Congratulations! You have a normal child!
Seriously, training to mastery, or even proficiency, in anything is sometimes difficult and frustrating. Most kids (and even adults) don’t have the natural level of discipline it takes to repeat a task enough times to really become good at the task. It’s natural to feel like you don’t want to do something anymore. And it can be a difficult impulse to overcome.
So if this is a natural thing that is likely to occur, what can parents do about it? Here are a couple of possible solutions!
2. Come up with a rewarding ritual for after class.
Choose something that your child enjoys and reward them with it if they complete their training for the day with a positive attitude. It doesn’t have to be something huge. It might be a sweet treat or a few minutes of extra screen time. Pick something that will move the needle for your kiddo.
We want to teach kids that practice=good things. Making that connection will take them far in life.
3. Remind your kids of the goals they set and the goals you have for them.
It’s easy to become focused on the frustration of an activity and forget why you began the activity in the first place. Perhaps set a benchmark for discussing quitting.
“Remember how you really wanted to achieve your Black Belt? Imagine how you’ll feel when you accomplish that goal. We’d like to see you succeed, too! Why don’t we re-visit quitting when you’ve accomplished what you set out to achieve.”
Having good short and long term goals and benchmarks can have a powerful effect on motivation while your child is developing the self-discipline to persevere through frustration.
4. Be a model of discipline for your kids
Do you quit things when they get tough? As a parent, you have an opportunity to demonstrate self-discipline on a daily basis. When we avoid difficult or frustrating things, we teach our kids to do the same. Try to show your kids what discipline looks like. They are always watching!