Former national rhythmic gymnast Son Yeon Jae says parenting is harder than training

Former national rhythmic gymnast Son Yeon Jae said that parenting is more challenging than training.

Son Yeon Jae appeared as a special guest on the October 10 broadcast of KBS 2TV's variety show 'Stars' Top Recipe at Fun-Staurant,' introducing herself as "a rookie mom entering the second year of what is said to be the toughest stage: parenting."

Talking about raising her child, she said, "It makes me think about how my mom raised me, and I feel grateful," and added, "Just being able to watch my child grow up is something I'm thankful for and find enjoyable."

However, when asked which is harder, training or parenting, Son Yeon Jae answered, "Definitely parenting."

She explained, "Athletes may endure tough training, but they can eat well, sleep well, and manage their condition. Parenting, on the other hand, doesn't allow for condition management and never really ends."

In the episode, Son Yeon Jae revealed her day. She carefully prepped ingredients from the morning and measured portions to cook meals for her son. She also revealed a baby food diary documenting her son’s meals. The diary, started when he was six months old, included details such as Junyeon’s preferences, allergies, and diet plans.

Reflecting on her own experience, she said, "I lived only for rhythmic gymnastics, so I had a restricted diet from a young age. There were many ingredients I had never tried until I retired. Maybe because of my limited experience with food, I was a picky eater. Children tend to inherit their parents' eating habits, and I thought, 'It would be a problem if he takes after me,' so I've been putting a lot of effort into cooking."

Son Yeon Jae prepared dishes like baby-friendly 'Bulgogi' and spicy 'Bulgogi' for adults, carefully considering how to her her son to eat meat. But her son refused the food.