The Next Shawn Johnson?

My mom, my daughter and I were watching the Olympic trials for the United States gymnastics team with all eyes on Shawn Johnson, the reigning World champion and a favorite for the gold medal in Beijing.  She's actually been dubbed "The Next Mary Lou Retton," and she's from my hometown of West Des Moines, Iowa. Shawn is an uber-talented and smart gymnast (who holds a 4.0 GPA in high school). My brother-in-law is her school academic adviser, and my mom manages her family's insurance policies.  Nutshell: my family is head-over-heels for Shawn. And my daughter has noticed.

We watched Shawn win the Olympic trials in June, and our eyes were glued to the television.  We cheered with each stuck landing and and gasped at each tiny bobble. All eyes on Shawn also meant my kid was not receiving attention, and she did not like it.  Her strategy for attention was easy... she decided to do her own gymnastics routine in our family room. She began twirling and leaping (and flailing) around the room.  She then stopped in her tracks, looked at Shawn, pointed to the television, and said, "Mommy, I want to do THAT!"

My heart stopped.

I am torn.  I was a gymnast from childhood through high school. Doctors told my mom that I would be petite, so I started gymnastics classes.  I was instantly (still am) passionate about the sport.  Flash forward to post-puberty, I am 5' 9"... obviously WAY too tall for a gymnast.  I ended up coaching all through high school and college. (Trust me, I was a better coach than athlete!)  I loved the sport, but I was never going to be a stand-out gymnast at any level.

I love that my daughter is excited about the sport, and I realize she is not choosing her future at the mere age of three, but I also know she will be too tall for an elite gymnast.  And, quite honestly, I want my child to excel at "something." I have this fantasy of her excelling at her activity of choice -- whether it be sports, theater, art or music.  She is going to be a tall girl; gymnastics is not her sport. 

I know I am being ridiculous. I know I should support her little-girl fantasy... and I do.  (In fact, she has been taking gymnastics classes for months.) 

I can already read the comments to this post:  Relax, she will find her niche.  She's only three years old, why are you so worried? You are over-analyzing the situation, chill out and let her enjoy whatever sport she wants.  So what if she is not an elite anything, let her follow her passion. She's going to have a million interests over the next 20 years.

Rest assured, I am listening to my inner voice and will stop over-analyzing her desire to be the next Shawn Johnson. I will embrace her new-found interest in the sport I have loved for years.  It can be "our thing." Perhaps we can talk about gymnastics as I drive her to softball practice?

Regardless, this mother and daughter will watch every moment of Olympic gymnastics as Shawn Johnson "goes for the gold" in Beijing!