As a parent, these are some difficult words to hear. Martial Arts has probably been a part of your daily routine for a while and to hear that your child wants to just quit can be difficult.
The truth is, 99% of the time children want to stop training for 4 main reasons, and simply addressing them at home can turn their attitude around.
Why your child might want to quit Martial Arts and what to do about it?
The first reason and one of the more common ones you’ll hear is that your child is “bored”. A child that is bored will often enjoy a bit of a challenge. Luckily, Martial Arts is challenging enough that we have a few options. We would recommend looking into other Martial Arts styles to cross-train in or even move into the competition circuit to test their skills and allow them to prove to themselves how far they have come with their training.
The next common reason for wanting to quit is the child may be “scared”. Martial Arts is definitely a physical activity and being scared (particularly of sparring) is often an issue for children that are used to more passive activities. At IMC, we introduce sparring as a fun activity – like a game of tag – and use minimal contact and heavy-duty protective equipment. If the child is still concerned, we recommend talking to instructors for further advice. It’s only a matter of time before your child realises they aren’t as fragile as they thought.
Another excuse we hear for wanting to quit Martial Arts is that it’s that they “Aren’t getting it”. This usually translates to class has gotten hard because I have fallen behind. Remember, we follow a curriculum that requires student to come at least twice a week in order to be successful. Often if a child has missed a significant amount of training, they will be behind their friends, get frustrated and want to quit. The best course of action is to push through the adjustment period and come to class often until they are back on track.
The 4th and final common reason for wanting to quit their lessons is commitment issues. Remember, children will be more easily persuaded by whatever is the flavour of the month and if you are letting your child bounce around between extra-curricular activities without consequence, they will learn that there is little value in learning commitment. Instead, ensure your child finishes whatever they choose to begin and remind them of the importance of committing to achieve their goals.