Developing potential in kids

Today, Bin's coach and I talked about Bin's skill level. For people who haven't heard me talk about Bin and tumbling, she is very good. The coach today mentioned that their team coach for the pre-competition team has been watching Bin and while you can not have kids younger than 4 on the team, they are monitoring her with the hope that she will be mature enough to join the team as soon as she is 4. She is not mature for her age- she behaves exactly like a 3.5 year old should. So, they need to decide when she turns 4 if she can handle being on a team or not. She is all over it skill wise and they are very excited over her- like the coach sounded seriously impressed about some of the things she does. The coach also mentioned that she tries to give Bin a little more demanding of tasks than the other kids because Bin needs to be challenged.

Proud mama in my is very proud and excited- wow, my little girl has skills! Worrier mama though...If she has talent, I have to decide how much to develop that. Do I push her to work out all the time with hopes of someday being a champion? Or do I try to keep it just about fun? In twenty years, is she going to say, if mom had put me on the team at 4, I could have been an Olympic champion? Or is she going to say mom stole my childhood by forcing me into tumbling starting at 2 and putting me on the team the first day I was old enough? I know, they haven't even invited her to the team yet (just indicated that they are waiting for her to be old enough), but there is a part of me that worries and plans. Cutie and I had discussed our views regarding pushing her academically and how we felt about raising a genius child (so far, we are thinking genius child not in the cards), but we had never really considered physically gifted child. So, the realization that she has real potential, not just enough to brag about to the other parents but enough that it might actually matter what I do or don't do is a bit of a realization. Watching her in tumbling outpacing the other kids I had started considering it, but hearing teacher talk about it and say how rare it is for a kid her age to do these things (like not just one in a class of six kind of rare) made it really hit home. I guess for now, just wait and see how it goes, but still, something I might need to start considering. Also, will have to consider some big questions, like how much time and money do I spend on Bin's tumbling? During the school year, we are cutting down her classes to one a week instead of two and honestly, we were going to just put her in parks and rec to save money except parks and rec only does pre-preschool tumbling (the highest class is 2-3). I have a sneaking suspicion team is going to cost more than rec classes. They don't post those costs- probably under the argument that those are by invite only. Oh well, that is worry mom worrying.

New baby is still growing and kicking and making mom miserable.

Bin did something cute and I was going to post it up here, but I forgot now. Pregnant brains are stupid brains. :)