Children have a natural abundance of energy. At least an hour of moderate to vigorous exercise is recommended for ages 6-17, and the easiest solution is to have your child join a sport. Martial arts is an excellent option, as it meets these physical requirements while also creating positive mental and behavioral habits. But, as any parent knows, there may come a time when their kids no longer want to attend their classes. Learning when to let them quit their training is tough, but we urge you to take into account a few considerations before making a final decision.
Discipline Builds Resilience
As they grow, children may hold many fascinations or interests. There is nothing wrong with letting them try new things, as long as the means allow, but once they have committed, signed up, and bought the gear, their obligation should be seen through to the end as best as possible.
Letting kids join classes and quit whenever it gets too hard, inconvenient, or is no longer exciting to them can create a habit of quitting that sets them up for failure later on in life. By fulfilling commitments, they learn how to be disciplined and develop resilience.
Competence Develops Confidence
By consistently attending training, your child will become competent in the sport. Learning, failing, and finally succeeding build self-confidence and self-esteem over the long run, not just in martial arts but in other areas of life. If children quit before they can succeed at something, they may not develop these crucial traits.
If your child wants to quit simply because they have lost interest or find it too hard, consider speaking to their instructor about other ways to get involved, goals they could set, or alternative ways to build their confidence in class.
Commitment Creates Loyalty
Loyalty is a quality that is essential to strong human relationships, and it requires firm and constant support of another person. In other words, loyalty is built through commitment. Quitting disrupts the process of commitment. It teaches children that it’s okay to quit something just because they would rather stay inside or play video games, something that provides instant gratification, but not much more in the long run.
Commitment, above all, takes patience. It means we must forgo small immediate pleasures for more significant long term gains. This can be difficult for a child to comprehend, but it is your job as a parent to help them understand and create the habit of commitment.
It should go without saying that if your child has a serious issue with their instructor or other students, they should be listened to and acted upon. Quitting for arbitrary reasons should be discouraged so that your child develops a sense of achievement as well as endurance.
Martial arts provides a host of positive benefits for the body, including increased cardiac output and strength, improved flexibility and balance, and overall athleticism. Mentally, students report increased well-being, concentration, and focus and reduced feelings of depression and anxiety. There are few legitimate reasons to quit martial arts; ensure you have fully considered your child’s thoughts as well as the lessons you want them to learn before making a decision.
