12 and does 2 hours x 6 times per week in the pool plus 2 x 1 hour gym/aerobic training, plus competitions at least once a month taking all weekend.
No, she is never going to be an Olympic swimmer- basically even if she had the talent, she doesn't have the overriding desire to win. But- through swimming she has a brilliant group of like minded friends of both sexes from different schools throughout the city and in a range of ages. In their down time they go to the movies/ shopping / bowling/ sleepovers together like any other teenagers. She is very disciplined about getting homework/ music practice done as she has only so many hours in the day to sleep/ eat/ swim to fit it all in and is top of her class and on the honour roll at school. I think it gives tremendous confidence, self esteem, time management social and competitive skills- learning to be a good loser/ be part of a team/ try your best - as well as a very positive and healthy attitude to food/ body shape/ fitness etc. So despite the sacrifices of time, money and sleep, I think it is worth every minute.

swimming is a huge commitment 3nations. Very glad mine weren't that good chose other pastimes!

I think I'd like the getting up early to practise, as we get home from school eat & go out, coming back too late to do any homework.