Monday’s Parenting Thought

Child says,  “I Quit.”

Adult should say, “Why?”

If the problem is a classmate, coach, or teacher, the solution does not have to be “I quit.” You can work with children to find other solutions. It is surprising how a little understanding and conversation with the people involved can help children get back on track.

If a child’s reason for wanting to quit is about being tired, bored, discouraged, or afraid of failure – that is an opportunity for one of the following life lessons.

1. Being able to do hard, boring, or discouraging things is an important part of being successful in any and all parts of a person’s life – as a child and as an adult. You can help your children learn to be more determined by letting them face up to their difficulties and frustrations and by not “saving” them from being unhappy or uncomfortable.

2. If fear of failure is the problem, it is important that your children understand that there are many ways to be successful.

   • Sticking with something you started can be a success.

   • Improving your own personal performance is a success, no matter how small the improvement.

   • Having a positive attitude about difficult situations is a success.

3. Happy people (of all ages) know they are not the center of the universe. Quitting any activity may be a relief to the person quitting, but it also affects others.

   • What about other team members? They are depending on each member.

   • What about the person who paid for the opportunity to participate in the activity?

   • What about the people who take their time to make participation possible?

Inspired by PICK A PUP by Marsha Wilson Chall

More about determination at Kids and Pets: The Basics  and Kids and Pets: More about Responsibility, Love, Independence, and Loss.