Parent’s Corner
by Sije Veronica Sas
Fu For You Fall 2024
There comes a time when everyone will lose the motivation to do something they need to do. Whether it is going to work, exercising or just making dinner, sometimes we just don’t want to do it! The same thing can happen to your child regarding their Kung Fu training. After the long summer break, they might find it difficult to resume the busy life of the school year. Even if your child did not take a break this summer, at some point over the year, they too might lose the motivation to practice Kung Fu.
Fortunately, you can always try to motivate your child. One thing you can do is engage your child after class. Find out if they learned anything new that day, or what they enjoyed about the class. You can even ask them to demonstrate some technique for you! If your child wants to grade soon and is lacking the motivation to practice at home, perhaps invite one of their classmates to come practice with them. The two students can help motivate each other to become better. You can also become a role model for your child by starting your own Kung Fu journey (if you haven’t already).
If your child has recently changed classes, it could simply be that they don’t know anyone in their new class. This can be rectified given enough time. Encourage them to talk to their new classmates and try to make a new friend or two. Being in class with friends makes it more enjoyable. From my experience, if your child has some friends they only see in Kung Fu, they might be more willing to go to class to see them. Fortunately, with the end of summer, more students will be returning to the Academy, and your child will have more opportunities to make new friends and become reacquainted with old ones.
Perhaps your child isn’t motivated to come to class because they are frustrated with a particular skill they are trying to learn. If this is the case, encourage them to ask their instructor for some help, either before or during class. It might even be beneficial to book a private class or two. That way your child can work on the specific skill that is frustrating them.
It is important that as a parent, we don’t push our children too hard. Each student progresses at a different rate. If your child isn’t motivated because they are not progressing as fast as they believe they should, try and convince them otherwise! Have them set one small, reasonable goal and
work towards it. When they do reach a milestone or goal, make sure you celebrate it!
There is a big difference between not being motivated to go to Kung fu and not liking Kung Fu. Not being motivated is something that can be changed with a little help, time, and patience. You just need to find out why they lost their motivation!