Inspiring
Gymnast Gabby Douglas' Mom Deserves a Gold Medal Too
It was hard to watch gymnast Gabby Douglas' triumph at the Olympics this week without feeling a sort of parental pride. The first black American to win an individual gold in gymnastics, she did it at just 16! She's an amazing kid.
But she couldn't have done it if her mom hadn't been willing to do something few parents could. Natalie Hawkins sent her daughter halfway across the country at just 14 years old, all alone.
In a moving interview about her decision to let teenage Gabby train with a gymnastics coach in Iowa while she and her other kids stayed behind in their native Virginia, Hawkins made no bones about how tough the decision was. And she was pretty hard on herself, telling the AP, "I'm thinking to myself the whole time, 'What kind of mother does something like that?'"
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I'd say the kind of mother who realizes being a parent means doing what's best for your kid, even when it hurts you to do it.
I don't know if I could send my child to live without me in another town, in another state at any age. Part of me would be wracked with worry that something would happen to her. Part of me would be missing her so badly it hurt.
But if I step away from it all, I realize that my fears would likely be silly -- after all, bad things can happen anywhere -- and my desire to keep her in my home so I wouldn't miss her would be selfish.
I can't fault Hawkins for making this sacrifice for Gabby. Here she had this kid with an immense talent, but the resources in their town weren't enough to help foster it. She made the tough choice, but she made the one that was best for her kid. Isn't that what being a good mom is all about?
Do you think you could do what Gabby Douglas' mom did for her?
Image via Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
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banana-bear
Michelle
zombiemommy916
Pinkmani
Banana-bear, but obviously Gabby was okay with it. It most likely has been something that she dreamed about. Her parents probably couldn't afford to move the whole family to Iowa. By moving, Gabby not only has been able to accomplish her gymnastics goals, but she competed in the Olympics. Now with winning and all the endorsement deals and paychecks from her commercials, Gabby has started a career. She can continue to compete in the next Olympic competition or she start teaching Gymnastics and train other young girls. Professional athletes (NBA, NFL, NHL, etc.) play sports as careers, not as a hobby.
I probably would do the same thing if I were her mom. That must have been hard, but her mom should be happy that she did what she did.
Sarah Burgess
Olympic Gold Medalist? The mother and obviously everyone knew she had this in her, otherwise she wouldn't have made those sacrifices. And she will thank her mother forever.
I left as an exchange student at 16 to Finland and people gave my father so much crap but I lasted a whole year, learned an extremely foreign language, and went on to learn german and french. No one is laughing now since I have also turned these talents into a profitable career.
If your a parent and your child is motivated and committed to a dream, help them.
HS
HS
Lisa Smith
emma
EvaSamuel
Sometimes children posses unique gifts. Gifts that need to be nurtured and grown because if not, the whole child will suffer. Gymnastics is that gift for Gabby. In reading about this amazing young lady, her mother knew she was special and Gabby knew that she needed more than Virginia Beach had to offer. It was brave of her mother and has seriously paid off! Sometimes children need to go to college at 16 because of their gifts, other need athletic training. Freddie Adu left home at an early age to turn his attention to soccer, Kobe Bryant left home to pursue basketball, Jodie Foster went to Yale. It looks like gymnastics might be more than a hobby for Gabby Douglas.