Tomorrow will be a whole new experience as granddaughter senior goes to a trial gymnastics session. She has been obsessed with bouncing and being upside down for some time now. For her birthday she had a beam screwed into her bedroom floor to enable her to twist and twiddle round it. I’ve never really understood the need to be in perpetual motion rather than sitting in a corner with a book, but we’re all different! Anyway, we felt the time had come for her to get some professional help and guidance before she did her body and our sanity some permanent damage. So we put her name on a waiting list. Now the call has come along with a welcoming letter listing the benefits of gymnastics:
- Makes children happier and more positive
- Improves balance, strength, flexibility and co-ordination
- Improves ability to concentrate, listen and follow instructions
- Develops sharper decision making skills
- Boosts confidence and self esteem
- Develops self respect and respect for others
- Aids sleep
Brilliant ! Should be life changing then and we look forward in anticipation to a new and improved granddaughter (though we love her just the way she is). However, apart from number two on the list – unless we consider it as referring not to physical but to mental balance, strength, flexibility and co-ordination -I can confirm that all these benefits came to me at around the same age (school year 4) with no physical exertion (I was the plump dumpy little girl who ran round the hurdles rather than jumped over them) when I came to know Jesus as my personal Saviour. Along with all Christian grandparents, my prayer is that my grandchildren will get to know Jesus and the salvation He brings at an early age and all the benefits of a life dedicated to His service