When Parents Quit – Kids Lose

Help your child grow and develop

I know it sounds odd, but I’ve often wondered if it is the child or the parent that decides to quit.   I know it’s difficult when they don’t want to drop what they are doing to come to class.  Usually, it’s just that they are involved in what they are doing and they don’t want to change right now.  This is also a skill!  Think how many times you didn’t want to stop doing what you were doing…

As parents, our job is to create healthy, productive humans.  Sometimes that conflicts with what kids want to do.  

As the information comes out about Boomers, Gen Xers, Millenials and Gen Z’s, there is more and more evidence that parents need to be proactive in their approach and not reactive.

Don’t get me wrong, there have been some great improvements in parenting and listening to our children, but there comes a time when parents need to do what is best for them.

Let’s face it, kids love the next new thing, but that doesn’t teach them the important life lessons of keeping with something. When parents quit it’s the kids that lose.

By reacting to a child who doesn’t feel like going to class, you can be reinforcing their instinct to quit or give up.  We aren’t just teaching karate.  We are instilling a work ethic, a desire to excel, interpersonal skills, pushing through the hard stuff and pride in work well done.  

Now, it could be classes, but in the future it could be school, work, a marriage.  Help your child to grow and develop skills that will take them through a lifetime of ups and downs.  

So what do I do if they want to quit? 

1. Ask why
2. Let us know how they are feeling
3. Set some goals, don’t just cave in
4. Show your interest (take pictures and videos of them in class and at home,  share them on our private team page or with friends and family)
5. Offer some different options (maybe try sparring competition or weapons)