- Mar 16, 2011
- 5,591
- 21,171
Lest we forget as comp season, and psycho season, is in full swing...CHEER MOMS and DADS, may I present the Not a Cheer Parent "Rules..."
Speaking
Typing
Applauding
Parenting
Practices
Competitions
Team
Gyms
Speaking
- When sitting in a group and another person walks into the room, you will acknowledge new person. You will also ask them to join the group. NOT huddle closer together to exclude new person. Just.plain.rude.
- Under no circumstances will you speak negatively about someone else's child.
- If you have an issue with another parent, coach etc, you will discuss said issue with that person privately. Not after you've asked the opinion of everyone in the waiting room.
- You will not interrupt Sally's mom's proud moment with "WELL SUSIE can do that AND this..."
- An NACP member will never start a sentence with "Not to be rude, but..." Cuz whatever comes out of your mouth next is....gonna be rude.
- If you don't like me, that's fine. I probably don't like you either. Please be civil and polite and I will do the same. We need to deal with each other for the next 11 months. We might as well make the best of it!
- You will not tell everyone your CP is going to make senior 5 when she is working her bhs. Per Just-a-Mom, “you should not know or be speculating about what team your CP is going to make.” Be it level 5 or any other level.
- You will not run around telling everyone who should or shoudn't fly or make a certain team!!
- Nor will you walk up to your CP's coach and say, "You know I'm not THAT parent but..."
- You will avoid the "cheer mama drama" of others and anything that can be construed as such.
Typing
- You must refrain from putting cryptic status updates on Facebook. Those type of updates are meant to create drama and gossip. NACM club members will also ignore such messages.
- You will not privately message other moms on Facebook to get the gossip about what happened at practice.
Applauding
- When someone else's child gets a skill, you will exude nothing but joy for that child.
- You will cheer / clap for all teams at a competition, teach your CP to do the same, and NOT visibly cheer when your CP's competitor drops a stunt (or other mishap).
- You will maintain a reasonable amount of decorum in regard to your CP's skills. You will observe their technique, never critique it, and remain realistic and humble about Susie's ROBHS, tuck, full or double. Even if she's 5.
Parenting
- You will NOT tell your CP they must get X skill because Susie got it and they MUST be better then them.
- Nor will you take their cell phone away or otherwise punish them if they don't get X skill in the timeframe you have decided they should get it in.
- You will also not bribe your CP with a new cell phone, or other electronic/digital device, for getting X skill.
- You are a parent, not one of the kids on the team, you may look cool, but you’re not.
Practices
- Thou shalt not under any circumstance leave a fog print on a gym window from watching too intently.
- Thou shalt not pound on windows to get your CP’s attention.
- Thou shalt not use sign language to yell at your child when they are out on the floor practicing, it's just as distracting to them as if you yelled it out loud.
- Thou shalt not hold up nasty notes upon the Parent/Spectator Viewing window in the gym with the intent to coach your child. Doesn’t work. Rating cards are out of the question, too.
- You will NOT allow CP to skip practices, unless there are family emergencies or hospital bound sickness/injures...and yes, you will bring in that doctor's note!
- You will not let CP join extra curricular activities that will interfere with practice on a regular basis then expect all the other athletes and parents to be understanding.
- Thou shalt not keep your child from going to practice because YOU don't think she is trying hard enough.
- You will not take your cp to practice if he/she has vomited (due to virus,) had a fever or been diagnosed with anything else viral within the last 18 hours.
Competitions
- If something happens during a performance, you will not sit and badmouth your child’s teammate as soon as your child comes off the stage.
- Under no circumstances will you ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever buy your CP, or any other CP, alcohol at Worlds. Even if the CP is 32 years old and on IOC6.
Team
- You will know that SOMEONE had to pay for the snacks and drinks at the 3 hour practice called the week before competition and for the celebration cake with the picture of the team with their jackets and medals after the competition and you will give some $$ to the team mom to help pay for it. **Add: Sometimes people think cupcakes/cakes, pizza, snacks and drinks for the whole team every 30 days or so come from the team mom fairy or something. Peel yourself off the glass and offer to go pick the pizzas up.
- Thou shalt not take 2 months off at the beginning of the season (because we need a break) and then expect your CP to be front and center and fly.
- You will not allow Suzie to take the summer off. Only to return in the fall because she soooo misses cheer..
- Please remember that All Star routines are NOT performed entirely in a straight line. This means someone actually HAS to be in the back row. However, they are still important to the team, so please don't pull them because you "didn't pay for the back row".
Gyms
- If you decide to leave your gym, it will not be because CP did not make his/her team of choice. You will not un-friend friends from your previous gym on facebook, nor will you un-friend someone else who leaves the gym. Unless proof is given that they talked smack about you and/or your CP prior to and/or immediately following departure, then this rule is null and void.
- And once you have committed to another gym before the official end of the season, you won't dress our CP from head to toe in practice gear from the new gym for the last tumbling practice at the OLD gym.
- You will not under any circumstances EVER wear your daughter's cheer bows, in public or in private (which includes posting pictures of yourself wearing them on FB) ... EVER!
- Remember what the saying is about booty u ming (assuming.)
It was almost a year ago. I know one person but I only know her real name now and she'd choke me if I posted it here.
