04/16/2025
What is your “Why” for enrolling your child in Martial Arts? Better self-esteem and confidence? Focus? Discipline? Self-Defense? Respect?
Children get bored. Children are human, and as such feel the urge to give up when things get hard or seem intimidating. If we allow them to just “Quit” because they aren’t excited about something anymore, we are doing them a disservice!
Do they always want to go to school? Church? Do they always want to do their homework? Clean up their belongings?
No! Do we allow them to just quit those things? Of course not! Why? Because those things are beneficial to their lives.
So, if you find value in their Martial Arts program why would you let your 6, 8, 10, 12 year old decide whether they should continue or not? Sometimes, we have to make the hard choices and force our children to get over “the humps” until they are ready to make that choice for themselves.
We also have to be willing to be inconveienced. We must be willing to have those hard conversations. We must be willing to give up of own time and resources. When we give in to their whining, because it is a lot nicer to sit at home and do what “We” want, we are reinforcing the opposite of the skills and character qualities we want them to have. We are allowing them to miss out on opportunities to grow in strength, character, and resilience.
Let’s face it, sometimes we parents can be selfish, too. It WILL cost you YOUR time, YOUR energy, YOUR resources! But, let’s be clear… When your children are grown and out of the house, you will be glad that you invested in their future, in their character, and in their ability to overcome challenges.