All-Star Question For Other Parents

[shootingstarsfan]

My parents actually just got divorced. My mom pays for everything and my dad refuses to help pay for any of my cheerleading. My mom pays for all of it.

 

[CheerMomNTx]

This is so sad. I can't offer any advice but you do have our heartfelt support. Good luck with everything!!

 

[wcdad]

WCdad is my new idol...lol...I've been divorced for 2 years, prior to the split my daughters father NEVER supported her cheerleading, he made comments about her taking up a "real" sport (haha if he really knew) I had it written that in the divorce he would pay 1/3 of the cost, which he has but still never comes to watch a competition. My daughter chooses not to have much to do with her father due to his lack of support and nasty comments about the sport she loves...his loss.

I am quite proud of the fact that I have a GREAT relationship with my daughter. I know all of her friends but just as important I know her friends parents. This sport / activity has helped me in raising my daughter to be a strong, independent, motivated, driven, team player, committed young woman with a great sense of self worth and pride in who she is. And not to mention she is in great shape. It would not have mattered to me what she chose to do, I would have been just as involved in her life. We drove 1 hr 15 min each way 3 to 4 times a week for 11 years to get to her gym, and i would do it all over again in a heart beat. During that time we talked about everything and I can tell you that I knew what was going on in my daughters life. How many parents today can truly say that? I don't understand how parents don't want to be a part of there children's lives. I will do with out long before my daughter has to.

 

[cheerlove]

i know the thread says for parents, but i am a kid who lives through this. my dad is so supportive of my cheerleading. he takes me to all the competitions and can even curl the back of my hair where i cant. he made friends with other cheer dads and is always there. my mom however doesnt do the whole cheer thing. she has been to 2 competitions and both she complained the entire time. she always wants me to quit. im so grateful my dad pushes to let me continue because my team is my refuge when im stressed or upset, and the place where i can just be me. i love my dad more than anything in the world. if you are a parent struggling with this issue and your kid really loves cheer, push to let them keep doing it! it really made all the difference in my life.

 

[CheerFanatic]

My issue was the other way. My x wanted nothing to do with it..It was written into our support settlement that if she did not want to go than than she gave up her time and I ended up taking her. Needless to say in over 10 years, she never went to a practice and went to less than 10 comps. I was at everyone regardless if she was there or not. I also had it written that she was responsible for 50% of the cost, but let just say that one was not enforced. Her loss my gain with the time I had with my daughter.

And i would like to note that wcdad's daughter is in college now and he still goes to her competitions and comes to watch her cheer games !!!!!!!!!! He is an amazing cheer dad!

 

[fierceBOWlove]

AH I'm 17 but know exactly what all of you are talking about. My parents are going through a very long and hard divorce ( still not final) and money is really tight. I saved my birthday money and christmas money and every dollar I get to help pay for all my cheer stuff. My mom is going through school and my dad just lost his job. I've been in allstar cheer since I was like 5 years old and now it's really hard to pay for it. I am doing an International Coed team now, because the prices for club level cheer were so amazingly overpriced where I live.
Everytime I ask my dad to help me out, his solution is "why don't you just quit because I don't have money to waste on that". I'm a senior in high school and have had to miss out on so many other things because of money, (senior trips, yearbook, high school cheer, etc) And he wants me to quit this too.