[dave k]

Regularly when my daughter (8 years old) climbs/boulders adults seem to think it as acceptable to express amongst their friends, but loud enough for her to hear, views on why she is able to climb the problems/routes that they are struggling with. "She is light", "she has small hands", "she can use an easier sequence".

It would be so much better if people would just say "well done", or nothing. 

Remember most kids do have seriously good hearing! So even a quiet whisper to a few mates to defend your ego may not be quiet enough.

[Oldmanmatt]

Regularly when my daughter (8 years old) climbs/boulders adults seem to think it as acceptable to express amongst their friends, but loud enough for her to hear, views on why she is able to climb the problems/routes that they are struggling with. "She is light", "she has small hands", "she can use an easier sequence".

It would be so much better if people would just say "well done", or nothing. 

Remember most kids do have seriously good hearing! So even a quiet whisper to a few mates to defend your ego may not be quiet enough.

Over time, though, she’ll likely end up like mine. Now she’s 16, she will happily explain to the people who used to dissect her sends, why she can still out climb them despite being “full size” now…

[Wellsy]

Seems reasonable to generally want people to not be shitty about the capabilities of others relative to themselves, especially kids. Fair.

I always think climbing can be quite ego-intensive for a discipline where 99% of people never actually directly compete against anyone at all.

[mrjonathanr]

Sorry to hear that, it’s just poor behaviour, full stop. She can do it because she’s better than them. I am sure she knows and I am sure they do, too.

[wasbeen]

Regularly when my daughter (8 years old) climbs/boulders adults seem to think it as acceptable to express amongst their friends, but loud enough for her to hear, views on why she is able to climb the problems/routes that they are struggling with. "She is light", "she has small hands", "she can use an easier sequence".

Often this can be the case that being small and light can help. Of course this goes both ways and children/parents often moan way too much about being too small.

My daughter always took it as a bit of a compliment when people were chuntering in the background. I was always very interested to enter in to the debate. People were quite shocked to find out how many days a week she trained and how dedicated she was, which obviously is a factor. But doesn't discount the fact that being small and light helps sometimes. Trying to understand why things are/and are not possible is part of the process. It also helps to prepare children for when some things will be harder (and some easier).

[kc]

When I was at school we had a climbing club and the other kids would put my success down to being light, not the dedication and training. "Ok give me a rucksack full of bricks and I will still burn you off you fat cxxt" was my usual response.