It’s a warm day in May, and I’m at the last gymnastics class of the season at my local gym. I’m a middle-aged mom of three about to attempt a back handspring, by myself, for the first time in my life.

In this video, my daughter Salish transforms me into a professional gymnast for 24 hours. I perform a floor routine judged by an Olympic official, and later, Salish and her friend Nidal challenge a ...