Winter Break is
officially over and we are back and ready to kick 2019’s butt! If you’re
anything like us you are still adjusting back into the busy bustle of your
hectic daily schedule after a brief reprieve. This adjustment is hard on the
kiddos too. They’ve been out of school, out of martial arts class and
obligation free for over a week now. Fortnight, Minecraft, or their newly
gifted phone or tablet has been their primary devotion with this excess free
time, but now that time has drawn to a close. School will be starting again and
martial arts class and other obligations are calling.
Some kids readily jump
back into these routines, excited to see friends and favorite teachers again.
But for other’s the idea of giving up their free time, turning off their games
and getting off the couch to return to the real world is just too much. Your
normally happy Little Warrior suddenly becomes an angry tyrant full of
objections and excuses. Now getting their once treasured belt on and getting to
the car in a timely manner has become a chore-like battle. We’ve heard the
stories and we’ve had you nudge your usually happy little one onto the mat and
shut the door hoping our instructors can reason with them and remind them of
all the reasons they love martial arts class. No worries, it happens to the
best of us. Regardless of when this sudden attitude change occurs, there will
always come a point when a child suddenly digs their heels in and begins that
descent towards quitting. Sometimes it’s a gradual change. At first it’s an
occasional “I’m too tired to go to class today” or “Can we please skip, just
this once?” But sometimes a long break in routine can trigger the dreaded words
“I want to quit.”So what do we do? Do we give in because we are already
stretched thin as is or do we take this moment and turn it into a life lesson?
The truth is our
children need to be pushed. Children will not brush their teeth, eat regular
meals, or go to school unless adults make them. We, as parents, have to push
and shape our Little Warriors until one day they realize the wisdom (and
necessity) of follow through and not quitting. Only then are they able to
venture out into the world on their own, fully equipped for the challenges of
adulthood that lie ahead. You don’t get a diamond without a little pressure and
the same goes with children. The only way for them to achieve their full
potential is for us to show them that this lofty goal is what they should be
pushing and striving towards.
Now there are plenty of
valid reasons to quit an activity or sport. Your child might be stretched too
thin and feel like they can’t meet any goals in any activity because there are
simply too many to achieve at once. Maybe the activity is more your passion
than theirs? Perhaps the team or coach is not a good fit for your child’s
individual needs or learning style. Maybe they’re unable to keep up at this
level and are now feeling left out or bullied. It happens. But every desire to
give up or quit has to be carefully examined and reviewed with the child in
context or else quitting when things get hard can quickly become a bad habit
that turns into a lifelong problem.
But being anxious about
returning to class after a break or a little nervous that they’re out of
practice is never a valid reason to quit an activity. Not when sticking with it
offers so much room for growth and character building. Managing distress is a
skill set that is severely lacking in our newest generation of adults. If this seems
to be the reason your child wants to quit encourage them to face those doubts
and provide them with the needed extra support as they do so. Every stressful
situation conquered bolsters the strength and resiliency your child will have
in the future. Strength, resiliency- those sound like Warrior worthy
characteristics to us. Remember every diamond is just a lump of coal without
the pressure it needs to form. Your little ones greatest potential is the same
way.
Whatever the reason and
whenever the season of life, we hope these musings and the linked list of 10
things to consider first helps you decide whether quitting martial arts, a
sports team, or musical lessons is right for you and your family. Over all we
are excited to see everyone back on the mat and all of the potential we can
unlock together as we crush our goals in 2019. Even if it’s a little rocky
getting back into the swing of things we’re excited to be back at it and
grateful for the challenges ahead. Because we know it is those challenging
experiences that build the strongest character and we want to help you make
your Little Warrior the strongest ‘diamond’ around.
#RaiseAWarrior
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